Lying on his back on the floor in the living room, his legs propped up on the sofa cushion, Harry's fingers started to drum against the carpet.

"Why can't I go with you?"

Sirius noticed that Harry was using his little-boy-whining tone again. The tone that, so far, had made him putty in his godson's hands.

He hated to hear Harry unhappy about anything and he was emotionally predisposed to caving in to whatever would make his thirteen-year-old smile at him.

Sirius had also noticed that Harry was not, by nature, a needy child. He didn't ask for any of the books and games that Sirius had heaped upon him. Nor did he make demands on the time that Sirius had more than willingly given. As a general rule he was polite and very capable of keeping himself occupied.

Lately, however, he was bristling against being confined to their living quarters.

It was the summer after all, but Harry had not been allowed outside since their arrival. The wizarding world was still far too infatuated with Sirius and his acquittal and release. He was constantly being bombarded by owls for interviews and photographs.

So much so that the area around Privet Drive was slowly becoming more reminiscent of the feathery nightmare of the time when Harry's detested relations were refusing him his Hogwarts letters.

The few times Sirius had ventured into the outside world to shop for necessities for Harry and himself, he had not had a moment's peace. Couple that with being the guardian of the Boy Who Lived, not to mention if he were to have said Boy with him, it would just be asking for trouble and very unwanted attention towards Harry.

But by now Harry was feeling claustrophobic, it being far to close to all the days, weeks and months he'd been locked in his cupboard, and had taken to pushing harder and harder to be allowed out. So when Sirius told him that he needed to go to Hogsmeade the next morning and meet with his solicitor, Harry immediately started to plead to go along with him.

The man took a deep breath and prepared for another battle.

"Because it is not safe just yet," he reasoned as patiently as could since he did understand the boy's feelings of claustrophobia. "Soon all of this nonsense with me will die down and then, I promise, I will take you wherever you want to go. Until then, please just be patient. We'll be moving in a couple of days to our house. The property will be under a variety of protection spells and you can go outside all you want to. Okay?"

"Oh come on, Sirius! I used to go to Hogsmeade all the time while I was at school. You signed my permission form, for Merlin's sake!"

His godson's face was flushed with irritation and sadness as he protested. This was not going to go easily.

"Harry, it's not the same now. You normally have a large number of people looking at you as it is. With my unexpected notoriety, you and I are a walking target. Do you really want to deal with a crowd of people staring, taking photos and following us down the alleys?"

Sirius was trying very hard to keep his patience and explain it in a way that Harry would find reasonable. Sirius didn't really give a fig for the attention for his own sake, but he was desperately worried that someone in the crowd of gawkers might be the wrong someone who would use the large number of people flocking around Harry to disguise an attempt on his life.

And he wasn't about to risk that, no matter how much his beloved godson begged him.

Harry stopped drumming his fingers and crossed his arms over his chest, the very picture of a perfect pout. His godfather eyed him sympathetically, flopped down onto the carpet next to him and mimicked his position. Nudging Harry with his elbow, he tried again to cheer up the boy.

"Ah, come on Harry. I know it's been difficult for you, but it really is.."

"For my own good", Harry finished for him in bad temper. "I know Sirius, I know."

Sighing again, Sirius resigned himself to be the bad guy. It bothered him to say no to Harry. It also bothered him to reign in the boy's adventurous spirit. He would not have thought twice about it when he was Harry's age.

It felt unnatural to play the warden. Especially after so many years under the boot of the cruelest kind there were in their world.

Harry turned to him with the most earnest and sad eyes Sirius had ever seen and the guilt inside of him flared up and very nearly threatened to overtake the worried and concerned guardian part that had, so far, managed to remain firm.

"Please, Sirius. Just let me go for a little while? I just want to go to Honeydukes. The annual Wizard of the Year cards are available now and then to Scrivinshaft's. I need a new extra long quill. I have all that homework to do for the summer."

Harry threw that last bit in, hoping that a plea for school supplies would give his desire to accompany his godfather a little more legitimacy.

It was a valiant attempt. Something worthy of what James would have done to get his way on the rare occasion that his own extremely indulgent father attempted to stand his ground and deny his beloved child anything. Impressed but unmoved, Sirius shook his head sadly.

"No Harry. You have to stay here. I'll take you there in a few weeks and I'll buy you whatever you want."

"Forget it."

Throwing his godfather a glare of petulance, Harry pushed himself up and stalked to his room, slamming the door behind him.

At dinner time, Sirius sat at the table waiting for Harry to join him. He had left the sullen teenager alone for the afternoon, hoping that he would get over his sulk in his own way. When Harry had not appeared a half hour later than they usually ate, Sirius pushed back from the table and made his way to Harry's room. Knocking tentatively, he waited a minute before opening the door. Harry was lying on his side on his bed, his back to Sirius.

