So much for updating regularly. And you might have to wait even longer for the next chapter, since I'm going on holiday in a couple of days. I was hoping to finish before leaving, but I'm afraid I won't make it. Whatever. See you next month or something…
II(:
Chapter six
There was a flash of green light and the world disappeared. There was nothing. Not black or white, just… blank. Not exactly silence, but the absence of sound. He had wondered before what it felt like not to feel anything. Now he knew and wished he'd never found out. Luckily it didn't take more than a second. It was such a relief to feel the solid floor under his feet, to see something again, even if it was only darkness, to hear… Oh no! he thought Someone's coming!
XXX
Remus Lupin visited the Burrow quite often these days. This time Harry decided to ask him what he thought about the thing that had been bothering him for a while now. He was, however, rather disappointed with the answer he got.
'What makes you think I can figure it out?' Lupin asked 'I know as much as you do, Harry.'
'Yeah, but I didn't know him,' Harry insisted. He believed it was a really huge difference. Even though there wasn't really any new evidence other than the younger Black brother's middle name, Harry's way of thinking about him had changed completely. Regulus Black had been merely some half-forgotten person, who had died before Harry was born. Regulus Arcturus Black was a mystery that needed to be solved.
'I didn't know him very well either,' Lupin explained patiently 'We've met at Hogwarts, but we weren't in the same year or the same house. If he wasn't Sirius's brother, I probably wouldn't have noticed him at all.'
'I know his other self,' Procyon said helpfully 'But it sounds like they might be quite different.' He thought for a moment 'And anyway, I have no idea where he could hide something like that.'
'Maybe when Sirius comes back he can help us,' Lupin said 'I'm sure he's been thinking about it a lot.'
'Yeah,' Procyon added 'whenever he didn't have to deal with ministry people, healers and reporters…'
XXX
Only a moment later Sirius stormed into the room, looking rather angry.
'I've had enough!' he announced.
'What this time?' Remus asked calmly. Things like that happened almost every day since his best friend had decided to 'officially come back to life'. It was, apparently, a very tiring and complicated process. Remus was, of course, very happy to have his friend back. He had missed him a lot. Everything about him, including even his horrible temper. But he did wish this was over.
'Healers,' Sirius said 'I hate bloody healers.'
Bill Weasley had just poked his head into the room to see what was going on.
'I know what you mean,' he said 'I went to st. Mungo's about those bites,' he pointed at a particularly nasty-looking scar on his face 'They still can't make up their minds whether I am a werewolf or not.'
'Well, there hasn't been a case like yours in many years,' Remus pointed out.
'Yeah,' Bill admitted 'But still you'd think the fact that I don't transform or feel the urge to bite anyone or whatever might be a bit of a hint…'
'I've been wondering if they're always so dumb,' Sirius commented.
'Only in special circumstances,' Remus assured him.
Sirius collapsed into an empty chair with a sigh.
'Sometimes I wish I was still hiding,' he said 'I wouldn't have to deal with them at least.'
'It's worth it, Padfoot,' Remus assured. He had to repeat it almost every day since the whole thing had began. 'When it's over at last - '
'I'll be glad it's finally over,' Sirius finished 'Yeah, I know…'
'What happened this time anyway?' Harry asked.
'Half a day in st. Mungo's,' Sirius replied 'Isn't that bad enough? Oh, all right. Th physical tests weren't that bad. They just went on and on for ages. And then they started the mental ones…'
'What did they say then?' Remus asked 'Anger management problems?'
'Well, wouldn't you be angry? And do they always act like this?' Sirius asked.
'Like what?'
'Like they think I'm either retarded or about to go berserk on them?'
At this particular moment the second option did not seem unlikely at all. Remus, however, remained calm.
'Oh that,' he said 'I'm afraid they do.'
He had recently encountered some of those, due to a new ridiculous law regarding werewolves. He had to agree it wasn't pleasant.
XXX
When Tonks entered the room, she seemed rather excited. She said hello to everyone and kissed Remus on the cheek (Sirius had already known she had a thing for him - Or was it the other her? The whole thing with alternate universes was very confusing – but the idea of the two of them together was still new to him). Then she looked around again and noticed him.
'Sirius!' Tonks exclaimed 'I was hoping to find you here. I need to tell you something.'
Sirius looked at her curiously.
'What's the matter?' he asked.
'Well,' she began 'I was on guard duty at the Ministry holding cells,' she said 'and I met someone there…' she hesitated, not sure where to begin 'They told me they found him inside the Department of Mysteries. And they have no idea how he got in there. Seems very interested in your case. And Procyon's. Mostly his, in fact.'
Everyone in the room was now staring at the young auror, eager to hear more. Who had broken into the Department of Mysteries? What could he possibly want?
'Who was it?' Procyon asked excitedly. You'd think he's had enough adventures for a while, but apparently being stuck in an alternate world where he had never been born was not enough for him.
'That's the really strange part,' Tonks replied 'Nobody knows. Won't tell anybody who he is. Says we wouldn't believe him anyway. He just doesn't want to say anything about himself. And he keeps asking a lot of questions.'
'What kind of questions?'
'I hope you didn't tell him anything?'
'Nothing he couldn't find in the papers,' she replied 'And that's another thing,' she added 'He asks about things most people already know, like - '
'Hang on,' Sirius interrupted 'Some guy broke into the Department of Mysteries to find out things he could have just read in the papers?'
'Well, not only,' Tonks admitted 'But he has asked me if Procyon really has come here with you.'
'Well, the press is wrong sometimes,' he pointed out.
'And nobody knows who he is?' Remus tried to make sure one more time.
'Not really,' Tonks replied 'Although he recognized me. Think that might be a hint?'
Sirius was about to point out that for someone who looked different everyday Tonks was quite easy to recognize, but she kept talking.
'And I was looking the way I do right now,' she said. And she looked rather average today, with her hair, quite unusually for her, shoulder-length and blonde. 'It was like he knew me!' she said 'But I've never seen him before. And he wants to see you for some reason,' she said to Sirius and Procyon.
