A/N: Just so everyone knows, the last bit in Part 9 was a conversation that occurred between the time when Javen shot himself and when Remus appeared.  Sirius is just remembering it.  *Sigh *… I really need to deport Rabbit.  He seems to have grown on me a little too much.  For those of you who don't want Sirius to have an easy job of forgiveness, I hope this is satisfactory.  I thought this would be one of the hardest scenes to get through, and it ended up being one of the easiest.  Go figure!  Oh, and this chapter has some language in it that may not be suitable for everyone.  Nothing major, Siri just gets a little carried away sometimes the poor dear. ^_^

Part 10: This Too Shall Pass

"You do realize, of course, that he really doesn't want to see you?"

"Thank you, Mr. Tact."

Rabbit held up his hands in mock defense.  "I'm only stating the facts, Snuffles."

"A little bit of sensitivity would do a world of good for you, Rabbit. Do you know that?"

"Tried it.  I found it cramps my style."

"Bloody Americans," Sirius muttered under his breath.

"What was that, Snuffles?  I don't think I heard you right."

"You would make an absolutely barbaric Englishman, Rabbit."

"Ahh, my friend, what is an American but an absolute barbaric Englishman?"

"I am rendered speechless by your wit," he replied dryly.  Rabbit laughed heartily as they made their way through the halls.

"Miracles upon miracles, Snuffles!  I, the 'Savage American', have rendered the Master of Speech, speechless!  Stay right there while I call 'The Weekly Warlock'."

"Aren't you due for deportation any time now?"

"Not until tomorrow, my canine friend."

"And you have nothing better to do, than to drive me mad?"

"Not drive you mad, Snuffles, but prepare you."

"Prepare me?  For what?  The 'funny farm', as you Yanks so eloquently dub it?"

"Why for this."  Sirius was surprised to see that they had arrived at Harry's door already.  He could hear Remus' soft voice as he spoke to Harry.  About what, he could only imagine.

"How could you possibly prepare…"

"There are enough sorrows in the world, Sirius," Rabbit said sobering in the blink of an eye.  "Laughter is the cure for all pain.  I'm just giving you an overdose of it so that no matter what happens in that room, you will always remember laughter."

"You make it sound like I'm on the way to the guillotine," Sirius laughed nervously.  Rabbit's eyebrows raised.

"You may as well be.  A hurt child, the guillotine, it makes no difference.  I've been a father long enough to know this."

Sirius stood there for a moment, collecting himself.  Why was this so difficult?  Why could he not even face a 15-year-old boy?  What was there to be frightened of?  He remembered the look of pain that dashed across that young face on the other side of an Azkaban window and knew what it was he feared.

"You'll never know unless you try, Snuffles," Rabbit whispered, seeing the conflict.  "Do what Castor can't find it in himself to do."  He knew the allusion to the Auror would only get Sirius even more jittery, but he also knew it would serve its purpose.

Without any further word, Sirius opened the door.

*          *            *

Remus sighed in relief as he saw his friend enter through the door.  He had feared that Padfoot would not be able to go through with the first meeting.  Sure, the doctors had to practically curse the man to get him away from Harry's side, but this would be a full confrontation between father and son.  Whatever happened, it may all rest in the hands of these two.  Could the rift be sealed, or would it remain forever an ugly scar in both, already scarred, people?

"What took you, Padfoot?" he asked quietly to ease the tension.  "Did you get lost on the way?"

"No," said Sirius looking relieved to be able to speak freely.  "Captain America here kept me longer than I intended."

An indignant 'harrumph' came through the closed door and they heard said Unspeakable stalk away down the halls, presumably to harass someone else in his boredom.

Even Harry had to smile at the comical antics of the three men.  He missed that sorely: just being able to relax in the comfort of friends.  It made him long for Ron and Hermione all the more.  Perhaps Remus would let them come for a visit later.

"I'll see if I can prevent Rabbit from driving the medical staff to madness," Remus said by way of departure.  Sirius got the hint and allowed his friend to leave.  An uncomfortable silence passed with the absence of the gentle werewolf.