"Harry? Are you okay?"

"Fine." He didn't turn around. Sirius tried again.

"It's dinner time. Aren't you hungry?"

"No."

"Do you want to play chess?"

"No."

Sirius sighed. With Harry's one word answers and refusal to look at him, it was obvious that he was still quite upset. Because the idea of the boy being upset with him was something that hurt him deeply, Sirius was fairly close to giving in and allowing the boy to accompany him.

Perhaps if Remus was willing to come along, they could watch over him together...

"Harry, about Hogsmeade….."

Harry flipped over and gave his godfather a look of pure anger.

"I said forget it, Sirius!"

Sirius recoiled like he had been physically slapped. Harry was obviously still very angry with him. Feeling guilty and incredibly unsure of his place in his godson's heart, Sirius had the sinking feeling that any potential fun that the trip might have brought them, no matter what he offered right now, was probably ruined.

Most likely, Harry wouldn't even want to go anymore if it meant he had to go with Sirius.

About to back out of the room in defeat, he took a good look at the boy.

Harry's face was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. He'd obviously not been sleeping well lately.

New to being a parent to a teenager, Sirius didn't impose a curfew for Harry and he'd become something of a night owl. He would stay up into the early hours of the morning playing games or reading Quidditch books and had quickly acquired the tendency to be groggy and short tempered when he woke up the next day.

Sirius was willing to just put it down to the stress of being on Privet Drive and assumed that once they were permanently established at the new house, they would both get into a more regular schedule for the remainder of the summer holiday.

It didn't really occur to Sirius that he needed to be the one to establish Harry's routine. That it was his job as the parent to set the boundaries and enforce bedtimes.

"Alright, Harry." He paused for a moment and Harry turned back over.

"Maybe you should get to sleep early tonight. You look exhausted."

"I'm not tired."

Sirius shook his head sadly and turned for the door.

"Good night, then."

Harry didn't answer him back. With a heavy heart, he left the room, closing the door softly.

After his godfather left, Harry punched his pillow in anger.

Why is Sirius acting this way?

Considering all the stories that Harry had heard about the antics of the Marauders, he was amazed that Sirius would be so squeamish about something as trivial as a shopping trip to a place that Harry had been to dozens of times.

He probably just wants to go without me. He could at least be honest and say that instead of trying to make it about my security.

Harry punched his pillow again, his head pounding with anger.

If Sirius wants to be that way, fine.

Harry spent the rest of the evening and most of the early morning stewing in his feelings of abandonment. The tiny figment of doubt hiding in his belly that had him wondering if he had just been saddled with another guardian who didn't have a place in his life for the orphaned boy and just saw him as an obligation.

When Harry finally woke the next morning, it was almost noon. He had slept fitfully and was even more cross than usual when he got out of bed. Throwing on some clothes, he realized that he was starving, having missed tea and his dinner the day before. When he made his way into the kitchen, he saw a tray of food for him on the counter along with a note. Scowling, he picked up half a sandwich and tore into it as he unrolled the parchment.

Harry,

I hope you are feeling better this morning. My meeting is early, but I have a few errands to run before I come home. I'll be back by 2:00 o'clock and then we can spend the afternoon doing whatever you would like at the house. Get some rest, little one. I'm worried about you.

Sirius

Harry's eyes blazed with anger.

Little one? Was he kidding?

Harry ripped up the parchment and threw the pieces on the floor.

"I'm not a child!" he yelled to no one in particular.

Scrunching up his eyes, he decided to show Sirius exactly that. Putting on his shoes and grabbing his money pouch from his night table, he stalked into the living room. Grateful for the fact that Sirius had insisted on installing a connection to the Floo Network in their enlarged residence, he took a handful of the sooty powder from the jar on the fireplace and stepped into it.

Gritting his teeth he thrust the powder into the grate below him, shouting "Hogsmeade!" and felt the warm familiar green flames surround him. In his haste and anger, he didn't see the house elf listening and watching.

Sirius left his solicitor's office feeling very pleased and in a significantly better mood than he had been all morning. Everything had been accomplished much easier than he thought it would have been since the past decade and a half of his life was just generally unpleasant and left him feeling fairly jaded.

Comforted by the increased security of the arrangements he had now had in place for his godson's future, he made his way happily towards Honeydukes and Scrivenshaft's.

Just because he hadn't been confident enough to bring Harry along to the little wizarding village, that didn't mean that the boy should have to go without the things he wanted.

