"Well?" Sirius asked as soon as he and Harry found themselves in Dumbledore's sitting room once more. The glass that they had used as the Portkey hadn't even hit the floor before Sirius rounded on Harry, eager to hear everything that he hadn't heard with the Extendable Ear. The room was the same as it had been the very first time Sirius had entered it, lit only by the sunlight that was shining through the vast windows. Harry looked at Sirius' eager face and felt a small smile from who knows where appear on his face.
"It went, alright I guess." Harry said as he watched Sirius' face light up with a beaming smile.
"Really? It went good?" Sirius asked as he directed Harry toward one of the armchairs. Once he had Harry sitting, Sirius kneeled down in front of him so he could look into Harry's face. He wanted things to work out with James and Harry so badly. Dumbledore was right; there were hardly any other people who deserved this more then James and Harry.
"Yeah, well I think it did." Harry said thinking back to all that had happened.
"What did you tell him?" Sirius asked, his voice made it sound like he was asking if Harry told James what shoe size he was, but Harry knew what he was talking about.
"Well, I told him about the first task of the tournament…" Harry said trailing off. Sirius studied Harry closely. He was afraid to ask his next question, because he had a feeling what the answer would be as he started considering how little time James and Harry had actually spent in the kitchen together.
"And, well, did you tell him about the third task?" Sirius asked, watching as Harry's eyes shifted from Sirius' face to the bookshelves that Sirius had his back to.
"No, I didn't get to that." Harry said softly, obviously avoiding Sirius' eyes.
"Well, that's okay." Sirius said trying to sound like it really was okay that Harry was keeping things like this from his father. But, the more and more Sirius thought about how happy James looked when he came into the room where Remus and himself were sitting, the more Sirius realized that Harry couldn't have told him anything. "What did you tell him?" Sirius asked, slightly dreading what Harry would tell him.
"Nothing really." Harry said bitterly. Sirius was so shocked by the complete and abrupt mood swing that he blinked and leaned back from Harry slightly. Where the hell had that come from? "I didn't tell him any of the things that you want to know if I told him. I told him how Ron and Hermione and me all became best friends. I didn't even tell him the full story of how I met Ron, cause that would lead to how I knew nothing about the Magical World because of the Dursley's. I told him that I was friends with Hagrid, but I didn't tell him that full story either because, that too, would lead to the Dursley's." Harry said standing up so abruptly that Sirius almost fell to the ground. But Harry didn't see because as he continued his rant, he made his way to the bookshelves and acted as though he was looking for a book.
"I told him that "Moody" was the one who gave me the idea about getting past the Dragon in the air. But, no, in case you were wondering, I didn't tell him that "Moody" was a death eater who was only helping me so I would later be killed. And also, no I didn't tell him that there was an age limited on the Tournament. Because that would also lead to the plan to kill me. I didn't tell him about the stone, I didn't tell him about the Chamber and I didn't tell him how I met you and came to believe that you were innocent. So no Sirius, I didn't tell him anything." Harry said, still with his back to Sirius, still examining the books on the shelves, but his voice had lost some of the anger and bitterness it had first held.
"He has to know Harry." Sirius said firmly, standing upright. "When people find out that he's back, do you really think that the press isn't going to ask him anything? Do you think that Reporters that took lessons from bloody Rita Skeeter are going to let James hear from his son all the things that he missed?" Sirius said, anger rising in his voice. He wasn't sure what he was madder at. The fact that James was going to learn something about Harry from the Ministry that he should have heard from Remus, himself or more over, Harry. Or if it was that Harry let that happen.
"I know that he has to know Sirius. And, part of me wanted to tell him!" Harry yelled whirling around to face Sirius, eyes bright. "But, not so that he would know! I don't even know why, but part of me wanted to tell him so that he know the hell I've been through because he wasn't there! But for some reason, 'I lived in a cupboard under the stairs until I was eleven because the Dursley's, who I went to live with by the way, hate me for what you and mum were and what I am. I only found out I was a Wizard when Hagrid gave me my letter. Then since returning to the Magical World, I've faced Lord Voldemort three times and been in more life threaten situations then I care to count' doesn't really role off the tongue!" Harry yelled, speaking his "life story" in a very sarcastic voice. By the time he was done with the portion of his rant, Harry was left a little breathless. Sirius stared at his godson with new understanding.
