Sam realized almost immediately what she was doing, and pulled away, but she couldn't be embarrassed. She was too glad to see that he was alive. Sirius let her go willingly, but his grin was still in place when Daniel stepped forward.

"You're supposed to be dead."

He shrugged.

"I'm not."

"That's good to hear," Jack said, stepping forward to see if he was really real.

"Major Carter's reception was a lot more enthusiastic…"

Sam blushed just a little, but Jack only smiled, glad she wasn't upset anymore.

"I'm not hugging you."

"Actually, Jack," Dumbledore said, breaking into the conversation. "I was rather hoping that you and your people would be willing to hide Sirius."

Daniel looked over.

"Hide?"

Sirius scowled as if he didn't like the idea, but he nodded.

"The Deatheaters think I'm dead, and Dumbledore thinks we need to keep it that way. For now."

Dumbledore nodded as well.

"The best way to keep him out of sight is to-"

"Wait a minute," Jack said, interrupting. "Why do they need to think you're dead?"

"And why hide him?" Daniel asked.

"Please…" Dumbledore said, holding up a hand to stop the questions when Sam opened her mouth to add yet another one. "Perhaps we could have a cup of tea or something and discuss this? The story is a little complicated to be telling standing in the middle of the room."

Jack nodded, deciding that it was just as well. He'd get a better idea of what was going on if they had the story from the beginning, and not pell-mell, right?

"I don't have any tea," he said, stepping back and wordlessly telling Dumbledore he was willing to wait to hear what was to be said. "But I could make some coffee – or I have beer."

"Coffee will be fine, Jack," Dumbledore said, smiling. "Thank you." He looked at the others, and gestured for them to sit down. "Please, have a seat. I have allotted myself all evening to be here, but I do hope I don't need all of it."

"Coffee, Sirius?"

"Sure, Colonel. Thanks."

"I'll make it, Jack," Dumbledore said. "Please, have a seat."

Jack shrugged and sat down, wondering how mangled his kitchen would be by the time the old man was finished looking for the coffee, but Dumbledore didn't even head for the kitchen. Instead he sat down beside Sam, and pulled out his wand. He waved it in the air, and muttered something under his breath. A moment later, coffee cups, a pot of coffee and all the condiments were sitting on Jack's coffee table, complete with a plate of cookies.

"That's convenient," Daniel said, impressed. Jack could hear a smidgeon of jealousy in his tone, and he knew that Daniel would give anything to be able to make a pot of coffee so quickly.

Dumbledore smiled.

"I'm glad you approve."

Sirius sat down beside Daniel, who reached for a cup and the coffee pot. Jack looked at Dumbledore.

"So…?"

"Where to begin…?" Dumbledore asked, looking up at the ceiling. "At the beginning? Or the middle? Or-"

"Why not at the part that tells us why you need us to hide Sirius?" Jack suggested.

"The Deatheaters believe him to be dead," Dumbledore said. "It will be a great advantage to us if they continue to believe that. In order to make them believe it, however, we need him to vanish for a while…"

"How long a while?" Jack asked.

"I'm not sure, Jack." The old wizard admitted. "Voldemort is reeling from his latest defeat – several of his Deatheaters were captured in this ambush – which will make him unpredictable for a while. When we know what he's going to do next – and we do have a few people closer to him than I like that can relay that to us – then we'll know more."

"But won't the Deatheaters just be able to… scan for him… or something… and find him?" Daniel asked. "They're all wizards, too, right? What makes you think that you can hide him?"

"It doesn't work that way, Doctor Jackson," Dumbledore said, smiling. "If it did, then they'd have already done so. Of course, they believe him to be dead and have no reason to try one of the few spells that might help locate someone – which is another reason I'd like him out of the way."

"Don't they have people watching the SGC?" Sam asked. "They knew we were going to Seattle when we went to that convention, after all, and were able to-"

"That was pure luck on their part," Sirius said, speaking before Dumbledore could. Jack had a hunch that Sirius wasn't enjoying the whole idea of being in hiding – and he could understand completely. "They were at the convention and recognized you – and took the opportunity when it arose."

"Your house is layered with more protections than almost any place on the planet, Jack, Dumbledore told him. "No wizard can apparate here, or even arrive by floo powder without your permission."

"Which is why you asked him to send the reply?" Sam asked.

Jack scowled, because Sam seemed to understand what was going on and he didn't have a clue. Not like that was all that different from how things normally were, but this time it was a little more annoying, although he was more annoyed with himself, since if he'd read the book he might understand.

Dumbledore nodded, a pleased smile on his face.

"Exactly. It had to be permission – in his handwriting. Or I'd never have even been able to connect the network." He noticed the annoyed look in Jack's expression. "You must understand why your house is so well protected…" They'd discussed it, after all.

"Because of my relation to Voldemort."

"Exactly."

"The only other places so well protected are the Dursley home, and the Black Mans-"

"I'm not staying there," Sirius said, bitterly. "I'd rather Voldemort f-"

"I know, Sirius," Dumbledore interrupted, not unkindly.

Jack was surprised at the vehemence in the younger wizard's tone, but he didn't say anything.

"So you want to stash him here for a while…?"

Dumbledore nodded.

"Either here or at your SGC, if you don't relish the thought of company."

"Why the SGC?" Sam asked. "Won't they be watching us there?"

"Oh, no…" Dumbledore shook his head. "They can't find anyone in the SGC. The Deatheaters don't even know it exists…"

"What? I thought all the wizards knew-"

"Are you kidding? With Rita Skinner running around – and people like her?" Sirius shook his head. "There's no way that kind of information could be allowed to leak to the public – or else the SGC would be overrun with wizards looking for new ways to get new spells from wizards on other planets…"

"There are wizards on other planets?" Daniel asked, amazed.

"Very few people know of the SGC," Dumbledore said, ignoring the question.

"What if someone who does know about it tells one of the-"

"They can't," Sirius said.

"He's correct, Colonel," Dumbledore agreed. "Only the Secret Keeper could tell anyone about the SGC, or the aliens, or the location of the Stargate…"

"And I'm not telling anyone," Sirius said, firmly.