Chapter Ten: In Which Doodles Are Drawn
"Had a good summer so far?"
"Not asking the easy questions today, are we?" said Harry darkly. "To be honest, its been absolutely boring."
For the first time, something like a grin flitted across Sirius' face.
"Don't know what you are complaining about, myself."
"What?" said Harry incredulously.
"Personally I'd have welcomed a dementor attack. A deadly struggle for my soul would have broken the monotony quite nicely."
"Monotony? Haven't you been — I don't know — doing anti-Voldemort stuff?"
"Hardly," said Sirius bitterly. "Ministry's still looking for me and they know about my Animagus form now. . . ."
"What were you doing then anyway?"
"Cleaning and being grumpy. Its one of the few things I have left."
"The US is nice this time of year, isn't it?" said Harry oddly.
"What?"
"I mean, its only Magical Britain where you're a felon. Everywhere else is fair game. Why don't you go to the States and — I dunno, take a vacation? Quite a lot of people for you to get lost in. . . . It isn't like you are doing anything here, are you?"
"Not per se . . ."
It was tired. It had been a long journey. . . . The destination was close now . . . So close . . .
Harry Potter was hit by a brown stuffed toy. It had been quite a few days after Sirius had departed for the United States.
"Wha — oh, its an owl."
He offered the poor bird some water and treats and read the letter. Written on paper using what was clearly a Muggle pen, it stood out a mile in the old and dilapidated house.
To James Parry Otter,
I may or may not be drunk while writing this. So anyway I'm fun having lots! That doesn't sound right, it does?
It went on and on for three pages, and seemed to get more and more incoherent. At one point, Sirius started to make doodles, some of which were quite inappropriate.
He laughed out loud. "That's a part of the male anatomy I never thought would see in a letter. There is a first time for everything, I guess!"
AN: The frustration and grim situation in OotP sets the tone for the series. But Sirius dies because he had been cooped for too long and finally cracked when he had some 'action' during the duel with Bellatrix.
Sirius should have gotten out more. Of course, I could have just made Harry suggest Muggle Britain, but where would be the fun in that? The US because, well, the US.