Sorry, another short one, but again, the next chapter will be longer, do enjoy!

Explanations and favours – "I have a tapped into core, I learnt how to do it in Azkaban, not much to keep one occupied in there as you might imagine. I needed to escape, I wanted Harry and I wanted to avenge James and Lily and I wanted to get at Peter and Voldemort – don't you dare fucking flinch – and I wanted revenge on death eaters and my so called friends. I needed magic so badly that it came to me, magic is a part of you after all, not something stored in wands of elder and unicorn hairs and phoenix feathers. I have become one with it, it was not easy and it took a long time, but I did it and that means I need no instruments."

There was a short silence and Sirius, not knowing the man before him as well as he might have done, did not know what his reaction was going to be. Severus blinked once, twice, three times, "do you think I could do it?"

He had not been expecting that, but now the question arose he got to contemplating. "I don't know," he said truthfully, "maybe, I mean anyone can do wandless magic and magic without incantation if they train long enough. Whether you could get to the same point as me, where you feel more comfortable without any wand and where it obeys your every thought is another matter entirely. Here is the clincher, the reason I managed it is because I am a descendent of Merlin and I believe I am his true heir."

He stared at him in silence again, he had always been good at that, it seemed like he was being condescending no matter what he said next, he blinked slowly again. "Well you certainly have a high opinion of yourself."

"Perhaps, but Merlin is my ancestor."

This time there was no pause, "and Salazar is mine."

Sirius scowled, in another time and place or mood, or if it was anyone else, he would quip something like 'I would not say that too loudly given who is actually Salazar's heir. It would hurt double as much with this man seeming as he used to be Voldemort's spy, Sirius held his tongue, he needed Severus to listen to his whole story if he was going to leave here without having his memories erased. "I'm being serious, but I really couldn't care about whether or not you believe me and I'm not going to prove myself to you."

"How long am I going to be here?"

"Until you heal, then you are free to go."

"And free to stay?"

This time it was Sirius who paused and blinked. The question was just so out o the blue, especially from his ex-arch nemesis. "You would want to?"

Severus shrugged, "you intrigue me." He was telling the truth.

"You are needed at Hogwarts, of course I do need to make sure you do not tell anyone about me and I do not need you to have a bad day and decide to be bitter."

"You are being unfair."

"I know, but life taught me not to trust anyone." He picked up Harry and headed towards the door, "this one needs more sleep and so do you to heal. I'll get Kreacher to bring you some lunch later, how do you like peanut butter and jam?"

"Together? That sounds... repulsive."

"That's what I thought," Sirius muttered as he swept out the room.

A little later, well, many hours later Severus woke to the feeling of being watched and looked up to find that there were indeed a pair of blue-grey eyes on him. "Were you watching me sleep?" He snarled, outraged, "because if you were, it is creepy."

"This is my house Severus," Sirius replied, taking a bite out of his sandwich, "you are but a healing guest, you cannot dictate where I can and cannot venture. If I want to sit here watching you for the rest of your stay, which I don't by the way because no one with a shred of sanity would, I would do so." He took another bite and made a face.

"What are you eating? Whatever it is you seem to abhor it."

"Peanut butter and jam sandwich."

"What is your fascination for such a wrong combination?"

Sirius shrugged, "I was curious."

"Is it nice?"

"No, I'm just finishing it because I hate to waste food. It's not disgusting though." He held out the last quarter, "try it."

"Do I have to?"

"I guess not, but you only live once, go on, try it. You'll just be wondering for the rest of the day afterwards if you don't." Severus looked at him for a moment before taking the sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. "Like it?"

"Not sure," he answered truthfully, "it's different."

"How are you feeling?"

"Like every nerve in my body has been snapped and sewn back together. Understand?"

"Yes," he mentioned, smiling at his returned snarkiness, "text and subtext working very much in unison there. So you're sore then, you'll be fine soon."

000

"It's good to see you Tonks," Sirius nodded to her from across the living room, he had decided to visit her and the new addition to the family. It was awkward to be standing there given their last meeting and the fact Remus was standing there too did not help matters. He and Severus had gotten into something of a fight, which was not exactly unexpected and Sirius had stormed off to prevent him from bringing more harm to the man he was meant to be healing. Regulus was gone on an errand of his and Harry did not usually choose his godfather over his best friend as a playmate. The boy was however with him on this occasion, Tonks was family, Remus was almost family, and the cub in his cousin's arms was a mystery.