"What's that in your hand?" Harry asked curiously, staring at some papers in Sirius' hands.  His tone was not friendly and inviting, but restrained and sullen.

Sirius mentally grimaced.  This was not the way he would start things off.  He nervously fiddled with the documents and sat down in Remus' chair near the head of the boy's bed.  "Ah, this… well… I'm not quite sure if I should begin with that."

Harry was shocked to see that Sirius was stuttering over his words.  He had never seen his guardian at such a loss of what to say.  They must be important if Sirius himself could not find his infamous voice.  He bitterly reflected that he had had no such vocal problems in Azkaban.

Sirius unfolded the documents and swiftly scanned over them.  He looked back up into the large green eyes and knew he could not start it this way.  He finally found his voice to say what was needed.  "I'll get to them," he promised.  "But there are a few things I need to get off my chest first.  T-to make it easier."

He could not break his gaze from the boy who sat there looking so calmly at him.  A faint tingling in the back of his mind told him that Harry was anything but calm.  It would be best if he got things out into the open before they festered further.

"Harry, you have to believe me when I say that I was never angry with you," he started.  "I was angry with myself.  Scared too."

"Scared?  Of what, Sirius?  You weren't the one under arrest for murder," Harry countered.  "You didn't have those Orcs breathing down your neck."

"I know what it is like.  I was in the same position you were.  And I know how frightening it can be.  God, this whole thing was like reliving my own 'trial'.  Everything was moving so fast… I couldn't take it all in right.  There are so many reasons why I snapped at you and none of them have anything to do with you.  I was terrified and I panicked.  I'm so sorry, Harry."

"So how does that help?  Is everything fine now that you've revealed to me your little secret?" Harry's voice did not belong to a cheerful 15-year-old student.  His was a voice that knew what it was to cry out and received no answer.  Javen's words came back to haunt Sirius: "And when he turns from you to join a more noble cause, be it for the dictators in the Ministry or for the Dark Lord himself, it will be with malice in his heart."

"Dammit, Harry, you're not making this any easier," he snapped before he could stop himself.  But Harry was ready for his temper to flare again and matched it with his own.

"And just what about this is supposed to be easy, Sirius?" Harry demanded.  "This isn't a game.  I trusted you to take care of me!  We were supposed to be a family!  And families love and trust each other no matter what; at least that's what I thought it was.  My experience has been rather limited with them."  The underlying accusation was not concealed from his voice and Sirius winced visibly as though he had been struck.  Harry already knew he blamed himself for that, why bring it up?

"No," Sirius whispered, the wind gone out of his temper.  "That's what a family is.  You're right, Harry.  You're right about everything." And you're right about that last bit too.

"Sirius, I'm 15 years old.  I can't keep our family together just by myself.  And I'm tired of trying to."

"I understand.  I know what it's like to keep trying and getting nowhere.  My father left me the second he heard I was arrested.  He didn't want my so-called crime to stain the family name."

"Let me guess," shot back Harry.  "The second you heard I was arrested, you knew everyone would be looking at you again.  You would be associated with murder again.  So you did the same thing that your father did: you ran from it.  Well, if that's the way the Black family acts toward each other when they are in trouble, then I don't want any part of it!"

"I did not run," Sirius replied, hurt shining in his eyes.  "I would have died before I left you.  I did many horrible things to you, but I did not leave you."

"Then what do you call—"

"I call it an executive order from the Ministry.  I was forced to relinquish custody.  There was no way I could refuse it without landing you in more trouble.  No, Harry, I thought I had told you this before: you could become the second Voldemort and I would still love you.  I may not side with you, I may even be against you, but my love will never die for you.  You are my son in my heart if in no other way.

"But you are right when you say that I betrayed you.  Giving you to the Ministry was against my control.  Using it as a weapon against you was not.  Maybe I just wanted someone else to feel hurt like I did.  I hurt you and abused the trust and love you had for me… just like Javen."  The last part came out in a whisper as Sirius realized the horrible truth that the dark wizard told him about.  Just like Javen…

"You really thought I was guilty, didn't you?"  Sirius could see that just those 3 words had the same horrid effect on Harry that it did on him.

