Here's the next chapter. It was supposed to be out during Christmas but I just couldn't resist. Please R&R. I really appreciate it. Once again, any one shot requests and I'll be delighted. Enjoy!
The atmosphere of the room became significantly colder at that. Sirius wasn't sure what to say. "Severus has taken him to the hospital wing. We're not exactly sure about how to cure him." Mcgonagall said, her face taut with worry.
"Who was the student?" Sirius inquired. "Colin Creevy." Sirius searched his mind for the student of the given name and easily recalled the first year Gryffindor who had followed Harry for quite a few days since the school had reopened. Sirius had had quite a laugh back then.
"I think we should warn the students and we need to make sure this doesn't escalate into something any bigger. Where's Albus?" Asked Sirius.
"He's in the hospital wing as well."
"Fine. Please do keep me updated." Sirius answered, clearly tensed. The professors nodded, before showing themselves out of the classroom. This was so not good. He knew a lot of things about the Chamber of secrets and unsurprisingly, none of them were pleasant.
"Students, quiet down please! This is an important announcement." All the students settled down at the razor sharp voice of their Head of House. Harry looked at Mcgonagall's face, wondering what was so urgent. "There have been certain events at Hogwarts recently. Only today, Colin Creevy, your fellow house member was found petrified."
There was a sharp gasp from the students. "We don't know what caused this or why this has happened. Unfortunately, in light of this event, you'll will not be allowed to stay back during Christmas vacations. You shall return after the break. Until the holidays, lessons shall continue as per the normal schedule. For safety measures, no student is to be left alone in the corridors, at any time, under any circumstances whatsoever. Further details shall be given to you later."
Everyone hung on to every word Mcgonagall had just said, absorbing the information. To say that Harry was stunned was an understatement. This incident further made it clear that it would be best if he told Sirius about the voices that he had been hearing. He knew that Sirius would be less than pleased with him if the man found out that he was hiding things from him.
"I'm going to bed," he suddenly announced to his two friends. "But it's only 8 o'clock, Harry." Said Hermione, looking worried. "I'm tired 'mione. I'll see you'll tomorrow." That wasn't a complete lie. For some reason, his head was aching a bit. He picked up his books and went off to meet Sirius. He decided to spend the night there instead of his dorm.
As he climbed the staircase, he made up his mind to tell his godfather everything. He didn't want to hide things anymore. He had done a lot of lying and he was pretty sure that if he kept up with this charade, he'd get his mouth scourgified. He did not want that happening.
"Hey, pup." Sirius greeted as Harry walked in. His smile however faded the moment he saw the look on the boy's face. He looked quite pale and he was pretty sure that his godson hadn't had dinner or lunch that day. Something was not right here and Sirius wasn't going to rest until he found out. But first, dinner.
He gestured Harry over to the living room sofa and called for some dinner. "I'm not hungry, Sirius." Harry protested but the look from his father was enough to get him to eat. So, with a resigned sigh he picked up his fork and started to shovel chicken salad into his mouth.
After he had eaten, he threw his head back against the sofa and closed his eyes. He felt long fingers stroking his hair and relaxed slightly. "What's wrong, kiddo?"
Harry's eyes shot open and he looked at Sirius who was sitting in front of him. Did the man really know him so well? "Promise you won't get mad?" He asked in a small voice.
"I can't promise that pup. But I can promise to hear you out completely. You need to trust me and tell me what's been bothering you. I can't help but notice that you haven't been eating properly. I can't have you slacking off when it comes to your health. I won't allow you to do this to yourself. You need your strength. Even your grades are falling." Sirius paused for a moment. "Tell me what's going on Harry."
It wasn't a request. "I've been hearing these voices lately." He confessed. Sirius's face grew concerned at this. Leaning forward so that he could get a better look at the boy's face that was bowed, he steepled his fingers. "Continue."
"It started a few days after school reopened. I heard it on my way back to the dorm after Ron and I were walking back from detention. It was a very cold, chilling voice...I heard it again the day Filch's cat was petrified."
Throughout his explanation, Harry kept his gaze firmly on the carpet, not wanting to meet Sirius's eyes. Firm fingers took hold of his chin, tilting his face upwards. Harry mentally cringed when he saw the stormy expression on Sirius's face. Definitely what he had been expecting.
"All this started nearly two months ago and you're telling me everything now. Why?" Sirius inquired sternly. Harry dropped his eyes. "I didn't want to stand out as the freak." He whispered, feeling horrible.
He hadn't told Sirius about it because he didn't want to feel like the biggest freak on the planet. He had talked to Ron and Hermione about the mysterious voice and they had told him that it wasn't normal to hear things, even in the Wizarding World. So did that make him a freak? Of course it did.
