************CHAPTER ONE************
~~December 27, 2005~~
Sirius couldn't sleep. Every since that fateful day a year and a half ago, his life changed dramatically. Not but a week after he received the letter, a small rat with a silver paw had been captured after being seen lurking around the ministry. The next day Sirius had been cleared of all charges. He couldn't help but think if Harry had just stayed a bit longer, things would have turned out so much different.
He had searched high and low for his grandson. Being who he was, Dumbledore had not let him put out any missing persons reports. "It would just be too dangerous," he had said. "We won't give up looking for him until he's found." Sirius finally conceded, but wouldn't give up his own quest to locate him. Life just didn't seem complete without Harry around.
'If I could just find him, then I could talk to him, and things would be alright,' he thought.
Finally giving into his insomnia, Sirius walked down stairs, only to find out he wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep.
"What are you doing up Remus?"
Remus Lupin, longtime friend of Sirius's, had decided to take off for the holidays. He loved his teaching career at Hogwarts, but sometimes the stress could just come back to you with out you realizing it. The fact that he went out almost every weekend to check on a new lead about Harry didn't help.
"Just thinking. What about you?"
Just as Sirius was about to answer, a familiar voice shot out of the fireplace.
"Sirius, Remus, are you there?!?!?!?"
"Yes Albus, we're right here. What' wrong?"
"I think we've found him."
~*^*~
Timothy Portney had found the love of his life. When he was out in the middle of a river with tall trees surrounding him and a beautiful blue sky to cover his head, he felt a calming and a peace that he had never known before. As he cast out what he promised himself would be his last time he felt a jerk. 'Finally,' he thought. He had been out for three hours and this was the first bite he had had. After setting the hook, he brought in his line.
'Not bad,' he thought as he picked up the fish. It was quite possibly the biggest rainbow trout he had ever caught. His person best being 4lbs. 3 oz, he felt that this was a big accomplishment.
"Not bad at all."
Timothy was had to admit for the first time in a while he was genuinely enjoying his life. When he first started out his trek a year and a half ago, he found things to be a bit tougher than he expected. He couldn't find a place that suited him. But, after he heard some people talking about a place called West Yellowstone, Montana in the states, he decided that one more try at relocating couldn't hurt. When he first arrived, he was a bit overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. It was then that he decided that this was the place for him.
He bought a house by the river, and before long found the urge to try fishing to great to ignore. His first try had been monstrous. He stepped in to the quickly rushing water and fell in. After that attempt, he was reluctant to try again. But after a day of staring at the river, he decided he could beat the demon that was water. His second go was much more successful. He even caught his first fish. He couldn't have been more proud of himself than he was at that moment.
Several months later, Timothy had found his place in the town. He had gotten a job at one of the many fly shops in the area as a guide. He didn't need the money, but he found this job immensely fun. He had even made a few close friends with whom he went out with every week. Life couldn't be better.
After stringing the fish, he pulled apart his pole and headed back to his house. Walking slowly and quietly, he couldn't help but feel like he was being watched. He could have sworn he heard a twig breaking, but he knew that there were many wild animals in this area and it was probably just his imagination. However, he thought he might at least try.
"Hello... Is anyone there?" he shouted out.
'Oh well,' he thought as only the wind whistling through the trees answered him back. As he walked into his house, he pulled off all his gear and cleaned the fish. Looking at the clock, he decided it was time for him to go upstairs and get ready to go out with the guys. When he headed back down the stairs, he heard a knock on the door.
'That's odd... I thought I was going to meet them there.'
He went to the door and opened it up slowly. He immediately recognized the person who he was looking at. Nervously Timothy greeted his visitor.
"Erm, can I help you?"
"Harry!" the middle-aged man exclaimed as he tried to walk through the door. However, when he picked his foot up to set it across the threshold, he felt an odd barrio holding him back.
The man looked a bit startled, but he picked up his foot and tried again, however the same obstacle remained in his way.
