Padfoot Returns

Harry James Potter lay on his bed, resting. He had come of age that summer and had finally been free to leave the Dursleys. Just as well when he considered the day before he had left they were informed of his inheritance and tried to remove it from him and, the day after he had left the ouse had been promptly blown up. The Dursley were at the time absent. Harry had had, rather a busy year that year, he had gained experiance, knowlege, but he had lost things too, a friend, a headteacher, prehaps a father figure.

Who would think Harry mused that one person could encompass so much.

Dumbledore. No! Don't think of him! Too late the final moments of the great mans life replayed in Harry's head, burned as if with a laser into his memory, never to fade with the passing of time. Dumbledore, Snape, Malfoy, himself, Snape, Severus Snape. A black wand, a jet of light and it had all been over, suddenly the most powerful wizard in over a century was dead. A guardian of thousands destroyed.

Harry groaned, his pillow damp, he felt for his glasses. That was better, at least he could see.

Buckbeak the hippogriff lay across the bottom of the massive bed. Grey feathers camoflauged in the soft light of dawn as it dared stick its head in the window whispering into the room. moving slowly Harry wrapped his robe around his body and slunk to the door. Buckbeak strechted his wings out brushing the walls and ceiling and followed Harry.

Down darkened stairs they both made thier way. padding softly through the hall past a portrait on the wall and to the kitchen.

Sirius's hall, Sirius's kitchen, Sirius's house, which Sirius had given him upon his... leaving. house thought Harry it wasn't really his home. At least not for long. But it was a part of his godfather he could at least keep.

There was a candle lit on the kitchen table, the huge darkened oak table. It cast deep shadows on the walls and made the man sitting opposite it appear old, even more careworn and scarred. Remus Lupin. Moony. The last, save the traitor, of the marauders best friend of Sirius Black, Padfoot and James Potter, Prongs.

"Proffesor" Harry got no response

"Moony!" He growled

Harry nudged Lupin, whos' eyes averted from the candle flame he had been staring at for the last few hours. Harry looked at his... What was Lupin, a friend, guardian? Harry mentally shrugged Lupin was family.

"James! What are you doing here?.. Sirius! I'm sorry Harry fro a moment I thought..." Lupin trailed off

Harry gave Lupin a half smile "except from my eyes, I have my mothers eyes"

Harry sat opposite Lupin. They both stared at the candle

As the sun was beginning to shine true. Lupin looked up

"Maybe you should go back, you never know Dumbledore might of left something. some clue for you"

Harry sighed

".I dont think so somehow. When we retrieved the horcrux iw was a fake. some one had gotten there before us. "

Harry was silent again, Staring at the candle flame

"What happened to Sirius's brother again? I mean what exactly?"

Lupin looked at him.

"You know this. He got in over his head with Voldemort and tried to back out. Apparently he'd been asked to do something he couldnt and tried to get out of it and leave Voldemortes ranks but Voldemorte had him killed."

Harry was quiet for a while.

"Thank you." He said before standing up and leaving the kitchen. Lupin just nodded to him as he left. The door had barely closed behind Harry when the kitchen fire behiind Lupin roared and turned green.

Surprised, Lupin turned around to see a head revolving in the fire

AN: Harry previously informed Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Lupin about the horcruxes