"So is this going to become your haunt, Harry?"
"Guess so." Harry answered, not turning to look at his godfather. Once again, Harry's feet had led him to the Astronomy Tower when he needed to clear his head and just get away. "How did you get up here? You didn't transform to open it did you?" Harry asked knowing that Sirius would have had to come up the tower as Padfoot while also wanting to keep questions from coming his way.
"You left the trap door open; I was able to push it open." Sirius answered, moving closer to the parapet where Harry was sitting with his feet dangling off the edge. Once he reached Harry, Sirius glanced down at the long drop from where his godson was seated.
"What are you doing up here?" Harry asked coldly when Sirius did not venture any information and they had been sitting in silence for some time. Slightly taken aback by Harry's tone, Sirius turned so that he was leaning with his back on the parapet so that he could look at Harry easier.
"Do you know another one of the reasons why people didn't check to hard to see if James was dead?" Sirius asked.
"Because Voldemort kills people all the time." Harry said, not looking at Sirius.
"Because no one thought that there was anything suspicious about James giving his life to save his family." Sirius said, answering his own question as though Harry had not spoken. "Everyone knew that he loved your mum and you so much, that he would give his life without any hesitation. Now, with that said, tell me honesty. Do really believe that what you heard James saying was about you?"
Harry did not answer.
"In the time it took your dad to get from the Quidditch pitch back to the Quarters, he ran into Umbridge and Snape. Umbridge basically told him that you're a bad kid, and Snape said that James was no longer in mourning over Lily." Sirius said sternly, glad that he was able to see the pieces falling into place in Harry's mind. If he wasn't so upset with Harry jumping the conclusions as he did, Sirius would not be speaking as he was. "Again, do you really think that James was talking about you?"
"No." Harry said so softly the wind almost stole it.
"Harry, why did you even think that though?" Sirius asked, dropping his stern tone and taking a softer one up in it's place. "That's a real big conclusion to jump to."
"I don't know." Harry said, still very softly. "I guess I was just waiting for the floor to come out from under me, you know? Cause everything was going so good."
"Harry… I know this is hard and difficult for you… But, when we first met… I asked you to come live with me, you said yes and you were excited about it. And this was ten minutes after you learned I wasn't a killer." Sirius said, voicing some thoughts that had come to him. "How come you were so willing to except me, and are so against James?" He asked, unsure if he really wanted to know an answer. Harry looked at Sirius for a few seconds before answering.
"You weren't asking to be my father." He finally answered. "And… I think then I was just so desperate to have someone. But now, I've just seen so much, I'm older and well, I have you." Harry said, saying the last part a little sheepishly.
"James is ten times the man I will ever be Harry. Add the fact that I've been a crappy godfather, and it'll show that James can be, and give so much more to you." Said Sirius. "Harry, you need James in your life. Moreover, James needs you in his life. But that can't happen if you keep waiting for the floor to come out from under you."
"It did with you though." Harry replied. "I was going to live with you, but you had to run for it. Why should this time be different?"
"Because everything is different now Harry. Can't you see that? You're making things harder then they really are Harry." Harry didn't answer.
"It's getting late." Sirius said not really knowing what else should be said or needed to be said. "You should get back to Gryffindor Tower." Harry nodded. "Maybe tomorrow you can come round and say sorry to James about jumping to conclusions and he can meet Ron and Hermione properly?" Sirius asked. Again, Harry just nodded. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then kid."
Harry was just at the trap door when he said,
"Sirius, you weren't, and aren't a crappy godfather." And opened the trap door and walked down the steps.
"Well hello Mister Potter." Fudge said brightly when James and Umbridge entered Dumbledore's office. The tone in which Fudge was speaking to him now was pretty much the exact opposite from what it had been the last time he and James were face-to-face. Once in the office herself, Umbridge took her position on the right side of Dumbledore's desk, mirroring Fudge who stood on the left.
After being addressed such by Fudge, James cast a raised eyebrow glance at Dumbledore who was seated in the grand chair behind his desk. Dumbledore merely continued to smile politely, eyes twinkling, not giving anything about this meeting away.
"Hello Minster." James said, standing so he was directly across from Dumbledore with his hands behind his back and his feet together: typical Auror standing at attention fashion.
"Dumbledore has contacted as at the Ministry that he has information about the current situation. And I felt that you should be present for this, James, as it is really all about you. I can call you James, can't I?" Fudge asked, smiling at James widely.
James did not answer the question. He wasn't stupid; he knew what was going on. Fudge was trying to become friendly with James, though admittedly James was not to sure of why.
When James did not answer his question, Fudge cast a glance at Umbridge whose own eyes stand fixed on James. From Umbridge Fudge's eyes moved to Dumbledore who was still smiling politely, though he looked as though he knew what James and Fudge were thinking and found the whole thing rather funny.
"Right, well. Dumbledore, why don't you share with us your findings?" Fudge said at last. Dumbledore inclined his head.