"Harry, why can't I come in?"
"Sorry, I don't know anyone names Harry Potter, my name is Timothy. Timothy Portney."
"So you say.... But if you aren't Harry, then how did you know what his last name was?"
Timothy felt outraged with himself. How could he make such an obvious mistake? Thinking quick on his feet he answered. "Because you mentioned it when I answered the door."
"No, I didn't. Harry, I'm not stupid. You may have changed your appearances, which I have to have, you look much better with you mother's eyes, but I know my own godson when I see him."
"Look, please just go away. I don't want to see you."
"Sorry Harry. I can't do that. Just let me in."
Just then a thought occurred to Harry. "Sirius, what the hell do you think that you are doing?!? People could see you! Change back into a dog right this instant. I won't have you getting caught because of me!"
Sirius just chuckled. He had forgotten that Harry didn't know. "Oh so know you don't deny who you are. Calm down boy. I was cleared a week after you left. Peter was found poking around the Ministry."
Harry couldn't help but feel a bit of relief coming off his shoulders. But he wasn't prepared to give in.
"That's great. But please, go away. I like my life here. People don't treat me like I'm a zebra in a cage. Their eyes don't flicker to my forehead when I introduce myself. I can be myself. I don't want to leave."
Sirius thought a few moments before he responded. This is not the Harry Potter he knew. Something had happened. Something had changed him. "Harry, you can deny yourself all you want, and you can deny me, but I will not deny you. Like it or not, I care about you and nothing you say or do will ever change that."
Harry watched as the grown man sat down Indian style on his outside welcome mat. Feeling frustrated and defeated he spoke. "Fine you may come in, but I have to meet some friends. We will talk when I return. Please hand me you wand."
"My wand?" Sirius felt a little strange just handing over his wand, even if it was to Harry.
"You heard me right. I place defense charms on this house a long time ago. It prevents any one with a wand from entering, unless that wand is under my possession. You really didn't think I was stupid enough not to protect myself, did you?"
Sirius couldn't help but feel a little confused. "But Harry, we've been tracing your wand's magic. How on Earth did you manage to use it without us knowing?"
"A lot has changed this past year and a half. A lot has changed."
Accepting this answer Sirius passed his wand to Harry who then laid it in what looked like an inside mailbox.
"It will be safe in here while I'm gone. However, I must tell you that I'm the only one who can access that box." Harry then bid a farewell and walked out of his house leaving behind a shocked, wide-eyed godfather.
~*^*~
Harry hadn't been able to enjoy his time with his friends like usual, so he had left the bar after only an hour and walked around the streets lost in thought.
After three hours later, a tired Harry arrived home. He looked at his house. He loved everything about his home. If there was a heaven on Earth, he knew that it couldn't get much better than this. He was determined not to leave. Unenthusiastically, he walked into his home though, for he knew what the night had in store for him. At least, he thought he knew. As he entered his den his eyes immediately shot to the already lit fireplace. As he turned to the couch though, he couldn't help but feel a little shock as he noticed not one, but two people sitting on his couch staring at him.
"Sirius, what is she doing here?"
"Harold James Potter, do not talk to me about me like I'm not here. If you have a question then ask me."
"Alright Hermione, what are you doing here?" ************************
a/n Yay! I actually updated it! I'm so proud of myself... One small step for this fanfic, one giant leap for Diana!!! (Hey.. I'm working off of two hours of sleep.. I'm a little.. well not here at the moment)
Sorry this didn't get out a little sooner, I wasn't expecting a Physics 2 test to come up out of no where.... Pesky femtofarads and microcoulombs...
Thanks for to my two reviewers!! I'm so excited. I didn't know if anyone would really read it. I hope you like this new chapter, let me know what you think of it!!!!
Not to forget... DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Thanks!
