Disclaimer: Sadly still not mine *sigh*

Slash: DM/HP, soon but Harry's a little slow on the uptake

Chapter 11

Next day at school went much the same as the first. They were still very much a novelty only this time Harry wasn't dreading a trip to the morgue that night. Draco was anxious about letting Harry out of his sight after last night and kept on him until Harry finally snapped. "Draco if you don't go to class I am going to hex you." He relented at the hurt look from the blond and said softly, "I'll see you later alright." Draco nodded quickly before leaving for class.

They all met up after school in the library. Buffy had decided it was finally time to tell her new friends about the slayer.

"So what is a slayer exactly," Harry asked.

"A slayer is basically a girl born to every generation that has the special ability to fight vampires and demons. I have the strength of a vampire and the reflexes I can also sense when one is near."

"So let me get this straight," Harry said, "They have one girl to fight all of those demons and vampires. The whole thing is on your shoulders."

"Pretty much," Buffy responded, "but I have Giles he's my watcher it's his job to make sure I am able to do mine. And then there is my friends I wouldn't be alive without them." She said smiling at said friends.

"Wow we are more alike than I thought," Harry said. "Don't you ever get tired of having the world on your shoulders?"

"All the time," Buffy replied looking the boy in the eyes. "But I have no choice in the matter. What about you? Did you ever just want to leave your world to itself?"

"All the time," breathed Harry, "but like you said there was never any choice."

The rest of the group sat silent at this exchange knowing that they could never know what these two felt like to have the world on their shoulders even though they helped when they could. Both groups of friends were relieved also that each had someone to relate to and hopefully share the burden with.

"Well, come on everyone, to the Magic Shop," Xander said breaking the solemn mood. Everyone let out a laugh and followed him out.

Hermione and Draco were both curious to see if Wolfesbane could even be made they wanted to check out the different ingredients and had no clue if the herbs could even be found at this shop.

Harry was just curious about how magic was perceived in this world from what he had read so far it seemed a lot more gruesome and difficult. He figured that was because here witches pulled magic from the environment around them whereas he and his friends were born with it.

Harry walked in the shop behind the others and looked around. All of a sudden he heard a bark like laugh from the back room. He froze that laugh sounded so familiar even after all this time it Sirius still haunted him and he was sharply reminded of him with that laugh.

Harry was just about to excuse himself from the group when a man came up to the counter after having heard the bell.

Harry couldn't believe his eyes Sirius looked the same only healthier and much happier. "Sirius," he breathed.

Sirius started at the name before turning to the raven. Harry almost laughed as he watched his godfather's jaw drop, "Harry," he choked out.

Next thing Harry knew he was being engulfed in a bear hug with a weeping godfather. He couldn't help himself he started weeping also all the while saying. "Oh Merlin, Sirius I'm so sorry, if I had of just listened to Hermione but no I had to go be the noble Griffindor and you got hurt because of it. I'm so sorry, so sorry."

Sirius hearing this immediately let go of Harry before grabbing his shoulders and shaking him lightly. "It wasn't your fault Harry none of it was your fault. We should have talked to you more explained our reasoning. You were just a kid. I was an adult. I got reckless my fate was my on you are not to blame. Do you understand me?" Sirius finished looking intensely at the raven.

Harry did listen to his godfather and felt a loosening of the guilt that had haunted him since that night. His godfather was here, alive and didn't blame him. Harry had never been so relieved.

"So tell me what has been going on in the wizarding world, no wait, let me close shop first then you all can join me for dinner." Sirius wasted no time doing exactly that as soon as everyone was seated he turned to Harry for an explanation. "Don't leave out the part where you picked up a Malfoy either."

At this statement Harry took a good look at his godfather and realized that the man had mellowed. Gone was the haunted and tormented look he had in his eyes when he had escaped Azkaban instead he looked whole. It seemed his godfather had grown up also as evidence by him not immediately jumping and hexing Draco.

"Well after you died, you were cleared, and Voldemort was finally acknowledged as being back" Harry started. "Lucius was caught along with a lot of other Death Eaters in the Ministry and Draco vowed to kill me then he was hexed on the train." Harry said laughing at the memory.

Draco scowled, "could you now remind me of what a prat I was back then," he plead with Harry.

