Addictions
Chapter 11
Wednesday, July 3
Sirius took a long drag and exhaled, watching the puff of smoke swirling in the air. Being back at the Potter Manor was so much better than his own house. He felt at home here, but it didn't stop the unbidden memories surfacing now and again. Remus was visiting Dora and Sirius was left alone with his morbid thoughts. He had been too upset to sleep in his own room last night, memories of James in every hallway and had gotten down to the living room early in the morning to have a quick smoke.
He couldn't drink with Harry around, so a fag had to do.
Sirius was watching the smoke patterning the air, hypnotised, when a quiet voice cut through the fog in his head.
"I didn't know you smoked."
Sirius looked up to see Harry in his pyjamas, leaning against the kitchen door, arms crossed in front of him. He looked like he had rolled straight out of bed and Sirius wondered why he was up so early. Sirius was relieved to note that Harry was not looking at him judgementally, just an honest expression of curiosity as he furrowed his eyebrows.
A smile tugged at Sirius' lips. "You don't know a lot of things about me."
To his dismay, Sirius watched as Harry pulled up a chair looking saddened at those words. Sirius cursed himself mentally. Of course, he didn't know! It was not Harry's fault that he hadn't been present in his life just as he had promised James, fifteen years ago.
Sirius sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. Merlin, had it already been fifteen years?
Hoping to cheer Harry up, Sirius put-out his cigarette and tossed it to the trash. Sirius walked over to the kitchen top as he looked over at Harry. "Breakfast?"
Harry nodded and Sirius pushed a plate of toast and fruits over to Harry that Twitchet had eagerly prepared early in the morning. He watched Harry eat his food quietly.
"You know," said Sirius slowly, gauging his reaction, "your Dad and I used to do it when we were in school."
Harry looked up, eyes wide in surprise. "Really?"
Sirius nodded to himself. "Yup, quite the show-offs we were. Idiots, more like. But then, during seventh year, your Dad quit smoking, you know, with trying to impress your mother and all."
Harry wrinkled his nose, "He sounds like he was a stalker."
Sirius laughed out loud. "Trust me, it did seem like that. But he did changed a lot during that year. And the funny thing is, your mum said she herself had a phase when she tried her hand at smoking too."
Harry who had been lifting up a toast to his mouth abruptly halted. "My mum?"
Sirius laughed as he continued, "Yes. She was a feisty woman, your mother. She quit after two months, said she didn't enjoy it much after all. Made sure your dad quit too."
Harry's mind was reeling. Everyone always said his mum was really sweet and charming and all-round lovely. He had never known his mother had a rebellious streak in her too. Somehow, the idea did not disturb him. It seemed oddly… fitting.
Harry smiled as he bit into his toast. "Tell me more about them."
Sirius, looking rather mischievous, then went into great detail as he told him stories of his mum and the Marauders' days in Hogwarts. Harry had been shocked to learn many things – his mum was Snape's best friend for a time before the incident that Harry had seen in Snape's memories. After that, she had quit being friends with him and Harry was comforted. It was disturbing already knowing they were pals once.
He had laughed himself silly when Sirius had regaled him of the many pranks that the Marauders had pulled off, shook his head disbelievingly when Sirius retold the stories of his very many girlfriends and also of his dad's various attempts to capture his mum's attention.
It was already noon when Sirius had ran out of things to say for the moment and both Harry and Sirius lay spread out on the couch and the armchair respectively, each clutching a bottle of butterbeer. The old gramophone was playing an upbeat song from one of his dad's old records.
Harry was simply content; all these years, he had always thought of his mum and dad as brave, kind and noble people. Somehow, it gave him the idea that he had known his parents in a two-dimensional manner.
Now, learning that his parents had various quirks, learning of their faults and mistakes, made them feel so much more real to him. James and Lily Potter had lived as something more than just the larger-than-life people he had imagined. They had left a mark on this world. The man sitting before him was proof. And nothing had ever been more comforting than that idea, that his parents weren't gone forever, that they would live on in Sirius' and Harry's memories.
oOo
Living with Sirius was vastly different to Harry than living with the Dursleys. For one, Harry did not have to wake up early for breakfast. He could sleep in and go downstairs later to have a delectable spread almost similar to Hogwarts' feasts.
