Once a Potter, Always a Potter

by WarMunger98

Harry is not the only Potter left. He was lucky enough to have a little sister born just before James and Lily were murdered. Follow their journey through Hogwarts and beyond as the tackle love, mystery and a war. They will meet new friends and be reunited with lost family. M for violence, language and later sexual situations/scenes. Hinny. Slowly updating.

22. A Very Sirius Year

Hey folks, I know it's been a hot minute since I last updated. There's been a lot going on in my life at the moment, namely finishing placements and uni altogether. Whilst on placement I've had opportunities to write this chapter, so it's been an on and off writing experience for the last 7-8 months or so. The good news is that I'm not somewhat done with uni. What that means is that I have some more time this year to write, as I don't see myself getting full time employment until next year. The bad news is though that writing this could become a challenge once I gain full time employment. That's not to say I'll abandon this story, as I think I've shown how dedicated I am (even with the late updates), it might just mean an update may be very rare. The other option I have, and I want people to let me know what they think, is that I could write shorter chapters. As you've noticed, the majority of chapters, especially recent ones, are over 10k in words. I've always aimed to give quality over quantity but if necessary I could start writing smaller chapters to get more out. What that might look like is one chapter being 5-6k instead of10-12k, but take half the time. It's up to you. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! I was going to try and include some smut as I wanted this chapter to be a little funnier and light hearted, but it ended up becoming more of an insight into how Sirius is coping with the death of this friends. Anyway, I won't spoil anything, so go on and enjoy the chapter! Until next time!

A Very Sirius Year: Chapter 22

September 1st 1992

Sirius Black was not a man who cried often. He could count the number of times he cried on one hand, not including the times he was a baby. There was the first time he remembered crying, after his mother had smacked his bottom with a belt for saying hello to a Muggle boy in the streets. Then there was the time he was a little older, 9 or 10 he couldn't remember, but his father had slapped him across the face for 'disrespecting' his grandmother after the old bat disapproved of Sirius growing his hair out long. The third time he cried was when he ran away from home, arriving on the doorsteps of the Potters at age 16 and being accepted in with welcoming hugs from James, Euphemia and Fleamont. Sirius had cried his eyes out as James sat with him on the bed, grieving the loss of childhood by his own parents. The fourth time he cried was on the dreadful night of October 31st, when he practically sobbed his lungs out clutching his two dead friends. Finally, the last time Sirius cried was when he finally realised what his life had become as he sat in the cells of Azkaban. His friends were either dead, traitors or believed him a traitor. Harry and Madeline-Rose, his two Godchildren, were swept off to Godric knows where and to top it all off, he was stuck in Azkaban.

But that was all in the past now. He was a free man, reunited with his other best friend and the two most important children in the world according to them both. So, when he found himself crying for a sixth time as he watched Rose and Harry depart into the flames of the floo, heading back to Hogwarts, he felt himself aflush with a wave of emotion.

"Are you alright Sirius?" Juni placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hm?" Brushing the tears out of his eyes, Sirius looked down at Juniper, "I am. Just a bit emotional I suppose."

Juniper gave a sympathetic smile. "I understand. I bawled my eyes out the first time Lily left. Then I had to go through it all again when Harry left last year."

"I feel like I shouldn't be here, that Lily and James should he here instead."

A sigh came from Junipers lips as she nodded in agreement. "They certainly should be here with us, but they're not. I've had 11 years to get over my daughter and son in laws death, but it still hasn't gotten easier."

Sirius nodded. "Guess we just have to do the best we can. For them."

"Exactly."

With emotions high, Juni settled everyone into the kitchen with a nice hot cup of tea, letting the reality of their wards growth into adolescence sink in. "Come sit down dear, we can worry about them later, for now get some hot tea into you."

Sitting down at the Evans table, Sirius' twirled James' wand between his fingers. It still didn't feel quite right, not the same as his own wand but it was a good enough fit. Just as he was getting comfortable the fireplace roared to life again as someone stepped through the floo. Hoping it was one of his Godchildren, Sirius' rushed up out of his seat, his face falling when he saw it was Remus.

"I've already missed them, haven't I?" Remus asked.

Sirius just nodded as he guided his friend into the kitchen. "Sorry, I slept in this morning…you know, since it was the full moon a couple of days ago."

"It's okay Rem, you don't need to explain yourself to me." Sirius gave his friend a knowing smile, "Come on, come have some tea."

Juni and Alex looked up from their own conversation when they saw the two men enter. "Remus! You just missed the pair I'm afraid."

"Sirius was just telling me." He replied, "Were they excited?"

Alex nodded his head as he chuckled. "I daresay Rose was more excited than even Harry."

The group chuckled as Juni poured out a cup of tea for Remus and settled him in. "So, what will you do now that the kids are gone?" Remus asked the group.

"Well, have to get ready for winter. Got crops to plant, animals to look after and plenty of apples to harvest once the cold weather sets in." Alex explained, ticking off a list in his head.

"And I'll keep applying for the Aurors." Sirius chimed in.

Shaking his head, Remus took a sip of tea before looking at Sirius. "You really think they'll take you in?"

"How could they not? I know I wasn't the best at school, but between Jamie's tutoring in transfiguration, Lily bothering me on charms and your defence notes I scrapped through with solid E's and O's in my OWLS."

Remus just chuckled as his friend got all defensive. "That's not what I meant. I meant, are they really going to hire the man that caused the biggest political upset in recent history."

Cocking his lips into a grin, Sirius shrugged as he sipped his tea. "Well, I could always just go to the papers and claim prejudice."

Remus rolled his eyes. "I'm sure that won't backfire. Just don't work with Rita Skeeter, no doubt she'll blackmail you for an interview with Harry and Rose."

A formidable growl escaped Sirius' throat as he thought about the prospect of his Godchildren having to be exposed to the despicable reporter, if one could call her that. "Rita Skeeter…how is she still allowed to write?"

"Who's Rita Skeeter?" Juni asked.

"She's a columnist and reporter with the Daily Prophet, the main wizarding paper." Remus explained, "She has a reputation for stretching the truth in favour of a more 'entertaining' story."

Juniper recoiled her nose in disdain. "That's awful! How is she still allowed to keep her job?"

"That's a question many people have been asking for years. Unfortunately, whilst she may lie to make an entertaining story, she's also a helluva investigative reporter." Sirius begrudgingly admitted.

"Sounds like she's just a snoop." Alex said, "And if there's one thing I know, snoops and gossipers make the best reporters."

For the adults left in the house, the rest of the day was spent almost like normal. Alex spent his day in the fields whilst Juniper travelled into town to grab some shopping. Remus and Sirius meanwhile floo'd over to Stag Run to brush up on some offensive and defensive spells that Sirius was obligated to know in order to join the Aurors. It was during this impromptu lesson that Remus had a sudden memory of the pair of them, plus James and Peter, battling it out in the garden of Stag Run during their final year at Hogwarts.

"Do you remember that duelling competition we had here?" Remus asked whilst the pair took a break.

"Which one?" Sirius grinned.

"The last one." He replied, "The one before we graduated. We were all there, even Lily. She ended up putting James on the ground after distracting him."

Sirius broke into laughter as he remembered the memory. "I remember now! She flashed him, didn't she?"

Remus chuckled. "Something like that. I distinctly remember James' mouth hanging open, even as he went flying through the air from the stunner Lily sent his way."

"Good times…" A melancholy Sirius commiserated, "I wonder what they would've been like…middle aged."

Remus sobered up promptly. "I can imagine that they'd be pretty much the same as always. Maybe James would be a little more serious, being a father and all. I think Lily would most certainly be wearing the pants."

