A/N: Ok, next chapter up! Hope you like it! By the way, on reflection I don't think Fred and George would still be at Hogwarts even if all the stuff in the 5th book hadn't happened but on account of the fact that I'd already written them sorta into it, you'll just have to overlook that small-sorta-big error ;;
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They reached Godric's Hollow within the hour. Sirius stared at the Potter's home, eyes wide; it looked just as he remembered it, right down to the two silly little muggle gnomes that Lily insisted on having. The deja-vu only got stronger as James opened the door and they entered the house.
"We're back!" James called out, closing the door behind them. The house was roomy, but simple, just as Sirius remembered it.
"Good, we have to leave soon. Harry is all packed but..." Lily appeared around the corner. "Oh, morning Sirius! Not like you to enter quietly."
"L-Lily..." Sirius could only stare incredulously. James cast a nervous glance between them.
"Darling, we need to talk." James led a confused Lily into the kitchen, leaving Sirius and Peter standing in the hallway.
"This is gonna be hard getting used to..." Sirius closed his eyes and scratched his head thoughtfully.
"Hey Sirius!" his eyes shot open at the sound of his godson's voice.
"Harry!!" he exclaimed. "Sorry you er...startled me..." Harry gave him a quizzical look as Sirius stared hard at his forehead, as if trying to find something that wasn't there.
"Is Uncle Sirius here?!" an unfamiliar female voice called out from another room.
"Yeah, but hurry up and pack, we gotta go..."
"Sirius!!" Sirius' eyes widened as he saw a young girl run down the corridor and latch onto his side at an alarming rate. "I missed you! Why didn't you owl me?!" she demanded, grinning. Sirius simply goggled; she had long black hair, hazel eyes and a face the spitting image of Lily.
"Who..." Sirius looked desperately from Peter to Harry and back again.
"Kids listen," Peter hurriedly said, "Uncle Sirius has had a...a bit of a knock on the head...and is a bit out of sorts at the moment." he nodded, satisfied with this explaination. "Give him a bit of room and let him sit down." Peter led Sirius into the lounge room and sat him down on a large armchair. Harry and the mysterious girl followed a bit behind.
"Will you be okay Sirius?" Harry asked, concern showing in his eyes.
"...Huh? Oh, yes. I think so." Sirius gave his godson a dazed look.
"What happened to you?" the girl asked.
"I...er...I fell out of bed this morning. Must have hit my head on the floor or something." he said lamely.
"Must have been quite a knock, you're really not acting yourself." Harry said, before turning to the girl. "Ella! Go get ready!"
"But what about Uncle Sirius..."
"I'm sure he'll manage for a few minutes without you." Harry said. The girl, Ella, glared at him and left.
"Umm...who..." Sirius began uncertainly.
"Who what?" Harry asked, turning back to his godfather.
"Who...who was that girl?" Harry paused, fixing Sirius with an extremely serious look before turning around and yelling into the corridor.
"Dad!! Sirius has gone crazy!" Sirius heard footsteps approaching the room.
"Don't yell Harry. Now what did you say?" James entered the room.
"Sirius doesn't know who Ella is, I think it must have messed up his mind when he hit his head. We should take him to St Mungo's." Harry said matter-of-factly.
"Harry, how about you go pack the rest of your things. We need to speak with Sirius alone for a moment." Lily said, walking in behind her husband. She looked slightly paler than when they had first walked in. Harry gave her a half anxious half annoyed look.
"Let me guess, Order business?" he said, rolling his eyes eyes and walking out of the room. James looked slightly exasperated at his son's behaviour.
"Sirius..." Lily approached him carefully. "James told me what...what you think happened to you..." she said carefully.
"Yes?"
"And I was thinking...maybe you did get a knock on the head or something because...it's rather unbelievable isn't it? You coming from another dimension I mean." she said, not looking at him directly.
"Are you saying that you think I imagined it?" Sirius said quietly.