"God, I didn't know what to think.  Everything said that you did it, but I refused to listen.  But it fit so well together that I began to think I was wrong about you.  That I had failed you like I failed Wormtail; that I had lost you to Javen or to whatever it was that pushed you over the edge.  And then when Remus started saying things… I just lost it.  But it turns out he was the only person who knew what was going on."

Harry sat still for a while in contemplation.  Sirius ran a hand through his thick hair, unsure of what to say next.  This had not gone to plan at all.

"We were both wrong then, weren't we?" he heard Harry softly say.  "We both assumed the worst of each other."  The boy looked up at his guardian, "Sirius, how can we fix this?  I don't see a way."

Sirius stood up and clenched the papers he brought in his hands.  "I think it's time I explained these documents to you.  This," he held up one, "is a letter from Fudge releasing you from his custody.  And these two are adoption papers."

"Why two?"  Harry asked with more curiosity than anger now.  He sat himself up straighter on the cot so that he could see them.  Sirius sat down next to him so he could explain better.

"I have been a horrible parent and I'll be the first to admit it.  I was living in a dream world to think that it would be easy.  Silly promises made that I could never keep, losing my faith so easily… I cannot begin to fathom how I could have messed up so badly."  He shook his head, angry with himself for his weakness.  "Remus and I had a long talk two days ago and had these papers drawn up this morning.  We decided that you are old enough to make this decision."

"Sirius," Harry said more gently seeing Sirius fumble for words again.  "Just tell me."

"My guardianship over you was officially dissolved when you went to Azkaban," Sirius started.  He looked up from the papers to Harry's large green eyes.  "It would require a new document to re-establish the adoption.  Since I have been found to be an unsuitable parent, I asked Remus and he agreed.  Harry, what I'm trying to say is: who do you want to live with?  Forget what anyone else wants.  One document will let you live with Remus who I'm sure will make a much better parent than I.  The other will let me be your fa… guardian again."

"You want me to choose?" the boy asked, his eyes going even larger.  Sirius handed them to Harry with shaking hands.

"I will not try to sway you either way.  Remus has opened his home to you gladly.  You will be no bother to him if you want to go.  But if you want to stay with me, if you want to make it work, I will try my damnedest to learn from my mistakes and not make them again."

Harry just sat there for a moment, gaping at the two documents and what they meant.  Each held a promise for his future and each one was pulling him, beckoning him.

"Everything is in order," continued the heavyhearted father as he moved to leave.  "All it needs is your signature.  I'll leave you to your decision.  Take your time, there is no hurry."

"Sirius?" Harry's voice stopped him at the door.  He turned around to face the boy who he cared so much for.


"Yes, Harry?"

"Um… Remus said something before you came in.  He said that I owed you my life and that you had some sort of burden over it.  What did he mean?"

"You are never a burden," Sirius assured.  "He only meant that when I took the bond over from Javen, that it caused me some initial distress."

"The Contiosa?  You what?"  Harry leapt from the cot he was sitting on to face Sirius fully eye to eye.  He had grown since their first meeting in the Shrieking Shack and was no longer dwarfed by the older man.  His emerald eyes betrayed his own distress as he contemplated this new development.

"You were dying," Sirius explained.  "You needed someone else to fill the gap that Javen left.  The others were too frightened.  I acted out of impulse.  I already decided not to use it or…"

"Why wasn't I told sooner?"  Sirius felt the bond in the back of his mind beginning to panic over the news.  He had to calm Harry down soon, or the link would modify his own mood.

"I thought you were already told.  Calm down, Harry.  I dampened the link as much as I could from my end, but I can feel your panic.  You can't give in to that."

The effect this simple information had on the boy was astounding.  Sirius was now faced with a fully terrified boy.  He knew from the end of last summer that Javen had tortured the boy to no end with this link, yet he didn't know how much of it still haunted him.  It seemed that the mere prospect of a new link sent him into a cold sweat.

