Author's Note:

Like I mentioned in the last Author's Note — some things will be staying the same, but some things will be changing as well — there are just some iconic moments that need to happen in Harry's life.

DISCLAIMER: I give the lovely JKR credit as I play with her characters.

Reviews and Comments: To Guest: You're welcome for calming your nerves, I think LOL. To alix33: Thank you. Glad I could make your snort with laughter. To E-Dett: You're welcome and thank you! To Claire Fraser: Thank you. Yes, Sirius would be quite proud of his fucking Quidditch prodigy LOL. Yes, Sirius will see Snape again.

Thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you!

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN:

The One With the Three-Headed Dog

Xander came to pick up Althea and the boys a few hours later and they ended up staying for dinner. Sirius sincerely liked Xander and congratulated him again on the new baby as well as for the birth of his sons. The way Althea looked at him with so much love in her eyes, she had never looked so beautiful and so happy. The sight of it made him smile.

Not to mention how truly great it had been to spend the afternoon with Althea and her twin boys. The kids were great and Sirius enjoyed helping her burp and hold them. He even changed a nappy, surprising Althea with his nappy changing skills.

But talking to her, filling her in on how life had been with Harry, and doing it in person instead of via letter — had felt really good. She really was a great listener and he truly loved the advice that she gave him on how he was handling things with Harry and just how great Harry was doing, including the latest news that his boy was a Quidditch prodigy. She had only laughed at the complete pride radiating from him. Althea told him how great of a father he was and it made Sirius feel good — he was doing the best he could and he felt like he and Harry were doing really great together.

He told her of how he was feeling a bit lonely lately with Harry being gone to Hogwarts and how he had started fixing up motorbikes. Althea had only smiled and said that Apollo would be jealous. He hugged her goodbye, kissing her cheeks, and shaking Xander's hand when they left. They were heading back to Greece in two days and he was truly sad to see them go, but thankful that she had made the time to come and see him.

The next day, Sirius went to Diagon Alley and to Quality Quidditch Supplies where he picked out the newest model of broomstick, a Nimbus 2000. He had it boxed up and ready to go before he used the Floo in The Leaky Cauldron to take him to McGonagall's office that Saturday afternoon. He put the box on her desk, scribbling a quick note and turning into his dog form before he hurried out and ran through the halls gleefully. He caught sight of Harry's messy hair with a redhead nearby out in the courtyard so he hurried out, bounding across the lawn and tackling Harry to the ground.

Harry laughed, spluttering in surprise and then his eyes widened when he recognized the dog. "Padfoot!" He hugged him tightly as Ron and Neville looked at him in amusement.

Padfoot barked happily and licked Harry's face and that was when Harry noticed the letter attached to the dog's collar. He pried it open and grinned.

"It says to go to McGonagall's office," he read.

Padfoot barked in response and took off towards the castle. By the time Harry, Ron, and Neville reached McGonagall's office, Sirius was sitting behind her desk with his feet propped up and crossed at the ankles.

"Uncle Sirius!" he exclaimed, running around the desk to hug him tightly.

Sirius wrapped his arms around him, kissing his forehead and holding him close. "Hey, Prongslet, I've missed you."

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, hugging him tightly. "Does Professor McGonagall know that you're in here?"

"No, she does not, Mr Potter," McGonagall said from the doorway as she arched one brow at Sirius. "Feet off of my desk and butt out of my chair, Black — now."

Sirius grinned at her, keeping an arm around Harry as he stood up. "You've missed me, Minnie, admit it."

McGonagall merely shook her head. "What are you doing here? This habit of yours — using my Floo to pop in whenever you feel like it, is really completely uncalled for."

Sirius only grinned wider. "I come to make you smile, Minnie." He tapped the large and long box on the desk. "And I come bearing a gift for Harry." He turned to Harry, smiling down at him. "Youngest Seeker in over a century! I am so incredibly proud of you I could burst! Your dad would be beside himself if he was here right now." He kissed Harry's forehead. "You should be so proud to have made the Gryffindor Quidditch team, especially at only eleven years old because trust me, you have to be good for Minnie to bend any rule of any kind."

"Sirius," McGonagall growled.

Sirius smirked at her. "It's true and you know it." He turned back to Harry. "Because I am so proud of you and so amazed by you, I thought that your old broom wasn't the best choice for the youngest Seeker in over a century."