There was a smaller chuckle from Sirius as he nodded in agreement. "I don't doubt that at all."

For a while the pair just sat there in silence, remembering their lost friends. "It'll be 11 years in October." Remus said.

"We missed the 10 year mark…"

"Should we write to Harry and Rose?" Remus asked.

Sirius nodded slowly. "Yeah…I can't imagine the pair of them would be too happy about it all. I think last year it all got swept up with that troll attack."

"Do you ever think about it?" Remus asked.

"About what?"

"That night…" Remus reiterated, "Halloween, '81."

Sirius took a steadying breath as he stood up and began to pace. "Yes…I remember cradling James' body…his eyes staring back at me…then Lily, oh God Lily…" Sirius let out a sob, "Right in front of those two kids! What sort of bastard kills a mother in front of her children!"

Remus nodded solemnly. "The kind that would seek to destroy the wizarding world."

"Well, he certainly fucked up there didn't he. I remember hearing Harry call out to me…'Uncy Siri' he used to call me. And Rose, thankfully she was too small to even remember anything but still, seeing those little eyes stare up at me."

By now, Sirius had stopped pacing, coming to a standstill in the middle of the grounds. Remus got up and immediately wrapped his arms around his friend. "It's not fair!" Sirius sobbed into Remus' shoulder.

"It's not, but we promised them we'd look after Harry and Rose. That's how we can honour them."

"I just wish I got that rat sooner." Sirius sighed as he calmed down, "I wish I blew his body to pieces instead of being caught. I spent 10 years in that hellhole, for what? Nothing came out of it…"

Remus sighed as he pulled back from his friend and held him steady. "Justice was reached eventually."

"Eventually. And even then, is it really justice?" Sirius said sarcastically, "He's rotting in prison whilst Lily and James are dead! And their children? 10 years of abuse at the hands of their own fucking relatives."

"Enough Sirius." Remus said firmly, "Dwelling on it isn't going to solve anything. Yes, we should've stopped Peter and yes maybe you should've been secret keeper instead. But we can't change the fact that it's been done."

Sirius stalked away from Remus, his remorse turning into anger as he began pacing again. "It's still my fault Rem, I can't change that!"

"You can't, but you can make up for it by being the closest thing to a father Rose and Harry may have."

Remus' statement made Sirius sober up immediately, his eyes lamenting the realisation that he needed to get his act together. "You're right. I'm not doing either of them any justice by sitting around and mopping. I need to look after my godchildren."

"You know you don't have to do it alone either, right?" Remus smiled.

"Of course, but I can't exactly let Mr Bookworm Lupin corrupt them away from their heritage." Sirius grinned.

Rolling his eyes, Remus twirled his wand in between his fingers. "Ah ha, I'm sure that my influence on them will do nothing but harm."

"Exactly!"

The two lifelong friends smiled at each other before bursting into laughter. Both of them knew that whilst they may have lost two of their best friends, they still had each other for support. More importantly, they had the future generation to look after as well, although both marauders had very different ideas on what was important to learn. After thrashing each other in a dozen more quick duels, Remus and Sirius turned in for the night, stopping over for dinner at the Evans' house before heading to Stag Run. They couldn't help but wander through the halls and reminisce on the summer days when they'd run through the halls or sit up late talking about girls. It was a bittersweet feeling, remembering their youth, it always brought up painful memories of James and Lily, the betrayal of Peter going unsaid between the pair. Eventually the pair called it a night before they got sappy again. Sirius stayed up a little longer though, wrapping the present he was sending to Rose for her birthday the next day.

"I hope you enjoy that my Rose Petal." Sirius muttered to himself as he sent the owl off with the present into the inky night sky, "Merlin knows your dad would kick my arse if I didn't look after you."

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October 31st 1992

As September rolled into October, Sirius and Remus were soon faced with the daunting prospect of once more commemorating the events of Halloween '81. It would be the first time the pair had been together for such an occasion, neither one of them were looking forward to it in the slightest. Remus had been more melancholy than usual, brooding around Stag Run and locking himself away in the study for hours at a time. Sirius wasn't much better. He found himself lashing out at strangers and friends alike, on constant edge. Slowly but surely, the 31st of October snuck up on them. The day before, Remus had sobered up enough to help Sirius pen a couple of letters to Rose and Harry to arrive on the Halloween morning. Just writing out the words was enough to stain the parchment with tears that fell freely from both men's eyes. Watching the owl fly off into the distance, the pair of old friends sat out and watched the sunset from the balcony at Stag Run.

"Are we going to visit their graves?"

Remus' question startled Sirius out of his sombre thoughts. "Huh? I guess so..."

"We really should you know. I...I haven't been there in several years and you..."

Sirius made a noise at the back of his throat. "I know, I haven't been there at all."

Wrapping his arm around Sirius' shoulders, Remus sighed as he side-hugged his friend. "It's not your fault, I keep telling you that."

"Of course it's my fault, If I hadn't run after Peter that night I could've been there for Harry and Rose! Instead I acted like an idiot and chased him. I've go no one to blame but myself."

"Sirius..." Remus sighed again, "You and I both know that if you hadn't run off after Peter, Crouch still would've found a way to put you behind bars. Would've blocked evidence and rallied the jury against you."

Shrugging Remus off of his shoulder, Sirius turned away from the horizon and went back into the house, his shoulders scrunched. Following, Remus was quick on Sirius' tail. "Sirius stop!"

"Leave me alone Moony, I'm not in the mood."

Remus tugged on Sirius' arm. "Sirius would you please stop!"

Turning around swiftly, Sirius pushed Remus back, shoving him so hard that he almost tripped over his own feet as he stumbled. "You don't know what it's like! I promised Jamie and Lils that I'd look after their little ones if anything happened, and what do I go and do? Get myself arrested like a fucking moron!"

Remus stayed quiet as he let Sirius rant. "I'm their godfather for Merlin's sake! I was supposed to be there for them, instead I got locked up for almost a decade, whilst those two were abused by their own bloody family!"

Slumping against the wall, Sirius cradled his face in his hand as he let out a shuddering sigh. "I made a promise too Padfoot." Remus spoke up.

Peering through the gaps in his fingers, Sirius creased his eyebrows as he listened to Remus. "You aren't the only one who feels that pain. I promised them both that I'd look after them should anything happen to them, or you."

Sirius felt a great bubble of embarrassment and anger in that moment. "So why didn't you?"

"Look at me Sirius, you really think I could've looked after those two? I can hardly hold down a job, I'm not even there for them when they need me."

"Remus, we both know that's crap." Remus went to speak up but Sirius cut him off, "Everyone knows that you would've been a great carer to those two. With the amount of money Jamie and Lily left for them both you wouldn't have needed the work. And you're only gone one night of the month, I hardly call that abandoning them."

Remus smiled but shook his head. "Thank you, Sirius, but it doesn't change the fact that the ministry would rather see Harry and Rose be placed with the Malfoys than with a Werewolf."

A shudder went through Sirius' body as he thought about his godchildren being placed with his cousin's family. "Godric forbid that would ever happen…"

"Stranger things have happened."

The pair of old friends sat there for a while, letting the flames of the suns dying light die down as it was snuffed out by the horizon. As darkness descended, the gas lamps of the house lit up, powered by magic, bathing the house in a soft glow. Realising that they had wasted the day away, both Sirius and Remus decided that it was time to take some form of action.

"Come on you miserable old mutt, get up. We have obligations to uphold." Remus booted his friend in the shin, eliciting a yelp from him.

