Chapter 6 – Adjustments
The next day Sirius woke and went downstairs to find Harry dressed for the office. Quisi was serving breakfast and quickly filled Sirius' plate. As he sat, Harry pushed a newspaper across the table. On the front was an old picture of Sirius from his school days. The article was titled 'Sirius Black Returns from Beyond'. Sirius skimmed it and was surprised that the majority of the details were correct. The article mentioned the possibility of some kind of time travel, but was scarce on details. As Quisi set his breakfast in front of him, Sirius looked up at Harry and Ginny.
"Well, they got the details mainly correct. I'm glad we made the house calls yesterday. That picture is ancient, but at least they didn't use my mug shot."
"So, you're alright with it Sirius?"
"Yes Ginny, I'm fine with the article. It was bound to happen. I've had much worse printed about me."
Harry chuckled. "So Sirius, what are your plans now?"
"Honestly Harry, I haven't thought about it. Eventually I'll need to find a job of course. I never really had a job. I left Hogwarts during the first war and lived off my inheritance while working with the Order. After that I was a prisoner. Then I escaped and became a fugitive. I've never had a chance to think about the normal things of life like a job. I was happily surprised when Hermione first told me all charges were cleared on me. That makes things easier."
"Of course the charges were cleared Sirius. Ron and I both contributed our memories from the Shrieking Shack for review by the Wizengamot investigators. Once they saw the exchange with you, Remus and Peter they were fairly quick to clear everything. Of course, that had to wait until after Voldemort's death. Anyway, no need to rush on getting a job. You've got a place to stay and money. Which reminds me…"
Harry drew a small pouch out of his pocket and settled it in front of Sirius.
"There's around two hundred galleons there Sirius. If you need more, we can withdraw it. This should provide you a bit of 'running around' money as my Aunt Petunia used to say. Now, I'd love to stay, but duty calls. Have a good day."
Harry gave Ginny a long kiss and left to floo to the Ministry. Sirius finished his breakfast while he and Ginny talked. After breakfast, Sirius returned to his room and sat on the bed, contemplating what to do next. After a few minutes, he decided to quit moping and get out. Years earlier he had been forced to stay in Grimmauld Place. Now that he was able to leave, he was determined to exercise his freedom. With no other ideas, Sirius took the floo to the Leaky Cauldron and made his way to Diagon Alley. As soon as he started down the street, Sirius became aware of the stares and whispers. He hadn't considered his celebrity status and found the attention disconcerting.
One of Sirius' first stops was at Ollivander's. His wand had been lost sometime during the battle in the Department of Mysteries. Sirius didn't know if it had gone through the veil with him, but if it had, it hadn't come back out with him. As he stepped into the shop, Sirius saw the familiar man perched on a stool. Garrick Ollivander had been old when Sirius had purchased his first wand years earlier. Now the man looked ancient, except for his eyes. The deep blue eyes still displayed a spark that denied his years. As Sirius crossed over to talk to him, someone else emerged from the back storeroom. She was a petite willowy blond, no more than twenty years old and intensely beautiful. Something about her seemed familiar and Sirius took a moment to place the thought. Then he remembered a picture at the Burrow of Bill and his wife Fleur. The girl was Bill's wife, but what was she doing here? As he pondered, Sirius smiled and said hello to Ollivander and then the girl. Ollivander spoke up with a surprising firmness to his voice.
"Ah, Sirius Black. I had heard of your return. A man who has crossed time and boundaries unknown. You would need a new wand, better suited to the man here before me than the student I first met some thirty years ago. Come, let us investigate. This is my assistant, Gabrielle."
Sirius was puzzled. He could have sworn the woman was the same as he had seen in the pictures at the Burrow. His puzzled expression caused Gabrielle to question him.
"Mr. Black, is there a problem? We will find you a wand. Mr. Ollivander never fails."
"Sorry, it's just, I am a bit confused. I thought you were someone else. My apologies."
"Ah, yes, perhaps you thought I was Fleur? She is my sister. I read in the paper that you were part of the Order of the Phoenix, so you would be friends with the Weasleys. Come, let us find you a wand."