For his part, the man found that the more he tried to calm Harry down, the more terror was seeping into his own mind.  He reached for the boy who was beginning to hyperventilate and drew him into a fierce embrace, trying to bring him back to reality.

Harry felt Sirius drawing him close and every instinct he had screamed for him to get away.  Sirius was just like Javen; he had said so himself.  He would hurt him.  He would punish him.  He would use the link to force him to obey with lullabies and mind-numbing pain.  So in his panic he struggled all the harder, beating against his captor with his fists that seemed so tiny and useless now.

"I'm sorry for this, Harry," Sirius murmured as he took the link into a more conscious level, forcing it open.  Into this link he pored all the pride and love he had for his son, willing Harry to see that he was no Javen and would not ever abuse him with the Contiosa.  He choked back a sob at the returning emotions. 

Black and purple swirls of energy crashed into him.  He saw everything that Harry was seeing in his mind.  He felt each of Javen's blows and mind-crippling waves.  He could smell the canine musk of his cell and feel the shimmering stares of the insane all around him.  He saw the American's needless death and he saw the likewise horrible death of a young Auror in Dublin.  He could hear the last requests of Cedric's echo as Harry held onto his wand for dear life.  All this he saw and more and then he finally understood that which he was so blind to.

On the other end of the link, Harry was having a hard time deciding on what to do. Should he shove Sirius away and run to the safety of Remus' presence?  Or should he cling to Sirius and never let go?  He could not stop himself from sending out the visions in his mind or from receiving Sirius'.  The intensity of Sirius' emotions caught him off-guard and made him pause in his panic.  He knew now that Sirius meant what he said; he was truly sorry and he really did love Harry.  He was not being lied to again and he could sense no Javen within him.  All he could sense was the deep paternal love and an underlying sadness that went beyond their current fight.

Sirius felt Harry still in his arms and he loosened them to give them both air.  He was sweating from the both mental and physical struggle, his hair clinging to his face and covering his eyes.  He withdrew from Harry's mind carefully and slowly so the boy could see he was no threat and hid the link so that he was barely aware of it.  He felt Harry sigh as he did so.

"Sirius," Harry panted trying to look into the man's eyes.  But his unkempt hair hid the two sapphires from his view.  He so desperately wanted to see them, but even that was denied to him.  "Sirius, what was…"

"I'll never use the Contiosa against you.  I swear it.  I'll understand if you want the link transferred to someone else.  It may be best that way."  His voice shook and Harry doubted that it was just from the strain of their latest struggle.

"But Sirius-"

"I have to go, Harry.  Take your time with the papers, there is no hurry.  I'll be back in a while."  His eyes still to the ground, Sirius fled the room, unable to look the boy in the face for fear that he would lose all control if he did.

Harry stood there for a moment, staring after his father figure in wonder.  What had Sirius seen in the exchange that had moved him so?  Even last summer, he had been in control of his emotions.  The control may have slipped during trying times, but it never completely left him.  Harry had just seen every wall, so carefully constructed, crumble down to nothing, leaving the ex-convict bare and naked to the world.

Maybe it wasn't what he had seen, he pondered as he returned to the adoption papers.  Maybe it was himself that he feared.  When he tried to end Harry's panic, he had sent every ounce of himself into it.  Haphazardly sending the boy waves of comfort and love, he destroyed his own emotional barriers that he had spent years constructing.  He must have known that.  He must have sensed how Harry could see everything that was inside him, everything that he denied the knowledge of even to Remus.

Harry looked at the paper with Remus' name on the top.  It would make Harry Remus' son in all legal terms and Wolf's Haven his home.  The simple cottage was warm and reminded him of the Weasley's sometimes from the way that it just smelled of peace and comfort.  Remus was offering his home to the boy and Harry found it oh so tempting. 

He alone had believed in Harry and fought for him fiercely.  He had admitted his wrong doings to Harry immediately after he woke up in the hospital; how he had unwillingly used him as bait for the true Dark Wizard that was still at large.  And he knew it was Remus who had kept him alive long enough for the Healers to arrive.  By every right Remus was the father Sirius couldn't be.  No one could deny that Remus was a much more suitable parent.  He understood children, he had the patience for them, and he knew their needs.  He could give Harry the security that Sirius never could.

