"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack asked.

Sirius sighed.

"You know that Voldemort tried to kill Harry when he was a baby, right?"

"What?"

"Yes," Daniel said at the same time.

Jack looked over at the archeologist, who shrugged.

"It's in the first book, Jack. Voldemort tried to kill Harry the same time he killed Harry's parents, only the spell bounced off him, or backfired, or something and it didn't work."

Sirius nodded.

"Instead of killing him, it gave Harry some of Voldemort's powers – and formed a link between the two of them that we're only just finding out about."

"What?"

Sirius nodded.

"Harry's been feeling what Voldemort's feeling. He-"

"He's reading his mind?"

"No. He's just able to feel what Voldemort feels. When the Dark Lord is happy, Harry can feel that… the same when he's angry…"

"But-"

"What Harry feels Voldemort feels, as well," Sirius said, interrupting. "Right now, as much as I hate t do it, we have to keep Harry in the dark about me. The minute he finds out that Bellatrix didn't kill me, Voldemort's going to know as well."

"Who's Bellatrix?" Daniel asked.

"My cousin."

"Your cousin is one of…"

"The Death Eaters."

Jack's head was reeling, mostly because there was a lot of information coming at him that he didn't understand – and Carter wasn't buffering it like she usually did when things got complicated.

"Look… I get it. You can't tell Harry you're alive. But he's got to find out some time. Aren't you worried about him? About how he's-"

"Of course I am!"

Black looked frustrated and angry, but Jack had felt that way many times, so he didn't worry about the outburst.

"Don't you think I wish things could be different? That I didn't have to hide?" He made a sound that sounded like a growl, and clenched his fists. "I had to hide in that house for months, with only Kreacher for company and that miserable portrait screaming at me every time I…"

He trailed off as Sam reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. Of those in the room, she was the only one who had read the latest book, and therefore was the only one who knew what he'd been dealing with the last year. And her eyes were filled with sympathy for him.

She turned to Jack and Daniel.

"According to the last book, Sirius has been forced into hiding because everyone still thinks he's responsible for the murder of a lot of Muggles – non magical-"

"We know what Muggles are, Carter," Jack said, showing that he had been paying attention when they'd been explaining things the last time they'd met with wizards.

She accepted the rebuke with a nod, knowing it wasn't temper that was causing him to be short, but impatience.

"Well, Sirius couldn't very well go showing himself to the wizard world while they thought he was a deranged escaped murderer. So he went into hiding at his family mansion. Which, from the descriptions in the book I read, isn't a very nice place…"

"It's a lot worse than the book said it was," Sirius spat. "Kreacher is a foul little-"

"Who's Kreacher?" Daniel asked.

"A house elf," Sam said, answering for Sirius, who didn't really look like he wanted to discuss it. "He's a magical little creature that's tied to the Black family and has to do whatever they tell him. Only…"

"Only Kreacher hates me as much as I hate him," Sirius said, bitterly.

"Why?"

"Because I'm a disgrace to my family name, and he knows it. Not that it's a family name to live up to…"

"We can't choose our relatives," Jack said, feeling for the guy.

"So now that the wizard world knows Voldemort has returned," Sam continued, "They know that Sirius is innocent of the crimes they accused him of."

"That's good," Jack said.

"But now I have to hide from my own friends," Sirius told him, leaning back into the sofa with a sigh.

"But it won't be for so long this time, right?" Sam asked.

"It better not," he said. "Or I'm going to go crazy."

"Not to mention what it's doing to Harry…" Daniel said.

"Yeah."

There was a long silence in the room; the only sound the crackling of the dying fire, and Jack finally shook off the gloom.

"Well, if you're going to stay here, I'd better set up the guest room, huh?"

Black nodded.

"I'd appreciate that. I'm about eight hours ahead of you guys, and I could use a chance to get some sleep."

Sam looked at her watch, amazed that only a little more than an hour had gone by. It was only eight-thirty. She looked at Jack.

"Are you going to call General Hammond tonight?"

O'Neill nodded.

"He told me to inform him of what was going on once we knew – and I suppose we know enough to give him some kind of report."

"Want me to do it?"

"Nah. I'll do it." It was his responsibility, after all, and besides, he was the one who would have to pass on the request if they wanted Sirius to be allowed in the SGC – and Jack didn't like the notion of leaving the man alone where he might decide to take matters into his own hands. Especially if he'd already been sitting around one house for the past year. Jack's house was probably not as interesting as a wizard house, after all, and wouldn't provide much of a distraction. "Why don't you guys find something for dinner while I make the call?"

Sam nodded, standing up and giving Sirius a smile.

"Yes, sir. Are you hungry, Sirius?"

The wizard nodded, standing up as well.

"Definitely."

"We could probably find some Alpo," Daniel said, reminding everyone that Sirius had more than one form.

"What's Alpo?" Sirius asked, interested in Muggle food – although just then, he was hungry enough to eat anything!

Sam grinned, looking over at Jack and shaking her head. She'd never tell.