Pokes head in slowly.

Hi, is anyone still wanting to see what happened here?

I hope so, I still want to see, so I am writing it :)

Small little problem

I can't decide which way I want to go with the story.

I am completely torn between two different options.

Sirius staying with Mel, or Sirius leaving Mel.

Both change the story and the end DRASTICALLY. And I don't know what to do.

I am posting this, and it isn't long but I wanted you to have something. So bear with me.

I just don't know what path we are on. I'm sorry,

Once I figure it out, this story will be done in a matter of months.

But…good news is that updates will be regular now because I have my stories back.

Just, which way to go here is eluding me.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE REVIEWS! I am astounded, you are all amazing.

I AM NOT JKR

Chapter 24

Shattered

The last two weeks had been hard on everyone. Sirius was so tired that he could barely think at all, let alone think straight. Harry had been plagued with night terrors every time he fell asleep, to the point that the poor child was afraid to sleep. He looked like he was a breathing, speaking, inferius child. It was heartbreaking to watch.

Today found Sirius sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, Harry was sleeping wrapped around his godfather, his arms around his neck and legs around his waist. Sirius held him tightly to his chest, knowing that this had proven to be the only way to get the boy to sleep more than an hour at a time. So far he had been asleep for the last three hours and Sirius still kept rocking gently, never stopping. Mel sat in a chair at the bedside, her own eyes closed as she got a rare moment of sleep. Her face as pale and exhausted with dark circles under her eyes. He knew he looked the same. His mind was so clouded with thoughts and paths that he didn't know what to do from here.

This week it had been made evident just how close Harry had become to Mel. She was one of the few people that Harry was actually speaking to at all, even if it was only sporadic words here or there or while he was crying and begging them to change it all. She spoke more words of comfort to Harry than Sirius did, simply because he couldn't find the words to say to his son, his godson. He had run out of ways to tell him that there was no way to change the past and that he couldn't bring them back.

It was proving even harder to make Harry understand that there was nothing he could do. In Harry's mind, his daddy could do anything. Sirius made the world turn for all Harry was concerned, of course he would fix everything, he would make everyone come home. But Sirius could no sooner even begin to attempt to find Remus as he could bring back the dead. It was too late for him to help either. It had now been 15 days since the attack, and 15 days since anyone had seen or heard from Remus. And Sirius knew his friend, he knew that in the face of heartbreak, he would run and not look back. There was no question in his mind, he couldn't find his best friend. Remus would only be found, when he wanted to be found, there was no other choice. The only way Sirius would find him would be if he left and searched for ages, and to do that, he would have to leave Harry, and that, was just never going to happen.

They were awaiting the healer to come in soon. They had been kept here for so long because of Harry's condition. He had expended so much magical energy in making that explosion that he had nearly shattered his magical core, making his magic unstable, and volatile. He was far too young to know how to stabilize it himself, and there was something that was rendering his core even more unstable than the fact that he had completely drained it of all magic. The healers were baffled, and all of it only left Sirius more intent on getting Harry away and safe. Safe from anything that could possibly harm him again.

Just as Sirius' mind ran in another set of circles, keeping him from the decision he had yet to make, the door to the private, protected ward opened and Harry's healer came in.

"Mr. Black, how are you today?" he asked in a quiet voice, seeing that Harry was sleeping.

Mel's head popped up suddenly at the voice.

"He has been asleep for a few hours, they gave him a minor dose of dreamless sleep. I am hoping it lasts." Sirius whispered.

The healer nodded in understanding. "I have some news, not much, but some."

Mel sat up straighter in anticipation, Sirius gripped Harry tighter and practically held his breath.

"His magical core is drained completely, it will take months for it to fully replenish, more than that if he keeps spouting accidental magic like he is. Which is unusual as he is drained, he shouldn't have the ability to produce magic at all. Let alone the strength of it. Dumbledore has a theory that he won't share with any of us. He left suddenly the other day and I haven't seen him since."

Sirius narrowed his eyes slightly, he was still not happy with his former headmaster. "What should we be doing?" he asked quietly.

The healer shook his head. "Nothing, there is nothing that can be done, he is physically well. The goal right now would be to keep him from spouting magic, as it will only take longer for his core to replenish the more magic he does. Once his core restrengthens, it will take a lot of training and working with him to help him stabilize it. I think, the best course of action right now would be to bind his magic until his core replenishes."

"If we bind his magic he'll have no means of self- protection." Mel protested.

"That is not an option." Sirius stated firmly.

"Whatever is causing these bouts of rage from him and these bursts of magical energy has to be stopped, the only way to stop it is to bind him from creating magic, I think that a year should be sufficient. At the end of the year, whoever bound the magic can unbind it. I think it would be best if it was you or Dumbledore, as the binding and unbinding of magic can sometimes create a stronger bond between the two involved. It is not ideal, but it is necessary, he will just require more protection from those around him."

Sirius buried his face in Harry's hair. He closed his eyes and gripped the seven year old tight.

"As it is, he is healthy other than being depleted. And I am releasing him in two days time. After the binding is complete. If you choose not to bind his magic, I can not release him. If he uses magic and it expends anymore of his core, it could kill him. I am urging you to see that this is necessary and can not be avoided." He looked at Sirius and then Mel before turning and leaving the room.

Sirius turned his gaze to Mel, his blue eyes holding sadness and fear within them. "I don't want to bind his magic." He said quietly.

Mel frowned her eyes filled with tears. She stood up and walked to the bed, and sat upon it, leaning against Sirius's shoulder and rubbing Harry's hair softly.

"I don't want you to either, but I would rather have to increase protection than him accidentally kill himself." She said softly, looking down into the sleeping little boy that she loved as a son.

Sirius nodded once. "You're right…I know." He said quietly, his mind filtering through options.

Mel rested her head on his shoulder. "I am not leaving, nothing you say will ever make me leave you." She said, resolved in her decision.

Sirius leaned his cheek to the side, resting it on her head. "I know. "

"I love you Sirius, both you and Harry. You belong to me." She whispered, her tears sliding down her cheeks.

"We love you too Mel, more than you can imagine. " He kissed her head gently.

"I will not leave." She repeated.

Sirius sighed and closed his eyes, "I know, I know that you won't."