Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything that you find familiar in the Harry Potter universe.

A/N: Thanks for all of the positive reviews and I am glad that so many like it. Keep up the reviews and I will keep up the chapters, hopefully.

Chapter 21: The Owl

A small brown owl carrying a piece of crumpled parchment clutched in its beak could be seen lying quickly through the Scottish countryside. This small owl was concentration solely on its mission. To get his mistresses message to the silver eyed boy as fast as his little body could carry him. He would do this to the best of his ability, even if it were the last thing the little owl ever did. ---

Draco stumbled blindly out into the hallway, still reeling in shock from everything that Sirius had told him. He had told him what all Dumbledore had done to him and what he himself had unwittingly done.

Draco had heard parts of the story from his father and Harry but Sirius's added information made it that much worse. As he walked Draco unconsciously rubbed his arms trying to ward off the chill that was settling deep with in his bones, a sure sign that something terrible was about to happen. Draco had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he hadn't been paying attention to what was going on around him. Had he been he would have noticed a desperate Remus Lupin running directly toward him at full speed showing no signs that he even had seen Draco in his path.

The collision was inevitable.

He was nearly knocked flat on his ass by the older man, but was saved from what would have been a very painful collision with the marble floor, by Remus's lighting fast reflexes. Remus set him back on his feet but didn't hang around to make sure that Draco was ok. Draco watched as Remus literally slid to a stop right outside that door and with a shaky hand reached out and opened the kitchen door. Knowing that this was going to be a rather private moment for the Werewolf, Draco turned and walked away.

Now the only thing was how to tell Harry that Sirius was alive. He just hoped that Harry kept a level head and didn't go and try to storm Hogwarts to kill the old bastard. That and he needed to tell him that Remus had managed to swipe Weasley from his parent's house. Personally he was happy that Ginny wouldn't be around him anymore. Who knows what he could do to her. He wished that there was some way that he could get her out of there without his parents throwing a fit. He just needed to make them see that she wasn't just another Weasley, that she was Ginny. Then to make them realize that he loved her without them trying to ship him off to St. Mungo's would be a whole other feat. Draco had been so absorbed once again in his thoughts that he had reached Harry's door and didn't realize it until he ran into it. Shaking his head to clear the dizziness Draco reached out and knocked on the door.

Harry had been sitting in front of the fireplace reading over a book on the history of the Dark Arts when he heard something or someone run into his bedroom door. He quickly glanced over to his bed at Hermione to make sure that the noise hadn't woken her and seen that she was still sound asleep. He closed the book and had just started to stand when he heard someone knocking softly on the door. Striding quickly to the door he opened it and seen a rather sheepish Draco on the other side.

"Did you just run into the door?" Harry asked smiling slightly.

Draco groaned, "I was a bit distracted and hadn't realized that I had made it to your door that quickly." He said rather embarrassed. He stepped into the room and seen that Hermione was fast asleep curled up on Harry's bed. "I take it she decided that she didn't want any oranges?"

Harry snickered, "She fell asleep probably five minutes after you had left, but you have been gone for over an hour. I didn't realize that it took that long to go to the kitchens." He said giving Harry a questioning look.

Draco sighed, it was probably better that Hermione was asleep maybe Harry would keep his head so he didn't wake her up. "I ran into someone in the kitchen..." but before he could finish his sentence they heard a loud tapping on the window.

Draco and Harry both looked at each other wondering what in the world that noise was, Draco realizing that it was an owl hurriedly opened the window and was surprised to see Pig fall in the room. His body was quivering with exhaustion. Draco carefully removed the note from the little owl's beak and then snapped his fingers summoning a house elf. A second later a small elf popped into the room looking expectantly at Draco and Harry.

"How can Blitsy help sirs?" the little elf asked politely.

Draco reached down and scooped the little owl in his hands and handed it gently to the elf. "Make sure that he gets what ever care he needs and then take him up to the owlery."

Blitsy nodded her little head her overly large ears flopping forward, "Yes Master Draco sir, Blitsy will do everything she can for the Master's little owl." And with a soft pop she disappeared.

Harry looked expectantly at Draco wondering why on earth Pig was delivering a letter here of all places and to Draco of all people. "Well, who is it from?"

Draco shook his head and sat down as he unfolded the crumpled parchment. He immediately recognized Ginny's handwriting. He started reading, dreading what he was going to learn from this letter.

Draco,

I know that I said that I wouldn't owl you over the holidays but something has come up and a lot of stuff has happened. I don't care how you do it, but please get me out of here. I can't take it anymore. Now that Ron doesn't have Hermione to take his frustrations and aggressions out on he has decided that I am the next best thing. Last night was a nightmare. I can't take it anymore; if you can't get me out I don't think I will make it back to school alive. Draco, please come and get me out of this hellhole. I...

