As if he hadn't been confused before. Now Jack was really confused, and it showed. Sam was used to the look, and she smiled, even while she started to explain.

"A secret keeper is a person who knows a secret, sir. And is the only one that can tell anyone about it. No matter how many other people know the secret."

"What?" This was from Daniel, though, not Jack.

"Say all of us in this room had the same secret," Sam said.

"Well, that's hard to imagine…" Jack said, sarcastically.

She smiled, but ignored the comment.

"Well, say we absolutely had to keep that secret from getting out. If we were in the wizarding world, we would cast a spell that makes one of us – say you, colonel – the Secret Keeper. None of us would be able to say anything to anyone about the secret. Only you could." She looked at Dumbledore, as if asking if her explanation was close, and the old wizard nodded.

"Exactly. And the secret can't be forced out of you, either," Dumbledore said. "No torture or drugs can get the information… only a willingness to tell it."

"Huh." Jack couldn't help but be impressed. He looked to Sirius. "And you keep the secret of the SGC from the wizards?"

Sirius nodded.

"And you're not planning on turning to the dark side any time soon, are you?"

There was a flash of pain in Sirius' face – one that made Jack immediately sorry for the joke, as bad as it had been. And Sam and Dumbledore both looked chagrined, as if Jack had said something inappropriate. He couldn't think of any reason for the looks, or for Sirius to be so sensitive, but he gave an apologetic look to the man, anyways, because there was obviously something going on he didn't know about. "Sorry."

Sirius shrugged, and while the hurt still lingered in his expression he did manage a forced smile.

"I'm not planning on telling anyone, no."

Jack nodded, and looked over at Daniel and Sam.

"I'll have to tell General Hammond what you want – but I don't see any reason why you can't hang out here for a while. No promises that Hammond will let you into the SGC, but even if he doesn't, we can always buy you an X-box or something."

"A what?"

Dumbledore smiled, however, and stood up before Jack could explain.

"That is a load off my mind, Jack," he said, honestly. "I'll be in touch with you when we have more information to give you about what to expect next."

"Professor?" Sam said, quickly. "What do you think we should expect?"

The old man shook his head, his eyes introverted.

"I don't know, Major Carter," he admitted. "But now that I don't have to worry about where to hide Sirius, I'm going to try and find out."

The younger wizard scowled, telling Jack he still didn't like the idea of being in hiding, but when Dumbledore turned toward him, Sirius did his best to hide that displeasure.

"I don't have to tell you, Sirius, that you're not to wander off…?"

"I'm not going to wander off, Professor."

When he said it, though, Jack was strongly reminded of Daniel, and he mentally sighed.

"I'd better take my leave, then," Dumbledore said, heading for the fireplace and pulling a small cloth bag out of his robes – where Jack assumed there must be a bunch of pockets considering how many things appeared out of nowhere. "If you need anything, send me a message."

Jack frowned.

"How are we supposed to do that?"

The old man smiled, and looked towards the fireplace, and in that instant the smoldering fire flared into an inferno. Out of the flames flew Fawkes, his feathers appearing as if they were on fire, although Jack simply assumed it was a trick of the light.

"Send a message with Fawkes," Dumbledore told them as the Phoenix flew over and landed on the back of Jack's sofa. Jack's leather sofa that instantly shredded under the Phoenix's sharp talons. "No matter where I am, he'll be able to find me."

Daniel couldn't help but look excited at the prospect of having the Phoenix close at hand, and Sam noticed that Jack did a very good job of hiding his vexation at having his expensive sofa turned into a perch.

He waited just a moment to see if there were any questions or last minute comments, but no one said anything, and the old man reached into his cloth bag and pulled out a handful of what Sam decided had to be floo powder. Sure enough, he threw it into the fire, which roared up once more, and stepped into it.

"Hogwarts."

An instant later, he was gone.

OOOOOOO

They all looked at each other for a long, silent, minute, and then Sam cleared her throat.

"So… can I ask how you managed to trick the Deatheaters into thinking you're dead? Or is that classified?"

Sirius smiled for the first time since his arrival.

"You have clearance, though, right? That's what you call it in your military?"

She smiled.

"Yes, that's what we call it, and yes; I have it."

Jack frowned as a thought occurred to him.

"Does Harry know you're alive?"

Sirius lost his smile, and shook his head.

"No. We can't let him know."

"Why not?" Daniel asked, surprised. "You don't think he can be trusted with the-"

"Harry wouldn't tell anyone," Jack said, suddenly furious. Why on earth would they let that boy think that his godfather was dead? When he and Harry had been chatting, the first thing Jack realized about Harry was how much he loved Sirius, and how upset he was that he had to stay with his aunt and uncle instead of with the man he wanted to stay with. "I can't believe that you and-"

"We can't tell him," Sirius said, interrupting. "Not because we think Harry will tell anyone, but because the minute Harry knows I'm alive, Voldemort will as well."