Author's Note: Sorry about the wait on this chapter!

OOOOOOOOOO

"He's not going to talk to us, Jack…" Sirius told O'Neill a few minutes later as they were leaving Dumbledore's office. "He's angry. You know how boys get when they're angry…"

"He'll talk to me," Jack said. "Because I'm not going home until he does." Jack looked around the hallway with its multitude of stairways, weird portraits with people moving in them and all the candles (not to mention the occasional ghost walking through the walls). "And I'm not staying here any longer than I have to."

Sirius smiled.

"You get used to it."

"Yeah."

Jack's tone made it apparent that he didn't think he'd get used to it quite as quickly as most others did. Of course, he'd had a rough night, so maybe on a different day he'd be a little more tolerant.

"Chances are he's in the Gryffindor rooms," Sirius told Jack as they headed for a stairwell. "We'll start there, anyways. If he's not there, we'll have the portraits help us out."

"And they will?"

"Most of them. For that matter, the ghosts will, too, if it comes to it."

"Great."

Hopefully it wouldn't. He didn't want to talk to a ghost any more than he wanted to go for another ride on one of those bony Thestrals.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Ten minutes later he had something else to complain about.

"Don't you people believe in elevators?" Jack complained five flights of stairs later.

Sirius smiled.

"It's good exercise."

Since Jack was out of breath, he just shook his head in mock disgust, and allowed Sirius to lead him down the corridor to the entrance to the Gryffindor's tower. He'd been there once before, but he'd never have found the way on his own.

Just like he remembered, there was a huge portrait of a very large woman guarding the portal. And she remembered him, as well, because she smiled widely.

"You're back!"

It was an infectious smile, because he found himself replying in kind – even though chatting with people in pictures wasn't something that he did every day.

"Yeah."

"We're looking for Harry," Sirius said. "Has he been this way?"

She ignored the question, her eyes only on Jack, and he remembered she'd mentioned the last time that they were some kind of blood kin or related or something. Which made sense, he supposed, since she was the one who guarded the Gryffindor room.

"You look tired," she commented. "Have you been sleeping?"

"It's been a long day," Jack replied evasively. "I don't suppose you've seen Harry?"

"He came through here a while ago, angry and in a hurry – like there's anything to be in a hurry to do right now with the other children gone. He was very abrupt." She added.

"We need in," Sirius said.

"You need the password."

"What is it?"

"It wouldn't be much of a security feature if I told you it, now would it?" she asked, just a hint of steel in her voice. She turned her attention to Jack. "Did you have breakfast yet, dear? There are house elves in the kitchen. They could make you-"

"We need in," Sirius snapped.

"Do I look deaf?" she asked, her eyes flashing. "I need a password."

"Jack…"

Wondering what it was about Sirius the woman didn't like – because there was definitely a lot of tension between the two – Jack stepped up, moving to stand between Sirius and the portrait.

"We really do need in," he said. "I have to talk to Harry."

"Of course!"

She gave him a cheerful wave, and the portrait opened, revealing the opening that led into the Gryffindor common room.

The two men stepped into it, and Jack looked over at Sirius as it closed behind them.

"What was that all about?"

"She's just holding a grudge, is all. I did something to her – and apologized about a hundred times – but she's still in a snit about it."

"Ah."

He didn't even want to know what you could do to piss off someone in a picture, so he didn't ask.

The common room was comfortable, and empty.

"Any idea where he might be?" Jack asked.

"Maybe his old room…"

Sirius headed for the staircase, and Jack followed, glad someone knew where they were going.

OOOOOOOOO

The door at the top of the stairs was locked when they tried it, a sure sign that that was where they wanted to go.

Sirius knocked.

"Harry?"

There was a long pause, and right as he was going to knock again – maybe a little louder – there was an answer.

"Go away!"

Not the answer they wanted.

"Harry. We need to talk."

This time there was no hesitation.

"I don't want to talk. Go away!"

Jack scowled. He'd had a really long day and wasn't in the mood to yell through a door. There were things he needed to discuss with the boy, and he wasn't going to do it any way but face to face.

"Harry, open this door or I'll have Dumbledore come and blow a hole in the wall big enough to drive a semi through."

Sirius looked over at him, surprised to see Jack looked about as angry as Harry sounded.

There was another hesitation, and about the time that Sirius was wondering what a semi was and if Dumbledore really would step in to open the door – or if Jack would really even go get him – there was a click from the inside of the door.

The two men looked at each other, and Jack tried the door. Sure enough, it opened.