A/N: Since you all suddenly were so quick to review, I shall reward your speed with another chapter! If you couldn't already tell, the story is starting to pick up, as it will continue to do, as the chapters go on. So, I guess all I can say is enjoy!

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Chapter 6

Seeing Harry Potter

Sirius bounded down the street. He had a vague idea where to find Magnolia Crescent, but he knew that it was near a park. The streetlights glowed yellow light in perfect circles around the street, and Sirius strained to see something—anything. He decided to cut over to the next street, so he went through someone's backyard. He leapt over their fence, and then through the side yard.

He was about to make his way out of the yard and onto the driveway, when he stopped in his tracks.

This street was rather dark, but Sirius could see the outline of a 13-year-old boy sitting on the front garden wall. Sirius let out a deep breath. Harry.

Harry stood up suddenly, as though he just remembered something, and he began to rummage through his trunk that lay at his feet. But he slowly straightened up, and Sirius saw him tighten the grip on his wand.

"Lumos," He heard Harry mutter. Sirius didn't dare move. Harry turned and cast his wandlight on the driveway. Sirius could now see that Harry looked exactly like James did at the age of 13. Behind Harry's glasses, Lily's eyes looked around the neighborhood warily, taking in everything. Finally, Harry spotted Sirius. Sirius gulped, and resisted the temptation to approach him. Harry was startled by Sirius, and began to topple backwards over his trunk. He landed painfully in the middle of the street, and Sirius didn't do anything.

There was a loud BANG and the Knight Bus was suddenly spluttering right in front of Harry. Sirius smiled gently.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this evening--" But Stan stopped talking to chuckle at Harry, as he stood up. "What were you doin' down there?"

"Fell over." Harry said. He sounded just like Sirius thought he would.

"'Choo fall over for?" Stan laughed.

"I didn't do it on purpose." He sounded irritated. But Harry was looking back over his shoulder to where Sirius was sitting. But before Harry could see him, Sirius felt a huge tug around his neck, and Sirius looked to see Belle pulling him back.

"Don't you dare let him see you," Belle whispered. Sirius transformed back into himself, and leaned against the wall of the house.

"Too late."

"What? You're lying. He didn't see you…" Belle trailed quietly. "Tell me he didn't see you!"

"Er, he didn't see me…?"

"Did he or didn't he see you?" Belle asked angrily.

"He saw me as a dog." Sirius snapped back. Belle let out a sigh.

"Thank God. I swear, if he had seen you in human form…"

"But he didn't, so who cares?" Sirius replied, craning his neck around the corner, to see Harry boarding the triple-decker bus, before another BANG echoed down the street. "Where's he going?"

"Leaky Cauldron, I'm hoping." Belle said. She was looking at him, and Sirius noticed that her face was softening slowly. "We can't stay here, change back. I'll take you to my house." Belle demanded suddenly. Sirius obliged, and transformed into a dog. Belle led him out onto Magnolia Crescent, and Sirius went over to where Harry had been sitting. His godson—Lily and James's only child—had been right here, and Sirius hadn't even spoken to him. "Come on," Belle gave him a gentle kick, and Sirius kept walking.

When they were approaching Belle's house, Belle paused. "Now listen, Si, you don't transform back until they're gone, you understand? And you can't stay here very long, alright?" Sirius barked his understanding, and Belle walked up to the porch. She pushed the door open, and let Sirius inside. Now, though, there were quite a few more people were in the house. Belle led Sirius into the kitchen, and she put on a pot of tea. After the 'cats' had finished drinking their tea, they left, giving Belle heart-felt goodbyes and patting Sirius on the head, saying that they would be back when Harry returned in the summer. Only after they all had gone did Sirius change back into his normal self.

"You almost make a cuter dog than a person." Belle said, clearing away the used teacups.

"You know what's weird? I've been told that before." Sirius chuckled, rolling up his tattered sleeves to help her dry the dishes. "You know, I'm sorry for just showing up like this." He replied, chancing a glance in Belle's direction.

"I know you are."

"But I had to tell you what really happened—you had to know the truth. I'm not who everyone says I am," he continued.

"I know you're not."

"But do you really? Do you believe anything that I said before?" Sirius asked, picking up the china cups and putting them away in the cabinet. Belle didn't answer right away, but just watched him carefully for a moment. He couldn't stay here if she didn't believe him.

"I'm torn." She said finally. "Part of me wants to believe you but doesn't, while another part… a biggerpart…" But she couldn't bring herself to finish.