"Well isn't it possible? I mean..."
"Lily, it is not possible to 'dream up', to 'imagine' thirteen years in Azkaban. Thirteen years that I can recall as though they were yesterday, sitting in the small cell feeling as though I would never be happy again and having to listen to the pained screams of new prisoners and wait as they got quieter with every day. Things like that are unimaginable."
"I...suppose..."
"If anything..." Sirius looked around uncertainly. "If anything, this could be a dream."
"Well I assure you old friend, it isn't." James said and Sirius sighed. "So I suppose that girl was your daughter? Ella?"
"Yes. She wouldn't have been born in your time, would she?"
"No...killed before she was even conceived." Sirius stared hard at the floor, not wanting to look at anyone.
"Listen...we'll talk about this later. Right now we've got to get to King's Cross."
"Oh! Right!" Lily jumped up. "Ella! Are you finished packing?" she called into the hallway.
"Yes mum!" came the reply.
"Then come on, we're leaving!" James said, offering Sirius a hand up which he accepted. "Make the best of things mate." he said quietly, patting his friend on the back. Sirius nodded resignedly. Sooner than he would have liked, they were on their way to the Station.
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Platform 9 3/4 was exactly as Sirius remembered it from all those years ago; excited and anxious new students, smug and bold older students and a whole lot of teary eyes parents. To his left, Lily was swiftly falling into this latter category as she hugged her children and husband goodbye.
"Don't worry Lils, we'll be back soon." James reassured her as Ella disappeared off with some friends.
"I'll be all alone at home. You better." she smiled sadly.
"Hey Harry! Harry!" a voice called from the crowd. Harry turned, seeing Ronald Weasley emerging from the crowd.
"Hi Mr and Mrs Potter, Mr Pettigrew, Professor." he smiled and nodded at them all, Sirius wincing at the title given to him. "Come on Harry, me Dean and Seamus have a compartment saved!"
"Okay, see you later mum!" Harry turned and was caught by Lily in another big hug.
"Be careful Harry." she whispered in his ear.
"I will I will." he said, struggling to get free.
"I'll owl you!" Lily called out as her son disappeared into the crowd. She turned to Sirius, "And you look after yourself too. Just...just be careful ok? You too Peter." she glanced at the man who smiled and nodded. They all looked up as the train's whistle blew.
"We'd better go Lils, I'll owl you as soon as we get there." James said, giving his wife one last hug goodbye. She smiled teary-eyed and nodded. With a final wave, they borded the train.
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They made their way to the back of the train, to an area marked 'Teachers Only'. As they were about to enter, two voices rung out behind them.
"Morning Professor Black." Sirius turned and saw the Weasley twins grinning back at him. He blinked; their names eluded him.
"Err...hello." he said awkwardly.
"Are you alright Professor? You look a little bit-" one began.
"Awful." the other finished.
"No...no I'm fine." Sirius stared at them for a moment. "I'll...see you in class then I suppose." he said and quickly turned around, opening the door and shutting it with a bang as soon as Peter and James were through.
"What was wrong with Black?" Lee Jordan said, coming up behind the two.
"No idea..." the two stared at the door for a moment, before shrugging and returning to their compartments.
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"I can't do this!" Sirius gasped as soon as they were inside.
"What?" James asked, confusion in his eyes.
"This!! Be a Professor! I'm not cut out for it!!"
"I've said that from the beginning Black." a voice from behind them said. "Not cut out for anything that requires even simple skills."
"Snape!" Sirius' eyes bugged out. "What are you doing here?"
"I am a teacher at this school if you remember, or did you lose your what little of a mind you had over the break." Snape said, venom in his voice.
"Oh...right..." Sirius responded, not responding to Snape's taunt.
"Leave it alone Snivellus." James spat once he realised that Sirius wasn't going to defend himself, and led his friend away by the arm. Snape gave them a peculiar look before turning and sweeping down the corridor.