"You know, it's okay to be pissed at him." Sirius said softly, wanting to move closer to his godson, but knowing better. Harry merely stared. "By all rights, you should be. He left you alone. But then again, so did your mum, and well while we're at it, so did I. But I swear on my life that there isn't one of us that wouldn't give anything to change what you've been through Harry. And you know what? Until you know him, call him James. He wouldn't mind as long as you were being open with him. But, you'll never know him until you start talking to him." Sirius said walking over to the glass that was still lying on the floor from when they arrived. He bent down and picked it up and was examining it as though looking for cracks.
"How," Harry started to ask, but Sirius cut him off.
"I don't know how you should go about telling him everything that happened Harry. And I'm sorry that I can't help you with it. Maybe, just start off with by telling him you've been keeping some things from him." Sirius said, walking over to the desk and placing the glass upon in then turning to face Harry. Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Sirius waved him off before he could even start. His face had a look of a kid that had just broken their mother's favorite vase and was now trying to say sorry. "I get it Harry, really I do. But," He stopped and let out a sigh then met Harry's starling green eyes. "Didn't you ever want to meet your parents?" he asked softly. Harry nodded. Then told Sirius what only three other people know. Those three being Ron, Hermione, and Dumbledore.
"When I looked into the Mirror of Erised, I saw my parents." Harry said softly looking at the floor, still fitting the description of a guilt-ridden child.
"Well you have one of them know." Sirius said, making his way over to his godson. "James is really here, not some magic trick in a mirror. And you can have him, and get to know him if you just gave it a shot." Sirius went on as his placed his hands on Harry shoulders. "I'm not saying that you have to go back and talk to him right now, just, well, that the next time you do, it would be best to get all the crap out of the way." Harry sighed and nodded. "Alright then. Well, you better get back to the common room and talk to Ron and Hermione." Sirius said, sliding his arm around Harry shoulders and leading him toward the door. "This is to stay between you three. Be careful whom you talk around. Your not suppose to know anything." They stopped once they were standing in front of the door and Harry looked up into Sirius face, very thankful that he had Sirius with him to understand him and help him through all of this. He opened his mouth to say so but, again, seemingly knowing what Harry was going to say, Sirius waved it off.
"I'll go out first to make sure that Dumbledore isn't with anyone and then you'll follow. I would walk you to the common room, but I should get back to Grimmauld Place." Sirius had just placed a hand on the door when a though came to him, "Oh and tell Hermione to look up the spell "Oppressum" in a book called…Oh Merlin what was the name of it," Sirius hit his head with the palm of his hand to try and jog his memory. If Harry wasn't so confused about why Sirius wanted Hermione to spend more time in the library then she already did, he would have laughed at his godfather's actions. But, they seemed to have worked as Sirius let out a triumphant "Ha!"
"The book's called Me and my Magical Emotions. Tell her to look the book up and learn "oppressum" it's the spell for the emotion of overwhelmed. Can't hurt to have you look the part after the press gets wind." Sirius said smiling.
"Me and my Magical Emotions?" Harry questioned. Sirius let out his bark like laugh.
"Yeah, that's what your dad said when he first heard the name. Remus found it on one of his daily visits to the library and well, the spell for the look of innocents came in handy many times," Sirius, smiling even more at the memories of the things they had gotten away with the help of all the spells in that book. "Alright. If it's all clear out there, I'll bark." With that Sirius opened the door the tinniest of cracks and transformed into the giant black shabby dog that he was. He opened the door a little farther with his snout and then stuck his snout out into the office and sniffed the air. But, when the scents of many people came to his noise, he realized that this was, after all, the Headmasters office of a very large school. Sticking his whole head out of the room, Sirius looked around. Not seeing anyone but Fawkes, Sirius moved fully into the office. No one. He let out one sort bark, and Harry came out of the room. Harry walked with Padfoot toward the door and when they reached it, Harry gave the dog a rub on the head, and left the office. Turning around, the dog ran back into the room, closed the door with his snout and transformed back into a man.
Sirius leaned against the door for a moment, going over everything that Harry had said. Sighing and running a hand through his hair, Sirius walked back over to the desk, pointed his wand at the glass, said "Portus," and allowed the thought that he needed to get a hair cut enter his mind as he watched the glass tremble and glow blue, preparing it's self to take Sirius back to Grimmauld Place.
Harry had almost reached the Portrait hole when he heard someone calling his name. Turning, Harry saw Ginny Weasley walking briskly over to him. Her mane of fiery red hair was been blown back slightly from the speed of her walking. As she approached Harry she said,
"Finally," pretending to sound exhausted, but failing in her attempt as she was smiling warmly at Harry. "I had to have called your name about ten times before this and had to follow you two whole floors. We've all been looking for. Ron, Hermione, and me that is. We know that you left Ron that note, but, we were all worried any ways." Ginny went on as she reached Harry. Now standing in front of Harry, Ginny could see his face fully and her smile faded slightly.