"Yes of course, Minster." He answered.
"Weasley, are you ready?" Fudge asked, looking at someone behind James. For the first time since entering the office, James broke his Auror training and turned his head so he could see to whom Fudge was speaking. James saw that it was the scribe who had been present at his questioning. James recognized the name 'Weasley' and wondered which Weasley kid this was, and why a member of the Weasley family would be working so close to Fudge at a time like this.
"Yes, sir." The young Weasley said perching his quill on the parchment he had resting on his knee.
"After searching through Hogwart's library and my own personal library, I was unsuccessful in finding any spells that could have been the cause for James to have been kept alive as he was." Dumbledore said. Fudge rounded on him.
"You mean to tell me that you called me hear to say you don't know what happened? I am most sorry for this James," Fudge said, his tone changing from the harsh one he directed at Dumbledore, to one an uncle would us to his favorite nephew has he addressed James. "If you will come back to the Ministry, we have people that will be more adapt to find out what was done to you."
There it was. That was the reason Fudge was being so friendly toward James. He had come to Hogwarts hoping that James would leave it with him. Maybe even hating or disbelieving Dumbledore along the way.
"You are to hasty Cornelius." Dumbledore said politely. "My inability to find any spell in the library's I have searched leads to the explanation that Lord Voldemort created the spell himself. There were several spells that I found that were similar in some ways to the one that was performed on James, but they were not the same. I believe that it was a combination of the Bewitched Sleep spell and Alimonium. The first make James appear to be dead, the second allowing him to be under the first for as long as he was without dying of lack of essential nourishment." Dumbledore said.
"Why did these spells wear off now though?" Fudge asked. James had a suspicion that Fudge only knew what one of those spells was; not many did know about Alimonium. This spell provided the person it was cast on to, as Dumbledore said, get the essential nourishment needed to survive. It was a spell that been used less and less as Wizards began to take House-Elves with them when they went away for battles thus tending to deaths cause by lack of food and water.
"To that question, I have no answer. I do not believe it was planed however, for fourteen is an oddly specific time period; and of course Voldemort had planned that he would be able to collect James' body before he Disapparated." Dumbledore said.
"Well," Fudge said, bouncing on his feet as he looked from Dumbledore to James, who had been silent through out this whole meeting. "James, if you are unsatisfied with Dumbledore's opinion, the Ministry would be happy,"
"Why wouldn't I be happy with Dumbledore's opinion?" James asked with a raised eyebrow. For a moment or two, Fudge seemed to be unable to come up with a reason. Umbridge had to step in and say something for him.
"The Ministry can give you a second opinion. So that we can all be sure of what was done to you." She said.
"And why am I needed at the Ministry for them to conduct a check of what Albus believes happened?" James asked, purposely saying Albus instead of Dumbledore so they would clearly get the message of where his loyalties lay.
"For the same reason that you were needed at Hogwarts." Fudge responded.
"I came to Hogwarts yes to be here to answer any questions Albus might have, but also to be with my son." James said firmly.
"Yes but," Fudge started to say, but James had just about had enough.
"Minster, forgive me, but I was in the middle of something before Professor Umbridge told me my presence was requested. Albus' account for what was done to me seems completely logical and I accept it as what happened." James said, speaking in a professional manner. "Is there anything else that I can help you with?"
"Yes, James there is. If you would just step out into of the office with me for a moment," Fudge said, walking past James and gesturing toward the door. "No Weasley stay here." Fudge said, has the scribe stood up to follow. Seeing no way to avoid it, James followed. Once they were out of the office and a few steps way from the doors, Fudge began to speak.
"It pains me to be the one to tell you this James, for I am sure that you have not been told yet, but Dumbledore has been losing 'it' lately." Fudge said.
"'It'?" James questioned.
"Yes, well he has been getting senile. And as a result of it he has been voted out of the Chairmanship of the International Confederation of Wizards, he has been demoted from Chief Warlock on the Wizengamot and there has even been some discussion about his Order of Merlin, First Class being taken away." Fudge said. James was aware that the Ministry was discrediting Dumbledore, Remus and Sirius had filled him in on it during his period at Grimmauld Place.
"Yes, I was already aware of the positions that had been taken away from Albus." James said.
"Then you know who you are putting your trust into? Dumbledore has been causing a lot of trouble lately James. Trying to scare people with talk of the imposable. You taking his word like this might put you in the same boat with him. I would hate to see you in that situation."
"This talk of the imposable that Dumbledore has been trying to scare people with, that would be Voldemort's return I am guessing?" James said coolly, trying to ignore the shudder Fudge gave at the sound of Voldemort's the name.
"Yes, quite the crackpot idea isn't it?" Fudge said, trying to laugh, but failing upon seeing the look on James' face.
"Dumbledore's word is based upon my son's word." James said. Fudge's face paled a little. "I am putting my trust into Dumbledore's opinion. And I am also basing my beliefs upon my son's word."
