Chapter Three: Sirius Black

Summary: Third chapter. Forty-six to go. That about sums it up.

The flames flared up anew for a moment, when suddenly a figure materialized within them and out of the center of the flames stepped Sirius Black.

"This had better be important, Arabella," he growled. "It's hardly safe for..."

"Sirius!" A loud, ecstatic cry from behind him cut Sirius' statement short.

Sirius barely turned around when a small figure plowed into him, nearly knocking him off his feet.

The sound of the voice was all Sirius needed to recognize his godson. Two powerful arms wrapped themselves about Harry, lifting him clear off the floor as Sirius happily hugged his godson.

"Harry!" Sirius cried as his anger dissolved into delight and bewilderment.

Harry forgot everything else as he broke into tears of joy. This was more than he would have ever hoped for of a day that started the way this one had. To be reunited with his godfather. As Sirius set him back down, he buried his face in Sirius' robes and squeezed him as tightly as he could in a hug. He was pleased to feel that the body beneath the robes wasn't as thin as it had looked at the end of the last school year. Indeed, the brief glimpse he had gotten of his godfather as Sirius stepped out of the flames was of a much healthier, less ragged looking man. Sirius' face had lost many of the dark lines that characterized it so clearly and his hair, once long and matted with dirt and grime, was now washed and tied back at the nape, falling elegantly down just past his shoulders.

"Sirius!" Arabella admonished, pointing a finger at Harry's face. "Look at your godson! Look at him!"

Sirius pulled back and took Harry under the chin and turned his face toward him. The large purple bruise on the side of his face was already starting to show. Harry self-consciously pulled back, but Sirius held him still.

A deep frown etched itself across Sirius' features. A look so dark settled in his eyes that even Harry, the last person who had anything to fear from Sirius Black, pulled back from his stare.

"Who?" Sirius asked coldly. When Harry didn't answer right away, Sirius turned his dark stare to Arabella. "Who?" He asked again. "Who is responsible for this?"

"Who do you think?" She spat. "I don't care what the anyone thinks, Sirius. I took him out of that house. They can say what they want. I will not stand by and watch the child be abused. Let them go to the Dursley's and memory charm themselves to happiness for all I care. They can erase any memory of Harry from those....those muggles. I am not letting Dumbledore put him back there. Not ever."

"I don't think you'll get much fight from Dumbledore on this one, Arabella," Sirius replied, stroking his thumb lightly over the bruise as he checked to see if the injury was any more serious than it looked. The cold hatred in his eyes had changed to one of mounting concerned focused on his beloved godson.

Harry simply wrapped himself in the feeling of pure affection and concern that came from his godfather.

As soon as Sirius released his hold on his face, Harry wrapped his arms back about Sirius' waist and buried himself again in soft material of his robes. A soft sob came from within the folds of material as weeks of pent up frustrations, dragged to near to the surface by his final confrontation with Uncle Vernon, finally broke free.

Sirius wrapped his arms about his godson's shaking body. Every tear that fell he couldn't stop blaming himself for. For one poorly made choice, he had changed Harry's life forever. Because of one poorly made decision, Harry had lost his parents and the chance at a bright, happy, and secure future. Now he had so little he could offer his godson. But what he did have he gave freely. Love and comfort. Two things Harry seemed absolutely starved for.

Sirius leaned down and gently kissed his godson's head. Slowly he turned to Arabella.

"Perhaps you could go and speak to Dumbledore. Tell him what's happened and see what he has to say on the subject. I'll stay here with Harry."

Arabella eyed him cautiously. "Is that wise, Sirius? What about the ministry? Once they've cleaned up that mess on Privet Drive they're bound to come straight here."

"Then you'd best hurry, 'Bella."

"Sirius!"

"If anyone comes Harry and I will be long gone before they get inside, all right. I'll take him back to Remus'. He'll be perfectly safe there."

"I'd rather you went now," Arabella stated. pointing her wand at the dark fireplace. Instantly a friendly, crackling fire erupted over the logs. "You can travel back to Remus by Floo powder. I don't think Harry should travel by flames or any other way just now."

Sirius directed his godson towards the flames as Harry fought to brush away his tears .

"Now stay with Sirius, Harry," Arabella cautioned as Harry dipped his hand into the jar she offered him.

Harry turned back to his godfather. "Where are we going?"

"Remus Lupin's."

Harry tossed the handful of gray powder into the fire and repeated the name. With one last look back at the brown haired woman standing next to his godfather, Harry stepped into the flames.