"Are you okay Harry?" Ginny asked sounded concerned. Harry nodded, remembering what Sirius had told him, not to tell anyone but Ron and Hermione.
"Do you have any idea where Ron and Hermione are?" Harry asked, knowing that this discussion was going to take a while and that if they didn't start it as soon as possible Harry would never get the homework he had done. Ginny had just started shaking her head when,
"Harry!" Turning around Harry saw Hermione followed by Ron coming out of the Portrait hole. "Oh thank goodness. Is very thing alright?" Hermione asked hurriedly walking to were Harry and Ginny stood.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, and then he caught sight of what she had in her hand. It was an aging peace of parchment, which Harry easily identified as the Marauder's Map. Seeing where he was looking, Ron quickly explained.
"We just wanted to see where you were, cause you had been gone so long. And we only just got it," Ron said. Harry waved it off and with a quick glance at Ginny he said,
"I just need to talk to you guys." Harry said, once again with a quick glance at Ginny. Harry felt bad, but he wasn't about to go against what Sirius had told him. Not when he had already made him so mad. Ron caught on to what Harry meant with the glances, which Harry hadn't noticed were so obvious, at Ginny.
"Right, well, thanks for your help looking for him Ginny, but we gotta talk, so we'll see you at dinner." Ron said in a tone only an older brother could direct at the youngest Weasley. Ginny's smile was completely gone now.
"I can't talk about it to anyone but them Ginny, really. You'll know what this is about soon enough. Don't say anything though about me not being around all day though alright?" Harry said, feeling guilty that she had spent most of her day looking for someone that wasn't even on Hogwarts grounds. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Yes because that was what I was going to do Harry, run straight to Umbridge and tell her that no one knew where you were for most of the day and now you want to talk to your friends alone. Yeah, that's what I was just going to do until you stopped me." Ginny said, but she smiled lightly. Walking around them and saying the password to the Fat Lady she said, "Got homework anyways." Once Ginny was in the common room and the portrait had closed behind her, Ron and Hermione looked at Harry expectantly.
"I think we should go some where that we wont be over heard." Harry said, leading them away from the common room, back down the corridor. "This is kind of, well, big, for lack of better words."
After arriving at Grimmauld Place, Sirius grabbed three Butterbeers and started heading up to the room that he had left Remus and James in. His head was still spinning from everything that had happened with Harry in Dumbledore's office. Everything that Harry had said was just running all around his mind, making it very difficult to concentrate on one of them to try and find away to fix it. Sirius was so lost in his thought that he didn't even realize that he had walked right past the room where Remus and James were sitting in. But, James realized and went to fetch him, still overly joyous from meeting his son.
"Hey mate, we're in this room," James called to Sirius while leaning out of the doorway. Sirius turned around, looked at where he was and shook his head has he walked back over to James.
"Lost in thoughts." Sirius said as he reached James and placed once of the bottles into his hands. "What you two been up to?" Sirius asked walking into the room and underhand tossing Remus' drink to him. Remus caught it and followed Sirius with his eyes as Sirius made his way to sit in the chair. Once he was finally seated, Sirius looked up and met Remus eyes, and Remus had his confirmation; Harry hadn't told James anything that was important.
"I was just filling James in on some of the details about the people he's going to be staying with." Remus said, opening his Butterbeer and taking a long swig from it. James stared from Remus, who was just that type of person that took little sips, to Sirius who was staring at the floor, a distant look in his eyes.
"Okay guys, what's that big downer?" James asked, knowing that something was troubling his best friends. Both looked at each other, then at James, but it was Sirius that spoke.
"You know how we told you that Harry might not be totally comfortable with everything?" Sirius started. James nodded, confusion written on his face.
"Yeah, and he was for a little bit too. But, I was tell Remus, you know how whenever I get uncomfortable, I have to have something to do with my hands? Well Harry's the same way. We were just sitting there for a little bit and then he got up and started looking for something in the cabinets. And, I don't know, I just knew that he was looking for Butterbeer."
