'Ah! Sirius! Excellent timing! Four o'clock precisely!'

Sirius smiled at Dumbledore, and stepped out of the fire, followed closely by Remus.

Dumbledore looked at them, a twinkle in his eye. 'I understand Severus Snape will not be joining us for another while.'

'Yeah', Sirius replied nonchalantly, 'he's temporarily indisposed.'

Dumbledore tried to look stern, but failed. He sat down behind his desk, hands folded. 'Harry will be along in a moment. I asked Minerva to fetch him.'

Sirius gazed around the office; it was years since he had been in here. The portaits of headmasters stared down at him in disbelief.

'Is that my great-great-grandson? Sirius Black? Dumbledore, what in Merlin's name is he doing here?' Phineas Nigellus exclaimed, leaning forward in his seat in a portrait to peer down at Sirius.

'Hullo, Phineas', Sirius waved cheekily.

'Sirius has been pardoned, Phineas. He is a free man.' Dumbledore explained.

Phineas' jaw dropped. He looked pleased for a split second, then covered it up with a frown. 'Well, thank goodness I won't have to stare at his miserable face all day long in Grimmauld Place any more.'

'Nice to see you too, Phineas', Sirius yawned, sitting back in his chair.

There was a knock on the door. Sirius shot out of his chair, and looked expectantly at Dumbledore, who called 'come!'

The door was pushed open, and a skinny, pale teenage boy, with untidy black hair and an unusual scar on his forehead entered. He took in the three wizards in front of him with one glance, and shouted 'Sirius!'

'Harry! How're you feeling...after everything that happened?' Sirius hugged his godson tightly. He felt Harry sighing deeply.

'I'm sorry, Sirius', he said, pulling away to look at his godfather, 'You could've died because of me. Hermione said I like playing the hero, and I think she was right. Professor Lupin! Thank you, for coming to help. Is Tonk's all right? And what about Kingsley, and Moody?'

'They'll be fine', Remus replied, grinning at Harry, 'yes, Harry, I think you do have a tendency to play the hero. But there's nothing wrong with that-Sirius has done a bit of it in his time, haven't you Padfoot?'

Sirius smiled and shrugged. 'S'pose. Anyway Harry, you didn't answer my question. Are you okay?'

Harry looked up at Sirius and made a face. 'Professor Dumbledore told me some stuff last night', he mumbled.

'Oh? What sort of stuff?' Sirius knew the answer to the question, but wanted Harry to tell him himself.

'About the Prophecy.' Harry whispered. He looked from Remus to Dumbledore, then back to Sirius, a meaningful look in his eyes. Remus and the headmaster took the hint at once.

'Sirius, perhaps you and Harry could go for a walk around the grounds? You have a lot to discuss, and I'm sure you don't want us two old nosy parkers listening', Dumbledore said briskly. Remus nodded, and Sirius smiled gratefully.

'Okay, er...we'll be back in about an hour...Harry, shall we?'

Harry nodded, and they left Dumbledore's office. They were halfway down the stairs when Harry laughed out loud. Sirius stopped and looked at him. 'What's up?'

Harry grinned. 'It just feels brilliant being able to go somewhere without you having to turn into a dog, or hide in the shadows.'

'Yeah', Sirius agreed. The last time he had been in Hogwarts, it was the dead of night, and he was plotting a murder. Now, while the school corridors were devoid of students (classes were in progress), the summer sunshine was streaming through the windows, and Sirius' heart was light.

They wandered out into the grounds, and Harry began to talk about all the events of the previous day. Sirius was astonished that Harry cared about him so much! He listened intently to Harry's account of the prophecy, and mulled it over for some time before speaking.

'Y'know Harry, it seems to me like we all knew that was gonna have to happen some time anyway.'

Harry looked surprised. 'What d'you mean?'

'Well', Sirius began, 'you're the only one ever to survive Voldemort's attack. I don't even think Dumbeldore would live, if Voldemort fired a Killing Curse right at him, when he was unarmed. You're different-you've got a power inside you that Voldemort doesn't understand. I think I always knew you'd be the one to destroy him-well, ever since you nearly killed him fifteen years ago.'

'I hadn't thought of it like that', Harry said, a smiling spreading across his face. 'Hey, Sirius, d'you want to have a fly around the grounds, while nobody's watching? Just summon any old broom from a cupboard. ACCIO FIREBOLT!'

Ah. The moment had come. A part of Sirius wanted to tell the expectant Harry that he could not summon a broom from the castle-he was doubtful whether he could even ride a broom anymore! But the rest of him felt ashamed and embarrassed at this weakness. Anyway, it would only upset Harry even more.

'I seem to have forgotten my wand', he lied poorly, 'will you summon me one, Harry? Mind you, I'll be awful, I haven't flown in a very long time.'

'You haven't lost your wand, have you?' Harry questioned, summoning a second broom from the castle, 'I didn't see it last night, after you feel through the arch. Mr Weasley could probably get it back for you, if you dropped it in the Department of Mysteries.' Harry shivered as he mentioned the place. So did Sirius, but for an entirely different reason. He took the broom from Harry, and mounted it. Praying that the broom would not refuse to move (because magic brooms don't like to take orders from Muggles or squibs), he kicked off from the ground as hard as he could.

And he was flying.

Sirius had forgotten how smooth and fluid the movements of a broomstick were-he had gotten used to the bumpy journeys, clinging to the neck of a hippogriff. He soared up, and up, the wind whipping through his long hair, the sun on his face.

This, surely, was bliss! He could fly! His fears that his loss of powers would not allow him to control any magical objects dissolved within seconds. He could fly! Clever broom, he thought. It must recognise that I'm a wizard.