"Pup, why on earth would you feel that way? You're. Not. A. Freak. Do you understand that?" Sirius asserted.
The boy remained stubbornly silent, refusing to acknowledge the words and seeing the emotions fly across Harry's face, Sirius's expression softened. Whatever this was, it was serious. "Did you hear the voice again after that day?" When Harry shook his head, Sirius remained silent.
He'd read several things about the Chamber of Secrets but he had never come across any voice. Absolutely nothing. He decided to go and take a look in the Black Library later and see if he found anything.
But now, he needed to see to his godson, his own son rather. One look told him that his pup most certainly wasn't alright. Quelling his anger, he reached forward and gently hoisted Harry off his seat and pulled him into his lap. The boy responded by wrapping his arms around Sirius in a death grip, tucking his face into the crook of Sirius's neck.
"You're not a freak. Absolutely not. I don't care what your relatives told you but you are most certainly not a freak." Sirius stated once again, resolutely, daring Harry to contradict his words. After what seems like ages, he felt Harry nod against his neck. "We'll figure out the cause of these voices. Don't you worry."
"At the end of the day, of doesn't matter that you're the Boy-Who-Lived. Not to me. You're just a boy, my boy and I'm not going to let anything happen to you. We're going to be alright. Everything will turn out fine."
If only Sirius knew how wrong he was.
After that day, things didn't get better, they only got worse.
Nearly a month after Colin Creevy was petrified, another student was attacked. Justin Finch-Fletchley, a second year Hufflepuff was found petrified in the fifth floor corridor, along with Nearly Headless Nick.
Susan Bones, another Hufflepuff had told the Professors that the second years had finished Herbology and were heading to their Potions lesson. Justin had realised that he had forgotten his homework back in the Hufflepuff common room. He had told his friends to go on and he went to fetch it.
The next time they saw him, he was lying on the floor, on the fifth floor.
Mcgonagall was furious at this blatant disregard for school rules. Despite repeated warnings about not wandering off alone, the boy had gone off by himself. Further restrictions were placed upon the students and the rules became more rigid. All classes after six o' clock in the evening were canceled.
Sirius had practically scoured every book in the Black library for any information about strange voices but nothing turned up.
Harry and Sirius had gone to Dumbledore and had told him about the voices but even the wise headmaster had been at a loss. Finally, the matter was dropped. Dumbledore suggested that they wait it out and see what happened next.
"I don't know what to do, Ron." Harry grumbled. He had heard the voice again that day and it was driving him crazy. "I thought it would get better but its not. I keep hearing it every now and then." He confessed to his best friend.
Ron looked at his best mate sympathetically, not really sure about what to say. "This is not good. Harry is hearing voices and students are getting petrified. These two events have to be connected in someway, correct?" Hermione pondered aloud.
"Right. You can sit and think all you like later on, 'Mione. Its nearly dinner time and I don't want to be late. My stomach's rumbling." Ron stated firmly. Inspite of himself, Harry smiled slightly. Typical Ron, always hungry. Trust his best mate to cheer him up in the weirdest of ways. "Fine, lets go."
On their way, on the first floor, they heard someone sobbing hysterically. "Who could that be?" Hermione asked. "It could be a student but I'm hungry!" Ron grumbled. Harry pulled out his wand and followed the direction of the cries, ignoring Ron's protests. Seeing no other option, the two of them followed Harry.
The crying got louder as they neared the girls lavatory. Ron stopped short when they reached the entrance. "There's no bloody way I'm going in there." He retorted. "Quit being such a baby Ronald. No one comes in here anyway. This is Moaning Myrtle's bathroom." Hermione assured him as they went inside. For some reason, the place was all wet. "Whose Moaning Myrtle?" Ron questioned.
"I'M MOANING MYRTLE!"
They looked up to see a girl or a ghost actually, glaring down at the trio. She was wearing Hogwarts robes, her hair was tied in two ponytails and she had worn round framed glasses. "Come to throw something at me again have you?" She snapped, looking more sad than angry. "Why would we want to do that?" Harry asked, looking confused.
"Don't ask me," Myrtle shouted, emerging with a wave of yet more water, which splashed onto the already sopping floor. "Here I am, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me. . . ."
"But it can't hurt you if someone throws something at you," said Ron, reasonably. "I mean, it'd just go right through you, wouldn't it?"
He had said the wrong thing. Myrtle puffed herself up and shrieked, bringing her face close to Ron's. "Let's all throw books at Myrtle, because she can't feel it! Ten points if you can get it through her stomach! Fifty points if it goes through her head! Well, ha, ha, ha! What a lovely game!" She bit out sarcastically.
"Where's that book now?" Harry looked at her questioningly.