Ignoring the stares and whispers surrounding him, he went about his shopping as quickly as he could. After he finished his purchases at both stores, he then headed towards the far side of the village to make his way up to Hogwarts castle since he needed to speak with Dumbledore. On his way up the lane however, he was pleasantly surprised to see Albus heading towards The Hog's Head. He heaved a sigh of relief at the coincidence since now he wouldn't have to dodge more curious looks to make the long trek up to the school and then broke into a brisker walk, catching up with the headmaster just as he was opening the door to the pub.

"Albus!"

Dumbledore smiled broadly at him. He was pleased to see how much better Sirius was looking. With the increase in nutrition and restorative potions prescribed for him, the young man was rapidly regaining his handsome face back and looked as strong as he had as a boy.

"Hello Sirius. How are you doing today?"

"Fine, just fine." Sirius' smile faltered. "Well, maybe not completely fine," he admitted sadly. "Harry and I had a bit of a row last night. I'm afraid he is a little upset with me over my concerns for his safety. I was looking for you actually. I could use some advice."

Dumbledore looked at him, his eyes warm with compassion.

"Don't worry, dear boy. Every family has its ups and downs. You both just need some time and patience."

Sirius gave him a half smile.

"I hope you are right."

Dumbledore put his hand on Sirius' shoulder and led him into the pub.

"Let's have a brandy together and talk."

Sirius nodded and allowed his former headmaster to lead him inside to a table where they sat down and placed their orders. Dumbledore looked at him hesitatingly for a moment and then, having made his decision, stared straight into his eyes and spoke.

"Sirius my boy, there are important things you need to know about your godson's first few years at Hogwarts."

***********HP*********

Harry wandered down the main street, still a bit dazed.

He didn't like floo travel. It had always made him queasy.

But it wasn't just the floo. Now that he was here, the initial anger over being left behind that had compelled him to make the trip was starting to recede, leaving in its place only guilt over having defied Sirius.

No longer really in a mood where he could even begin to enjoy himself, he rationalized that he could probably just pop into the shop to pick up some chocolate frogs and get back home long before Sirius even knew he was gone. The teenage thrill of his wanton disobedience vanishing rapidly.

As quickly as he could, he walked down the street until he reached Honeydukes and he was just about to open the door when he felt a hand grab him by the back of his shirt and pull him back.

"Harry James Potter. Where do you think you are going, young man?"

********HP*************

Sirius sat back hard in his chair. His mind was spinning incoherently and he pushed his almost full glass of brandy away. He turned his horrified eyes towards the gentle ones of the old headmaster and tried to take deep breaths.

"Merlin's beard, Albus. What goes through that boy's mind? Has he no inkling of self preservation?

Dumbledore chuckled softly and gave the reformed miscreant a fond smile.

"Well, I have known a young man or two in my time who have had a special talent for finding trouble."

Sirius had the humility to look sheepish at the subtle reminder before Dumbledore's face grew hard again.

"However, your young Harry seems to have it in the extreme. And, in his case, reckless acts can carry much more lethal consequences than most."

Cold panic gripped Sirius' chest and he swallowed audibly before nodding in agreement. Dumbledore placed a comforting hand on the stricken godfather's shoulder.

"Harry needs guidance and protection. He needs the stable home life he has never been given and he needs to learn that, brave as he is, poor decisions have repercussions. As difficult as it may be, you must provide this for him. His life may someday depend on it."

Recognizing the truth in the statement, Sirius nodded sadly in agreement and was just about to reply to the headmaster when there was a commotion at the door of the pub.

"Let me go!"

Looking up in surprise, both wizards at the table saw the squirming and unmistakable form of the boy they had just been discussing. One of his arms was held tightly by the imposing stature of Remus Lupin, the other by a small wizened house elf. Upon seeing Sirius and Dumbledore, they proceeded to drag the boy unwillingly towards their table.

Sirius shot up out of his chair and he reached forward to grab Harry by the shoulders.

"Harry! What are you doing here? What's the matter?"

Humiliated beyond all measure, Harry just stared at him indignantly as he tried to break free of the hands that held him captive. Remus tightened his grip and took it upon himself to answer the question.

"It seems that Harry decided to take the trip by himself. Dobby saw him leave as he arrived to do the afternoon cleaning. As per your instructions, he immediately summoned me and we came together to find him."

Harry threw murderous glares, first to Remus, who gave him a stern look back, and then to Dobby who whimpered a bit and dropped his eyes to the dirty floor. Sirius raised his right hand and cupped the back of Harry's head, forcing the boy to look at him.

"What were you thinking, Harry? Don't you know how dangerous it is for you to wander about on your own here? You could have been hurt! Or even killed!"

