Okay, here is another chapter for you! I hope it lives up to your expectations! Originally this chapter was longer but I thought where it ended was quite nice. Not much of a cliffy though it could be counted as one…oh well.

Chapter 3: What Happened to Padfoot

Harry's birthday drew closer. He and Sirius had spent as much time together as possible, though the Ministry still demanded Sirius to meet with them on occasion, it did not prevent them from spending days together. The one thing he and Sirius avoided speaking about was the time his Godfather had spent imprisoned throughout the previous year. Harry saw no reason to speak of it, but on some occasions, Harry looked at Sirius saw him differently: he was not the same as he used to be. Whenever there was news of another attack Sirius went quiet, but Harry could not bring himself to ask Sirius why he was like that. Even Lupin (who had visited a few days ago) had said that Padfoot was not right. He even urged Harry to speak to Sirius about it, yet, being a teenager and wishing for nothing to come between them, Harry ignored the advice, and sat back, content to watch.

He did not want to sever the bond between them.

Harry had not seen Ron or Hermione since they had broken up from last term even though they sent letters it was not the same as seeing them. Hermione had gone on holiday to America with her parents; Ron had been taken to France by his brothers Bill and Charlie; Neville and Luna had remained with the Order, so Harry had not seen a familiar face from school.

However the one thing that he was looking forward to was meeting Bonnie on the 2nd August. They had arranged for Bonnie to come to Harry, and it was this that made Harry feel better about the holiday. He loved her with all his heart and being away from her pained him considerably. They wrote to each other every day. When he had first met Bonnie he had been seven and at Primary School. Even then he had been mesmerised by her; nearly five years after being apart (with Harry being Hogwarts and Bonnie at the local Comprehensive) they were at last together and happy. Both of them had found each other by a simple explanation.

Claire, Bonnie's younger sister, was a Witch and had started Hogwarts a year ago. Since then Bonnie had known about the existence of the magical world, and was thrilled to finally understand why Harry had not been in contact since they had left Primary School. A simple friendship had turned into something more: love.

He was exquisite that Bonnie would be coming to him soon.

The day of this birthday dawned bright and clear; the sun's rays staining the windows, the ending of the night faded away, forgotten until it would be called upon again, later that day.

Harry sat up in bed, the warm duvet wrapped around his body warmly. It was comfortable. He looked at his watch: it read 7AM. It was too early to rise on his birthday. Closing his eyes he dozed until 8AM.

Feeling refreshed and ready to face the world, Harry swung his legs out of the bed, showered, combed his hair but it sprang up again, pulled on jeans and t-shirt and robes, stuffed his wand in his pocket and proceeded down the stairs to the kitchen where Sirius was waiting for him.

Today he was seventeen. Officially a man of age in the Wizarding world.

He entered the kitchen grinning broadly; Sirius was reading the paper but he looked up as his Godson entered. "Happy Birthday."

"Had a good night?" Harry asked.

Sirius shrugged. "It was alright." He pointed to the table where sitting upon it where cards and parcels all labelled to Harry. "All for you."

Harry pulled up a chair, sat down, and reached for the cards and parcels. He got cards and presents from Ron, Hermione, Mrs Weasley, The Grangers, Tonks, Kingsley, Neville, Luna, Fred and George, Ginny and Lupin. Lastly, Sirius handed him a thin package, but it was large, like a painting. It was wrapped in fine paper, delicately Harry unwrapped it, handling it with care.

Seven Wizarding photos were mounted in the same frame, gold lettering framed the side, weaving in and out of each other, creating a sort of glittering effect when the light shone in it in a particular way. Harry scanned the photo at the left hand corner: his heart almost stopped.

The photo showed his Grandparents, standing behind James with Sirius next to him. Both were smiling and laughing in the photo.

"All of these photos were taken at the end of every year at Hogwarts to see how we had grown." Explained Sirius.

The final photo showed James, his parents, Sirius and Lily all standing together, laughing merrily.

"Why is my mother here?" Harry asked, pointing at the last picture.

"James was adamant that she joined the photo. He proposed to her the day we left school…so it was for a celebration occasion as well. Lily was family as soon as she said yes."

"You all look so happy," Harry whispered, "Sirius, do you ever wish for those days again?"

Sirius glanced at Harry, a slight saddened look crept into his face but then vanished before Harry could register what it was. "No…" he hesitated, "in a way I wish I could turn back time and tell myself not to swap the Secret-Keeper to Peter without Dumbledore knowing, or I could stop myself from even suggesting it. I do want those days back, but I've got you to live for, Harry. You are the living reminder of James. And I am grateful that you had a chance of life."

As he listened Harry heard a slight waver in his Godfather's voice but refused to comment. Sirius couldn't be regretting his decision…could he? In becoming his legal guardian? Could being here bring back memories of James, good memories, that Sirius hoped he would never have to see again?

Shaking his head, Harry willed himself to forget that. He didn't want his birthday ruined by his incompetence.

On the 2nd August Bonnie came to see Harry at his house. She told him all about her summer so far and how Claire had gone on about her lineage to her parents. Bonnie, herself, had found it heard to believe, but slowly she began to understand that not all things were impossible. After all she had not believed in magic until Claire had been told that she was a Witch.

Being with Bonnie made him feel happy; his spirits soared to unbearable levels, and the love inside him thumped against his chest. Even as they walked round the countryside, the electricity around them was intense, and they spent much of the afternoon in each other's arms looking up at the cloudless sky.

