Smells Like Slytherin Spirit

Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with all things Harry Potter, a creation of JK Rowling.

Author's Note: Since I have not updated this story in a while, I highly suggest you go back and read the first three chapters. Not only does it catch you up, but it gives you a good few laughs. I would also like to address the high levels of out of canon material in this story. One – the characters are Muggles. That's obviously alternative universe. Two – the character pairings are little out of character. I'll let that speak for itself. Three – the setting isn't set in the late 90s. It's modern day, which is also out of Rowling's canon. However, this is all for fun, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as you did before.

Chapter 4: Thankfulness

2:50, November 25, 2005

It rained the majority of Thanksgiving morning, so Ginny was "thankful" to get out of the warm house and into the chilly air. Her mother had been cooking up a storm all morning for the feast, which many people were invited to. Ginny's older brothers Bill, Charlie, and Percy were coming home. Bill still lived and worked in Gryffindor City, so he was already home. Charlie lived in New York when he was actually home, but most of the year he worked in Africa on the treatment for HIV/AIDS. He had been able to take two months off for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Percy worked in Denver in a cubicle almost all day every day. Like Bill, it wasn't that difficult to get off work for the holiday.

Remus Lupin, a family friend of the Weasleys and the deceased Potters, was also invited to the get-together. The Grangers were coming over since Hermione's grandparents were spending the winter in France. Harry's date with Cho had gone exceptionally well, so the Changs were also invited.

Ginny managed to wander away from the house. On her way out, she avoided a large puddle the rain had formed. She was only wearing jeans and a sweater her mother had made her, but the cold breeze felt good on her hot cheeks. She pulled her sleeve over her hand and dried off a swing seat before sitting on it and swinging. In time she got higher and higher. She could count the cars parked outside the Zabini house, and was actually surprised to see Blaise outside playing with his dog. Ginny tried to go lower in her swing, but it was too late – he had seen her.

Blaise tied up his dog and slipped into Ginny's yard. "Hello."

She attempted to cover up her sweater by crossing her arms, "Hey."

"You guys have relatives coming over?"

Ginny nodded, "Yep."

Blaise was silent and then asked, "For what be your thanks?"

"Huh?" Ginny asked confusedly.

"What are you thankful for?" Blaise reworded his question.

"Oh. Um, my family and friends, my house, you know."

"Really? Those are all very typical answers. I'm thankful for such a hip neighbor. And I'm not talking about old lady Kranz."

As he headed back to his own yard, he turned and pointed at her, a smirk plastered on his face, and then vanished inside the house.

Ginny couldn't help but smile to herself. What a charming son of a bitch Blaise was.

She went back indoors to find most of the guests had arrived and were filling up their plates with turkey, potatoes, gravy, dinner rolls, corn, beans, and an assortment of other small goodies. Ginny snuck into the line ahead of Fred and George, who were fighting over who got the last Batman plate. She filled her plate and sat down next to Charlie, who was deep in a conversation with Lupin about his clinic in Africa.

Harry sat down next to her, started smearing gravy around on his potatoes, and asked, "What did Zabini want?"

Ginny glanced sideways at him, "How did you know I was talking to him?"

"I saw you through the window," Harry replied.

"Oh, well, he was just asking about relatives. That's all." That was pretty much all Blaise talked about, Ginny thought to herself.

Harry nodded as Ron sat down and began to murder the food on his plate.

3:36 PM

The family and guests were all seated in the dining room chatting happily when the doorbell rang. Molly jumped up immediately and ran into the hall to open the door. She was absent for quite a time.

Finally Lupin called to her, "Molly, who's at the door?"

Mrs. Weasley appeared in the doorway with a tall, scrubby-looking man with stubble and long, dark hair. "It's…it's Sirius."

Everyone in the room was quiet. Lupin stood abruptly and stared at this man named Sirius for a long time before striding across the room and embracing him in a long, friendly hug. "It's great to see you again."

Sirius broke into a grin that looked unusually big on his face, "You too, Remus, you too."