James said, excitement in his voice over the discoverer of this similarity. Sirius nodded and said,
"He still is uncomfortable though, and well, I don't know how to tell you this James but I thought you had better see it coming. Well, Harry said that, until he gets to know you, that he just wants to call you James." Sirius said gravely. James stared. "It doesn't mean that he doesn't want to call you dad, it's just well, he was saying stuff about how he always thought that the name was special and he wants to know who he's saying it to I guess." Sirius hurriedly rambled on upon seeing James' broken face. There were very few times when Sirius had seen James so broken. Broken was so much harder to see then tears. Still saying nothing, James sat down at the foot of the bed, staring at the wall opposite from him.
"He'll get to know you soon enough James. And before you know it, he'll be calling you dad. And, it's not so bad, he still wants to see you and talk to you." Remus said softly after a few moments of silence. Still, all James did was stare blankly. Sirius and Remus exchanged a worried glance. They had not expected this, yes they thought, no, knew, that James wouldn't be happy about this but…
"Does he know that he's first word was dad?" James asked quietly. "And that he said it to me?" He said, looking up at Sirius and then moving his gaze to Remus when Sirius failed to give him an answer. "I'll take that as a no." Again silence filled the room. What broke the silence was a knock at the door. The three men looked up to see Albus Dumbledore standing in the doorway, gazing at them all from behind his half-moon glasses.
"I am truly sorry if I am interrupting something, but I fear that we are going to have to act quickly." Dumbledore said.
"What's wrong?" Sirius asked standing. Honesty, Sirius wasn't at all sorry that Dumbledore had showed up, things were not going well and he believed that they all need a distraction.
"We will have to place James into Mr. Davis' and his wife's care at the latest, tomorrow morning." Dumbledore said solemnly.
"Why?" Remus asked casting a glance at James then returning his attention to Dumbledore.
"It seems that something might have gotten to the Press. Ms Summers informs me that she has seen a few of them around Auror Headquarters and that it will not be long until they began to question her."
"I go to this muggle house, the Ministry finds me, questions me, and then what? They let me skip out of the containment rooms?" James asked, speaking for the first time. His tone was that of pure business. And Sirius understood where it was coming from. James knew that the only way for things to be right between Harry and him was to spend time with him. And, that couldn't happen if James couldn't be with him.
"I shall suggest to the Ministry that you stay at Hogwarts. Close to Harry, so you two can become reacquainted without him leaving the school grounds." Dumbledore replied. At the mention of this, the more selfish part of Sirius' brain screamed in protest. It was great having James with him; hell he needed James with him. Harry wasn't the only one who had lost James and, as Harry was only one at the time, Sirius felt that he had felt the loss more. James, showing that weird brotherly-bond that he shared with Sirius, glanced at Sirius.
"What about Sirius and Remus?" James asked, turning to look at Dumbledore. Dumbledore, showing patience that could only be gained by a teacher, spoke again.
"We will have to see. But, I believe that, most sadly, it would be easier for Sirius to stay inside the castle then Remus at the moment." Only three people in the room seemed to understand. Unfortunately, the one who didn't was the one who asked the question.
"James," Remus said, seeing his confusion written face, "we told you how Umbridge was teaching at Hogwarts." Remus said, as though this answered everything. James turned to face him. 'Had they really?' James thought. Seeing the expression on Remus' face, something clicked into place.
"The bitch that made all those Laws," James said, staring at Remus. Remus gave a small nod of the head to show that James was indeed thinking of the right person. He spun around to look at Dumbledore. "Why the hell did you give her the job?" Sirius gave a small laugh.
"Good to see you've been listening to us mate." Sirius said. "But, I guess at this time, it would be best if we didn't bother filling you in as you'll just have to forget it." Sirius added, then turned to face Dumbledore. "I guess you're here to put his memories in the pensive?"
"That I am." Dumbledore said with a small nod of his head. He looked at James and then asked, "Would you like to go down to the kitchen James, or stay here?"
"Here's fine." James said. Again Dumbledore nodded. He walked over to where James was sitting and pulled from within his robes his wand. With a small wave Dumbledore conjured up a desk made of maple wood, smaller then the desk in his sitting room, but just as nice. Then, with another wave of his wand, he conjured up a large plush chair to sit behind the desk. After pulling the chair out so he may sit down, Dumbledore pulled from within his robes his pensive. Placing the pensive on the table, Dumbledore sat down and faced James.
"Whenever you are ready my boy. I believe it would be best to start with the most resent memories." Dumbledore said calmly. James nodded and pulled out his own wand. Placing it to his temple, James thought of what had just happened. He thought of Sirius telling him that Harry didn't want to call him dad, and, concentrating on that thought, James slowly moved his wand away from his head and felt the memory start to lessen, become less clear. Then, the memory was hanging form the end of his wand.