Mr. Ollivander leaned forward on his stool and took Sirius' hands in his own, turning them over and back several times. Then he turned to Gabrielle and whispered briefly. The witch glided out of the main shop and reappeared with three boxes. One by one, Sirius picked them up, but none seemed right. Gabrielle leaned in and whispered to the old man. He nodded enthusiastically and she left to retrieve another wand while Ollivander spoke to Sirius.
"The right wand for you is a bit elusive, but Gabrielle has an idea and she may be right. I have been looking for an apprentice for many years. I had almost given up finding someone with the inherent qualities to understand and craft wands. It was during the last month before the Battle of Hogwarts when I was staying with Bill and Fleur that Fleur mentioned her sister's unique abilities. Once the war was over and Gabrielle had finished her schooling, I met her briefly and knew that I had finally found my apprentice. Beneath the beautiful part-veela exterior, Gabrielle has unique magic. I only hope to last long enough to teach her everything she needs to know. Ah, here she is."
Gabrielle returned and set a single box in front of Sirius. He opened it knew immediately that his wand had found him. Reaching into the box, Sirius took the dark wand gently in his hand. The result was instantaneous. He cast a few simple spells at Ollivander's request and the old man smiled.
"Very well done Gabrielle. Your instincts are true. Mr. Black, this wand is a unique combination and one of the last wands I've created. Twelve and a half inches, ebony and dragon heartstring. Except not just any dragon. I had the rare opportunity to procure hearstrings from a Ukrainian Ironbelly. They are notoriously vicious, even for their kind, especially in defending their kin. They are also quite rare. What you hold in your hand is a wand of uncommon strength. It will require a wizard to match it, which you obviously are. I've had this wand waiting for many years. It's always a pleasure when one of my specials finds its home."
Sirius smiled and gripped the wand tighter. As much as Sirius had loved his first wand, this new wand was something different and it felt completely right for who he now was. He paid for the wand, thanked Ollivander and Gabrielle and stepped back into Diagon Alley.
Sirius made his way to the end of the street and easily found Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, with its garish orange and magenta paint scheme. Sirius proceeded inside and immediately forgot about the stares and whispers. The shop was fantastic. Sirius was tempted by several items, but realized that he had no use for them. As he made his way around, a familiar voice called to him. Turning around, Sirius saw George beckoning to him and crossed over to him.
"Sirius! I heard you were back. Merlin's beard what a surprise! How are you doing?"
"Hi George. I'm fine. A bit intimidated at how many people seem to recognize me. I'm still trying to settle back in."
"Well, you're the first time-traveling wizard I've met. And I've met some strange people. So I can understand why everyone's fascinated. Did you meet anyone interesting during your time travels? Merlin? Godric Gryffindor? Emeric the Unwise?"
Sirius laughed. "No George, afraid I didn't. Or, if I did, I can't remember. Everything is blank. My memory goes from falling into the arch to laying on a beach in Indonesia."
"Hmm, well, I guess there are worse places to end up. Oh, Verity needs me for something, gotta run. Will you be at dinner on Sunday at the Burrow?"
"Well, I haven't been invited. Who's going to be there?"
"All the family, which means you too. Forget the invite. If you don't show, mum would just send one of us to collect you."
"Alright, then yes, I'll see you Sunday."
George waved as he left Sirius and made his way back to attend to customers. The crowd was beginning to wear on Sirius so he left the shop and wandered back down Diagon Alley. More people continued to stop and whisper and Sirius had finally had enough, but before he left he decided to make one more stop, swinging back around to make his way to Gringotts. Once inside, Sirius took the galleons that Harry had given him and changed some for pounds sterling. Then he left the bank and Diagon Alley to wander the streets of London. As he wandered the city, Sirius finally began to settle as no one on the street stopped to whisper or stare. Among Muggles he was just another anonymous stranger, which was quite fine with Sirius.