He put the quill Sirius had brought to the paper.  All it needed was his signature on the dotted line.  Just Harold James Potter.  It was so easy to do, yet he paused and found he couldn't do it.  Not until he had considered the other sheet of parchment.

He sighed looking at Sirius' adoption paper.  He should be angry with him; he should be feeling nothing but malice and disappointment toward the ex-convict.  So why in the name of Merlin did he feel a yearning toward the paper?  He took his glasses off and rubbed at his eyes.  He too was sweating from the ordeal of the Contiosa panic and the fatigue was catching up with him.  Why did they give him the choice?  Why couldn't they just decide for him and let him deal with the decision?

Harry suddenly realized what it was that was stopping him from signing his life away to Remus.  Sirius needed him.  That was what Sirius was so afraid of and why he left so quickly.  Harry wasn't just a kid that Sirius took care of.  He wasn't a way to make him more credible as a wizard or a father.  Sirius truly and deeply cared for and needed Harry to the point where if it were anything else, it would be sick.  Or, at least Sirius thought so.

Harry had seen the way the Weasley's acted around each other.  For all their bickering and family squabbles, they shard a fondness not found among mere friends.  They would die for each other and not consider it anything special.  Sirius had been so out of the loop on families, that he didn't even realize how much Harry was his son.  Harry actually had a better understanding of a family that Sirius did just from observing.  Sirius hadn't even had that much.  Harry had received enough of Sirius' memories in the transfer to know this.  God, he had certainly had enough of the man's memories of Azkaban to last him a lifetime.

If there was anything from the link that Harry learned about Sirius, it was that Sirius needed him.  He was his sanity for 12 years, his hope to escape, his will to survive outside the prison, and his reason for existence now.  If anything had happened to Harry, Sirius would be gone as assuredly as if he had the Dementors Kiss. 

'That's why he reacted so strongly to my sentence,' Harry realized.  'He wasn't just scared like he said.  He was terrified.  He couldn't save me from this like he could save me before.  This was something out of his control.'  Sirius liked being in control of all situations and his emotions.  But when a simple boy, who wasn't even his biological son, could control him without even knowing it, he became frightened.  All the self-control he possessed was powerless compared to the driving instinct to protect the boy.  Unleashed, this instinct was damn near unstoppable.  One day, Harry feared it would be his undoing. 

Voldemort would not be stopped until he had his revenge on the stubborn boy.  Harry knew that one day, the time would come when he had to fight that one last battle.  The others saw the same even if they didn't admit it.  Sirius would be determined not to let him fight.  He would want to take Harry's place.  He would try to stop it.  But like all things that could not be denied, Sirius would have to concede.  Concede or be destroyed in the ensuing struggle.

Sirius was not alone in his need to protect his loved ones.  How many times had Harry had to hide his pain so that others would not worry?  How many times had he taken blows meant for others?  Tears sprang to his eyes and he felt the urge to hit something.  Why was he one to always help and protect?!  Why couldn't he, for one instant, be just another hurt boy?  He didn't want to be this special war symbol.  He just wanted to be a normal boy with a normal family with normal fears and worries.  He just wanted to be comforted and loved.  And Remus offered that to him gladly.  He was tired of trusting Sirius only to be let down and he was tired of having to heal the older man's pain and lick his own wounds in private.  And he certainly did not need to worry about Sirius' mental health should anything happen to his beloved son.

Another hour slowly passed with no further progress on his decision.  Thrice curse those stupid adults!  He was tempted to just go to Rabbit and ask for a ride to America where he wouldn't need to worry about such things.  In the end, around 2 hours after Sirius fled the room, Harry finally made his decision.  Content with that and feeling like he had just played a 5 hour Quidditch match, he collapsed on his cot and fell asleep before his head even hit the pillow.

*          *            *

"Maybe you should talk to him, he won't even listen to me."

"Then he definitely won't listen to me."

"You haven't even tried."

"Look at the poor sap, there's no way I'm gonna get through to him.  He looks ready to keel over right now."

