I'm a bit ahead so I've made the decision not to post until I finish writing a later on chapter, since I usually have the bad habit of catching up with myself :P

Thank you for all your support!

Sirius was a fidgeting mess. He couldn't sit still or concentrate on anything. He wanted to see Harry right away, but knew he had to wait. Harry had set down the terms and Sirius could only follow them if he wanted any chance to be a part of his life.

Sirius was still puzzling how Harry had known he was human in his dog form, and even more amazingly he shifted him back with no wand. He knew that after he and the other two Aurors had made their report that the Unspeakables had taken up the case. That gave him a bad feeling, but there was nothing he could do about it.

James and Lily hadn't been informed yet. They wouldn't be until Harry's identity had been confirmed. In a vindictive sort of way, Sirius was happy about that. They'd abandoned Harry to monsters. They had no claim over him. It also gave Sirius time to petition the courts for him to get full custody of Harry if he chose to come back. He wasn't sure how well that would go over with Harry though. He claimed to be an adult despite being ten. Sirius could cater to that, considering he doubted he'd ever be able to deny the boy's whims.

Sirius was in Diagon Alley with Amelia and her niece, Susan Bones. To Amelia's amusement, Sirius was trying to figure out what children Susan's age liked to do and get. He wanted to rain down gifts on Harry for a decade of missed birthdays and holidays, but was concerned he'd somehow offend him. Especially since he'd been opposed to the one thing every ten-year-old was dying to get their hands onto: a wand.

After a long day of shopping, dotted with an ice cream stop and Susan spending nearly an hour at the bookshop, Sirius had gathered a small offering. He'd gotten exploding snaps and a tailor's mannequin that changed to the size of the person who activated it. He hoped the variety would show Harry that he was trying.

Amelia was amused by his fretting. He couldn't really blame her for that. He was usually so suave that he was probably making a sight of himself. At the last moment he insisted they stop at a sweets store. Sirius bought a myriad of different candies. Amelia outright laughed at him.

HP

The Rita Skeeter story had the Wizarding world of Britain in an uproar.

Boy-Who-Lived Lives Again!

The sensational title of her article was posted on the front page of the Daily Prophet.

Lily's hands shook as she read the two-page spread. Her heart was beating at the speed of hummingbird wings by the end of it. She moved like a ghost to James' room. She didn't bother knocking. He was still asleep despite it being half past ten.

"James," she said while shaking his shoulders.

He groaned before looking at her. His eyes widened, and he sat up, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong, Lily-flower?" As he spoke he pulled her into a hug.

She was shaking, and her breathing was speeding up. "He's alive, James. Harry's alive."

James froze. "It was just a dream. We've talked about this, remember?" He rubbed her back, his heart breaking all over again. Lily pulled away from him and he sighed.

"No, you don't understand." Lily gave him the newspaper, reminiscent of Sirius doing the same thing all those years ago on that dreadful day.

Lily watched his expression carefully. He was impassive. "You can't believe anything Skeeter writes. She's just baiting—"

"You don't know that!" Lily put her hand over her mouth after shouting. Her shoulders slumped and her hand dropped. "I just… What if she's telling the truth?"

"We'll go—" A toddler crying in the distance cut them off. "We can't take Euphy with us. Skeeter and her cronies will no doubt have flooded the entrance to the Ministry."

Lily nodded, despite the urge to find out the truth as soon as possible. But after everything that went wrong with Harry, they'd promised to do better by Euphemia. Their two-year-old daughter had only made it into the Daily Prophet twice. The first time as an announcement of her birth. The second time a day later with a scathing review on how the Potters had let the Boy-Who-Lived be killed and shouldn't be allowed to risk another child.

"You go. You know the Ministry better than I do, and Sirius…" He'd been mentioned as the one who found Harry. New guilt settled in Lily's soul. They'd given up on searching for Harry, but Sirius never did. Merlin, she was a terrible mother.

James kissed Lily on the cheek. "Have some tea. I'll be back before you know it."

Lily nodded slightly before going to see what was wrong with Euphy. The toddler's room was between James' and Lily's rooms. Euphy's cries petered off the second she saw Lily. "Mum!" She held out her little arms.

Lily scooped up the little girl, hugging her. She didn't let Euphy see her cry.

HP

Luck was on Sirius' side for once. He'd been making himself a cuppa when James had stormed into the DMLE, looking for answers. Sirius hid himself in Paul's office, much to his fellow Auror's amusement.