"And that is your decision." Fudge said, or maybe he question, James was not sure.
"It is."
"Very well then. Remember that I warned you." Fudge said stonily.
"So long as you remember that we warned you, Minister."
As James walked away from Dumbledore's office, he checked his watch. It was a quarter to ten, past curfew; meaning Harry would be back in Gryffindor Tower by now and that continuing his search for his son would be pointless. With a sigh, James made his destination his Quarters.
During that little meeting, only a few good things happened. The largest being that the Ministry should give him some space now, the next being that he had made his position on Dumbledore's side known. Other then that it had been uneventful. He had not even been able to bring something about Umbridge's suspected treatment of Harry up. James guessed that would have to wait for their meeting which was to be held on Friday, which was in three days time. Just as James was making his way up a set of stairs, he thoughts about what he would say and do to Umbridge during their meeting were blown from his mind as he saw Sirius' Patronus coming toward him. Once the Griffin was level with James, he heard a Sirius whisper something as clearly as though he himself was standing next to James on the steps.
'It's alright,' Sirius said. 'You can come back to the Quarters.'
Once it's owners message was done the Griffin faded away, leaving James once again standing alone on the stairs. Moving a little quicker now, James continued his way to the Quarters. He guessed that Sirius saying that he could come back meant that Sirius had spoken to Harry and was able to tell him that James had been speaking about Snape. Maybe it was better that Harry heard it from Sirius and not from James, they did seem to be close.
"Wendy." James said to the painting of the Lost Boys, who were all sleeping.
"Mmhmm," Peter mumbled sleepily before the painting swung forward.
"You talked to him?" James asked as soon as he entered and saw Sirius sitting in front of the fire.
"Yeah, I found him and talked to him. Set him right with the whole eavesdropping thing as well." Sirius said, not taking his eyes off of the fire.
"Thank Merlin for that." James said, falling onto the couch and running a hand over his face. "Did he say why he thought I was talking about him?" James asked.
"He said that he was just waiting for the floor to fall out from under him." Sirius said, eyes still staying on the fire.
James frowned at this. He didn't like the idea that Harry felt that way. But, with everything that Harry had gone through, James could not really blame him. Hell, when James had first started dating Lily he felt that same way. Lost in his own thoughts, James fell victim to the fire and began to stare at it burning the logs in the grate. Sirius however, pulled his eyes away from the fire for the first time since James had entered, and looked at his best friend.
Sirius opened his mouth, was about to speak…and then closed his mouth. He didn't want to voice these thoughts to James and worry or upset him. And there was no way he could avoid that if he told James that he might be the reason Harry is having a hard time adjusting to having a father.
"I need to write an owl." Sirius said suddenly. James looked around at him. "And I think I'm gonna head in after I write it."
"Okay." James said, knowing that if Sirius didn't say who he was writing to, he didn't want to say. "I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Yeah." Sirius said, getting up and heading up stairs to the study.
Torches flickered to life as Sirius walked into the large room and headed over to the desk. He wasn't sure when he had decided to write a letter to her. In fact, Sirius couldn't even remember considering it. The words just poured out of his mouth. Sitting down behind the desk, Sirius picked up a quill that lay there and began opening draws looking for parchment. Finding it, he pulled out a piece and dipped his quill in the ink that was also already on the desk. With a moments hesitation, Sirius placed the quill tip to the parchment and began to write.
After he had finished the letter and read it over a few times, Sirius folded it and sealed it with a tap of his wand. Unsure of how he should proceed next, Sirius called for the Quarters House-Elf.
"Doddy," he said clearly into the empty room. A second after he spoke however, the room was no longer empty. With a crack, Doddy the House-Elf had appeared out of thin air.
"Sir calls for Doddy?" The House-Elf said while bowing.
"Yes." Sirius said, standing from behind the desk and walking around it. "I need to mail this letter, tonight. Do you think you could get it to an owl for me?" Sirius asked.
"Yes sir." Doddy said, reaching out for the letter Sirius had held out for him. Doddy glanced at the letter, then glanced up at Sirius. "Sir has not put who the letter is meant for so the owl knows sir. But if sir wishes, sir can tell Doddy, and Doddy will tell the owl where it is to go with sirs letter." Doddy said, sounding fearful that he had spoke out of turn.
"You can tell the owl." Sirius said kindly, smiling at Doddy. "The letter is for Paige Summers."
A.N- A bit of a wait between, but out much sooner then it took for the last chapter. You guys are really, really great. Really, I mean it. After such a long wait you guys were still reading, and that makes my heart beat. Thank you for reading, and thank you so, so soooo much for reviewing.
To keep my A.N's a little shorter, I'm going to (hopefully) put some of my thoughts about this chapter in my profile tomorrow. Not tonight because, as usual when I make a update, I have some school work that I have put off to the last minute.
So check it out tomorrow night.
Hit that button please, drop a line, and make me have something to look forward to when I get home from school tomorrow.
Till next time!