"There's something I've been wondering for a while." Sirius said hesitantly, cutting her off. "You might know the answer."

"You can ask me anything, Sirius." Belle said quickly. Sirius thought he saw her blush, but pushed the thought aside.

"Do you know if… well, that is to say, does Harry know about me?" He asked hopefully. "Anything at all?"

Belle's eyebrows rose slightly, as though the question caught her off guard. "No," She said quietly.

"Nothing? He doesn't know I'm his godfather? He doesn't know that I was his father's best friend? He doesn't know anything?"

"No, Sirius. He doesn't know any of it." Belle said flatly. She turned, and went into the living room. Sirius came to the doorway, and watched her shake open the Prophet to read. He saw his own face looming at him from the front cover, and it sparked an idea.

"He will soon, though—with my face all over the newspapers, someone's bound to tell him." Sirius said, joining Belle on the couch.

"I suppose," Belle said without much interest. "But he'll know you as something you claim not to be."

"I'm not claiming anything, Belle. I'm not a murderer." Sirius said exasperatedly. "You have to believe me; I wouldn't lie to you."

"Fine," She said, still not fully paying him any attention. They sat in silence for a minute or two, Belle reading, Sirius doing nothing but staring at his feet.

At last, Sirius spoke up. "I need a ride."

"What? I don't even own a car. And where could you possibly have to go?" Belle asked, though Sirius suspected she knew the answer.

"Hogwarts."

"I'm not letting you go to Hogwarts."

"Well, I'm not asking for your permission, mummy dearest." Sirius said with a cocky grin. "I'm asking for a ride."

"Well I won't give it to you." Belle said, her temper raising again as she put her paper down on the coffee table. "You're not going. If you track down Harry, he's not going to know what to do but to call the dementors. You know that they have dementors at the school?" Sirius looked at her with genuine surprise. "Oh, you didn't? Well, they're there all right, waiting for you—and if you go there, you'll find yourself right back where you came from. And you won't be able to get out again."

"You're cute when you're angry," Sirius said playfully.

"Shut up, Sirius." Belle snapped, but she was fighting back a smile. "It would be too dangerous for you to go, so I won't drive you there."

"I'm not going there for Harry." Sirius said, hoping that might be why she didn't want him to go.

"You're not? But in the newspapers they said that in your sleep you keep saying, 'he's at Hogwarts.' And you don't want to go for Harry?" Belle asked.

"I talk in my sleep?"

"According to the Ministry, yes."

"Well, Peter is going to be there." Sirius explained, getting back on track.

"Peter's going to be there? How do you know that?"

"It was in that article. The boy whose shoulder he was on goes to Hogwarts. Anyone who takes their rat to Egypt will take them to school too." Sirius reasoned. He could hardly wait to find Peter and strangle him before handing him to the dementors, where Sirius had had to suffer for 12 years.

"Seriously?"

"Siriusly."

"He's at Hogwarts… Peter's at Hogwarts." Belle whispered, working it all out in her brain. She turned to Sirius. "If you're lying…"

"I'm not! I promise. He'll be there." Sirius said quickly.

"And if he isn't? You will have put yourself in danger for nothing, and the dementors will surely find you, and bring you back to jail." Said Belle. "It's not worth it."

"It is worth it, Belle. If I can prove that Peter is still alive, I'll be a free man. That's worth everything to me. He'll be there." Sirius answered. "I want to be free."

"You honestly want to risk what you have right now? Lay low for a year or two, and they'll forget that they were ever hunting you in the first place—why would you want to ruin that?" Belle asked, looking him right in the eye.

"I want to be free." He repeated. "And I'll do anything it takes."

Belle stared at him. "I don't have a car, else I would. There's no way you could take floo powder… and walking would take too long. Sirius, just be patient; somehow we'll find a way, but now…"

"No, Belle. I'm not going to wait around for an opportunity." Sirius said angrily. "My opportunity is now."

Belle listened to what he said with pursed lips. Sirius knew that she was thinking it over, and he didn't want to rush her. She ran her fingers through her gray hair, and sighed. "Far be it from me to take your 'opportunity' away. I'll see what I can do," Sirius let out a cheer, "but I'm not making any promises!"

"That's perfectly fine, Belle. I just need to get to Hogwarts—even if you could take me half-way, I would still appreciate it." Sirius said giving her a one-armed hug.

"Go to bed," Belle suggested. "I'm sure you're exhausted."    

"Yeah, all right." Sirius said, before transforming into a dog, and curling himself into a ball on the couch. Belle scratched him behind the ears, and went upstairs to bed.