*Chants coming from computer*
*RE-VIEW RE-VIEW RE-VIEW RE-VIEW RE-VIEW*
(Got the message? ;) )
~~December 27, 2005~~
Sirius couldn't sleep. Every since that fateful day a year and a half ago, his life changed dramatically. Not but a week after he received the letter, a small rat with a silver paw had been captured after being seen lurking around the ministry. The next day Sirius had been cleared of all charges. He couldn't help but think if Harry had just stayed a bit longer, things would have turned out so much different.
He had searched high and low for his grandson. Being who he was, Dumbledore had not let him put out any missing persons reports. "It would just be too dangerous," he had said. "We won't give up looking for him until he's found." Sirius finally conceded, but wouldn't give up his own quest to locate him. Life just didn't seem complete without Harry around.
'If I could just find him, then I could talk to him, and things would be alright,' he thought.
Finally giving into his insomnia, Sirius walked down stairs, only to find out he wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep.
"What are you doing up Remus?"
Remus Lupin, longtime friend of Sirius's, had decided to take off for the holidays. He loved his teaching career at Hogwarts, but sometimes the stress could just come back to you with out you realizing it. The fact that he went out almost every weekend to check on a new lead about Harry didn't help.
"Just thinking. What about you?"
Just as Sirius was about to answer, a familiar voice shot out of the fireplace.
"Sirius, Remus, are you there?!?!?!?"
"Yes Albus, we're right here. What' wrong?"
"I think we've found him."
~*^*~
Timothy Portney had found the love of his life. When he was out in the middle of a river with tall trees surrounding him and a beautiful blue sky to cover his head, he felt a calming and a peace that he had never known before. As he cast out what he promised himself would be his last time he felt a jerk. 'Finally,' he thought. He had been out for three hours and this was the first bite he had had. After setting the hook, he brought in his line.
'Not bad,' he thought as he picked up the fish. It was quite possibly the biggest rainbow trout he had ever caught. His person best being 4lbs. 3 oz, he felt that this was a big accomplishment.
"Not bad at all."
Timothy was had to admit for the first time in a while he was genuinely enjoying his life. When he first started out his trek a year and a half ago, he found things to be a bit tougher than he expected. He couldn't find a place that suited him. But, after he heard some people talking about a place called West Yellowstone, Montana in the states, he decided that one more try at relocating couldn't hurt. When he first arrived, he was a bit overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. It was then that he decided that this was the place for him.
He bought a house by the river, and before long found the urge to try fishing to great to ignore. His first try had been monstrous. He stepped in to the quickly rushing water and fell in. After that attempt, he was reluctant to try again. But after a day of staring at the river, he decided he could beat the demon that was water. His second go was much more successful. He even caught his first fish. He couldn't have been more proud of himself than he was at that moment.
Several months later, Timothy had found his place in the town. He had gotten a job at one of the many fly shops in the area as a guide. He didn't need the money, but he found this job immensely fun. He had even made a few close friends with whom he went out with every week. Life couldn't be better.
After stringing the fish, he pulled apart his pole and headed back to his house. Walking slowly and quietly, he couldn't help but feel like he was being watched. He could have sworn he heard a twig breaking, but he knew that there were many wild animals in this area and it was probably just his imagination. However, he thought he might at least try.
"Hello... Is anyone there?" he shouted out.
'Oh well,' he thought as only the wind whistling through the trees answered him back. As he walked into his house, he pulled off all his gear and cleaned the fish. Looking at the clock, he decided it was time for him to go upstairs and get ready to go out with the guys. When he headed back down the stairs, he heard a knock on the door.
'That's odd... I thought I was going to meet them there.'
He went to the door and opened it up slowly. He immediately recognized the person who he was looking at. Nervously Timothy greeted his visitor.
"Erm, can I help you?"
"Harry!" the middle-aged man exclaimed as he tried to walk through the door. However, when he picked his foot up to set it across the threshold, he felt an odd barrio holding him back.
The man looked a bit startled, but he picked up his foot and tried again, however the same obstacle remained in his way.