"Damn Skeeter," he mumbled. No one was supposed to know about Harry but the ones that encountered him and higher up Ministry officials. "Damn the Ministry." The Daily Prophet was a state-run newspaper. He had no doubt that they'd sanctioned the article. Everyone must have seen his Pensieve memory by now. He'd been against extracting it, but they'd demanded he at least give the memory of his interrogation of the werewolves. It was an official procedure that was mostly ignored, but they were happy to invoke it when it suited them. "Poor Amelia. James is probably being a blighter to her."

"Madam Bones," Paul emphasized her title, "can handle herself." Sirius handed over his untouched drink. "Is this a bribe?"

"Of course not! You're my best mate. I don't need to bribe you to draw Potter's attention so I can get out of here."

Paul rolled his eyes at the 'best mate' part. They were work friends at best, but Sirius wasn't opposed to a bit of embellishing when it suited him.

Paul took a sip of the tea. "Passable." He stood. "Potter does have a few reports I'm waiting on." He straightened his robes.

"You're a unicorn among horses," Sirius said. It was a compliment, but usually reserved for the fairer sex.

Paul rolled his eyes, but helped Sirius none the less.

HP

Sirius apparated outside of the wards of the town in Magenta Forest. He'd been sure to memorize the spot before he'd used the portkey after his first visit. He'd waited as long as Harry had told him, and not a second more.

The wards let him pass with a great bit of resistance, but he pushed through. He reverted to his natural form when he hit the cobbled road. As he went on he thought he must have had a mix up. The road was nearly empty—and not just empty of people. The many houses and buildings that had flanked the road were gone, leaving naked dirt patches and stone foundations in their wake. The few people he saw scowled at him.

His throat got tight and he picked up his pace. If Harry was gone… Sirius wasn't sure what he'd do.

He let out a breath of relief. Harry's house was still there, even if the werewolves' titled house was gone. He knocked on Harry's door, trying not to seem eager.

The door opened on its own, not an uncommon sight in a wizard's residence. "We're in the kitchen," Harry called out. Sirius' tense shoulders slumped as he smiled and walked faster to see him.

Harry and Steadfast were sitting across from each other, picking at a large bowl of nuts and berries. He joined them at the table. He was once again amazed as Harry wandlessly summoned a teacup. He poured the same drink as before for Sirius

"Thank you, Harry. Ms. Steadfast, any news?"

"Aye, Mr. Black," Sirius was startled by the term, used to either the title of Auror or Lord, but didn't let it show. "There were traces of a large pack of 'wolves and humans in the South-East corner of the forest, but they've been gone for at least two moons."

Sirius nodded. "We'll send Aurors there." The last night of the full moon this month had nearly been a bloodbath. Thankfully the Aurors were able to evacuate the small town fast. The few prisoners they'd been able to take were just the people who'd been changed against their will. More than one had begged to be killed after realizing what they'd done while transformed. "The trackers might find something."

"Trackers?" Steadfast snorted and stood. She mussed Harry's tangles of hair. "I'll give Mari your regards. She loves her new dress."

"I'm sorry for everything. It's not right—"

"No one blames you, Harry." She shot a glare at Sirius. "We should have known that him being one of us meant much of nothing. He doesn't know our ways."

Sirius wanted to ask what she meant, but she left before he could.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked hesitantly.

"Outsiders have been trying to sneak pass the wards. We don't like that."

"I'm sorry. That wasn't my intention." Was that why there was hardly anyone around?

"We know. I know."

That sat in silence that Sirius wasn't sure how to break. He sipped at the spicy drink as Harry looked into the distance.

After a few minutes Sirius cleared his throat. Harry looked at him. "Have you made up your mind if you're coming back with me? We can go all over the world, if you like—And you don't have to attend Hogwarts if you don't want to—It's the wizarding school I went to, best in Britain—" He would have continued rambling on like a fool if Harry hadn't stopped him.

"School?" Sirius couldn't read Harry's expression.

"All witches and wizards begin their magical schooling at age eleven. There are four separate houses at Hogwarts. The one you're sorted into becomes like a second family." Sirius grinned even though it was bittersweet. A lot good those people did for him. The only family he had left was Dromeda, her kid, and now Harry. "No one will make you do anything with me around."

Harry smiled. It was larger than the few he'd seen him sport before. He wanted to see his godson smile like that more often.

"No one can make me do anything anymore," he said with absolute confidence. Sirius hoped he was right.