Sirius watched as James brought his memory over to the pensive and placed it inside and couldn't help but think how long this was going to take. Placing thoughts into the pensive was easy, if you wanted to rid your mind of the thought you're extracting. And, even though Sirius knew that the memory James had just pulled was probably not a pleasant one, as it had to be the one in which Remus and himself had told James of Harry's discomfort since it was the freshest, Sirius new that James wouldn't want to remove any information about Harry from his mind, no matter how painful.
Harry looked from Ron to Hermione. Both were staring at him with their mouths hanging open. He really hoped that they would say something soon, it was really odd to just be sitting there with them staring at him. When Harry, Ron, and Hermione had left the common room corridor they decided to head outside to avoid being overheard. Once they reached the grounds, Harry had lead them to the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, to further insure that no one would just happen upon them. All the way to the spot they were now sitting, which was close to where Victor Krum had confronted Harry about Hermione after they had learned about the third task, Harry had not said a word, which worried his friends a great deal. But as soon as they were all sitting, Harry spilled to his friends. He told them everything that had happened since Snape found Harry heading back to the common room to when he had just left Sirius in Dumbledore's office. And now, Harry was waiting for one of them to snap out of their shock and help him.
"It's really him?" Ron finally asked, and Harry tore his eyes away from the grass he had been pulling from the ground while waiting for his friends to speak. Harry nodded. Ron's eyes widened and he stared at the ground, much like he had after Harry had finished telling them. Sighing, Harry went back to pulling grass out of the ground when suddenly, he found himself in a great hug and his vision was blocked by Hermione's hair.
"Hermione," Harry said, trying to keep himself from toppling onto the ground. When Hermione pulled away, Harry was startled to see tears in her eyes.
"Oh Harry," She said, "I so happy for you! You're father's back! You wont ever have to go back to the Dursley's and oh Harry you have a father, your father!" Hermione gushed happily. Harry looked at Ron to see what to do to keep Hermione from crying but was met only with the sight of Ron staring at her like she just sprouted another head.
"Are you alright Hermione?" Harry asked as Hermione started to fan herself with her hand to keep from crying.
"Of course I'm alright!" Hermione said sounding slightly choked. "I just so happy for you! Isn't this what you always wanted? To have your parents back?" Hermione asked.
"Well, yeah, kind of. But, it doesn't stop with whole thing from bring weird. I mean, I wanted my parents, but I don't know them. I don't know him. How am I going to call some guy I don't even know dad?" Harry asked, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand.
"But, I thought that you said Sirius said to just call him James." Ron said sounding slightly confused.
"He did, but I don't know I'm just so confused. One minute I'm really happy that I'll get to know my dad; that I have him, you know? Then the next I'm uneasy cause, well to be blunt, there is a lot of shit that he needs to be caught up on. I mean, think of everything that we've been through, that I've been through. And then, well, and then I feel, almost mad at him. I feel like I just want to hit him or something." Harry said, voice losing some strength as he reached his most troubling feelings. Even after Sirius told him that it was okay to be made at James for leaving him, Harry still felt bothered by it. Looking up at his friends, he saw that they wore, almost pitying looks.
"Sirius told me that it's okay that I'm mad at him. But, I don't know…" Harry said, trailing off. There was silence between them for a short time. Each of them thinking of everything Harry had said.
"So, so the Wizarding World is going to find out this week about him waking up from his coma?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded. And then he remembered Sirius telling him about the book that Hermione should look up. So Harry told her about Me and my Magical Emotions. And she seemed quite happy about it and insisted that they go and get it now. As they made there way back up to the castle, Hermione a little a head of Harry and Ron, Ron cast a glance at Harry and asked,
"When are you going to tell him about the Dursley's?"
"I guess the next time I see him." Harry said looking up at the sky and seeing some dark, gray clouds started to overtake the blue in the sky. "Sirius said that it would be best to just get it all out there and over with." Harry said, moving his gaze from the sky to Ron. And then, with determination in his voice, Harry added. "I'll tell him everything the next time I see him."
A.N- There you go. And, I hope you all are happy that I got this out today because I really should have been working on the English report that I haven't worked on at all! And that would be the same report that I have to present to my class on Tuesday! So, again, I hope you're all happy. Lol. Oh and Oppressum means overwhelmed in Latin, just FYI.
Make me feel better about putting my schoolwork off so, so, so late and send me lots of Reviews! Tell me what you guys think about this one, I really gotta know! Well, till next time.