After a few hours, he made his way back to Grimmauld in the mid-afternoon. Quisi greeted him, but otherwise the house was empty. With nothing else to do, Sirius went to the library to find a book to read and got a bit of a shock. On one of the library walls was a watercolor landscape picture that was very familiar to Sirius. He moved closer to the painting and pleasant memories flooded back. The painting depicted a meadow of lightly swaying flowers with a small creek running under some rustling trees and a group of houses in the distance. The houses were actually the south side of Godric's Hollow and the meadow was outside James' parents' home. Sirius knew the scene well, as he had painted the picture. The thing that surprised him was that the picture hadn't been destroyed. His parents always hated Sirius' painting hobby and when he had returned to the house in exile, Sirius found pieces of his old paintings burned in a fireplace. Not that he was too surprised considering that his mother had scorched him off the family tree. Somehow she must have missed this one picture. After a few minutes, Sirius pulled away from it and went to find the book he had come for.
Ginny was home a couple hours later, pushing James in a pram and carrying several bags of groceries. Sirius helped her unload everything and then settled into a chair with a sleepy James. He was happy to have them back and realized that he really didn't like having the house empty. He wanted to be around people, just not strangers treating him like an attraction at the zoo. Harry came home a while later and before long the small family was settled at the dinner table. As they began to eat, Sirius decided to mention the painting.
"So, I was in the library this afternoon to find a book to read. You've got a nice selection by the way. I'm glad that you cleared out all of the dark mess that my parents used to have. Anyway, I noticed the watercolor you have in there. I was wondering where it came from?"
Harry finished chewing and looked up at his godfather. "Oh, we found that behind a wall in the storeroom. It looked like it had been on a shelf and slid down behind everything. It's quite nice, isn't it? I wish it was signed. I'd like to know who the artist is."
"Oh, well, I can help you there Harry. The artist is sitting across the table from you. I was surprised that one of my paintings survived my mum. She hated them."
"What? I didn't know you painted. And you're good as well."
"Thanks Harry, but it's just something I once dabbled in. It used to help relax me. You probably don't realize, but the scene in the picture was painted from the perspective of your grandparents' garden, looking across the fields to Godric's Hollow. I painted it the summer I ran away from here to move in with the Potters."
Harry was quiet for a moment. He hadn't realized. The painting was beautiful in its own right, but now it had special meaning.
"Sirius, I know you are still adjusting to your return, but you should consider painting again. It's not like you have a lot of pressing concerns demanding your time. Also, will you sign the painting?"
"Sure Harry. And I'll think about your idea. I do indeed have time."
The rest of dinner passed with the conversation mainly centering on Harry's job and some of the work the Aurors were involved with. After dinner they retired to the living room and played a couple of matches of wizard's chess. That evening when Sirius went to bed, he laid awake thinking about the painting, his teenage years at the Potters and the idea of taking up his hobby again. Eventually though, the excellent bed lulled Sirius into a sound sleep.
The next day found Sirius once again escaping into Muggle London. He wandered aimlessly, going the opposite direction as the previous day. Without realizing it, he was soon in the neighborhood surrounding the Ministry. While the people on the street made a point of dressing like Muggles, there were small clues that showed Sirius the truth. He also realized that the stares and whispers had returned. It was almost lunchtime, so Sirius ducked into a small cafe to grab a sandwich. As he read the menu board, a voice behind him called his name. Turning around, Sirius smiled at Hermione.
"Hi Hermione. You look nice. Lunch break?"
"Thanks. And yes, I escaped the office for once. I'm starved."
"Well then, want to have lunch with me? I've just been wandering the London streets by myself. I wouldn't mind some company."
"Hmm, alright Sirius, I guess I will. I honestly was just going to grab something and go back to the office. I suppose I can allow myself a bit of time."
"Yes you can. I haven't been back long, but I think I've already determined that you work too hard."