"Shut up, Rabbit," came a muffled reply from said 'poor sap'.  Remus and Rabbit looked at each other in wonder.

"Good," Rabbit replied, quick to pick up on the initiative.  "You were uncharacteristically quiet for such an extended period of time, we were afraid you were permanently traumatized."

"I would use smaller words, Rabbit," Remus smiled.  "For all his… er… worldly knowledge and never-ending talking, I doubt he knows half of those big words."

"You can shut it too, Moony."  Sirius' head remained pressed into the pillow below him.  The muffled threat only made it more ridiculous.

"Well, can you tell us what happened in there that caused you to temporarily lose your voice for about 2 hours?" asked Rabbit.  Remus sighed beside him.  That bloody American really did not know what it was to be tactful, did he?

"To put it your way, Rabbit, I fucked up merrily."

"As long as it was done mer-" Rabbit was immediately shut up by Remus who covered his mouth.

"What happened, Padfoot?" tried the werewolf in a much more gentle tone.  At the sound of his friend's voice, Sirius lifted his head and brushed locks of hair from his eyes.  His two friends were relieved to see that traces of tears were long gone.  He only looked exhausted, and for good reason.

"I thought we were finally getting somewhere," Sirius said.  "I told him about the adoption papers and I really thought it was over.  We had had our squabble and we reached some common ground.  But then he found out that I took over the link and he panicked.  Really panicked."

"I've seen him do many things, Padfoot, but never panic."

Sirius agreed.  "He was really afraid that I would use it against him like Javen.  He was terrified of me, Moony."  His blue eyes grew large as though he were seeing it all over again.  "Moony, he's never been afraid of me.  Not even when he thought I was out to kill him or when he thought I was going to kill Ron."

"It's not you he fears, Padfoot," Remus insisted.  "He's afraid of Javen and the memory he has created."

"Yeah, that's the other thing," Sirius blanched.  Seeing they were waiting for an explanation, he continued.  "Before he died, Javen told me that as long as his memory was feared, then he would be immortal.  Metaphorically, of course, but as long as he's remembered, he will always be a threat to our well being.  It would destroy us from the inside out."

"Why that idealistic son of a-" Remus cut off Rabbit again with his 'you're-not-helping' look.

"What else, Sirius?"

"He told me that Harry would see how similar Javen and I are and he would leave me either for Fudge or Voldemort's cause."


"Padfoot, that's the most ridiculous… Would you please listen to yourself?"

"I know!  I know it sounds stupid.  But he hit a nerve I didn't know I had.  And after all this, it looks like he may be right.  I acted just as badly as Javen did towards Harry, didn't I?  I hurt him when he needed me the most and in a way that only a father can hurt his child.  He's going to leave me, Moony.  Especially after what he saw through the link.  I'm not strong enough to take care of him and he knows it."

"Oh, Snuffles, do shut up," Rabbit sighed.  "We came here to make sure you hadn't smothered yourself with your pillow, not to throw you a Pity Party."

"I agree with Rabbit, Sirius," said Remus smiling in amusement.  "Javen's predictions are as valid as Sybil Trelawney's.  They are entirely baseless and prey on your fears."

"But…"

"They are the last desperate rantings of a dying man too proud to accept defeat, Padfoot.  Nothing more.  Now, we discussed this adoption issue earlier.  No matter who Harry chooses to live with, you will still be the only one capable of being his father.  I have neither the wish nor the capabilities to take your place in his heart."

"Buck up, my friend," Rabbit said.  "If this savage American can be a somewhat decent father, even with this infernal job, than you surely you can do it."

"I don't want to screw up again.  It's not fair to him."

"No, you're right, it's not fair to him.  But as far as I see it, you didn't screw up that badly.  You were overly harsh with him, yes.  You may not be prime parent material, yes.  The way I'm looking at it, the only reason he's even able to be angry with you right now is because of you.  While the rest of us stood around and watched him die, you came and saved him.  Just as he's saved you before.  If that doesn't prove that you two are a good match then I don't know what to believe.  Face it, Padfoot," Remus grinned.  "You cannot get rid of each other no matter how hard you try."