When she had to leave Harry promised to come and see her at Christmas. They parted with a quick kiss and Harry was once more left alone in the Potter house with his Godfather.

A few days later Harry woke up in the middle of the night and heard moaning. It sounded like someone was in pain. Carefully he crept out of his room, holding his wand aloft, and walked down the hallway listening for the sound. It got louder as he came to Sirius' room, and then he stopped outside the door.

Mutterings – just audible – were heard.

"No…I won't…I can't…stop…NO!"

It was Sirius and by the sounds of things he was having a nightmare. Harry's hand rested on the handle. Dare he walk in and find out what was wrong? No…he couldn't. He'd wait until morning.

Harry hardly slept the rest of the night, listening out for any sounds…he heard no more.

The next morning at breakfast he rose at 7:30 and went to confront Sirius, who was, as always reading the Daily Prophet at the table.

"We need to talk." Harry declared as he sat down facing his Godfather.

"About what?" Sirius asked seeing Harry's stunned face.

"Last night I heard you muttering in your sleep. What was it about?"

"Nothing." Sirius paled.

"Please don't lie," Harry begged, "Lupin told me something is wrong with you. You act strangely at different periods, mainly when someone speaks of the Death Eaters or Voldemort."

Sirius put his head in his hands, dragging his fingertips through the loose ends. He seemed to be debating something in his mind. He sighed miserably. "Alright. I keep having nightmares about last year."

By that term Harry realised that his Godfather was relieving his imprisonment in his dreams. "What happened?" Harry asked.

"You don't want to know." Sirius mumbled.

"It might help you," Harry said quietly. Even though he didn't really want to know what happened, he felt that if he knew he would be able to help Sirius better.

There was a few minutes of silence between them; finally Sirius sighed and began to speak, Harry holding onto every word.

"I suppose the nightmare starts when I fell through the Veil…I thought I was dead, never to see you again Harry. I don't remember much after that save being hit on the head. I gathered I was unconscious for a while, judging when I woke up I was in a dark place all alone, cold and shivering. It reminded me of Azkaban. I didn't know where I was until Voldemort came. He tried to make me tell him where the Order was. I resisted telling him I would die before I betrayed you."

His voice faltered, and for a few moments Harry was sure Sirius would not continue. However he did.

"He used the Crucio curse on me…still I would not tell him anything, then I don't know what really happened, but I can remember a horrid taste in my mouth. It was a potion of some sorts. A sickly yellow colour. I was forced to drink it…and I told Voldemort what he wanted to know. The Death Eaters kept coming back and tormenting me that I'd betrayed you…saying that I'd killed you with those words. Most of the time I was in a delusional state, seeing some of my worst memories over and over…my mind kept showing me you were dead…I suppose Voldemort planted it in my mind. Yet, it was Wormtail who helped me. I discovered that there would be an attack on Grimmauld Place. I asked Wormtail to warn you and aid you in any way he could. I didn't believe he would, however he proved me wrong."

Harry could very well remember feeling angry and desperate when he had met Wormtail again.

"I held onto a slim hope that you'd come and find me. And you did, didn't you. I spent months trapped in a dark hole…and then I was lifted from a dark dream when you woke me up and brought me back. There's not really much more to tell, Harry."

"I know you didn't want to tell me what you went through but perhaps now your mind will rest." Harry advised. "I don't want the past to ruin what we have just begun to build."

Harry smiled, sadly and then left the room, his head buzzing, his mind occupied with what he had heard.

Even telling Harry about the previous year had been hard on Sirius, not because he hadn't wanted to, but the fact was he hadn't told Harry the complete details. He was sure Harry knew he had in a way kept information away from him…but had hoped that his godson wouldn't ask any more of it. Sirius was glad that Harry had left.

Even sitting alone in the kitchen, he could see images flitting through his head. He had not slept at all the previous night…he was afraid of sleeping, afraid of the past coming back to haunt him.

Without meaning to, Sirius fell asleep, quite accidentally.

His dreams took him to the one place he detested.

The gaping dark hole of the Veil he had been imprisoned in. It was the same dream as always. He was laying on the dark floor, waiting for either life or release in death, yet none came for him. As he lay in the darkness, he heard footsteps coming towards him. He wanted to be ignored.

Yet he wasn't.

Something foul was tipped into his mouth and he was forced to swallow. He choked.

Then a cold voice echoed around him.

"Tell me where you were hiding for the past year."

Sirius could feel his lips moving but he had no control over it. "12 Grimmauld Place, London."

He was left alone in the darkness. The drug placed within him meddled with his thoughts, revealing to him memories that had happened and some that had not. They mixed to reveal James and Lily's dead bodies in the ruins of Godric's Hollow, coupled with Harry's a Grimmauld Place.

He was shaken awake.

"Augh?" Sirius mumbled.

Harry was trying to wake him. "Sirius, wake up, come on, pull yourself out."

Finally Sirius came out of his stupor and looked at Harry, fear in his eyes. "Thank god it wasn't real."

"What's not real?" asked Harry.

"…What I dreamed about." Sirius muttered. "I shouldn't get upset over silly little things like that." And he pulled Harry into a hug.

Harry just comforted him.

TBC

Well what did people think?

I will reply to reviewers in the next chapter – I promise! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far!

It should be up by the weekend…depends on school work!