"The fuck Moony!" Sirius cursed as he recoiled away from the attack.

Shaking his head, Remus lined up another shot before Sirius blocked it with his foot. "Get up, we've got places to be."

"Alright! Alright, I'm getting up." Sirius grumbled as he got to his feet, "Could've just told me, didn't need to wound me you bloody great big mangy wolf."

Remus had the decency to look a little sheepish, but still had a wry grin on his face. "And would you have gotten up?"

"Probably not." Sirius grinned back.

Dusting each other off, Remus lead them towards the apparition point at the front of the house. "Where are we going Rem?"

"Godric's Hollow." Remus replied simply.

Sirius frowned and shuddered as he realised his past was catching up to him. "Really? I mean…shouldn't we wait for Rose and Harry?"

"Siri…we can't keep putting this off. We need to see them; we owe it to them."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Sirius steeled himself as he took out his wand, "Still remember the way?"

Remus nodded. "Could never forget."

The pair of friends looked at each other and nodded as their resolve held them high. With one quick spin the two disappeared from Scotland with a pop before reappearing near the Welsh, English border. The apparition point in Godric's hollow was hidden by tall shrubbery, away from prying muggle eyes. All sound was lost either in the dense greenery around or the ruckus of the nearby pub. Access to the town was granted by way of prying the greenery open with a tap of one's wand, just like one would access Diagon Alley. As the shrubbery was pulled away, the pair of wizards were greeted with the hustle and bustle of a muggle town on Halloween. There were children dressed up as ghouls, cowboys, witches and astronauts, collecting lollies and sweets as their parents watched on. By the pub, blue collar workers chinked their pints together as they laughed with the children running amuck. The sense of peace and quiet rested uneasy in Sirius and Remus, both of them knowing just how lucky the muggles truly were.

As the pair stepped out, a little girl dressed up as a troll ran by them, screaming her head off as a boy dressed as a mummy ran after her. Remus had to grab Sirius' hand as the latter went to reach for his wand. "It's alright Pads, it's just a child."

Feeling his anxiety rise, Sirius gripped onto Remus' arm as his eyes scanned the vicinity. He hadn't been back to the town since that fateful night, so already he was out of his comfort zone. "We shouldn't be here Remus…"

"If we leave now, you'll just be full of regret tomorrow. Harden yourself man."

Sucking in a deep breath of the chilled air, Sirius found his resolve, giving Remus a supporting smile that told him he could let him go. "Okay…lets do this."

Now fully prepared, both emotionally and physically, the pair walked away from the shrubbery surrounding the apparition point. The greenery closed itself off again, hiding one world from the other once more. As they pair walked through town, swarms of children ran past them, giving the pair a fright every so often. Eventually though they climatised to the noise and chaos and found themselves laughing as they watched the innocence of childhood flower before them.

"They'd love this." Sirius spoke up.

"Who would?" Remus replied.

"Rose and Harry…Lil's and Jamie…They'd all love this." The smile that Sirius had didn't quite reach his eyes, "I'm sure Lily would love teaching her kids about the muggle traditions, getting them dressed up and taking them out to trick or treat."

Remus nodded as he watched a redheaded girl dressed as Ariel run through the square, her tail flopping on the ground behind her. "They would've loved it."

As the pair walked further out of the square, they walked past a Cenotaph dedicated to the dead of both World Wars. But as they got closer, the marble white of the obelisk shimmered and turned into a sculptured image of a family of four. Remus and Sirius stopped dead in their tracks as they stared up at the image.

"I can't believe they actually made it…" Remus whispered hoarsely.

Sirius just frowned as he stared at the statue, a quiver on his lips as he held tears at bay.

The muggle memorial had turned into a statue of the Potter Family, a dedication to the family that was torn apart on the final day of the Great Wizarding War. In each of the marble statues arms sat a child, in Lily's it was Harry, scar free and smiling. James' held baby Rose, only a few weeks old at this point. They looked happy and content. Beneath them there was a plaque inscribed with the words:

"Dedicated to the Potter family; James, Lily, Harry and Madeline-Rose. May they always be remembered"

The pair sat there for a long while, staring up at the faces of their long-gone friends. Remus, feeling Sirius' resolve crumble, wrapped his arm around his friend's body. "Come on…lets move on."

Steering Sirius away from the monument, Remus had to hold back his own tears as he felt his courage fail. It was a shock, to see such a statue in the heart of a muggle town. Somehow, he knew that such a sentiment would not be welcomed by the Potter family, both past and present. As the wizards passed through town, empty houses watched with dark eyes, the only light coming from the street laps placed intermittently along the street. Eventually they reached a stone wall that held back the living from the resting dead. The only way into the graveyard was an old wrought iron gate that squeaked as the pair passed through. Trudging through the muggle headstones, Remus and Sirius were now set on their target, ignoring everything else in between them and their goal. Eventually they made it to an older part of the cemetery, one that looked ancient. Tall obelisks, statues and mausoleums were spaced out, separated from the muggles by another stone wall. As they marched through, Sirius felt his legs getting weaker, his resolve coming undone. Finally, they made it to their destination, a single large tombstone made from polished marble so bright and clean that the moon glinted off its surface.

"This is it…" Sirius whispered.

"This is it." Remus repeated.

James Potter & Lily Potter

The Last Enemy To Be Destroyed Is Death

After the journey the pair had gone through, they both found themselves speechless. Tears were streaming down both their faces and yet they still remained silent, as if uttering a word would disrespect the most hallowed of couples. Eventually Remus spoke up, shattering the silence.

"James…Lily…I'm back again. I've brought Sirius this time though."

Some find it strange to see someone speak to a grave as if the one it held would speak back, but for most it always felt as a relief to communicate with their loved ones.

"I'm sorry it took so long but things have been up in the air. We finally put Peter behind bars…and freed Sirius. And your little boy and girl are finally safe." Remus by this stage had taken a knee and began running his hand over the stone, "They're so bright…so loving and so kind. You'd be so proud of them. I think they're going to outshine us all."

Finally, Sirius found his voice again as he knelt the other side of Remus. "You'd be happy too Prongs, Harry already has his sights set on a redhead."

Remus couldn't help but laugh at Sirius' priorities. "Yes, he certainly has. The youngest Weasley, they had a girl can you believe? Around the same age as Rose."

"And he joined the Gryffindor Quidditch team in his first year." Sirius reminded him.

"That too. He's already going on adventures though. He's made some good friends, they both have. And I know you're watching over them."

Finally, Sirius let out a sob as his hands reached forward for support, landing on James' name. Remus held his friend tightly as he felt his own sorrow come out. As Remus looked up though, he noticed that the carvings on the tombstone were beginning to move, reforming into different words.

"Sirius! Look!"

Wiping his eyes clear, Sirius looked up just in time to see the final few carvings take a new form.

Don't be sad you old Mutt

Sirius almost choked as he saw the words. He didn't know if he should laugh or cry. "Typical of James to have the last laugh."

Remus gave a watery chuckle as he read the words in front of him. "Must be encoded to only react to your touch."

Sirius traced his fingers over the words again as they began to change again.

Look after our babies Siri, we both love you

This time, Sirius knew the message was from Lily, for only herself and Remus called him Siri. "And Lily-petal too…fucking hell…"

As Sirius let his hand fall from the words, the carvings once more took their original shape. Sitting there in silence, the pair let the air around them swirl in their ears as they sat in their own private thoughts. With a flick of his wrist, Remus summoned his wand and conjured a vase of lilies to decorate the grave.

"How fitting…" Sirius commented.

