Chapter 21: Serious Surprises

~*~

"Scary-lookin- fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching Harry read.

"He murdered thirteen people?" said Harry, handing the page back to stan, "with one curse?"

"Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad Daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?"

"Ar," said Ern darkly.

~*~

"One vote for Potter," said McGonagall opening a piece of folded parchment on a stool. She continued through the rest. "Potter, Potter, Potter, Mickey Mouse?" At this she stopped and raised an eyebrow at the Weasley twins who both shrugged innocently. "Johnson and another one  Potter."

Harry Potter looked surprised as he realized that he'd won the vote for captain.

"B-but I thought Angelina or Katie would want it," said Harry. He didn't mention the third girl's name as she wasn't in the room yet. Apparently McGonagall had already gotten her vote. He wondered vaguely why she wasn't in practice.

"The majority chose you Mr. Potter," said McGonagall.

"Who voted for me?" asked Angelina, slightly puzzled. Harry half raised his hand.

"Ah," said McGonagall, "I see. The majority still has it. Besides, the rest of the team will be leaving after this year." As she said this Harry thought he saw her eyes begin to water. He sighed. "Well then," said McGonagall, "I'll leave you to your practice now." Harry was shocked when she gave one of her rare smiles. "Congratulations, Harry."

"Well," Harry said finally, "I guess we should start."

"Excellent," said Gred, picking up his broom.

"Stupendous," echoed Forge.

And the Gryffindor team began their first practice under Harry's captaincy.

Harry circled the pitch a few times before actually beginning the practice. It was great to be back in the air. It seemed he hadn't really flown for ages. Of course he'd flown at the Burrow, but they'd all been forced to stay below tree level. He swooped up now, and then turned quickly as he pulled into a dive. He stayed with the dive until he was only a head length from the field, feet just missing the ground as he pulled back up. He flew back over to the rest of the team and blushed as they began to applaud. Finally he silenced them.

"Let's get to work."

He'd given them instructions but as they were about to start they were interrupted by a figure running towards them.

"Sorry I'm late," cried Alicia Spinnet. "Pomphrey wouldn't let me go but I told her there was no way I'd miss the first practice. "Oh yeah, Congratulations Captain Harry."

"McGonagall told you already?" asked Harry.

"No," said Alicia, "We chose you a long time ago."

"Why'd Pomphrey make you stay?" asked Katie but Alicia didn't hear her. She'd already mounted her broom.

"Let's get to work then," said Harry once more.

 Two hours later an exhausted, sweaty Gryffindor team sat in a circle on the grass.

"I've been thinking," said Harry.

"Ah," said George, "A Dangerous enterprise."

Harry ignored him, "Anyway, I was thinking that when we tried out a new keeper we should go ahead and look for reserve players since we're losing most of the team later on."

"Good idea," said Angelina, "See, we knew you'd make a good captain."

"Yes," said Fred. He continued somberly, "But it will be a sad, sad world here without us."

Katie snorted causing Fred to give her a look of false hurt. "How could you?" he said sadly.

"Next Saturday would be good," said Alicia, "We can drill the keepers first then choose a reserve, maybe some mock-games to choose them."

Harry nodded, "Okay. I'll post a notice in the common room."

The practice broke up and everyone headed to the showers before trudging back to Gryffindor Tower. Harry finished his essay for History of Magic and then headed up to bed. He mumbled goodnight to his dorm mates and fell asleep almost immediately. Exhaustion had its bonuses, namely a lack of nightmares for once. Harry slept peacefully.

*~*

 At breakfast the next morning he found himself being congratulated by housemates, as Malfoy shot glares at him. A minute later he was distracted from his conversation with Ron about the keeper tryouts when Hedwig swooped down and nipped his ear affectionately.

"A letter?" he asked her, and she extended her foot. When he opened the letter he read it quickly and motioned to Ron and Hermione after he had stopped blushing.

Harry,

 Sorry I haven't written yet. I have a better surprise though I hope. Stop by Dumbledore's office sometime around 1:30 and He'll give you the details. Can't wait to see you!

                                                                    -Snuffles

PS: You can bring those friends of yours along as well I suppose, that includes Ginny. (I'd love to see my future god-daughter-in-law.)

"It's Snuffles," he whispered, "I'm supposed to meet him. He says to stop by Dumbledore's at one-thirty. You guys and Ginny are invited too."

"Ginny?" said Ron, "But she's."