"Sirius," she nodded back in reply, her voice also void of much emotion. Harry, sensing the tense atmosphere, strayed from his side, pretending to be interested in the walls and the carpet and anything but the other occupants in the room. Tonks' boy apparently felt the same way and squirmed to be let down so he could do the same thing. Sirius felt out of his depth, he sent a helpless look at Remus like he always did, but of course that man was still sporting a bruise left by Sirius' own hand on his face. The sandy haired man smiled back in response, sipped the tea Sirius had given him and walked out the room. The message was quite clear, Sirius was on his own in this, Remus was going to be about as useful as tits on a fish.

"Umm, how have you been?" The conversation was so stilted, they were both still standing, neither one wanting to be the first to sit and act comfortable. Tonks still had a stony expression on her face and Sirius shuffled where he stood. It did not make any sense, how come he could talk to death eaters with a sneer and a superior smirk, always one step ahead in power, plan and wit, yet when it came to family he was at a loss? This was one of his favourite family members too, yet here they were, acting like strangers, it was kind of painful.

"I have been well, thank you for asking," came the standardised response. "I have picked up a cub though, his name is Teddy, I am assuming that is why you are here."

"Well yes, I guess it is, and to see you, you are family Tonks and I love you, and therefore your son is also under my protection."

"What did you just say?" Her eyes narrowed and Sirius wondered what it was he had done wrong, ever since infancy she could pack a punch is need be.

"Your son is under my protection?"

"No, before that."

"You are family, and I love you," Sirius smiled, "you must know this to be true. Why are we acting like strangers Tonks, you know I am innocent, don't you?"

"Oh uncle Sirius," she said, reverting to what she called him as a young child given the age difference though they were cousins, "I know, I do, it is just so strange." Tears started to leak out of the corners of het eyes. "You, Azkaban, imprisonment, escape, secret keeper, Peter, Remus, Dumbledore, Hogwarts, Moody, Harry, running into you in the hotel, the threats, the confrontation, your power, Teddy, what you are doing now, this revolution, it's all very alien to me, there is just too much going on. I'm sorry for how I acted, I love you too uncle Sirius, I really do. My life has just been so hectic recently, then finding Teddy, he hardly speaks you know, not even to me, the one raising him as her own. His past is just so sad, he screams every night, everything is just so complicated, why is everything so complicated?"

Tonks wiped her eyes with the backs of her sleeves and it was like something clicked between the two of them and Sirius strode over and wrapped her in his arms protectively. She was so very, very young and Harry and Teddy were so similar by the sounds of it. This girl was one of the people he loved, would always love as long as he lived no matter what. Tonks and Remus and Harry and Regulus… the list was actually quite short so far… and it hurt him to see her tears. "It's ok Tonks, I'm here, I know what you are going through, I understand and don't worry, I'm here and I am going to be here for as long as I live, so know this."

"I do uncle Siri, thank you, I just, there's been a lot happening recently."

"Oh Tonks, you have no idea."

"No Teddy, you go with you left hand first and clap in between, like this, 'A sailor went to sea, sea, sea, to see, see, see what he could see, see, see, but all that he could see, see, see was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea!'" Both Tonks and Sirius turned towards the sound, Harry was teaching Teddy a clapping game he in turn had learned from Hermione.

"Well those two are getting along swimmingly," her eyes saddened a little, "it seems he'll get along with anybody as long as it is not me. He will play with Harry because they are the same age and talk to Remus because they are both werewolves. He understands wolf speak even if in his human form because he was born not bit. Often Remus and he will just start talking in yips and barks on full moon, apparently his wolf sees him as his pup."

"He loves you, of that I am sure." With that Sirius turned into a dog and padded over to the two children, Harry laughing and Teddy curious. He started to talk to the younger boy in yips and barks, and Teddy responded in kind.

"What did you talk about?" Tonks asked him when he returned to her in his humanoid form again, Harry and Teddy hanging off of him.

"How you found him," Sirius answered shortly.

Tonks shook her head, "no, there was more than that, you know how perceptive I am, it sounded as if you made him a promise."

Sirius was impressed; she was indeed a perceptive one, his Tonks. "I will admit he did ask a favour of me, he knows I am kin." She did not ask what the favour was and Sirius was grateful for that for he was not sure how he'd have answered her. He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek then the forehead, sent a smile to Remus and ruffled Teddy's hair. "I'll visit again Tonks, if you'll let me," he did not wait for a reply, picked up his son and apparated.