"Sorry, Dragon," Harry said not sounding the least contrite. "Anyway sixth year was bad I was obsessed with Draco I knew he was up to something and none of my friends would believe me."

"Harry, I have apologized for that repeatedly," Hermione said still looking guilty.

"I know Mione and I forgave you a long time ago," Harry replied. "Well it turns out he was then he let a group of Death Eaters in the school and Dumbledore was killed."

At this Sirius jerked and turned angrily to the blond.

Harry seeing this quickly intervened. "Sirius it wasn't his fault. Turns out it was all a plan of Dumbledore's. He even made Snape give an unbreakable vow to kill him see he was already dying from a previous curse. It was all part of his plan manipulative old coot." Harry finished fondly.

"What was supposed to be our seventh year wasn't much better the school had been taken over by Voldemort so we couldn't return. Ron, Hermione, and I had a job to do anyway. We had to hunt down all of Voldemort's horcruxes."

Sirius gasped, "the bastard had horcruxes."

"How do you know about horcruxes?" Harry asked.

"My family," Sirius replied, "you know they were all dark. I remember books in the Black library mentioning them. When I asked dear old Mother about them she was oh so pleased. Thought I was finally taking an interest in the Dark Arts. I was repulsed by them even more after she told me what they were. But no matter go ahead with you story. Did you find all of them?"

"Yes we eventually tracked them down and destroyed them. Actually Neville destroyed the last one, Voldemort's snake Nagaini." Harry said. "We lost Remus, Tonks, and Fred in the final battle."

Sirius looked lost for a moment as he took in the fact that he was the last of the Marauders.

"Harry you are forgetting the part where you were a horcrux and you had to die to get rid of it," Hermione said to change the subject.

"What, Pup?" Sirius said sharply looking horrified.

"That's because it wasn't important, Hermione, I survived Sirius," Harry quickly reassured the man. Since our school year had been interrupted all the seventh years were allowed to return to repeat it. That's when it got bad though. Draco apologized and we were able to put the past behind us. But everywhere else laws were becoming more and more strict. They passed this creature registration act. I was made godson to Remus and Tonks son Teddy but Neville and Luna took him and ran when they passed the law. I stayed to see if I could change it or at least try to help."

"Wow, did it get any worse." Sirius was almost afraid to ask.

"Yes it did in fact. No one liked me advocating for the "dark creatures" so I became more and more ostracized from Griffindor. McGonagall tried to intervene but it did no good. Ron felt betrayed so ended our friendship. Which I should have seen coming especially after him leaving Hermione and I during the horcrux hunt it just wasn't the same when he came back. I began to spend more time in Slytherin and Hermione pretended to feel the same way about me as Ron so she could spy on him and report back to me that saved me several times. They finally found Hermione out and so Ron and his group ambushed us in the Slytherin common room one night then sent us through the veil to kill us. Only we all know now that the veil doesn't kill just transports you somewhere else." Harry finished.

"Well you have been busy pup." Sirius began only to be interrupted by Harry. "Yes, and now Ron has shown up dead in the library and we don't know if anyone accompanied him and how he ended up that way. So what about you?"

Sirius looked surprised a moment before saying, "well compared to that I have had it really easy. I showed up in the library late one night. I left the place immediately to find my way back. I went to England but nothing was where it was supposed to be after a search I came back here to see if anyone else showed up. I found this job and eventually bought out the owner I still had a little gold on me so it wasn't that big of a deal. And have been here ever since."

"Pup I am so glad to see you but sorry about the circumstances looks like you can never get a brake can you," Sirius said a little sadly.

Harry smiled at his godfather, "don't worry about it Padfoot I have a feeling that this will be better for us than staying in our world. This is a new chance."

"Guys," Buffy interjected, "don't mean to mess up this little family reunion but we should be getting home. We promised my mother."

Harry looked dejected as he looked at his watch before Sirius jumped in saying, "that's fine but Harry you will come see me tomorrow won't you. I lost you once I have no intention of letting go again."

Harry smiled and nodded vigorously glad at the opportunity because he had no intention of letting go either and gladly told his godfather so as he hugged the man and said goodnight.

For the first time in a long time Harry slept without nightmares finally at peace and content with the world. Ron and the other problems could wait until the next day he slept unworried for once.

dmhpdmhpdmhpdmhp

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