Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, never have, never will.
AN: Just a quick response to my 2 reviews to date.
Crater212: Shipping will be a factor, it will be a H/Hr story. It will be important to the plot, but will be developed slowly over the first half of the school year. I am still trying to decide on the role Ron will play in the story. I am torn between keeping him as the loyal best friend, or whether he will become a jealous prat like I personally feel he is.
Muhahahaha: Thanks for the support.
Harry landed roughly on the floor, quickly gathering his bearings he looked around at the room. Tears began forming in the corners of his eyes as he realised his location. He was standing in the lounge room of 12 Grimmauld Place, the house formerly owned by his godfather and now the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Looking around he barely recognized the room, gone were the drab furnishings and dim lights. The room he was standing in was decorated in a similar style to the Gryffindor common room, with several large sofas facing towards a open fire place. Several new lights made the room appear even larger than it had before. The new paint smell hadn't yet faded.
"What happened here?" he asked turning to Lupin, his shock at the new design of the room overcoming the anguish he felt at the thought of being in Sirius' old home.
"Sirius had little to do apart from redecorate since christmas. He wanted nothing more than to make a home for you, and spent everyday he could in remodelling the house. After he....after he died I took it upon myself to finish what he started. Its not quite done yet, but with a little help that has recently arrived here it should be finished shortly."
"Help arrived? What sort of help?"
"Well after Sirius.......fell through the veil, it was decided that it was too dangerous for Kreacher to remain here so Dumbledore enlisted the aid of a few of the house-elves from Hogwarts, they arrived after term ended, and as you can see they have been very busy, all the new paint work has been done by them, one in particular seemed very keen to make sure that this place was ready for your arrival. Of course we were not expecting you for another few weeks so..."
"Master Harry Potter has arrived" came an excited squeak, interrupting the werewolf's explanation. Before Harry could register what was happening he felt himself being tackled around the waist. Looking down he recognised the beaming form of Dobby, a house-elf that he had help to free in his second year, and who had "adopted" Harry as his new master of sorts.
"Dobby!" exclaimed Harry, a small smile appearing at the corner of his mouth for the first time in a month at the sight of his small friend. As usual Dobby was dressed in a mixed array of multi-coloured clothing with what appeared to be a canary yellow tea cosy on his head. "You're working here now."
"Yes Master Harry, Dobby is working here now until Master Harry has to go back to Hogwarts, that is if Master Harry would like him to, Winky is here as well."
"Of course I want you here Dobby, but no more Master Harry, just call me Harry from now on."
"Oh no, Dobby couldn't be calling the master of the house by his first name alone, Dobby would be a disgrace if he did that." Dobby quickly gathered Harry's belongings together, 'I'll just be taking these to your room Master Harry", and with a small pop he was gone.
"Master of the house," Harry looked questioningly at Lupin, "what does he mean master of the house?"
"That is something I had wanted to discuss with you later, after Dumbledore had arrived, I am sorry for not telling you about this immediately, but I just didnt know how to raise the issue. Sirius left a will naming you as his main beneficiary. There are a few minor items left to me and a couple of members of his family, but this house, plus a few other properties that Sirius owned as well as his Gringotts vaults will become yours. It will take a few more weeks to finalise, but once the Ministry officially clears his name the formal reading of his final will and testament will occur."
Lupin's voice cracked at this last statement, Harry realised that the werewolf was taking Sirius' death at least as hard as he was.
"It's hard isn't it, going on without him." Harry whispered, "Everynight I replay what happened again and again trying to see if there was anyway, anything that I could have done to stop it, but I couldn't and now he's gone, and its all my fault. If I hadn't let myself believe that he was in danger, he would still be here with us."
"Stop it", snapped Lupin "stop blaming yourself. You did what you thought was right at the time. Sirius would not blame you for what happened. He went to the ministry knowing the risks full well and of his own accord. No-one else but Voldemort and Bellatrix are to blame for his death."
" I know in my mind you're right, but I don't know if I will ever be able to totally forgive myself." and for the first time since that fateful June night, Harry burst into tears.