Harry's eyes widened as he realized what Sirius was telling him, his gaze moving to the long rectangular box with glee. "Is that —?"

Sirius smiled. "Open it, Prongslet."

Harry gleefully unwrapped the package, pulling out the soft foil and unrolling it to reveal the shiny and sleek Nimbus 2000.

Ron's eyes widened as he moved closer. "A Nimbus 2000! That's the best broom there is!"

Harry's eyes lit up as he carefully turned it over in his hands. The sleek wooden handle bore the name etched in gold on the side. "Uncle Sirius, wow!"

Sirius draped an arm around his shoulders again. "You deserve it, Prongslet. I can't wait to see you in your first match."

Harry turned in his godfather's arms, hugging him tightly. "Thank you! Thank you so much! I didn't expect… you're the best!"

Sirius chuckled as he hugged Harry, leaning down to rest his chin on the top of Harry's head. "I know that already. And you're very welcome." He pulled back to cup Harry's face in his hands. "I am so proud of you!"

Harry beamed at him, turning to grin at his friends. "Look at this!"

Ron and Neville moved to examine the broom more closely, oohing and awing in appreciation.

"There's no way that you're going to lose riding that!" Ron exclaimed, a huge grin on his face. "Do you reckon I could try it out?"

Harry nodded eagerly. "Definitely."

"Not until after the first match, Mr Weasley," McGonagall interrupted them. "Until then, Mr Potter will keep his new broomstick locked in his trunk unless scheduled for Quidditch practices with the team, understood?"

Harry nodded, smiling brightly at her. "Understood."

Sirius grinned, moving to drape an arm over the shoulders of Ron and Neville. "Congrats to you two boys for making it into Gryffindor as well. It is a pretty great house."

Neville beamed up at Sirius. "I was surprised that the hat chose me for Gryffindor, Sirius. I thought that I was bound for Hufflepuff. I'm not very brave."

Sirius squeezed Neville to his side. "Bravery comes in all sorts of ways, Nev, don't sell yourself short. The hat's never wrong."

Neville grinned. "I won't."

Sirius glanced over at McGonagall who was talking to Harry and Ron about the new broomstick, discussing its speed and the ability to turn a complete three hundred and sixty degrees in the air. He turned back to Neville with a smile.

"Nev, Harry told me that the Potions professor worries you a bit."

Neville paled. "He's so mean, Sirius, and he… he terrifies me."

Sirius smiled reassuringly. "You know what, Nev, his bark is worse than his bite. I went to school with him and he's nothing to worry about. He was a greasy-haired git then and he still is one now. Next time he says something to you, I want you to remember that his bark is the worse part. You are there to learn, not to be frightened. Don't let him worry you, okay?"

Neville nodded. "I'll try."

Sirius hugged him. "Good. That's all I ask."

Sirius hugged Harry goodbye again, kissing his forehead before he Flooed back home, leaving an amused McGonagall behind with a promise to see him on the first Saturday in November for the Quidditch match. He couldn't wait to see Harry fly on that broomstick.

He greeted Marauder when he got home, grinning to himself. If only James could see his son now.

"A Quidditch prodigy, James," he murmured with a grin. "Only your son."

The thought made him smile and he headed into the kitchen to throw something together for dinner, whistling as he went.

~ ASC ~

Harry, Ron, and Neville left McGonagall's office with Harry's new broomstick wrapped back up in the box. They were halfway to Gryffindor Tower when they bumped into Draco and two Slytherin boys named Crabbe and Goyle who had been hanging around Draco since mid September like two flunkies.

Draco stared at the package on Harry's shoulder. "First years aren't allowed to have broomsticks, Potter."

Harry merely shrugged. "Special circumstances, Malfoy."

Draco sneered at him. "Why? Just because you're some hot shot celebrity?" He grinned gleefully when Professor Flitwick turned the corner. "Professor! Potter has a broomstick!"

"What's that?" Professor Flitwick squeaked as he approached them.

"Potter has a broomstick and first years aren't allowed," Draco insisted as Crabbe and Goyle nodded next to him, snickering.

Professor Flitwick smiled at Harry. "Yes, yes, Professor McGonagall told me the news. Congratulations on making the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Mr Potter."