Because despite the fact that he could not cast his own spells or make his own potions, Sirius knew he was still a part of the wizarding community.

'Woooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooooooo!' He let out a long whoop of joy. Harry, behind him, imitated him. Sirius started to show off, his old skill on a broomstick returning very quickly. He did loop-the-loops, hung upside by his knees, rode with no hands, spun around in circles, and nose-dived, while Harry clapped enthusiastically.

'I don't care what Hermione says', Sirius bellowed, 'your heroics got me my freedom back! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand touchdown!' Sirius hopped lightly off his broom as he reached the ground, exhilerated. Harry landed next to him, beaming.

And so, with their brooms over their shoulders, Padfoot and Potter trudged back up to Hogwarts Castle.

'Come visit Ron and the others!' Harry cried eagerly. Sirius agreed to do so, and they jogged through the school to the hospital wing. When they got to the door, Harry ran ahead. Sirius heard him shout 'guess who I've brought!'

Before anyone could guess, Sirius sauntered in, his hands in his pockets, whistling carelessly.

Five excited shrieks of 'SIRIUS' almost deafened him. Ginny shot up from her place on Hermione's bed and hurtled over to him. Ron, whose arms were covered in deep wounds, hobbled over, ignoring Hermione's orders to get back into bed.

'How does it feel to be free?' He asked, grinning.

'Funny, everyone's asking me that, and I don't really know', Sirius replied, helping Ron back to bed, 'I haven't really been out yet. I think I'll put in an appearance in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley tomorrow. See what public opinion's like.'

'My granny always did say she thought you were a nice boy', Neville remarked, smiling happily at Sirius. Luna Lovegood gazed at him dreamily, while Hermione had discarded the Daily Prophet and was listening eagerly to Sirius' every word.

'I'm glad someone had faith in me. Let me guess, Frank and Alice Longbottom's son...Neville, isn't it?'

'Yeah, that's me', Neville replied proudly.

'Nice to meet you. Ron, Harry told me all about the brains! That can't have been nice.'

Ron shuddered. 'It felt awful...seeing all those people's thoughts...ugh.'

'You're lucky you survived.' Sirius told him gravely.

They were interrupted by Madam Pomfrey, who bustled in and stopped short when she spotted Sirius.

'Sirius Black!' She whispered, letting the bandages in her arms unroll, 'Sirius...I...Oh! I'm so sorry I ever thought you were one of You-Know- Who's followers!'

'That's all right, I won't hold it against you', Sirius responded cheekily, 'I'll never forget the time I grew an extra leg and you spent three weeks trying to remove it!'

Madam Pomfrey blushed and airily waved a hand at Sirius. 'Just don't keep my patients awake. They need to heal! And if you get in my way, I promise I'll give you that third leg back!'

Sirius saluted as a way of acknowledging the matron. He spotted Professor Umbridge, lying in a bed at the other end of the wing. He raised an eyebrow. 'Is that the infamous Umbridge?' He asked Harry, who nodded.

'Hmph', Sirius snorted. Checking to see if Madam Pomfrey was watching, he crept over to Umbridge, and tapped her hard on the cheek. She moaned, and opened her eyes.

'I hear you're not one of my biggest fans', Sirius said, looking as threatening as he could.

'AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!!' Shrieked Umbridge, shooting up in bed and waving her arms about to protect herself.

'Oops', Sirius said quietly.

'BLACK! SIRIUS BLACK! GET HIM! GET HIIIIIM!'

'Better run! C'mon Harry!' Sirius sprinted past Madam Pomfrey's office, to the hysterical screams of Umbridge and the laughter from Ron and the others, Harry hot on his heels.

Sirius and Harry didn't stop running until they reached the Entrance Hall. A few students were making their way towards the Great Hall. One or two noticed Sirius, and pointed at him, mouths wide open. Sirius and Harry leaned casually against the front door, enjoying, for once, all the attention that was focussed on them.

'Sirius Black...how'd you get out of Azkaban?' Dean Thomas asked in wonderment, when he caught sight of the famous fugitive.

Sirius grinned. 'That's for me to know and you to fry your brain figuring out.'

'Who's your scruffy friend, Potter? Some tramp Weasley made friends with?'

Sirius did not turn around. He glanced sideways at Harry, who had clenched his fists, and was about to swing around. He placed a restraining hand on his godson's shoulder.

'You must be Draco Malfoy', Sirius said to the empty space in front of him, wanting to time this moment perfectly, 'you sound like a cross between your scumbag Death Eater father, and your whinging, irritating mother.'

He turned to face Draco Malfoy. The unpleasant smirk fell from Draco's face, and he almost went green.

'Sirius Black', he gasped, stepping away hurriedly.

'Yup', Sirius said, rolling up his sleeves, 'and I don't appreciate the way you've been treating Harry. Or his friends for that matter. Anybody want to see me REALLY commit murder?' He leered nastily at Draco, who made a peculiar choking noise, whimpered, and fled to the dungeons.

Seamus Finnigan started it. He clapped his hands together slowly, in admiration. Dean, Harry, Lavender and Parvati joined in after a moment. Soon, all the students gathered in the hallway were applauding the man their parents had used a sort of bogey man for years. Professors MacGonagall and Flitwick, as well as Remus and Albus Dumbledore came onto the landing above, and joined in the cheering. The Slytherins sneaked away, muttering to themselves, but Sirius did not care. He stood in the hallway of his old school, and for the first time in his almost sixteen years, he was safe, among friends.