"She always hated them, she preferred Roses. But James loved lilies. I think she put up with them because of how much she loved James'."

There was a grunt from Sirius as he watched the pure white petals dance in the wind. Finally, the pair knew their time had come to go, leaving their friends to rest in peace.

"We'll be back soon Prongs, Lils…and we'll bring the kids next time." Sirius farewelled his oldest friends.

"We'll try and bring your parents too Lily. I know they miss you dearly." Remus added.

With one final look at the grave, Remus and Sirius both turned on their heels and marched back through the cemetery. Row by row the headstones greeted them until finally they broke free of the oppressive atmosphere and into the street once more. Taking deep, shuddering breaths, the pair looked at each other before Sirius reached for Remus, wrapping into a tight hug. Standing there, in the middle of the lane, the pair felt the pain that each other was going through, and yet they knew that they were both taking steps to heal their minds.

"Shall we go by the house?" Sirius suggested as he broke the hug.

"If you want? Is there much point going back?" Remus frowned.

Sirius gave Remus a shrug. "I guess. We might as well make sure it's still there…in case someone has decided to destroy it."

"I very much doubt anyone would dare let anything happen to that house." Remus countered.

Not saying a word, Sirius turned on his heels and marched towards the lane where the Potter's once secret hideout was located. The light of the moon lit their way, with street lamps providing very little in the way of illumination. Figures danced behind curtain windows as the light from the muggle houses beamed out. Flickering from televisions and the sound of laugh tracks was all that the pair of wizards had for company. Halloween welcomed everyone into the centre of town, leaving them to march on in peace. Towards the outskirts of town, houses with unique shapes and sizes began to appear, the tell-tale sign of magical households, the most notable of all though was located at the very end of the street. There, nestled between a muggle house and another street, sat the cottage in which the Potter's spent both the first and last years of their life in.

"It's still here…" Sirius sighed.

Although the house was still standing, a gaping hole had been left on the top floor, a reminder of the attack on Harry and the Potter family. What was once a nursery was now an empty hole that let moon and starlight flood into the now empty home.

As the pair approached the gate, a sign emerged from the bushes surrounding the house:

On this spot, on the night of 31 October 1981, Lily and James Potter lost their lives, in sacrifice to their two children. The Attack was perpetrated by the dark Wizard known only as Lord Voldemort, who was vanquished at this same spot. Their son, Harry, remains the only wizard ever to have survived the Killing Curse. This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left in its ruined state as a monument to the Potters and as a reminder of the violence that tore apart their family and the many other families who suffered during the Great Wizarding War. Nam olim, ut securus dormies.

Various phrases had been cut into the sign, all expressing thanks towards the Potter family and Harry in particular for the defeat of Voldemort. Most of them were worn through by the weather, a sign that they were created many years ago in the days following the end of the war. Sirius didn't really know how to feel, his guts were tied in a knot. It felt as if the air was being pushed out of his lungs and his heart was hammering to the rhythm of fear.

"We…we shouldn't be here." Sirius stammered.

Remus nodded, his own face a mixture of fear, anger and sorrow. He felt like taking his wand out and erasing the memory of that cursed house. "Remember the good times Siri, remember Harry riding his little broom and when Rose first opened her eyes and saw the world around her."

Grunting a response, Sirius leaned forward to rest on the gate that blocked their path. Not daring to step inside, he quickly turned away and began to walk back down the lane. "Sirius! Wait!" Remus called out.

Not stopping even once, Sirius rushed as quick as he could back towards the muggle part of town, wanting to be gone from this harrowed place once and for all. Eventually Remus caught up and grabbed Sirius by the arm, stopping him in his tracks. "Sirius stop would you, Merlin…"

"I can't go in there Rem! I can't see…I can't see their faces again…"

"I know." Remus said, "I can't either. Let's…let's go home and have something to drink yeah?"

Nodding his head, Sirius let Remus guide him back through town, completely impervious to the stares of the muggles around them. Once they were in the safety of the apparition zone, Sirius let himself cry once more, tears streaming down his face as he held onto an equally distraught Remus.

"Come on Pads, get yourself together, can't have you splinching yourself."

Fiercely wiping his tears away, Sirius sucked in a deep breath of the chilled night air. Steadying himself against Remus, he finally felt his emotions come back under his control. "Let's go home."

Nodding in silent agreement, Remus pulled his wand out and apparated the both of them back to the front gate of Stag Run. Light cut through the darkness of the night, the house lights illuminating the path up towards the house. Stumbling through the night, Padfoot and Moony half limped half staggered up to the front door. Seeking refuge in the house of their long-gone friends, Sirius and Remus collected themselves for a moment before heading straight towards the lounge room where they knew there was a supply of firewhiskey waiting for them. Sirius, too comatose to really be of help, sat himself on a couch and watched Remus pour off two large glasses of the amber liquid. A flame spouted out of the bottle as Remus uncorked the beverage, startling them both for a moment before they settled once more.

Remus moved to place the full glass in front of Sirius. "Here, get this down you."

"Thanks Rem…" Sirius whispered as he happily took a large sip out of the glass. It burned his throat on the way down but it also took the edge off of his heightened state of mind.

"Are you okay?" Remus asked as he sat down next to his friend.

"Yeah…No…I don't know."

Reaching out to grab Sirius' shoulder in support, Remus took a sip of his own drink. "I understand. You don't need to explain."

Sitting there in silence, the pair sipped their drinks and let their own thoughts keep them company. By midnight, Sirius and Remus had downed a bottle of firewhiskey between the two of them, leaving them both well and truly sozzled. Their once sober mood had turned bright once more as they remembered the good times.

"Do…do you remember when Jamie accidently turned McGonagall's hat into a kettle? Landed right at his feet!" Remus laughed at the memory.

Sirius couldn't help but chuckle along. "I do! I remember her giving him 10 points for the transfiguration and then giving him detention!"

Unable to help themselves, the pair burst out into laughter. "Didn't you end up getting detention as well?"

"Yeah, I asked Minnie if I could make her a cup of tea with it."

Laughter erupted from the pair again, the sound echoing off the walls before dying down as the pair caught their breath again. Silence settled between them as they sat and swilled their whiskey in their glasses.

"I miss them."

"I do too Pads." Remus lamented.

Sirius shook his head. "Not just Lily and James, but also the past…those carefree days back in school when all I was worried about was the next prank on Snivillus, or acing my DADA test…or chasing skirts."

"We all have to grow up eventually Sirius, others sooner rather then later."

"I know…" Sirius sighed, "I hope Rose and Harry have just as much fun as we did."

Remus snorted. "By fun I hope you don't mean the kind of fun you got into."

Sirius looked mock aghast as he let out a dramatic gasp. "Remus! I'll have you know I was a model student!"

"There are so many things wrong with that statement Pads." Remus grinned.

"Look, I don't know what kind of impression you got from me back then Moony, but I would like it if you didn't go around spreading rumours to my godchildren about me, claiming I was some sort of bad influence on their father." Sirius tried very hard to be serious in that moment.

Remus though was finding it a much harder effort. "A bad influence on James? If anything, he was a bad influence on you!"

"That's right! I was a victim of the Potter charisma! He made me be the skirt chasing, prank master, heart attack inducing menace I was!"

"Alright you old menace, I think it's about time we called it a night. I'm in no state to babysit you and I fear what might become of you if I let you continue this overly dramatic rendition of our past lives."

Pouting his displeasure, Sirius gave up the barest of fights as Remus shifted him up off of the couch, dragging him upstairs to their temporary quarters. "Rem?"