Another major difference was of how much Harry had become rather outspoken. At the Dursleys' he was content to never have a conversation with them if he could help it. Even at the Burrow, there were too many people that Harry sometimes was happy to just listen.
Not that he wasn't a talker, he always had plenty of conversations with Ron and Hermione. When they started to bicker though, he was rather silent, unwilling to give himself a headache.
But at the Potter Manor, there was only Sirius and Harry. Lupin would be available sometimes, but otherwise, he was leaving to meet with someone that he had no idea of and also said quite kindly that he didn't want to intrude on Sirius and Harry's time together. When he asked Sirius who Lupin was meeting with, he simply smirked and told Harry that he would know soon enough.
Harry and Sirius had to fill the silence, so they would make conversation and get to know each other better. Every now and again, some indistinct action would trigger Sirius' memory and he would fill Harry in on stories of his parents as they played a round of Exploding Snap. Harry had learnt so much about his parents in the last week itself than in his entire life.
Harry found himself easily trusting and opening up to Sirius as he told him in great detail of his adventures in Hogwarts, which seemed to either infuriate him or made him laugh till he was hoarse. He had already heard of some things from Lupin but Harry could tell them all from his point of view. He had been downright terrifying though, when he heard about Harry's various run-ins with Voldemort. He paced furiously wondering what on earth Dumbledore was doing calling Hogwarts a school.
At some point, Harry told him about the blood quill that Umbridge had used on him as detention. Sirius had gone white as he asked Harry to show his hand.
"What were you thinking? Why didn't you tell Dumbledore? Or any other teacher?" said Sirius, nearly yelling.
"Dumbledore spent a lot of time not wanting to be in my presence, so why would I go and tell him that?" said Harry, frowning.
"You know he had a reason for that, Harry," said Sirius bracingly.
"I know now. But it doesn't mean I was not upset when he was actively avoiding even looking at me," said Harry, grimacing.
"But you could've told me!" said Sirius, with hurt in his voice.
Harry felt the need to apologise. "I'm sorry I didn't. But, in my defence, if you had known, you would probably have come bursting into the castle and I couldn't let you do that!"
Sirius was looking at him oddly and Harry squirmed under his gaze. "I can't just let this go! That bitch tortured you! I'm going to make sure she gets back what she deserves."
"No, Sirius. It's over. There's no use making a fuss about it. She's already left Hogwarts," said Harry firmly.
"Then, I'm taking this to the Ministry!"
"No, you can't! I'm already being talked about every day in the Prophet. I don't want to have even more attention on myself because of a stupid injury," said Harry, trying to make Sirius see sense.
"This is not just a stupid injury. She tortured you willingly, for hours might I add!"
"Yes, and I did not complain then. What would be the point of dragging this up now when I just want to forget it?" said Harry, praying Sirius would let it go.
Sirius was still glowering but after a moment, he finally sighed, "Promise me you won't hide anything like this from me again."
Harry looked back dumbly, before nodding. "I promise."
He wished Sirius would change the subject. Sirius must have seen his reluctance to discuss it any further, as he steered the conversation to safer waters, which turned out to be him wanting to know all about Harry's girlfriends at school.
Harry dully cursed his luck.
After five days of living in the Potter Manor, Harry could see how this could become his life for the indeterminable future, though sometimes it still felt like a dream that could be snatched away from him anytime. He felt safe and wanted and he violently quashed a pang of sadness, that he hadn't got it all sooner.
oOo
Friday, July 5
Sirius was an early-riser and he took advantage of the open grounds to go for a morning run. Harry had been concerned about the safety of that when Sirius had assured him that Dumbledore himself had placed protective enchantments around the grounds, so they were completely safe.
True to Sirius' word, Harry had disposed of his old hand-me-downs (it had been entirely too satisfying to chuck them into the fireplace) and pulled on a new shirt and jeans. They fit him perfectly and Harry felt grateful to Sirius again for the little things he did to ensure he was happy, even though he didn't ask of him.
The sound of music filled the house as he walked downstairs. Sirius had found his dad's old records the other day in the attic and the old gramophone had been playing ever since as Sirius didn't like the house to be too quiet.