Harry whispered to Ginny, "Who is Sirius?" Ginny just shrugged.

The newest guest was seated and given a full plate, which he ate heartily. The conversation went on as though it was never interrupted, but Harry silently wondered who this man was and why he had intruded on their Thanksgiving dinner.

4:20 PM

The family and guests were scattered about the house when Lupin came up behind Harry and asked, "Harry, may I have a word?"

Harry nodded and followed Remus out onto the back patio, which was surprisingly empty. Lupin leaned over the rails for a moment, sighed, and started, "I suppose you're wondering who that man is, aren't you, Harry?"

Harry listened intently and answered quickly yet carefully, "Yeah. Yeah, I am."

Lupin picked his words thoughtfully, "That man is Sirius Black. He's an old friend of mine. We went to school together, along with your parents. Sirius is – or was – your dad's best friend."

Harry was silent as he absorbed this. Remus pressed on, "Now, when you were born, your mom and dad wanted Sirius to be a part of your life. Harry, Sirius is your godfather."

"He's my –"

Lupin interrupted, "But before you jump too far ahead, there's something I want you to know. You know that your parents died in a car crash. What I'm positive you didn't know was that neither of your parents were driving. Yes, Harry," Remus nodded when he saw a flicker of realization on Harry's face, "Sirius was. But he didn't crash on accident. You see, Sirius was never good with alcohol. He made some bad decisions that night, but he wasn't the only one, Harry. Your parents shouldn't have let him drive. Things happened as they did, and there's no use trying to change or blame those events on Sirius."

Harry let his breath out in a gasp, but he couldn't get a word in before Remus started talking again. "Sirius was tried for murder, but since it was not intentional, he was put in rehab and fined for his drinking. The last time I checked, and this was almost two years ago, Sirius was recovering in a hospital. Now, I will leave the decision up to you whether to accept or reject him, but it appears to me that Sirius showed up today to try and communicate with the last part of James he has left – you."

Harry tried to swallow this. It was all too much. For the past sixteen years he had thought his parents collided with a semi or a van or some other large vehicle. Now there was a third person involved. And he had to decide if he wanted this person to be a part of his life.

Harry shook his head silently and looked at Lupin for a voice of reason. Lupin just patted him on the shoulder and slowly walked back inside, leaving Harry out in the dimly lit cold.

When the guests were leaving nearly two hours later, Harry smiled and shook Sirius Black's hand, but it killed him inside. Should he blame this man, or find another piece of his parents within him? Harry didn't know.

11:40 PM

Ginny got bored with the nighttime television Fred and George were watching in the living room, and her parents were in bed already, so she climbed the stairs and wandered into Harry's room. Ron was already in there, sitting on Harry's bed. Harry was sprawled out on the floor gazing at the ceiling.

"Hey guys. What's up?"

Harry sighed and Ron answered, "We found out who that Sirius character is."

Ginny raised a brow, "Really? Who is he?" She turned to Harry.

Harry muttered, "My godfather and the drunk driver that murdered my parents."

Her jaw dropped, and she covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh…wow…seriously?" It was all she could come up with.

Ron looked slightly ghastly, and Harry just nodded like a bobble-head.

"Ouch," Ginny said quietly. "That's tough, Harry. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, not really," he said and shrugged. "I'd much rather be left alone to think, you know? I want time to comprehend it before I have to explain it to Hermione."

Ron and Ginny gave each other a knowing look and nodded, "Yeah."

"Well, good luck with it, bud. If you do want to talk, we're here," Ron told his best friend.

"Thanks."

And Harry was thankful. Thankful on that Thanksgiving day that he had friends that were his family. Thankful that they listened and talked to him and cared about him. He had never had in a family before.

End Author's Note: Not the best, but I had to get that information about Sirius and the Potters in there somewhere. It's important down the road. I'm starting on the next chapter immediately. That one involves a movie, Christmas, and a New Year's bash. R&R, you know the drill. Constructive criticism is appreciated, flaming is not.