Summery: Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban when Harry was five years old. They lived hidden from the wizarding world. Now Harry is fifteen.
On the Run
Chapter Twelve
Sirius had been in a detaining room for the past two hours. The room was bare. It only had two chairs and a table.He had already spoken to a couple of Aurors but he had not given any information on Harry's whereabouts. He refused to until he spoke to the Minister and the minister agreed to not send Harry to the Dursleys.
The door opening pulled Sirius out of his thoughts. A short, pudgy man in a brown robe with a green bowler hat on the top of his head entered followed by two Aurors.
"Mr. Black." The man with the bowler hat said. Sirius now recognized the man as Minister Fudge. The same man who had sent him to Azkaban without a trial. But now was not the time to get angry over that. Now he needed to keep his cool so he could get a deal to keep Harry out of his relatives care. "I'm Minister Fudge. Firstly I wanted to apologies for your wrongful sentencing and the time you spent in Azkaban." 'Sure you are.' Sirius thought barely keeping in a snort that threatened to escape his throat. "We need to know where you are keeping young Mr. Potter."
"He's safe for the moment, Minister." Sirius said fighting to keep his voice even.
"He's not safe until we have him in out custody. Surely you understand that." Minister Fudge said arrogantly.
"I don't want him sent to the Dursley household." Sirius answered.
"And why not, Mr. Black? They are suitable guardians."
"No, they are not, Minister." Sirius said fighting even harder to keep his anger at bay.
"We would not have placed him there, had they not been a safe placement for Mr. Potter." The Minister said a little indignantly.
"Well, obviously something was over looked." Sirius said. He really wished he could just hit Fudge. "Harry was in terrible shape when I found him."
Minister Fudge visibly faltered a moment before continuing his questioning. "What do you mean, Mr. Black?"
'How on earth did this guy ever get elected as Minister?' Sirius thought. "The Dursleys were abusing and neglecting him. I found him in a broom cupboard. He had a broken arm and he had bruises all over."
"Would you be willing to give us a pensive memory?" Minister Fudge didn't really think he would agree.
"Yes, I would agree to a pensive."
"Your have a trial coming up soon on kidnapping charges. You can't leave young Mr. Potter alone that whole time. You, nor I, know if you will get out of being charged guilty. We need to get Mr. Potter in order to keep him safe."
"Then I need your promise that Harry will not go to the Dursleys ever. Not during the trial. Not after the trial." Sirius said firmly.
Fudge thought a moment. "Is there anyone trustworthy you would wish him to be placed with?"
"Dumbledore, if he agrees."
"I'll go and speak with him."
And with that Minister Fudge left the room, the two Aurors tailing behind him.
Thirty minutes later the door opened. Sirius expected it to be Minister Fudge again, but this time it was Dumbledore.
"Hello, Sirius." Dumbledore said as he sat across from Sirius.
"Headmaster."
"The Minister informs me you wish Harry to be placed in my care for the time being?"
"Yes. I wish for him to not go to the Dursleys. He's safest with you or Remus. But because of Remus' condition he is unable to care for Harry. Or at least the ministry won't allow it." Sirius explained. "Will you care for him?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. Does he have any knowledge of magic? I would like to begin him in classes."
"He is aware of magic. I have taught him as much as I could considering the circumstances. He's very good at what I have been able to teach him. He enjoys Defense Against the Dark Arts best."
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "How did you manage to access a wand?"
"I went into a small magical village, my identity hidden, of course, and I paid for two unregistered wands." Sirius explained.
"I see." Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "Is it okay with you if he were sorted at school and everything?"
Sirius nodded. He agreed to Harry learning magic in school. And with a little tutoring Sirius believed Harry could catch up with his year. "Yes. That would be great."
"Will you tell me his location now?"
Sirius nodded and told Dumbledore the address Harry and himself were living at.
"I hired a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor." Dumbledore said.
Sirius couldn't figure out why Dumbledore was telling him this.
"Remus Lupin." Dumbledore said after noticing Sirius' confusion.
"Remus?" Sirius said stunned. "He's a professor now?"
Dumbledore nodded.
"Tell him I said congratulations."
"I will, Sirius." Dumbledore said smiling.
"I need to writeHarry a letter so that he knows you were sent by me and it's safe to go with you."
Dumbledore nodded and stood and left the room. A few minutes later he returned with a quill, ink bottle, and a few pieces of parchment and Sirius wrote his letter to Harry.
Dumbledore stood after folding the letter. "I will retrieve Harry now. Take care of yourself Sirius. I wish you the best."
"Thank you Headmaster." Sirius said smiling a little at the headmaster. "Take care of Harry, please."
"I will, Sirius."
And with that Dumbledore left the Ministry to retrieve Harry.
End of Chapter Twelve
A/N: Another chapter finished! Please review! Thank you for reading!