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A/N: That was ok wasn't it? Yes, I think it was, now REVIEW!! Please? looks around and disappears in a puff of smoke
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They reached Godric's Hollow within the hour. Sirius stared at the Potter's home, eyes wide; it looked just as he remembered it, right down to the two silly little muggle gnomes that Lily insisted on having. The deja-vu only got stronger as James opened the door and they entered the house.
"We're back!" James called out, closing the door behind them. The house was roomy, but simple, just as Sirius remembered it.
"Good, we have to leave soon. Harry is all packed but..." Lily appeared around the corner. "Oh, morning Sirius! Not like you to enter quietly."
"L-Lily..." Sirius could only stare incredulously. James cast a nervous glance between them.
"Darling, we need to talk." James led a confused Lily into the kitchen, leaving Sirius and Peter standing in the hallway.
"This is gonna be hard getting used to..." Sirius closed his eyes and scratched his head thoughtfully.
"Hey Sirius!" his eyes shot open at the sound of his godson's voice.
"Harry!!" he exclaimed. "Sorry you er...startled me..." Harry gave him a quizzical look as Sirius stared hard at his forehead, as if trying to find something that wasn't there.
"Is Uncle Sirius here?!" an unfamiliar female voice called out from another room.
"Yeah, but hurry up and pack, we gotta go..."
"Sirius!!" Sirius' eyes widened as he saw a young girl run down the corridor and latch onto his side at an alarming rate. "I missed you! Why didn't you owl me?!" she demanded, grinning. Sirius simply goggled; she had long black hair, hazel eyes and a face the spitting image of Lily.
"Who..." Sirius looked desperately from Peter to Harry and back again.
"Kids listen," Peter hurriedly said, "Uncle Sirius has had a...a bit of a knock on the head...and is a bit out of sorts at the moment." he nodded, satisfied with this explaination. "Give him a bit of room and let him sit down." Peter led Sirius into the lounge room and sat him down on a large armchair. Harry and the mysterious girl followed a bit behind.
"Will you be okay Sirius?" Harry asked, concern showing in his eyes.
"...Huh? Oh, yes. I think so." Sirius gave his godson a dazed look.
"What happened to you?" the girl asked.
"I...er...I fell out of bed this morning. Must have hit my head on the floor or something." he said lamely.
"Must have been quite a knock, you're really not acting yourself." Harry said, before turning to the girl. "Ella! Go get ready!"
"But what about Uncle Sirius..."
"I'm sure he'll manage for a few minutes without you." Harry said. The girl, Ella, glared at him and left.
"Umm...who..." Sirius began uncertainly.
"Who what?" Harry asked, turning back to his godfather.
"Who...who was that girl?" Harry paused, fixing Sirius with an extremely serious look before turning around and yelling into the corridor.
"Dad!! Sirius has gone crazy!" Sirius heard footsteps approaching the room.
"Don't yell Harry. Now what did you say?" James entered the room.
"Sirius doesn't know who Ella is, I think it must have messed up his mind when he hit his head. We should take him to St Mungo's." Harry said matter-of-factly.
"Harry, how about you go pack the rest of your things. We need to speak with Sirius alone for a moment." Lily said, walking in behind her husband. She looked slightly paler than when they had first walked in. Harry gave her a half anxious half annoyed look.
"Let me guess, Order business?" he said, rolling his eyes eyes and walking out of the room. James looked slightly exasperated at his son's behaviour.
"Sirius..." Lily approached him carefully. "James told me what...what you think happened to you..." she said carefully.
"Yes?"
"And I was thinking...maybe you did get a knock on the head or something because...it's rather unbelievable isn't it? You coming from another dimension I mean." she said, not looking at him directly.
"Are you saying that you think I imagined it?" Sirius said quietly.
"Well isn't it possible? I mean..."