"Yes Siri."

"Do you ever think about having kids?"

Caught off guard by Sirius' comment, Remus shoved his friend onto his bed and let himself think the question over. "Sometimes I do. But I'm a Werewolf Sirius, who would want me?"

"Plenty of people Rem! I've seen witches eyefuck you for days!" Sirius gave Remus a cocky grin.

"Stop it you lousy old mutt." Remus chuckled, "Why do you ask anyway?"

Sirius laid back on his bed for a moment and let his own words bounce around in his head. "Just thinking about those two…Rose and Harry…how much I love them both. I don't know if I could ever love anyone as much as them."

"Well Siri, the way I see things, James and Lily would be more than happy for you to consider them your own."

Sirius shook his head. "They're as much yours as they are mine. We're a team Rem, everything we do for them we do together, legality be damned."

Touched by his friends' words, Remus gave him the quaintest of smiles before patting him on the chest. "Get some rest you old mutt. I can't imagine how you'll feel in the morning."

"Just about as bad as you I reckon!" Sirius grinned.

"Sorry Pads, but I think you'll find I'll be more than fine by sunrise tomorrow." Remus grinned back.

Remus made for a quick exit before Sirius could push him for further answers. "Oh, you cheeky bastard! You and your fucking Wolf metabolism!"

The last thing Sirius heard before he succumbed to his drunken stupor was the maniacal laugh of Remus bounding down the hallway.

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Deep into the wintery month of January, Sirius found himself once more perusing the old Potter library at Stag Run. After the abysmal Christmas that had been and gone, Sirius was looking for a way to vent his anger at a familiar muggle family. The revelation that Rose had dropped on her family had set Sirius and Alex off to find a way to make Vernon Dursley pay for his crimes. So far, Sirius had only found spells that would end up killing the muggle man, something that Alex said was very much optional but was later talked down by Remus.

"You can't go around killing muggles, otherwise the Ministry will jump at the opportunity to bang you up again!"

Subdued by his friends unfortunate but nonetheless accurate assessment, Sirius set about finding a spell that would punish Vernon but leave him alive, if not damaged. Starting with the oldest books in the library, Sirius found a plethora of harmful spells that would more than likely give the fat muggle man a heart attack. So, he continued on his journey, travelling forward in time as he examined the newer books. Castration, organ removal, premature aging and hair loss were just some of the spells that stood out to Sirius. And yet, he still couldn't make up his mind. It wasn't until he received help from Remus that a solution was found.

"Alright, so organ removal is not an option." Remus chided,

"But surely we could remove one kidney…he doesn't need both! Or what about a lung? Or better yet, his skin! It'll grow back!"

Remus fixed Sirius with a look that told him to 'shut up before he regretted it'. "As much as I would love to agree with you, we can't go ahead and bring attention to ourselves. We need to be sneaky about it."

"So why not perform a combination attack." Sirius suggested, "Hair removal, castration, aging, hell we could even make him fatter!"

Finally, Sirius earned himself a smile from Remus. "Now we're getting somewhere. Let's go over the spells then."

For the next hour or so, the pair of trouble makers devised a plan to make one Vernon Dursley's life a living hell. Satisfied that they had jammed packed enough spells into their plan and making sure none would conflict with the other and inadvertently kill him. Satisfied with their plan, they set out to the Evan's residence to confide in their other co-conspirator.

"So, you're saying that with these spells…not only will his junk turn to dust, but he'll lose his hair too?"

The group of men chose the outside porch to be there meeting place, each happily swigging on some of Alex's homemade stout.

"Exactly that!" Sirius looked rather proud of their achievement, "Plus he'll also gain weight faster and age quicker too!"

Alex gave out a chuckle. "Well, it'll probably end up killing him anyway but at least no one will suspect foul play. His lifestyle is unhealthy enough that he'll probably send himself into an early grave anyway."

"Exactly, no one will be any the wiser. That way, no one will even suspect us, or Sirius more importantly. It'll just be another muggle death that they don't care about." Remus said.

Raising their bottles up in a victory cheer, the three men celebrated their achievement with another couple rounds of drinks before heading inside where Juniper had cooked up a feast that could happily feed at least half of the Gryffindor cohort. If Juniper knew about the plans the men were coming up with, she certainly didn't give anything away.

"So, Sirius, how's the job finding going along?" Juniper asked once everyone's plates were loaded up.

"It's…going along." Sirius replied, "Truth be told, I've hit a few road bumps."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Road bumps?"

Sirius nodded. "They're making it difficult for me to start the application. They've not accepted my OWL's or NEWTS, trying to say that since I was imprisoned my education records are expunged."

"But you were proven innocent? Surely that should erase any criminal records?" Alex asked.

"It does, however it needs to go through the administration first and the Ministry is digging in its heels to take as much time as possible. I think they're hoping that I'll miss the deadline for the next round of applications." Sirius explained.

Everyone looked confused at Sirius' explanation. "But what will that achieve them?"

"It'll give them time for damage control. I can imagine it'll also give them time to prepare on how to deal with me and the political shitstorm it'll cause." Sirius said.

Finally, it made sense to everyone around the table. The more time the Ministry gained from keeping Sirius out of the Aurors, the more they could plan on how to politically deal with having the biggest failure of the justice system now serving it. The conversation around the table turned to much brighter topics as the food slowly dwindled down until all that was left was empty dishes. Sirius and Remus helped Juniper wash everything up as Alex put the animals to sleep outside. Once the chores for that night were done, Alex made the excuse of going out with Sirius and Remus to look at some broken plumbing at Stag Run, the cover story they made for their Dursley plan. Juniper didn't buy it in the least, but she just nodded her head and smiled.

"Have a good time dear, don't be out too late."

Alex smiled. "Can't hide anything from you, can I?"

Juniper gave an innocent smile. "What ever do you mean dear?"

Giving his wife a kiss goodbye, Alex joined Sirius and Remus on the edge of the Wizard placed wards and took a grip on Sirius' arm. "Do you know where you're going?"

"Remus and I did a recon mission earlier in the week. I know where I'm going." Sirius explained.

For a brief moment, Alex felt like he was being squeezed through a tube as darkness surrounded him. Suddenly, the light returned to him and the sensation of being squeezed was gone. Alex had to fight to keep his dinner down as he doubled over, letting go of Sirius' arm. Once he was confident his dinner would stay down, Alex righted himself to look around at their surroundings. Around him stood the dreary and uniform houses of Privet Drive. Sirius and Remus had chosen the end of the street where a park sat, giving them as much privacy as possible. The darkness of the late Autumn months also gave them some cover from prying eyes.

"Let's make this quick." Remus whispered.

Pulling out their wands, Sirius and Remus lead the way as they stalked down Privet drive. Most of the curtains were pulled across in privacy, however there were a few that were still open, illuminating the street in places where the street lamps could not. Sticking to the shadows as best they could, the three men travelled in silence until they stopped out front of number 4 Privet drive. The curtains were drawn back, revealing the flickering of the television set that was sat in the front living room. Upstairs there was only one light source, although the curtains were drawn on that room.

"Alright, here's the plan. Sirius and I are going to cast a spell on us that'll technically make us invisible." Remus started.

"After that, I'll cast the spells whilst Remus backs me up. Alex, we need you to keep watch in case anyone tries to disturb us." Sirius concluded.

Understanding most of what the two Wizards said, Alex nodded. "How are you going to make us invisible?"