"Thank you, Sir," Harry said, laughter in his voice at the sight of Draco Malfoy's jaw dropping open in shock.

After Flitwick had turned the corner again, Malfoy sneered at him. "First years aren't allowed on the house teams."

"They made an exception for me," Harry said as Ron nodded next to him.

"He's the youngest player in over a century! He's the new Seeker."

"And I really owe it all to you, Draco," Harry said honestly. "If you wouldn't have stolen Neville's Remembrall, I never would have dived to catch it and impressed McGonagall enough to speak to Dumbledore on my behalf. So, thanks."

Draco spluttered at this. "That's hardly… I hope Slytherin crushes you in the first match!"

Neville smiled. "The Gryffindor team is way too good now that they have Harry as Seeker."

"Was I talking to you, Fatbottom?" Draco demanded, turning to glare at him.

Neville blanched at this, flushing red.

"Show some respect, Malfoy!" Harry insisted, his eyes flashing in anger. "No need to be such a prat all of the time."

"Always standing up for poor Fatbottom, Potter. Got a little crush? Do you want to fight me for him?"

"If you don't start leaving him alone then, yeah, I will!" Harry answered, hotly.

It was only October and Malfoy spent almost every moment he could teasing Neville in some way and Harry was tired of it. Neville was one of the nicest blokes he knew and he did not deserve to be bullied.

"Fine," Draco said with a smirk. "I challenge you to a wizard's duel at midnight, tonight."

"I accept," Harry spat back at him.

Draco's smirked. "The trophy room, midnight be there."

"He will be," Ron said angrily. "I'm his second."

Draco nodded at this. "Fine." He glanced back at the two flunkies by his side. "Crabbe can be mine."

"If I win, you have to leave Neville alone," Harry demanded, his eyes flashing angrily.

Draco only smirked again. "Like you'd ever win. Midnight, Potter — be there."

As Malfoy walked away, Neville turned to Harry and Ron. "You guys can't fight in a wizard's duel! I appreciate the sentiment, but duelling is against the rules not to mention that it's extremely dangerous!"

Ron scoffed at this. "Against the rules, yeah, but come on, Nev — dangerous? It's not like it's a real wizard's duel! The most Malfoy and Harry will be able to do is shoot sparks at each other!"

Neville seemed to take this into consideration. "Well, I suppose…"

Harry smiled at his friend. "You come tonight too, Nev. You can be a witness."

Neville looked terrified at the thought of that. "Erm, okay."

~ ASC ~

At eleven thirty that night, Harry, Ron, and Neville carefully snuck down into the Gryffindor common room. They breathed a sigh of relief to find it deserted as they slowly made their way towards the portrait hole. Just as they were about to exit, a voice spoke from behind them.

"And where are you three going at this late hour?"

Harry spun around to see Hermione Granger sitting near the fire with a book open in her lap. "It's really none of your business."

Hermione glared at him. "It is actually as I am also a Gryffindor and I don't want to lose house points because you three idiots are breaking school rules by sneaking out."

Ron rolled his eyes at her. "You're not the boss of us, go away!"

Hermione only clucked her tongue and to Harry's horror followed them out of the portrait hole. "Come back here! I earned twenty points today in Professor Flitwick's class and I don't want you to lose them because you need to go for a jaunt around the castle!"

"We won't get caught," Harry told her in exasperation. "Now go back inside!"

"I will," she said vehemently. "You three have absolutely no regard for school rules!" She turned around in a huff. "Oh no, the Fat Lady has disappeared!"

"Oh, darn," Ron said in mock sadness. "Guess you'll just have to sit out here and annoy yourself until she comes back."

Hermione glared at him. "I'm not sitting out here by myself! I'll come with you, but if you get caught I'm telling whomever that I was only trying to stop you!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Bugger off!"

Hermione huffed in annoyance as she scurried to keep up with them.

"I don't even know where the trophy room is," Neville said, nervously, looking behind them to make sure that no one was following. "Do you really think Malfoy will be waiting there for us?"

"Shh," Harry said. "Be quiet, Neville, we don't want anyone to hear us."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You're meeting Malfoy? What on earth for?"

"He challenged us to a duel," Ron said, impatiently.

"And you morons accepted?" When they all just turned to look at her she sighed in exasperation. "Boys!"