And then the letter was cut off abruptly. Swearing vehemently Draco leaped from his seat and started pacing. Harry stunned by his best friends reaction to what ever was in the letter was instantly worried.

"What's wrong, who's the letter from, what happened?" Harry asked urgently trying to find out what was wrong. Draco stopped pacing and turned to face Harry. "You know how I have been sneaking out all year and seeing someone?" Harry nodded, "Yeah."

Draco took a deep breath, "Well I have been seeing Ginny. We have been together all year." Taking a deep breath he continued shakily. "And now that fucking Weasel has decided that since he can't have Hermione to beat up on his sister is the next best thing."

Now it was Harry's turn to swear. "We have to get her out of there!" he said and then thought to himself, especially if the prick decided that beating Ginny wasn't enough. He shivered remembering Hermione's unconscious form lying on the floor of the Dungeons, her pants around her ankles and Weasley kicking her. And then suddenly something spurred his thoughts, Remus! "Did you see Remus while you were in the kitchens?" Harry knew that Remus had stormed out of the Manor earlier on a self appointed mission to retrieve Weasley.

Draco suddenly remembered exactly why he had come to Harry's room in the first place. "Harry sit down, I need to tell you something."

Harry sat down and looked at Draco wondering what in the world was more important at this time than getting Ginny out of the Burrow.

Draco glanced over at Hermione and seen that she was still sleeping, hopefully that would keep Harry from exploding. "Do you remember what I said when I first came in here after you said that I had been gone for over an hour?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah, you said that you had met someone in the kitchens... wait it was Remus wasn't it. He made it back, what happened? Did he tell you what..." but before he could continue Draco put his hand over his mouth.

"Promise me you will listen to everything that I have to say before you start jumping to conclusions and run off and get yourself killed." Draco pleaded looking directly into Harry's confused emerald eyes.

Harry nodded not daring himself to talk, what ever had happened it had to have been big.

Draco closed his eyes and willed himself to be strong for Harry. "Sirius is alive Harry, Dumbledore had him locked up in the Dungeons at Hogwarts for the last two years."

"No Fucking Way Draco, I saw him fall. I saw him die." Harry said venomously knowing that there was no way possible for Sirius to be alive; he couldn't be, could he?

"Harry, its him. I swear to God it's him. Remus is with him now." Draco said softly to Harry watching his eyes. He could see the tears starting to well up. "Its really him, Dumbledore has fucked with him as much as he has with the rest of us. Winky rescued him and brought him here."

Harry glanced up at Draco. "Winky, as in the elf that Crouch had sacked at the beginning of our fourth year?" he still could get a grasp on the conversation that he was having. And then it really hit him what Draco was telling him. Sirius was alive.

"Where is he!" Harry asked jumping up and running for the door.

Draco grinned, "He is in the Kitchen with Remus." He said as he watched Harry launched himself out of the room. He glanced back at Hermione and then he himself walked out of the room. He needed to find his father and mother. They needed to get Ginny before something happened to her.

Harry ran as fast as his legs would carry him. The same thought running over and over again, Sirius was alive, Sirius was alive. And then a major thing dawned on him. He didn't look like he used to, would Sirius even recognize him, would he care that he was Severus's son, and The Dark Lord's grandson? His running slowed to a near stop as these thoughts came barreling into his mind.

"He won't hate you Harry." His father's voice said from behind him.

Harry turned around and faced his father. "How do you know?"

Severus smiled, "Because he loves you, not who your father or grandfather are. He knows what has happened and he has been a puppet in Dumbledore's game as much as the rest of us." He said reassuringly to Harry as he steered him toward the kitchen door. "Go, go see that mutt of yours."

Harry turned abruptly and unexpectedly gave his father a hug. It surprised Severus and he was a little shocked by it, not wanting to scare Harry away he gave in to the hug and patted his sons head lovingly. It was their first real hug and it felt as if a piece of him that had been missing all his life had finally returned.

Harry took in a deep breath reveling in the feel of love that was emanating from his father. He stepped back reluctantly and turned toward the kitchen door once more. He reached out slowly and grasped the doorknob. Turning it slowly he pushed the door open and stepped inside. Glancing at a smiling Remus his gaze was drawn automatically to the man sitting across from the werewolf.

Sirius stood abruptly knocking the chair back. He walked quickly toward Harry and stopped in front of him. Reaching out with a shaking hand he tucked a strand of stray hair behind his godson's ear. A second passed and neither moved or said anything and then suddenly Harry threw himself at his Godfather sobbing uncontrollably into his shoulder. Sirius grasped Harry tightly vowing that he would never let himself be separated from him again. Looking over Harry's shoulder he watched as Snape walked silently into the kitchen. Snape nodded his head at Sirius and then did something that shocked Sirius to the core. He smiled at him. A genuine smile, and Sirius knew that what ever happened he would always have a place to call home, even if it was with Snape.