Lupin quickly scooped him up into a hug, "let it out cub, let it all out" tears tears forming in his own eyes as the older man comforted the boy, "he wouldn't have wanted you to blame yourself, all he ever wanted was for you to be happy and have a home of your own. We will miss him, we will mourn him, we will never forget him, but we will not, we cannot allow ourselves to feel guilty about his death." he was now openly weeping "He was my last living friend, more than a friend - he was like a brother to me. I will never forget him, but I can't let my own grief stop me from carrying on with my life. We are fighting in a war at the moment, and as much as it hurts, people are going to die. If we let our grief overawe us Voldemort will win."
"But I'm all alone now" sobbed Harry, "I have nobody"
"You have me cub, you will always have me." Lupin raised Harry's face and looked him in the eye. "I can't replace Sirius and I would never try to, but I would be honoured to become your guardian if you allow me. I cannot promise I won't ever leave you like Sirius did but I will promise to be here for you as long as I can and in any way that I can"
"Are you sure Professor, I don't want to be a burden to you"
"You could never be a burden Harry, your parents and Sirius were the closest thing to a family I will ever be likely to have, it is the least I can do to repay them for the friendship they gave to me as well as that there is you Harry, from the day you were born you have been important to me. The one thing I regret more than anything else is not having the nerve to get to know you sooner. I blamed myself for your parents death you know and I didnt think you would want to know me, thats why I speak from experience when I tell you that you cannot let self-recrimination overwhelm you, and no more of this Professor talk, from now on its Moony ok"
"Ok Pro....Moony, if you are sure" Harry sniffed away his tears and wiped his eyes.
"I'm sure, c'mon lets see what Dobby and Winky have prepared for breakfast."
Just as they went to walk out of the lounge room a sudden whooshing sound could be heard from the fireplace, turning with wands at the ready they were greeted by the sight of a green flame, from midst of the inferno a head and shoulders suddenly appeared.
"Ahhh Harry you've arrived already, good. We need to have a little talk, that is if we are still on speaking terms." Professor Dumbledore stepped out of the fire place and walked towards the two of them. The ancient wizard with the semi-permanent twinkle in his blue eyes appeared older than ever.
"Yes Professor, we have a lot to discuss" stated Harry, his voice neutral, "we were just on our way for some breakfast, would you care to join us, and we could talk afterwards"
"An excellent suggestion" Dumbledore appeared a little happier than he had at first. "lead the way."
Walking into the hallway Harry looked around at the further changes that had been made, gone were the old paintings and tapestrys, even the picture of old Mrs Black, Sirius' mother, had been removed. In their places were smiling pictures of various famous witches and wizards, a few quidditch pictures and in pride of place was a life sized portrait that stunned Harry. "Is that........."
"Yes Harry, its your mother and father", responded Lupin, "Sirius had it commissioned from an old photograph last year. It was to be his surprise for your 16th Birthday. I took it upon myself to place it here after his death, he would have wanted them to be watching over you when you arrived."
Emotions were again threatening to overcome Harry, "Thankyou Moony" he gasped as he reached out a hand towards the painting "Thankyou Sirius" he whispered a single tear slowly sliding down his cheek.
The smell of cooking bacon wafted through the corridor, Harry's stomach began to growl in response. "When did you last eat?" questioned Dumbledore his concern evident as he looked at the boy.
"A proper meal, um, just before I left Hogwarts a week ago, the Dursleys don't like wasting food on a freak like me."
" Well thats one thing you definitely do not need to be concerned about here, Dobby will make sure that you have more than enough food at all times, and we may have to discuss some alternative arrangements for next summer if this is the sort of treatment you are receiving"
"That is one of the things I was wanting to talk with you about" said Harry, his tone again becoming neutral, " but you knew how they felt about me before, why is it now a concern for you?"
"Harry, this is best left until after we break fast, I know I have failed you in the past and I wish to make amends for it now, I have a few more truths for you, and I hope you can accept my explainations for them all. I also hope that you will be able to find it in your heart to not hate me." Dumbledore led them into the kitchen where Dobby and Winky were waiting patiently "but enough of that for now, lets eat."