Chapter 2: You're Not Going!

Harry opened one eye and saw that Sirius was still sound asleep next to him. His long black hair covered half his face. He was relived to see his Godfather there next to him. For a moment he was afraid Fudge would take back his word. Sirius stirred a bit and then jolted straight up, panting. He looked around and let out a sigh of relief, before laying back down.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked quietly.

Sirius jumped up, startled. He hadn't realized Harry was awake. He decided he may as well lie rather than worry Harry with his stupid little problems. It's not like Harry needed to know he was having nightmares. He thought Poppy gave him dreamless sleep potion, so it was odd he still had a nightmare. 'Guess that potion wears off after a few hours' Sirius thought.

"Yeah, fine. Why?"

"You just seemed a bit tense…" Harry shrugged.

"I guess I'm a bit nervous about the trial right now, that's all," Sirius said.

"They'll clear you. I know they will. They have to with all the evidence against Wormtail now."

"I hope so, but with Fudge you never know."

Harry silently agreed, but still wanted to believe Sirius would definitely be freed. Fudge could be so annoying some times. He knew Sirius was innocent. He saw Pettigrew himself. Why he wouldn't just let Sirius be free was beyond Harry.

Madam Pomfrey came out carrying a blue potion, clearly hearing Harry and Sirius talking. She handed it to Sirius who stared at her a moment questioningly. He was really feeling fine. He may even be better then fine. That was probably one of his best nights of sleep since before he went to Azkaban.

"It's to help you build up your strength again, Mr. Black. You're still looking a bit weak."

Sirius nodded and drank the potion. He felt a bit light headed for a moment, then it passed. He suddenly realized he was really hungry. He hadn't eaten anything the day before, too worried about both Buckbeak's injury and Harry's safety. That kid alone could really make a guy go crazy sometimes. Always going off doing something life threatening.

Before he could even ask for something to eat, Sirius realized he already had food before him. He looked around and noticed Harry standing beside his bed.

"Sirius?" Harry asked for what must have been the nineteenth time.

"Huh?" Sirius said, finally hearing him.

"Just making sure you were still in there. I've been calling your name for a few minutes.

"Oh, sorry, Harry. I was thinking."

They both sat there, eating in silence. Harry wanted to say so much to his Godfather, but he couldn't do it. He had missed him so much. But he'd worried him so much too, he was sure of that. Sirius could have been killed yesterday evening, and Harry knew it. There were just so many close calls.

"I'm sorry, Sirius."

"For what, Harry?" he asked.

"For making you risk your life for me, getting you caught yesterday, being such an inconvenience for you, stressing you out with all the things I do-"

"Harry, if anything, I should probably be thanking you right now. If you hadn't ran off last night to the Department of Mysteries, Fudge still would be denying Voldemort's presence and I'd never get a trial. I'd never have the chance of being free. I'm curious though as to what the Hell made you feel the need to go there last night."

Harry fumbled with a loose thread on Sirius' bed for a minute. Harry felt so stupid he fell for it. Sirius would think he was so stupid for going. Hermione said it was a trick, but Harry went anyway. But maybe Sirius would understand what Harry was going though yesterday.

"I- I saw you being tortured. I thought it was real," Harry mumbled.

Sirius heard him clearly though. He sighed deeply. He was flattered Harry cared that much about him, but Harry shouldn't have even had that vision. Why couldn't he have mastered Occlumency like he was suppose to? And how did Harry get there anyhow?

"Harry-"

"I know it's stupid. I should have listened to Hermione, but after that vision with Mr. Weasley getting bit, I was afraid this one was real too… And I didn't want you to get hurt, Sirius."

"Why didn't you just check if I was home first?"

"I did, and Kreacher said you'd gone out!"

"What?! That filthy piece of-"

"Look, it's my fault. I shouldn't have believed him. I should have just listened to Hermione. She said Voldemort was just playing on my 'Love of being the hero,' but I didn't listen. I went to the Department of Mysteries anyway. And she was right, wasn't she?"

"Harry-"

"I knew she was right, but I had to make sure-"

"Harry-"

"But I was wrong and I almost got you killed and now you could get a Dementor's Kiss and-"

"Harry!"