Harry had first thought of the music as too old-fashioned, but after days of being in its continued subjectivity, Harry had become increasingly hooked. He had never really had a passion for music before, but he never really had a passion for anything at the Dursleys'. He did hear the occasional wizarding music that some of his house mates played in the Gryffindor common room.
But, this was different.
He was listening to the Beatles and Pink Floyd with marked enjoyment, his ears differentiating the beats and his mouth humming the different songs at random moments. Sirius was worse; he would break into song and coax Lupin to sing-along. It was rather heartening to see the good changes that the house had brought about in Sirius.
Harry entered the dining area to find Lupin, having his breakfast. He was sipping his tea and reading the newspaper. He looked up as Harry entered and smiled in greeting. "Good morning."
"Good morning, Professor."
Lupin chuckled. "For the last time, it's Remus. I haven't been your professor in years."
"Er…sorry. It just slips out." Harry ducked his head but came back up when Twitchet placed a plate of eggs and toast in front of him.
"Yes, I quite understand. Imagine calling your Professor McGonagall, Minerva within two months of leaving school," chuckled Lupin… Remus.
Harry grimaced before asking, "What's it say?" nodding towards the Prophet.
"The usual. People are becoming increasingly on their guard, now that Voldemort is back in the open. There's already been a killing, a muggle family in Oxfordshire," sighed Remus.
"What's the point of killing muggles? Why would Voldemort do that?"
"Instilling fear and terror. That is one important thing Voldemort also did during the first war. He gathers followers that way, luring and convincing them that they are on the winning side," said Remus.
"What is the Ministry doing about it?" asked Harry, thoughtfully.
"Well, as you know, Fudge was sacked three days after Sirius' trial. It was the final blow for him and now Rufus Scrimgeour has taken his place," said Remus.
"I read that he had some sort of disagreement with Dumbledore as soon as he took his office. Is he any good?" asked Harry, honestly.
"Well, he was the Head of the Auror Department and he's… well, shall we say aggressive? But, yes, he will be much more capable than Fudge."
At that moment, Sirius entered the room, his hair damp from his shower and wearing a fresh t-shirt and pyjama pants. "Good morning," he said brightly to mumbled replies, sitting down at the head of the eight-seater dining table.
He enthusiastically heaped his plate with food and Twitchet placed a goblet full of steaming purple health potion for Sirius. Twitchet had been horrified at her Master Sirius' health and had been taking it upon herself to fatten Sirius up, ever since they had arrived. Though Sirius had grumbled that he did not need it, he never outright refused as he liked the elf too much and did not want to disappoint her. He was already showing marked difference in his appearance, his gaunt face having filled out a little.
Sirius took a sip from the goblet and grimaced before he spoke, "So, Harry. I've been meaning to discuss something with you. I have decided I am going to train you in duelling for the rest of this summer."
Remus looked up interestedly, but Harry was perplexed. "I thought we're not allowed to do underage magic at home?"
"Oh, that's such a load of bollocks!" said Sirius, waving his hand dismissively. "The Ministry cannot trace people doing magic in wizarding homes."
"What?" said Harry, shocked. "You mean the Trace isn't really… real?"
"That's just a way of keeping children in line," said Sirius, solemnly. "The Trace can only detect where the magic is coming from but not who does it."
Harry was gaping in stunned disbelief. "That explains what happened in my second year. I got a warning for using underage magic at the Dursleys' but it was actually Dobby, the house-elf!"
"Yes, you see it falls upon the parents to enforce the 'no magic outside Hogwarts' rule," said Sirius.
"Which you seem to have forgotten about, Padfoot," said Remus, staring pointedly.
"Not all sixteen year-olds have a Dark Lord hunting them, do they Remus? I say it's perfectly fine in Harry's case to break the rule to train him up," said Sirius, leaning casually against his chair.
Harry became subdued, realising the implication that Voldemort was after him and all because of that damned prophecy.
"When do we start?" he asked Sirius, interestedly.
Sirius gave his bark-like laugh. "If you don't have any pressing matters to attend to, 'Oh-Chosen One', why not today?"
oOo
A/N: Voldemort's attacks will be different in my story than in HBP. So, my story doesn't follow HBP very closely. There will be similarities and there will be some differences.