"It's over there, it got washed out. . . ." Harry and Ron looked under the sink where Myrtle was pointing. A small, thin book lay there. It had a shabby black cover and was as wet as everything else in the bathroom. Harry reached forward and picked up the wet book.
"Who threw it at you anyway?"
"I don't know. Now get out!" She snarled, her anger returning with full force. Not wanting to stay any longer, the three of them waded out of the flooded bathroom. "Well, that was... something." Harry said, tucking the diary into his bag. "There' a rumour that she died in this very bathroom and that's why she haunts the place." Hermione whispered, not wanting the ghost to hear her. Harry shivered involuntarily. Not pleasant at all.
Ron looked at his watch and groaned. "Damn it! We missed dinner!"
"That's all for today. No homework this time. Any questions." Sirius asked as he finished his lesson with the second years. Hermione's hand shot up into the air. "Yes Miss Granger?"
"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us something about the Chamber of Secrets." Sirius remained silent at the odd request. Of course, he did know quite a bit on this matter and it wouldn't hurt if the students just knew the story behind it. He complied to Hermione's request.
"You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago — the precise date is uncertain — by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution."
He paused a bit before continuing.
"For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing. Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."
"That's all to the Chamber of Secrets. Nothing else is known as of this day." At that, the class broke out of their temporary trance before shuffling out of the classroom.
Harry and Ron climbed the portrait hole to Sirius's quarters after dinner. Sirius had allowed Ron to stay back with them that night so the two of them could have fun. Besides, with everything that was going on, it would do Harry good to get his mind off things.
"Sirius!" Harry called out, setting his bag down on the sofa. "In here, little one." Sirius called back from his room. Harry's ears turned a deep shade of red as Ron snickered at the nickname. "Shut up!" He hissed, not angry in the least but embarrassed. Sure, he liked Sirius's various names for him but Ron didn't need to know all of them.
Sirius came outside and noticed his son's embarrassment and smiled slightly. "Go on and enjoy yourselves, you two." He said. The boys didn't need to be told twice.
They pulled out the chessboard, exploding snap, chocolate frogs, Bertie Botts beans and a whole lot of other candies. Sirius joined them for a few games of Snap as well. Although Harry ate a little too much candy for Sirius's liking, he chose not to comment about it. It was great to see his pup laughing after so many days.
Dinner was also fun. "So you see Ron, I had gone to James's house to look after Harry when said one year old thought it would be amusing if he-"
Harry's eyes widened when he realised which story this was. It was so embarrassing! There was no way Ron, or anyone for that matter could know about this. Before Sirius could continue any further, he all but jumped out of his seat and clamped his hand over the man's mouth. "Nothing happened, Ron." He said loudly.
"No, what happened was that Harry decided-"
"Nothing happened!"
On Harry's pleading stare, coupled with an adorable glare, Sirius spared his boy and the three of them laughed it off. After dinner, Harry and Ron resumed their game of chess while Sirius dealt with some lesson plans for the upcoming week.
Finally, at twelve thirty, Sirius was greeted by two very sleepy boys. Ron had fallen asleep on his spare bed and was snoring peacefully while Harry had curled up on the bean bag instead. With a fond smile, Sirius picked up his little green-eyed bundle and tucked him into his bed.
Christmas vacations began a week later. Hermione and Ron went home along with the other students since they'd weren't allowed to stay back. Harry however stayed back since Sirius was a professor. For the last few days, there had been no talk or incident about the Chamber of secrets and Harry couldn't have been happier.
This would be his first proper Christmas with Sirius and he was really looking forward to it. The two of them were currently decorating the tree together. "And this goes right here." Said Sirius, hanging up a yellow bobble. The man let Harry hang up the star, feeling both happy as well as sad when he saw the look of wonder on his pup's face for such a small thing.
The clock struck eleven and Sirius opened his mouth to send Harry to bed but the boy beat him to it. "I think it's time you go to bed young man." He quipped, imitating Sirius's words quite well.
Sirius was momentarily stunned before he barked out a laugh and caught Harry in a headlock, rubbing his knuckles against the messy black head. "Why you cheeky little rascal!"
Sirius let Harry go after thoroughly tousling his already unmanageable hair. "Off to bed with you!" He ordered with a playful swat to Harry's backside. The boy gave him a sleepy smile before making his way to his room.
The next morning, Harry awoke first which was surprising and so he decided to go and wake Sirius up, something he wouldn't have dared to do a few months ago. He tiptoed to his father's room, a mischievous smile on his face.
He opened the door, as quietly as possible and crept inside, toward the bed. The man had his back facing Harry and so with a deep breath, he pounced, ready to tickle the man awake. He wasn't prepared for what happened next.