Harry stopped. Sirius never had to scream his name before, so it kind of startled him.

"What?"

"Look, I'm not mad at you. I'm not disappointed in you either. You did what your heart told you to do, and if anything, I'm proud of you for that. But I do think you should be a bit more careful in the future."

Harry nodded.

He wasn't really in the mood to argue with his Godfather anymore. He'd caused enough trouble as it is despite what Sirius claimed. Harry knew he was mad he had ran off, he just wasn't showing it. Maybe it was just the fact that he left trying to help Sirius that made Sirius have his soft side about it. 'Yeah, that's it' Harry decided.

"About your trial…" Harry said suddenly, hoping he picked a good time.

"You not going," Sirius said immediately, knowing what Harry was going to ask.

"Why can't I go?" Harry asked, anger rising, abandoning his plan of not arguing. "You don't think I'm old enough to go to trial?"

"I- I just don't want you going, okay?"

"But I want to be there for you! Why can't I? That's not fair!"

"I don't want you there. What if they don't clear me, Harry? The Dementors will be there. I don't want you to see me get the Kiss."

"But they will clear you!"

"You can't be sure of that," Sirius said solemnly.

"Then I want to be able to say goodbye at least!" Harry yelled.

"Harry, you're not going."

"You can't stop me from going."

"Actually, being your Godfather, I can."

"I- you- That's so unfair! I'm almost sixteen!" Harry raged, kicking the nightstand roughly and stomping off to the other side of the room.

The were both quiet, knowing they were furious with each other. As they finished their breakfast, Harry couldn't help but notice that Sirius kept glancing over at the two guard Aurors. It was as if Sirius were scared of them… But, no, Sirius was never scared. He always seemed so brave. Harry heard a clink and looked up immediately. He eyes locked onto the body of his Potion's Professor, Severus Snape.

"Well, well, looks like precious Potter has been saved once again. And in the company of none other than his Godfather too."

"Shut up," Harry spat.

"What do you want, Snivellus?" Sirius asked coolly.

"You make it sound as though I want to be in here right now. I assure you I'd rather not be," Snape said smoothly, "and I suggest you be a bit nicer Potter. If Gryffindor wasn't out of points, I'd be taking them away right now. For your information, I'm the one who warned the Order of your little expedition to the Department of Mysteries last night."

"What?! But you acted like you didn't know what I was talking about!"

"How thick are you, Potter? I couldn't let Umbridge know I knew what you meant. And speaking of Umbridge, Dumbledore went to get her from the forest a few hours ago. She's recovering at St. Mungo's now. The Ministry felt it was -unsafe- To keep her here with Black."

"Because, you know, I'm so dangerous," Sirius said sarcastically. "Believe me, I wouldn't want her here anyway."

Harry still wasn't satisfied with Snape. He'd given Veritaserum to Umbridge so she could question him. Luckily, Harry had remembered Moody's words and didn't drink it. He could have though, and Sirius could have been caught.

"Why should I thank you? You gave Umbridge Veritaserum! Who knows what I would have told her had I drunken it."

"Fake Veritaserum, Potter," Snape corrected. "Only a fool would brew her the real thing. It wouldn't have done anything."

Harry was out of things to yell at Snape for. Sure, Snape hated him, but the feeling was mutual there, so that'd be a losing argument. Snape was a Death Eater, but Dumbledore trusted him, so that wouldn't go far either. And it was Harry's own fault Snape quit giving him Occlumency lessons. He settled for one last glare at Snape before sitting in a chair beside Sirius, forgetting about their previous argument.

"What is it you came here for?" Sirius asked again.

"Dumbledore asked me to retrieve Potter for him. He wants to have a word with him. Why anyone would want to talk to this brat is beyond me."

Harry just sat there for a moment, not really registering what Snape said in his mind. The trial was still on his mind.

"I haven't got all day, Potter," Snape spat. "Let's go."

Harry got up slowly and followed Snape's billowing black robes out the door, still thinking about the trial. He wasn't going to listen to Sirius. He would find a way to get to the trial.