"Like this…" Sirius tapped Alex on the head with his wand. Immediately, Alex felt the sensation of a raw egg flowing over his head. Reaching up to feel his head, Alex was shocked to feel nothing there. Checking his hands for residue of whatever flowed over his head, he was even more shocked to find his hand had gone see through, his hand melding into the wall in front of him.

"What the hell?"

"It's a Disillusionment charm. It doesn't make you invisible but it does help you blend into your surroundings. It'll do for now." Remus explained.

Astonished, Alex took a second to get use to the sensation of not being able to see his body. "Alright…I think I have the hang of this now. Where do you want me?"

"Just by the end of the driveway. Signal to us if anyone comes our way." Remus instructed.

Nodding in understanding, as much as he could, Alex set off to his position, leaving Sirius and Remus to execute their mission.

"Alright, what am I starting with?" Sirius asked. They had a clear line of sight on Vernon, who was comfortably sitting down on his reclining seat, watching muggle TV.

"Start with the castration charm. It'll take a while to set in." Remus suggested.

As they watched the situation inside, Sirius felt his blood boil. The Dursleys looked content, happy with their lives, something that neither wizard felt they were entitled to. As the pair watched Vernon laugh as some obnoxious muggle show, Petunia swanned into the room, bringing her whale of a husband a tray full of snacks. Readying their wands, Sirius and Remus waited patiently as the two muggles who had tormented the lives of their loved ones enjoyed their evening. They knew that they had to chose their moment, hitting their main target instead of Petunia. As the eldest Evans child moved out the way of Sirius' line of sight with Vernon, the Wizard jumped into action, whispering the incantation with as much determination as possible as he moved his wand. A faint glow illuminated Vernon as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Not wasting any time, Remus was quick to cast his own spell, one that would cause Vernon to slowly lose his hair. Finally, Sirius cast the final spell, one that would slow down Vernon's metabolism to a crawl. It was the last spell that both wizards hoped would slowly kill him as his body failed to convert the massive amount of liquor and fatty foods that Vernon would indulge himself with.

"Enjoy the rest of your life, fucker." Sirius whispered.

Remus tugged on Sirius' arm, beckoning him to leave the scene. "Come on, we've done what we were here to do."

As Remus trudged back towards where Alex was hiding, Sirius doubled back, heading straight towards the front door. "Sirius! What are you doing!"

Ignoring his friend, Sirius waved his wand at the entryway. Dozens of illuminating fireworks sprung forth from his wand, travelling through the mail slot. All hell broke loose as number 4 Privet Drive was filled with dozens of exploding fireworks, a cascade of colours dancing behind windows and curtains. As Sirius made a quick dash towards his co-conspirators, the shrieking of Petunia could be heard even over the screaming and swearing of Vernon and crying of Dudley. Neighbours began to turn their porch lights to peer out their windows or front doors, watching as the most normal family on the street were terrorised.

"What the fuck Sirius!" Remus chastised his friend as all three began to sprint back down the street. The area around them was distorted as the Disillusionment charm blended them into their environment.

Sirius was too busy cackling to himself to notice his friend's chastisement, adrenaline of the act coursing through him. "That'll teach the bastards!"

Not stopping even once, the trio continued to sprint down the road until they got to the safety of the nearby park. Once they were sufficiently sure that they hadn't been seen or followed, Remus rounded on Sirius.

"Why did you do that! You could've jeopardised us all!"

Sirius was grinning ear to ear, huffing and puffing and chuckling to himself all at the same time. "Oh lighten up Moony, it wasn't that bad!"

"Wasn't that bad! What if one of those muggles caught us? Or called the police? Then what?" Remus had his hands on his hips, acting very much like a male equivalent of McGonagall in that moment.

"Leave the lad be Remus." Alex spoke up, "We weren't caught. Besides, it was bloody funny to hear them screech!"

Silence fell on the group as Remus gave an exasperated sigh. "Yeah, it was pretty funny."

Erupting into a fit of laughter, the three men had to clutch onto their sides as they doubled over in a frenzy of giggles and deep laughter. Once they had sufficiently laughed their guts out, the three men straightened themselves, brushed the tears of joy from their eyes and fixed their clothing ready for the trip back to the Evans residence.

"Thank you for that, gentlemen." Alex spoke up, "I think I can speak for us all when I say that was a successful mission."

"Without a doubt." Sirius grinned.

Remus shook his head. "Even though the plan was ignored."

"Not ignored!" Sirius feigned mock insult, "It was merely adapted!"

Ignoring his friend, Remus pulled out his wand and made a sign that he wanted to get going. Getting the picture, Sirius grabbed a hold of Alex and readied himself to be whisked away back to his home. Once again, the sensation of Apparation made Alex feel uneasy but it soon passed as the group landed back at the edge of the Evans residences' wards.

"Well, that's that." Remus concluded.

Dusting themselves off from the dust that they'd kicked up in their arrival, the group sauntered back up the drive towards the safety of the house. On the porch sat a very bemused looking Juniper who was reading a book illuminated by the porch light.

"Boys, fixed that plumbing?" There was a tint of mischief in Junipers eyes as she pulled her attention away from the book.

Alex nodded his head as he came up and gave his wife a quick kiss. "All fixed. Although, there were a few hiccups…"

"Nothing serious I hope."

"No…nothing serious…just Sirius." Remus added.

There was a snort of laughter from Alex as Sirius rolled his eyes. "That was terrible Rem."

"You have to admit, it was pretty funny." Remus defended his comment. Sirius didn't acknowledge his friend through words, instead choosing to bump his side.

"Well, would you boys like to come in for a moment before you head off home?" Juni asked.

Easily tempted, Remus and Sirius couldn't deny that they wouldn't mind having a quick nip of something from Alex's collection of intoxicating goodies.

With their mission of terrorising the Dursley's an all-round success, all three men thought they more than deserved a victory drink. Alex, who was feeling particularly proud and vindicated, broke open a bottle of Glenfiddich Excellence, a treat for the boys who had yet to have such a fine example of muggle Scotch. Once they had gone through the entire bottle, and then several bottles of beer, Sirius and Remus finally called it a day, stumbling out towards the edge of the wards even as Juni came running after them, insisting that they stay the night in their condition. Ignoring her altogether, Sirius and Remus made the shaky Apparition home, landing a good 100 metres away from the property. Cursing and blaming each other, Remus and Sirius dragged themselves back up to Stag Run, almost crashing through the door. In their drunken stupor, the two men managed to somehow drag themselves up the flight of stairs and to their respective bedrooms, although not before Sirius managed to fall on his face at least twice. With his body now aching from his stumbles, Sirius landed atop his bed and quickly fell into a drunken sleep, still fully dressed in his clothes.

One could forgive their inability to hold their liquor, after knowing the justice that they performed on a family that would be despised by all of the Wizarding world if the truth of the Potters was ever discovered. Indeed, it was a job well done for what was left of the Marauders, their fallen brethren and their children had finally been avenged.

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After the raid on the Dursleys was complete, life seemed to slow down for Sirius. Every day was almost the same; get up, breakfast, exercise, lunch, practise spells, relax, dinner, drink with Remus and Alex, fall asleep. There was the occasional trip to muggle towns or Diagon Alley for supplies, and of course there were plenty of letters from Rose and Harry. The two had continued to keep Sirius, Remus and their grandparents well informed on the going on's around the school. There was an immediate concern when news came through of another student and a ghost becoming petrified from some sort of attack. What was more concerning however were the accusations being thrown around towards Harry. With two students now petrified, alongside a cat and a ghost, Sirius was beginning to wonder if he should have another 'chat' with Dumbledore.