Sirius turned to face Harry just in time, sat up and caught the boy. He turned him around and pulled him close so that Harry was resting against his chest. He laughed softly, ruffling Harry's hair. "How did you know I was here?" Harry asked, his voice was a mixture of curiosity and mock indignation. "I'd be ruining all the fun if I told you, right?"
"Merry Christmas pup," Sirius whispered, kissing his pup's forehead. "Merry Christmas, Sirius." Harry replied. The man stood, pulling him up as well. "Come on."
Harry's jaw dropped, the moment the two of them entered the living room. The Christmas tree had looked splendid last night but this morning, it was truly magnificent. Under the tree was the largest pile of presents he had ever seen. Brightly coloured parcels wrapped with different ribbons and strings.
Seeing Harry's expression, Sirius threw his arm around the boy's shoulders, tugging him closer. "I know it seems a little too much but I have eleven years to make up for, kiddo."
"You didn't have to do this for me, Sirius." Harry said, feeling rather overwhelmed by all these presents. "I know that. I wanted to do it for you."
With a gentle nudge, Sirius propelled Harry towards the tree. "Have at it pup. The tree won't bite you."
He sat down on the carpet and reached for a present. With fingers trembling with excitement, ever so slowly, Harry undid one corner of the wrapping paper. He did the same with the other side, taking care to not tear the wrapper even one bit. That's how it continued for over the next hour. Harry would pick up a present and open it almost reverently, breakfast long forgotten.
By the time he was done, he had a whole new collection of books (from Hermione and Remus), clothes and a broom servicing kit. Other than four or five if the presents, the rest were from Sirius. The gifts were all wonderful but what mattered most was the sentiment. "Thank you." He murmured for the nth time. "You're welcome, son."
Now, although Sirius had referred to Harry as his son on several occasions, it never ceased to bring a smile on the boy's face. He'd been orphaned for so long . Harry didn't even remember James despite all the stories he had heard. His Aunt and Uncle had hated him and had gone out of their way to mistreat and belittle him. For the past so many years, he had actually been craving for someone who would be there for him. Someone who would hold him tight and tell him that he was a good boy, someone to tuck him in every night was and tell him that they loved him and were proud of him.
The last few months had been amazing for Harry. He finally had that someone who would always be there for him. Sirius was absolutely brilliant. He couldn't have asked for anyone better. Truth be told, Sirius was the only father Harry had ever known.
"Wait here. I'll be right back." He announced suddenly, running to his room.
He pulled out the wrapped package from under his mattress. He could only hope that Sirius would like it. Feeling slightly nervous, he walked back to the living room.
"This is for you." He mumbled, holding out his gift to Sirius, feeling shy all of a sudden. With a wide smile, Sirius accepted the package and opened it.
It was a framed picture but it wasn't anything ordinary. It was a picture of Harry and Sirius clicked from a magical camera. Sirius remembered the day quite well. The two of them had gone to Hogsmeade that day. They'd eaten at the Three Broomsticks after which Sirius had asked Rosmerta, the owner of the Inn to take the picture.
Sirius had his arm around Harry's shoulders while the boy had thrown his arms around the man's waist. Both of them were laughing. On the bottom of the frame was a tiny inscription in Harry's handwriting:
Padfoot and his Pup.
Sirius gently ran his finger over the messy scrawl, a smile etched on his handsome face. As he ran his hand along the back of the frame, he felt a piece of parchment graze his fingers. He turned the frame around and gently detached the small bit of parchment and opened it.
Sirius's breath hitched when he saw what was written on it:
Merry Christmas Dad,
I love you.
-Harry.
Sirius looked at his pup who was sitting only a little away from him. He reached out and pulled the young wizard into a tight hug. "I love you pup."
"I love you too, dad." Harry whispered. He had never felt happier before. This truly was the best Christmas of his life. After a minute or two, Sirius released the boy and smiled down at him.
"Come now, lets grab some breakfast after which everyone will be coming over. Best get ready quickly. That sounds good kiddo?" Sirius asked as he hoisted his son off the floor.
"It sounds great dad." Harry replied, using the new title with pride. And really, it was great.
The day was absolutely wonderful. Later, Ron and the twins came over, as did Remus. Everyone exchanged greetings, ate cake, opened Christmas crackers and presents.
Sirius took in the look of pure happiness on his son's face and knew that despite everything that was going in in the castle, they'd get through it.
After lunch, once everyone had gone back, Harry threw himself on the sofa with a contended sigh. Christmas had turned out even better than he had imagined. He'd spent the day with his friends and his father. That's what mattered most.
"So Pup, you ready to leave?" Sirius asked, as he pulled on his coat. "Absolutely." Harry replied, pushing himself off the couch.
And with that, the two of them left the castle for a night full of movies, popcorn, bike rides and completely fun and senseless chatter between father and son.