Hermione shrugged and they made their way to the counter to place their orders. Then they found a table and sat down to wait for the order. Sirius didn't have anything monumental to discuss, so he drew Hermione out and soon she was discussing her work in detail. Sirius found himself intrigued. Hermione had grown into a beautiful and very successful witch. The food arrived and the topic of discussion switched to current events. Sirius had read a couple of cast aside Muggle newspapers so he was able to carry the discussion without feeling like a time traveling out-of-touch fool. Hermione had a firm grasp on Muggle events and the subtle correlations between them and events in the wizarding world. Soon the food was gone and almost an hour had passed with neither of them having realized.
"Oh, look at the time. I'm sorry Sirius, but I have to run. I have a meeting in a half hour and I have to pull together some documents. Thanks for lunch. It was good talking to you."
Hermione rose from the table, leaned over, pecked Sirius on the cheek and disappeared out of the cafe. Sirius stayed there for a few minutes longer, thinking about the young witch and how much he enjoyed her company. 'But she's much too young. And she's Harry's best friend. And you have nothing to offer someone like her.' Sirius thought to himself as he left the table and resumed his wanderings.
The next day Sirius decided that he had seen enough of London for a while and made his way back to Diagon Alley to pick up a few things. Taking Harry's advice, Sirius purchased painting supplies and returned to Grimmauld Place to begin practicing a hobby that he had left behind many years previous. He spent the rest of the day engrossed in his practices and was surprised when Quisi announced that dinner was ready.
The next couple of days continued much the same for Sirius. He spent a great deal of time painting and occasionally went wandering for an hour or two. Evenings at home with Harry and his family were pleasant. Sirius knew that it couldn't last forever. Eventually Harry's family wouldn't want him hanging around all the time. Soon, the week drew to a close and it was time for dinner at the Burrow.
Sirius followed Harry and Ginny through the floo to the Burrow. When he landed, he was immediately assailed by the sights and smells of the Burrow. Molly had four pots simmering, sheets of biscuits cooling and several pans squeezed into the oven. Through the kitchen window, Sirius heard screams and laughter. Then two children ran through the kitchen, each grabbing a biscuit on the way by while their grandmother scolded them half-heartedly. Sirius smiled, it was good to be back with all the Weasleys.
Sirius followed Molly's orders and made his way out to the garden, where Arthur waited with a baby in one arm and a basket of butterbeers in the other. Sirius took the basket and begin to pass out the butterbeers as requested. As soon as he set the basket down, a beautiful dark skinned woman came over carrying a small baby. She was looking over her shoulder shouting at someone else and looked a bit flustered. She turned back around to Sirius and smiled.
"Hi, you must be Sirius. I'm Angie, George's wife. I need to go help George. I think Charlie's got him pinned to the tree. Here…"
With that, Angie deposited the baby in Sirius' arms, turned and began to jog across the garden to her husband. Sirius looked down and the small boy smiled up at him. He had beautiful caramel skin and a shock of curly hair that was an unusual mid-brown-red color. He looked up at Sirius and smiled a brilliant grin that showed off two freshly arrived teeth. Sirius couldn't help himself as he smiled back and began to make faces at the boy. A minute later Arthur appeared and laughed at Sirius.
"Ha! You haven't been here ten minutes and you've already got a babe in arms."
"Indeed Arthur, but can you introduce me to who I'm holding? Angie introduced herself quickly before depositing this delightful fellow, but he can't tell me who he is."
Arthur laughed. "That's Fred you're holding. Beautiful isn't he? The mixture of George and Angie's coloring is quite unique."
Sirius smiled. Fred. That made sense considering he was George's son. Sirius wondered if this boy would be as much trouble as his namesake. Sirius saw a twinkle in his eye that made him think the likelihood was high. As Sirius spoke to Arthur, Molly joined them in the garden and called everyone to dinner. Sirius gave Fred back to his father and made his way to a seat between Harry and Hermione.