Remus however, made him calm down. They both knew that whilst the attacks were concerning and heinous, Dumbledore nor any of the other staff members, would allow a death to occur at the school. Except for maybe Lockhart. Both Harry and Rose had been sending constant complaints about their useless DADA teacher, to the point where Sirius had sent his godchildren copies of his own notes and textbooks from his days at school. He hoped that they would give them somewhat of an aid in their struggles with useless teachers. Sometime well into the new year, Harry and Rose sent their family a letter that concerned them all. Apparently, one of their friends, Alec, had been attacked and petrified alongside another Ravenclaw student. Concerned for his godchildren's safety, Sirius had flooed over to Hogwarts to confront Dumbledore about the goings on at the school.

When he arrived, Sirius was greeted by an irate sounding Lennox Henderson shouting his concerns at Dumbledore. "What do you mean you can't tell me what happened?! What the fuck happened to my son!"

"Mr Henderson, if you could calm yourself for one moment, I can tell you all that I know." Dumbledore tried to make himself sound as calm and patient as possible.

"Calm! How the fuck can I be calm when my son…my only son…is petrified from an unknown source!"

Dumbledore sighed in exasperation as Lennox continued to rant on. Spying Sirius from behind the raging man, Dumbledore made a motion that stopped Lennox from shouting for just a few moments. "Sirius, please, come join us. I'm assuming you have your own concerns as well."

"I do. What the hell has happened? You promised me that there wouldn't be anymore incidents here at the school, and now we have a creature on the roam that is attacking students?"

Shaking his head, Dumbledore let out another sigh of disappointment. "I'm trying my best gentlemen. At this stage we have no ideas what is attacking the school. All we have are guesses."

"And what are those guesses?" Lennox asked.

Dumbledore rested back in his chair. "I daresay Harry has mentioned the fact that he was been called the heir of Slytherin more than once, Sirius?" Sirius nodded his head, "There is a rumour that the heir of Slytherin is back, opening the Chamber of Secrets and unleashing a beast on the school. The last time this occurred was almost 50 years ago."

"So why wasn't it stopped then?" Sirius asked.

"It was, for a time it seemed. No one actually figured out what the beast was or where the Chamber was hidden. Only guesses really. My staff and I have been combing the school from top to bottom, looking for any secret passages or doorways that could lead to this chamber and yet there is nothing."

Both the men looked defeated at Dumbledore's answer. They knew that if the entire teaching cohort of Hogwarts, plus Dumbledore, couldn't find out whatever was causing the attacks then there was very little hope in stopping them.

"So, what are you going to do about stopping the attacks then? Can you even stop the attacks?" Lennox asked.

Dumbledore shook his head slowly. "All we can hope for is that we can capture the creature at the right time and rid ourselves of it. For now, we'll keep the students safe by issuing a curfew and escorting them from class to class."

Sirius didn't look very happy with the answer but accepted it nonetheless. "Alright, I suppose there's really not a lot more we can do."

"No…as much as I hate to admit it, you're right this time old man." Lennox said.

Wrapping up their conversation, Lennox and Sirius gave a very terse farewell to Dumbledore before heading towards the floo. Before they entered, Sirius gripped Lennox arm and pulled him close. "If you need anything, let me know. I'm only a floo call away."

"Thank you, Sirius, the offer extends to you as well. Keep yourself safe."

The two men shook bands briefly before Lennox disappeared into the fire. Before heading home himself, Sirius turned back towards Dumbledore and watched the man closely. "I hope I don't need to say this, but if anything happens to Harry or Rose, there'll be hell to pay."

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I understand fully Sirius. I will try my upmost to make sure both of the Potters and their friends are well protected within Hogwarts."

Satisfied with the answer, Sirius disappeared from the office with a flash of green flame and smoke. Alone again, Dumbledore slumped down in his chair, letting out an exhaustive sigh. Looking up at his long-time companion Fawkes, Dumbledore sighed again. "What am I going to do old friend?"

The Phoenix let out a soft trill as he got off his perch and glided down to Dumbledore's desk. "I'm sure you have an answer in that big brain of yours." Dumbledore chuckled.

Craning his neck forward, Fawkes demanded a scratch from his companion. "Yes, yes old friend, I'll give you a scratch." Reaching forward to fun a finger through Fawkes feathers, Dumbledore let his eyes close, "I'll have to figure out how to deal with this creature Fawkes. I can't have another student getting hurt, or worse…"

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Sirius knew that it was all good to be true when Dumbledore promised he would protect Harry and Rose. Not long after Alec had been petrified, three more students had been attacked. A Ravenclaw student, Hermione and Rose, all now petrified and in the infirmary for the time being. The night he found out, Sirius, Remus and Alex were in the floo and going over to Dumbledore's office in an instant, raging at the older man. Their meeting was interrupted however as the Minister of Magic joined them, escorted by an Auror.

With the dismissal of Dumbledore and Hagrid's arrest, the situation around the school was growing more and more desperate. Harry had written several letters to Sirius, explaining his own worry about the events transpiring around him. Considerate worry was placed on Ginny's condition, at least in Harry's observations. Sirius worried that Harry's mental health was slowly falling apart, especially as his sister was now a victim of the mysterious attacks.

And then, towards the end of the year, everything came to a crescendo. Ginny had been taken down into the Chamber of Secrets and Harry and Ron had gone to save her, dragging along Lockhart. For what seemed like an eternity, the Weasleys, the Evans, Remus and Sirius sat up in Dumbledore's office. Upon hearing of the attack, McGonagall had summoned Dumbledore back once again to help with the search. Part way through the heated conversation that was going on between all the parties present, Fawkes disappeared with a flash of fire. The room went silent for a good while before the arguments resumed, this time directed at where Dumbledore was sending Fawkes.

After assuring those present that he did not control where Fawkes goes, new questions began to arise. Those questions were finally answered once the three missing students and one phony teacher revealed themselves in Dumbledores office. Sirius felt his heart sink as he saw his godson covered in blood and slime, a thousand-yard stare in his eyes as his now dulled green eyes scanned the room. Ron looked worse for wear as well, covered in slime and hobbling on his ankle. Then there was Lockhart, looking dazed and completely out of it. Lastly, there was little Ginny. Sirius felt his heart break as he looked at the panicked little girl. Her eyes were flickering around the room as she held onto Harry with a tight grip.

All three students were bombarded by their various parents and guardians, holding onto them with dear life. Sirius himself didn't feel content until he felt Harry's face between his hands. After explaining everything that had occurred over the last year, with an interruption from Malfoy senior, and the quest down into the Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore's office was cleared out. With just Sirius and Dumbledore alone in the office, the two men stared at each other for a long while before Dumbledore broke the silence.

"You know how important Harry is Sirius."

"He's still my Godchild Albus. Him and Rose are my world. Twice now they've been attacked whilst at Hogwarts." Sirius fumed.

Nodding his head solemnly, Dumbledore sighed. "Believe me Sirius, when I say I am not trying to put either of the young Potters at risk. If it were up to me, I would have them grow up in safety and comfort, never to be disturbed again."

Sirius shook his head. "So why isn't that possible?"

Leaning forward, Dumbledore crossed his fingers together. "Do you believe, Sirius, that there are greater forces at play in our world?"

"What? Like God?" Sirius said, "Don't try and blame your incompetence on 'higher powers'."

"No, not like that Sirius, although I think God or some creator may be helping." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair again, "I think that fate and destiny are playing a game. Did James ever tell you about his family?"

Sirius shrugged. "Some parts. He always used to mention an ancient story of his families, something about guarding Britain's magic. Always thought he was full of crock."