"Harry, why can't I come in?"
"Sorry, I don't know anyone names Harry Potter, my name is Timothy. Timothy Portney."
"So you say.... But if you aren't Harry, then how did you know what his last name was?"
Timothy felt outraged with himself. How could he make such an obvious mistake? Thinking quick on his feet he answered. "Because you mentioned it when I answered the door."
"No, I didn't. Harry, I'm not stupid. You may have changed your appearances, which I have to have, you look much better with you mother's eyes, but I know my own godson when I see him."
"Look, please just go away. I don't want to see you."
"Sorry Harry. I can't do that. Just let me in."
Just then a thought occurred to Harry. "Sirius, what the hell do you think that you are doing?!? People could see you! Change back into a dog right this instant. I won't have you getting caught because of me!"
Sirius just chuckled. He had forgotten that Harry didn't know. "Oh so know you don't deny who you are. Calm down boy. I was cleared a week after you left. Peter was found poking around the Ministry."
Harry couldn't help but feel a bit of relief coming off his shoulders. But he wasn't prepared to give in.
"That's great. But please, go away. I like my life here. People don't treat me like I'm a zebra in a cage. Their eyes don't flicker to my forehead when I introduce myself. I can be myself. I don't want to leave."
Sirius thought a few moments before he responded. This is not the Harry Potter he knew. Something had happened. Something had changed him. "Harry, you can deny yourself all you want, and you can deny me, but I will not deny you. Like it or not, I care about you and nothing you say or do will ever change that."
Harry watched as the grown man sat down Indian style on his outside welcome mat. Feeling frustrated and defeated he spoke. "Fine you may come in, but I have to meet some friends. We will talk when I return. Please hand me you wand."
"My wand?" Sirius felt a little strange just handing over his wand, even if it was to Harry.
"You heard me right. I place defense charms on this house a long time ago. It prevents any one with a wand from entering, unless that wand is under my possession. You really didn't think I was stupid enough not to protect myself, did you?"
Sirius couldn't help but feel a little confused. "But Harry, we've been tracing your wand's magic. How on Earth did you manage to use it without us knowing?"
"A lot has changed this past year and a half. A lot has changed."
Accepting this answer Sirius passed his wand to Harry who then laid it in what looked like an inside mailbox.
"It will be safe in here while I'm gone. However, I must tell you that I'm the only one who can access that box." Harry then bid a farewell and walked out of his house leaving behind a shocked, wide-eyed godfather.
~*^*~
Harry hadn't been able to enjoy his time with his friends like usual, so he had left the bar after only an hour and walked around the streets lost in thought.
After three hours later, a tired Harry arrived home. He looked at his house. He loved everything about his home. If there was a heaven on Earth, he knew that it couldn't get much better than this. He was determined not to leave. Unenthusiastically, he walked into his home though, for he knew what the night had in store for him. At least, he thought he knew. As he entered his den his eyes immediately shot to the already lit fireplace. As he turned to the couch though, he couldn't help but feel a little shock as he noticed not one, but two people sitting on his couch staring at him.
"Sirius, what is she doing here?"
"Harold James Potter, do not talk to me about me like I'm not here. If you have a question then ask me."
"Alright Hermione, what are you doing here?" ************************
a/n Yay! I actually updated it! I'm so proud of myself... One small step for this fanfic, one giant leap for Diana!!! (Hey.. I'm working off of two hours of sleep.. I'm a little.. well not here at the moment)
Sorry this didn't get out a little sooner, I wasn't expecting a Physics 2 test to come up out of no where.... Pesky femtofarads and microcoulombs...
Thanks for to my two reviewers!! I'm so excited. I didn't know if anyone would really read it. I hope you like this new chapter, let me know what you think of it!!!!
Not to forget... DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Thanks!
*Chants coming from computer*
*RE-VIEW RE-VIEW RE-VIEW RE-VIEW RE-VIEW*
(Got the message? ;) )