"Lily, it is not possible to 'dream up', to 'imagine' thirteen years in Azkaban. Thirteen years that I can recall as though they were yesterday, sitting in the small cell feeling as though I would never be happy again and having to listen to the pained screams of new prisoners and wait as they got quieter with every day. Things like that are unimaginable."
"I...suppose..."
"If anything..." Sirius looked around uncertainly. "If anything, this could be a dream."
"Well I assure you old friend, it isn't." James said and Sirius sighed. "So I suppose that girl was your daughter? Ella?"
"Yes. She wouldn't have been born in your time, would she?"
"No...killed before she was even conceived." Sirius stared hard at the floor, not wanting to look at anyone.
"Listen...we'll talk about this later. Right now we've got to get to King's Cross."
"Oh! Right!" Lily jumped up. "Ella! Are you finished packing?" she called into the hallway.
"Yes mum!" came the reply.
"Then come on, we're leaving!" James said, offering Sirius a hand up which he accepted. "Make the best of things mate." he said quietly, patting his friend on the back. Sirius nodded resignedly. Sooner than he would have liked, they were on their way to the Station.
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Platform 9 3/4 was exactly as Sirius remembered it from all those years ago; excited and anxious new students, smug and bold older students and a whole lot of teary eyes parents. To his left, Lily was swiftly falling into this latter category as she hugged her children and husband goodbye.
"Don't worry Lils, we'll be back soon." James reassured her as Ella disappeared off with some friends.
"I'll be all alone at home. You better." she smiled sadly.
"Hey Harry! Harry!" a voice called from the crowd. Harry turned, seeing Ronald Weasley emerging from the crowd.
"Hi Mr and Mrs Potter, Mr Pettigrew, Professor." he smiled and nodded at them all, Sirius wincing at the title given to him. "Come on Harry, me Dean and Seamus have a compartment saved!"
"Okay, see you later mum!" Harry turned and was caught by Lily in another big hug.
"Be careful Harry." she whispered in his ear.
"I will I will." he said, struggling to get free.
"I'll owl you!" Lily called out as her son disappeared into the crowd. She turned to Sirius, "And you look after yourself too. Just...just be careful ok? You too Peter." she glanced at the man who smiled and nodded. They all looked up as the train's whistle blew.
"We'd better go Lils, I'll owl you as soon as we get there." James said, giving his wife one last hug goodbye. She smiled teary-eyed and nodded. With a final wave, they borded the train.
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They made their way to the back of the train, to an area marked 'Teachers Only'. As they were about to enter, two voices rung out behind them.
"Morning Professor Black." Sirius turned and saw the Weasley twins grinning back at him. He blinked; their names eluded him.
"Err...hello." he said awkwardly.
"Are you alright Professor? You look a little bit-" one began.
"Awful." the other finished.
"No...no I'm fine." Sirius stared at them for a moment. "I'll...see you in class then I suppose." he said and quickly turned around, opening the door and shutting it with a bang as soon as Peter and James were through.
"What was wrong with Black?" Lee Jordan said, coming up behind the two.
"No idea..." the two stared at the door for a moment, before shrugging and returning to their compartments.
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"I can't do this!" Sirius gasped as soon as they were inside.
"What?" James asked, confusion in his eyes.
"This!! Be a Professor! I'm not cut out for it!!"
"I've said that from the beginning Black." a voice from behind them said. "Not cut out for anything that requires even simple skills."
"Snape!" Sirius' eyes bugged out. "What are you doing here?"
"I am a teacher at this school if you remember, or did you lose your what little of a mind you had over the break." Snape said, venom in his voice.
"Oh...right..." Sirius responded, not responding to Snape's taunt.
"Leave it alone Snivellus." James spat once he realised that Sirius wasn't going to defend himself, and led his friend away by the arm. Snape gave them a peculiar look before turning and sweeping down the corridor.
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A/N: That was ok wasn't it? Yes, I think it was, now REVIEW!! Please? looks around and disappears in a puff of smoke