They made it into the trophy room and Harry sighed. "He's not here yet."

"Probably won't even show," Ron said with a smirk. "Coward that he is."

"Come, my sweet, I think I hear voices in the trophy room," a voice said from the hallway and the four of them froze.

"Filch!" Ron whispered, eyes wide. "Run for it!"

They bolted out the backdoor of the trophy room and down the halls. They were halfway up the staircase when it decided to move and Harry groaned.

Neville looked terrified as the staircase stopped on the third floor and he hurried forward, stopping in the dimly lit corridor. "Harry, I don't think that we're supposed to be up here."

"Filch is definitely following us," Ron said. "And his stupid cat! I don't care where we are, we just have to hide!" He moved towards the wooden door straight ahead and attempted to pull it open. "It's locked! We're done for!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and stormed across the corridor to the door where Ron was. She pointed her wand at the lock and whispered, "Alohomora!" The door clicked open and she ushered the boys inside.

"Hermione, how did you —?" Harry began.

"The Standard Book of Spells, chapter seven!"

Harry pressed his ear against the door, trying to listen for Filch. He could hear footsteps in the hall. "Shh," he said to his friends. "I'm trying to see if it is safe to go back out." Neville was poking him in the ribs rather roughly and he winced. "Nev, stop!" But Neville only poked him harder, grabbing his head and turning it towards the room.

Harry's eyes widened in alarm.

Standing before them was a giant three-headed dog licking its chops and drooling, staring at them in complete surprise, which Harry was positive was the only reason why they weren't dead — they had surprised him.

"I choose Filch over that," Ron exclaimed, pulling open the door as the four of them raced out just as the dog's three heads dived in for the kill, and slammed the door shut behind them.

They ran all of the way back to Gryffindor Tower, somehow without being seen by anyone. The Fat Lady looked at them in surprise when they yelled the password and they all stumbled into the Gryffindor common room.

Harry bent over in an attempt to catch his breath. "What was that thing? Some kind of Cerberus?"

"Why the hell are they keeping that thing locked up in a school for?" Ron demanded, wiping sweat off of his brow.

"That was the third floor corridor," Neville said breathlessly, looking up at his friends. "It's forbidden."

"With good reason!" Ron exclaimed.

"Didn't you bother to see what it was standing on?" Hermione asked them in a huff of annoyance.

"No," Ron said in disdain. "I was too busy looking at its heads, because in case you didn't notice, there were three!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It was standing on a trapdoor which means it's obviously guarding something. Now, I'm going to bed before you three idiots come up with another way to get us killed or worse — expelled!"

She stormed off and up the stairs to the girls dormitories as Neville and Ron merely stared at Harry in horror.

"She needs to sort out her priorities," Ron said.

Neville snorted. "I think I'd rather be expelled than killed myself."

Harry frowned. "Do you think she's right? Is that dog guarding something?"

Ron shrugged. "Dunno, could be. Maybe that's why the corridor is forbidden. Hey, remember Percy was saying how someone apparently broke into Gringotts over the summer and tried to steal something, but it had already been removed?"

"Yeah?" Harry said as he remembered how Percy had showed them the article in the newspaper one morning at breakfast. "What about it?"

Neville nodded in understanding. "My Gran always says that Hogwarts is the safest place in the world. If I needed to hide something or keep it safe, I'd hide it here."

"And get a giant three-headed-dog to guard it," Harry finished.

Ron grinned at him. "Exactly. What do you think it is?"

Harry shrugged. "No idea, but I bet it's really valuable."

Neville stifled a yawn. "Do you think Malfoy got caught by Filch?"

Harry shrugged. In all of the excitement he had forgotten all about his wizard's duel. They hadn't seen any sign of Malfoy or Crabbe and Filch had come in just after midnight.

"I bet he didn't even show," Ron scoffed.

Neville nodded as they headed up the stairs to the first year boy's dormitory. "Or he tipped Filch off. It was kind of weird that he just happened to come into the trophy room, don't you think?"

Harry scowled at that. With the way that Malfoy had squawked to Professor Flitwick the moment that he had seen that Harry had a broomstick, he wouldn't even put it past him. But when he climbed into his four poster, shutting the curtains closed around him, he wasn't thinking about Malfoy, but about a giant three headed dog and what kind of amazing magical item it could be guarding.