Dinner was easy and laid-back as everyone gradually made their way through the many dishes of Molly's excellent cooking. Sirius leaned back and moaned in appreciation at the same time Harry did and several people laughed at their satisfied chorus. Everyone was readily accepting of Sirius' return, although Ron still kept looking down the table at Sirius with a strange look. Sirius hadn't had a chance to talk to Ron directly and made a mental note to do so. As the last rays of twilight dimmed into blackness, Arthur and Charlie waved their wands to light extra lanterns as the final dessert course appeared on the table. Sirius saw the biscuits that he had eyed in the kitchen earlier and reached for one. At the same time Hermione did the same and their fingers touched briefly. That barely glancing touch sent a strange bit of electricity up Sirius' arm. Pulling away, he politely deferred in favor of ladies first. Hermione thanked him while suppressing a small shudder resulting from Sirius' touch. After dessert, couples with small children began slowly leaving, including Harry and Ginny. Sirius opted to stay a while longer and went to talk to Ron and meet his girlfriend, Chrissy.
As Sirius approached, Ron stood up and pulled Chrissy to his side. Sirius held out his hand and accepted the introductions.
"So Ron, I understand you are running a the Wheezes branch in Hogsmeade. Sounds like business is good. I have to say, being gone nearly seven years and coming back to find all of you grown and successful takes a bit of adjustment."
"I'm sure Sirius, but it goes both ways. When Harry sent me the news that you were back, I wasn't sure what to think. If George had sent it to me, I never would have believed it. Since it was Harry, I knew better. Still, part of me is standing here talking to you just fine and another part of me wants to be slapped awake, knowing this must be a dream. You look exactly the same."
"I understand Ron. And from what Hermione's research surmised, I've skipped nearly seven years of aging. Not really the best solution to aging though."
"I suppose not Sirius. So, I know you're settling back in, but you should come visit the shop in Hogsmeade. George said you'd been to Diagon. We've got a small place in Godric's Hollow as well. Jimmy Peakes manages the shop. He's a fellow Gryffindor, several years behind me. Our next expansion is in the works in Dublin. Seamus Finnegan is working on that with us. Also Gryffindor, same year as Harry and me."
"I will definitely have to come visit Ron. Sounds like Wheezes is keeping a good portion of Gryffindors employed."
Ron laughed, then quickly excused himself and Chrissy when he saw his mother looking around the garden for help with cleanup. Sirius snorted at his quick disappearance and turned around to offer Molly his help. Molly assigned him clearing duties and Sirius drew his wand to begin stacking plates and sending them into the kitchen. Once the tables were clear, Sirius entered the Burrow and found Hermione orchestrating the dish washing. As she waved her wand, the dishes made their way through a cycle of rinsing, washing, rinsing and drying. The process was a choreographed ballet of dishes and silverware and Sirius stood back to marvel at Hermione's skill.
Hermione looked over, saw Sirius smiling at her and felt a strange flush. Pushing it down, she raised an eyebrow in question.
"Problem Sirius?"
"Huh? Oh, no, no problem Hermione. Just watching the show. That's some amazing wandwork. I could maybe handle two or three, but anymore and it would be a catastrophe."
"It's really just a matter of practice. Molly is the real master. She taught all of us."
"Well, I'm impressed. You'll have the pile complete in no time at the rate you're going. It's hard to believe how many dishes the Weasleys and extended family can stack up. I really enjoyed this tonight. I can't believe how much the family has grown."
Hermione snorted. "Yes, after the war everyone started to pair off quickly. For a couple of years it seemed like I spent the whole summer going to weddings for all my friends. Then of course the babies started arriving. Minerva said the same thing happened after the first war. Death seems to bring out some kind of primal instinct."
"And yet, the three primary combatants from the war have all waited longer. Of course, Harry and Ginny are well on their way. From what Ginny has said, it sounds like she has it all mapped out for the next five years."
"Well, that's Ginny. Honestly, she and Harry would have started sooner if she hadn't been playing Quidditch. As for Ron…well I have a few ideas there, but let's not even start that."
"And what about you Hermione? You're brilliant, successful, beautiful. I can only imagine dozens of wizards must be lining up."
"Ha! Not quite. Anyway, I have my work."
Hermione finished the last of the dishes and turned to go find Molly, making it clear to Sirius that the subject was closed. Sirius took the cue and went back out to the garden. Everything else had been finished while Sirius was inside, so he said his goodbyes and floo'd back to Grimmauld.