Harry snorted in disgust. He was tired of being treated like a child.

"Sirius, I'm fine. I'm sick and tired of everyone treating me like an infant. I'm almost fourteen! I can take care of myself."

The vehement declaration sent Sirius' heart was racing. This was exactly the kind of recklessness that they had just been discussing and to be presented with it at particularly this moment terrified him. It was clear that Harry was not just prone to the adolescent mischief that James and he had engaged in, he reveled it.

Only, in light of the increased dangers to himself, Harry's brand apparantly bordered on suicidal.

Giving his errant godson the sternest look he could manage, Sirius attempted to control his panic and anger as best as he could.

"We'll talk about this at home," he hissed angrily at the boy. "Dobby, please escort him back to Surrey at once."

Before Harry could formulate a protest, Dobby snapped his fingers and the two vanished in a wisp of smoke.

Sirius looked at the two men standing next to him, his eyes betraying his feeling of helplessness. Mentally and emotionally he was completely unprepared for the storm he knew he would find at home. Dumbledore gave him an encouraging look, his eyes kind and understanding.

"You can do this, my boy. I have faith in you."

Remus put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Come, Padfoot. I'll travel back with you and check on him."

Sirius nodded weakly, grateful for the support from both of them and knowing that none of his previous brave acts had prepared him for the new role he was about to undertake.

Back in their kitchen, Harry was burning with rage and taking it out on the poor hapless house elf whose only desire was to protect the boy he was so fond of. In an enormous fit of embarrassment and petulance, Harry had spent the past few minutes hurling loud profanity and blistering accusations at the small being who had only been trying to keep him safe.

Harry knew that it was wrong.

He himself was to blame, that much was obvious, but he was also hurt and completely humiliated from the very public dressing down he had received. Maintaining a put upon indignant air helped mask his self recrimination and he was so caught up in his tantrum that he didn't even hear the two cracks that announced the arrival of Sirius and Lupin until he heard Sirius shout.

"Harry! That is enough!"

Harry spun around and gave Sirius a murderous look. Before he knew what he was doing, he turned back around, grabbed his leftover lunch tray and hurled it with all his might at the wall over Dobby's head. It landed with a mighty smash raining plates, cutlery and bits of food onto the elf, Harry's eyes rapidly searching for another potential projectile.

Sirius strode forward and grabbed Harry by the arm. When the boy tried to free himself, Sirius raised his free hand and brought it crashing down across his godson's backside.

"I said, that is enough!"

Everyone in the room froze. No one even took a breath.

Slowly, Sirius moved his gaze from the steely glare of his godson, to the wall that was now dripping cold potato soup and milk, to the scared whimpering house elf covered in muck and cowering on the floor, and then back to Harry who had surreptitiously reached behind to rub at the sting on his bum in utter disbelief.

Unmoved by the murderous look on the boy's face, Sirius returned it in kind. He was so deeply disappointed over Harry's behavior towards the small creature. He knew that Lily would have been horrified to see such a display by her son. She'd been particularly fond of the Hogwarts house elves and her kind heart allowed for no mistreatment of weaker beings.

He shook his head sadly at his godson.

"How dare you treat Dobby like that? He was only trying to protect you. If your mother were here young man, she would be so ashamed of you right now."

Harry's breath hitched. His godfather's words hitting him like a bludger to the chest. His face and ears were already burning with humiliation and anger from being publicly smacked like an errant toddler. Now he was smarting from the use of his mother's memory as Sirius scolded him. His hands started to shake and his head throbbed violently. His mind hazing over in a purple rage as he desperately tried to compensate for the pain by lashing out.

"Well, she's not here, is she? You saw to that! It was your great idea that got her killed, wasn't it?"

The boy, in his rage, barely heard the poisonous words, although he was aware on some level that they came out of his own mouth. Almost immediately the realization horrified him but he seemed paralyzed to take them back.

He was also vaguely aware of the loud sound of smashing glass around him, his mind only consciously taking in the bone white face of his stricken godfather. Sirius looked as if he were starting to sway against the table. Remus grabbed his friend's arm to steady him and then helped to gently lower the distraught man to a chair.

Keeping a comforting arm around Sirius, Remus threw Harry a full wolf's menacing glare. His voice was low, but absolutely frightening.

"Harry go to your room. Now."

Overwhelmed with rising guilt and heart now firmly in his throat, Harry forced himself to move and fled to his room. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, suddenly feeling very tired. Sliding to the floor, he drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around them.

As his anger and adrenaline receded, he finally allowed the hot tears that had been threatening during the argument to fall. Smashing his face into his knees, he sobbed.

I'm sorry, Sirius. I'm so very very sorry.