Sirius nodded, "Alright, Moony, I'll concede.  You're probably right."

"You're just too tired to argue," countered Rabbit.

Sirius gave him an odd look.  "Of course I am.  Why else would I lose an argument?"

"Welcome back, Padfoot," laughed the werewolf.  "Get some sleep.  I'll come back this afternoon to make sure you haven't smothered yourself."

"See you then."  With that, Sirius lay back onto his cot and gave himself up to the exhaustion racking his body.  He didn't even remember it was only around noon until Remus reminded him.

"Don't worry, Snuffles.  This will all be a bad dream by tomorrow.  It'll pass, like all things do."  Rabbit shut off the lights and followed Remus out of the ward.  Sirius listened as their footsteps faded down the hallway before rolling over and letting unconsciousness take over from there.

End Part 10

And now for some responses!

Jpalmgren: *blushes * thank you! From you, I take this as a great compliment. Thank you, someone understands the psychology I put into my characters. No, I do not believe that Harry will ever be the innocent he was before. No moping nor dependency will be done on Harry's part if I can avoid it.  I will try my best to keep it up to par for you.

Kateydidnt: Yuppers, he's really gone this time. No more bad guys coming back from the dead, that is bad form.  I try to go swiftly.  My muse, however, has other plans.

Ms. Issues: I love it when people think! Thank you!

Darkphoenix: Nope, be mean! I need it and I don't take it personally. I hope the talk between Harry and Sirius is acceptable. Grrr, stupid applications. I'm looking into UMASS. I already got the placement, but I need scholarships to go there. Such is life. Law school? That is so cool! Good luck!

Twilight: The title is actually for both Sirius and Javen. Javen had no idea that he would lose, did he? And what about Sirius? Did he truly win? He may have lost Harry to him after all. The damage done could be irreparable. I do my best to make things clear! ^_^

Starlight: Not for another couple chapters!

Thewalrus: As a newcomer to my stories, I welcome you to it! ^_^ However, you must know that I take forever in updating. But rest assured that anything started will be finished. All I need is some yelling at. I'm glad I had Sirius do it too. It was going to be Remus in a totally different kind of scenario, but I figured that Sirius could do more with it. Happily ever after? Well, that's for you to decide…

HermioneG15: Yeah, everyone's having a rough day, huh? In italics, that's a conversation that Sirius and Javen had after Javen got shot and before Remus came. Sirius is just remembering it. I was going to include it in the shack scene, but decided that it would take to long and I had to get to more actions. Since Javen is dead now, Sirius and Harry are the only ones involved in that link. Javen in not literally immortal. I used it metaphorically.  You know how sometimes, people will say something on how a certain person will never truly die because they live on in someone else? That's this kind of idea. I hope that clears everything up.

Meagan: Hehehe… keep reading. It'll get better, I promise. *hands out some brand-name Ti's Tissues *

Kat: Harry isn't exactly too pleased to find out, is he? The anger and pain will last a while, but nothing can last forever. Even though he will never be the same trusting and innocent boy he was, it's simply not in his nature to hate someone. The closest he's ever come to it was in the 3rd book: PoA when he found out that Sirius 'betrayed' his family. I'll type as fast as I can.

Christy: I do not abandon stories despite how much they try to abandon me. Just give me a good kick in the pants and I'll be better.

Relle: Hey, hun! *gives hug and some brand-name Ti's Tissues * Keep up the great Beta-ing job and I'll see you on AOL. Honestly, my sister gets to talk to you more than I do. ^_^

Lanfear: See? At least you have a nice alternate personality. Mine is a total procrastinating brat. Keep up the good work Samantha, keep that girl in line!

RavenLady: I'm glad you love it! And what's more *throws confetti * you're my 100th reviewer which means that you can tell me what you want to see in a fic and I'll create a story or chapter just for you! Just e-mail me with the details!

Anonymous: Thank you and welcome to the show! I hope this chapter is to you're liking.

Superman: ok ok ok ok ok ok ok ^_^ Here it is!