"He certainly had the flair for theatrics, but having worked with, taught and befriended several generations of Potters, I have come to believe there is a grain of truth to the story."

With an eyebrow raised, Sirius motioned for Dumbledore to continue. "Go on."

"There has been made reference in many old history books of the Potter family being present during events that have either almost led to catastrophe or have ended events that have caused a great deal of destruction."

Sirius quirked his other eyebrow. "Give me examples."

Dumbledore motioned with his hand to the door. "Harry and Rose have now been a vital part of several events in our history, including the downfall of Voldemort. James was a key figure in the war, as was Fleamont, who argued in the Wizengamot for increased security against Voldemort. Go back to further generations and we see Potters fighting in Muggle wars, helping found wizarding law enforcement in the New World, and stopping several other dark wizards who have threatened the peace."

"I see your point. But could that just not be down to the fact that the Potters have always been willing to defend the light?" Sirius argued.

"It could be that." Dumbledore conceded, "But then we see the example of Harry, being involved in, as you've mentioned, two attacks at the school. And whilst one could blame my actions, we both know that I would do everything in my power to protect the both of them."

Sirius growled. "Is that why you placed them with the Dursleys?"

"No. I placed them there because at the time, it was the safest place for them. I will admit fully thought that my own incompetence that left them there longer than necessary."

Looking into the older man's eyes, Sirius could see the same look that he'd seen in several people throughout his life. The last time he saw it, was on the face of his younger brother, Regulus. It was a look of sorrow, a look of regret. Sirius knew that Dumbledore truly regretted his actions. "You understand that I'll never forgive you for what you made those two go through."

"I understand. Do not think that I forgive myself Sirius. I will spend the rest of my life making sure that I pay my penance for my sins."

Satisfied, Sirius leaned back and relaxed his body again. "So…when are we going to tell Harry?"

"This summer." Dumbledore said simply, "He needs to begin preparing. If we have learnt anything from this last school year, it is that Voldemort is gaining strength and will soon strike out again."

Sirius nodded. "That, and the unexpected enemies that keep popping up. Honestly Albus, twice in a row you've hired a defence teacher that is both useless and has put students lives at risk."

"I admit, Quirrell I did not expect, but Lockhart I had other motives for."

"Like?" Sirius asked.

Dumbledore grinned. "Unmasking a farce of a wizard. I will admit that it is steadily getting harder to replace teachers. The position is jinxed, I'm sure."

"Jinxed? How? Why? By who?" Sirius jumped up a bit.

"Voldemort. He wished for the position to be his before commencing the war. That's when our defence teachers suddenly began to leave after a year."

Sirius sighed and leaned his head back. "That fucker has a lot to pay for."

"Indeed." Dumbledore mused with a smile at Sirius' language, "I think you'll approve of Lockharts replacement though."

"What, another nutjob who believes he's the second coming?" Sirius scoffed.

"I don't believe Mr Lupin would appreciate that summary of his personality."

Going wide eyed for a moment, Sirius felt his mouth go slack. "Remus…you're going to hire Remus?"

"I am." Dumbledore confirmed, "Do you have a concern with my decision?"

Sirius shook his head. "No…no not at all. I think he's a fantastic choice!"

"Excellent. I'll be letting him know in the upcoming days. Perhaps try not to spoil the surprise?"

Sirius grinned. "No way, I'll let Remus have a heart attack after he sees your letter."

Shaking his head, Dumbledore chuckled. "I can imagine he will be quite surprised. Now, I do believe it is best we go see what has happened to our young heroes."

"Quite." Sirius agreed.

The two exited the office and made a swift journey towards the infirmary. When they arrived, they saw the various guardians and parents of the students gathered around their children. The only ones that seemed to be awake were Harry and Ginny, who were quietly conversing next to Ginny's bed as Molly and Arthur kept their eyes between their two children.

Sirius was quick to wander over to Harry, catching the trail end of the conversation he was having with Ginny.

"…I've felt it too. You're not crazy." Harry whispered, before stopping and looking up at Sirius, "Hey uncle Siri."

"Hey pup, hey spitfire. How are you two feeling?"

Harry shrugged and looked over at Ginny. "I've been…better."

Ginny squinted her eyes towards Harry. "Harry…"

"Fine…fine…I'm sore and I'm pretty sure I came close to death so I'm having a small crisis but otherwise I'm fine." Harry said curtly with a slight hint of sarcasm.

Ginny was quick to roll her eyes, earning her a cheeky grin from Harry. "I'm fine thank you Sirius."

Sirius certainly didn't believe Ginny's lie, but nodded and accepted it for now, knowing how stubborn a Weasley could be.

"How's your sister?" Sirius asked Harry.

"She's asleep for now, but she did wake up…she…she was p-pretty frightened." Harry felt his voice quiver for a moment.

Placing a loving hand on Harry's head, Sirius ran his fingers through the boy's hair. "Alright, I'm going to see your sister and then we're putting you to bed, okay?"

Harry nodded, although he still kept his eyes on Ginny. Shaking his head, Sirius went over to the sleeping form of Rose. In the bed next to here laid a very sleepy Hermione, who looked up as Sirius approached. "Hello Mr Black."

"Hello Hermione, how're you feeling?"

"Tired, and very embarrassed." Hermione blushed.

Sirius quirked an eyebrow. "I hope you're not embarrassed over what happened to you."

Hermione blushed harder and scowled. "I was stupid, getting caught in that bloody snakes gaze. I should've been there to help Harry and Ron…plus I ended up getting Rose hurt…Harry will never forgive me."

"I don't think for a moment that Harry will blame you in the slightest. And Hermione, you're only 13, you will make mistakes, we all do."

Hermione smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thank you, Mr Black."

"Sirius, just call me Sirius."

Hermione smiled a little brighter this time, before rolling over and shutting her eyes. Moving towards Rose, Sirius sat down beside the bed, looking at the sleeping form of his goddaughter. The slight dip in the bed mattress was enough to wake Rose, who sat up immediately and looked at the source of the weight. "Uncle Siri…"

"It's me petal." Sirius croaked.

Rose immediately grabbed a hold of Sirius and squeezed him as hard as she could. Soft sobs started to come up from Rose's chest as her body shook.

Giving his goddaughter a squeeze, Sirius ran his hand through her auburn hair. "It's alright petal, Uncle Siri's here now."

"I was s-so s-scared." Rose hiccupped, "I thought I would never see anyone again…I thought I was going to die."

Sirius shushed his goddaughter as he rubbed her back, stemming the sobs coming from her body. "It's alright Rosey darling, you're safe now. I'm never going to let anything happen to you again."

Slowly, Rose started to dip back into sleep as her godfather held her tight. "I love you…uncle Siri…" Rose half yawned.

"I love you too petal, now go get some sleep." Sirius gently laid Rose back down into her bed and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. Not daring to move, should Rose somehow disappear from his sight again, Sirius sat there and watched the young girl sleep. Across the room, parents and guardians were getting their children to sleep. Remus had gotten Harry into bed next to Ginny, the two refusing to be separated, whilst Juniper and Alex put a very concerned Colin Creevy to bed.

Sirius could feel the anger bubble back up inside him again, anger at the stupidity of Dumbledore and others. But that anger was soon squashed as he saw the look of absolute sorrow on Dumbledore's face. The elder wizard was observing the room, his eyes void of all shine as he gripped his hands in front of him in a tight ball. Sirius felt pity for the man, pity that although he was seen as all powerful, he clearly wasn't. No, it was clear to all now, that the children of Hogwarts were not safe, not until Voldemort was truly destroyed.