"I would have brought her anyway," said Harry, closing the matter.

"I wonder what he's got to tell you Harry," said Hermione. "The ministry has Pettigrew now don't they?"

"Yeah," said Harry, "I guess we'll see."

"We've got the rest of the day free," said Hermione.

"Don't you mean study period?" grinned Ron.

"Just let me finish," said Hermione, delivering a swift kick to his shin. "You two should go shower before the visit; you're absolutely filthy from Herbology."

"Not my fault those bloody plants liked me," said Ron.

"You're lucky we even managed to unravel you," said Hermione, "Anyway, You two should go get cleaned up and I'll get Ginny after her last class to meet up. Then you can fill her in."

"Sure," said Harry. He began to walk out of the Great Hall. Ron stopped to give Hermione a quick kiss and then ran to catch up with him, ears a bright red.

 Two hours and a long story later Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione walked up to the office.

"I wonder why he's here," said Ginny.  Then she continued with a grin. "So Hermione, Are the rumors true?" Finally they reached the gargoyle where they began the game of guessing the password.

"Canary Creams," said Hermione, who until now hadn't made any suggestions.

And the gargoyle slid to the side. She gave the usual look to them, the one that showed how pleased she was with herself.

"It's like an escalator," said Hermione as they road the staircase to the top.

"A what?" said Ron.

"Nevermind."

 Harry raised his hand and knocked on the door and soon found it opened by Dumbledore. When the door was opened all the way he saw his Godfather sitting across the room. The man immediately sprang from the chair and Harry ran to him.

"It's great to see you," said Harry.

"You too kiddo," said Sirius, ruffling his hair. Harry pulled his head away and looked up at his godfather. Sirius definitely looked a lot better than he had when he'd originally met him. Sirius seemed to do the same appraisal of Harry but arrived at a different outcome.

"You need to eat more."

Harry shrugged, "So what did you come to tell me."

"What," said Sirius, "I cant just visit you without a motive."

"Of course," exclaimed Harry, "But you said you had a surprise."

"Oh that," said Sirius, dismissing it with his hand, "Just thought you'd like to know I'm aquitted, but that'll be running in the papers eventually anyhow. So, what's new with you?"

Harry looked shocked for a minute and then leaped at his godfather hugging him fiercely.

"Serious?" he asked looking up at him.

"That's my name," replied the older man with a grin, then finally. "Honest."

Then he turned to Harry's friends who were all gathered around the room. Dumbledore conjured some chairs from where he sat behind his desk and Ginny stepped forward.

"You must be the stunning Ginny Weasley," said Sirius with a mock bow, causing Ginny to go red and Hermione to giggle again.

Dumbledore charmed up a plate of snacks for them and left them to their devices saying he had a meeting with Japan's Minister of Magic.

They all began to talk earnestly and Harry managed to find out the fate of buckbeak. Apparently Hagrid had taken him on a certain trip and he was currently residing with the half-giants mother. The love of dangerous animals seemed to have been a bonding point for mother and son.

"So we've got the giants on our side then," said Hermione. "That's always good to know."

Sirius nodded. "Dumbledore's trying to get the dementors out of Azkaban now, in case Voldemort decides to try and free some of his supporters. We're working on foreign policy too."

"That explains all these trips Dumbledore's been taking then," said Ron. "It's probably best he did it even though he's not the minister, even if Fudge would get his arse to work I doubt I'd want to send him as a diplomat anywhere."

 Eventually the food disappeared and Sirius said goodbye to all of Harry's friends, asking Harry to stay for a moment.

When it was just them Sirius finally spoke. "So, now that I'm free, now I know you're happy with the Karsens but I still want to offer..."

"You mean I can still live with you?" asked Harry, cutting him off.

"Of course!," said Sirius, "If you still want to that is."

"Of course I want to," said Harry, "I haven't changed my mind."

"That's great," said Sirius, "Remus is helping me open the house back up next weekend and we'll have it ready  by the holidays, if you want to come home for Christmas that is."

"Home for Christmas," asked Harry. This was something he'd never really thought of before. He would have a real family Christmas this year. "That would be great."

Sirius smiled. "Okay then Kiddo, You'd better head back to your common room now and do your homework. I'd escort you back but the papers haven't reported anything yet and I'm not in the mood to be hexed."

"Okay," said Harry, hugging the man goodbye. He headed out of the office and met up with his friends, still feeling as if he'd never been happier.

He slept soundly that night, for the second night in a row.