Author's note. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for my story on fan fanatics, it reached the second phase. And wouldn't you know it, I didn't realise that voting closed yesterday, I didn't get this chapter out in time. Oh well, it was nice to at least get past the first round even if I don't ultimately win. Why was it in the sci fi category instead of the Harry Potter one? Probably the time travel element, I had not heard of this site until I got a message telling me I'd been nominated. Thanks again for voting and sorry for the wait in getting this chapter up.

There was a bit of confusion about Sirius not being invited to see the film with the trio which I find a bit odd. Why would Hermione's parents ask him along, this is something for their daughter and her friends? If you go out with your friends to see a film, do you demand one of your parents also go along? I personally think it makes more sense if Sirius at some point takes Harry and maybe the others to see something rather than him automatically having to go anywhere Harry goes. It'll be more fun for the two of them to do something together.

I know this whole story needs proof reading and editing, I'll try to take care of it at some point.

Enjoy and please review.

"That was weird," Ron exclaimed as they got up from their seats and joined the throng of other children with their parents in the aisle within the brightening cinema. They were jostled as discarded popcorn crunched underfoot and Dr Granger called out from beside her husband.

"Just wait for us outside if we get separated."

"Yes mum," Hermione called as in a matter of moments, there were indeed several families between them and her parents.

"Didn't you like it Ron?" she questioned, her face twisting a little in disgust as her foot squelched on a sticky patch of carpet.

"Yeah, it was better than I thought it'd be," he said earnestly, raising his voice a little as the excitable chatter was loud. "But it was weird."

"Really?" Harry couldn't resist teasing, since this had literally been Ron's introduction to the world of film.

"Yeah, how the hell do muggles make pictures move like that?" the gangly red head wanted to know. "Are you sure they don't use magic?"

"Of course not Ron," laughed Hermione, she'd not only enjoyed the film but Ron's reactions to it. "It's a series of drawings on a film reel that run right next to each other in such a way that you get an animated sequence."

He nodded distractedly, still mulling over what he'd experienced. They made it into the foyer where queues of more children and parents waited to buy tickets, probably for the very film the trio had just seen.

"Some of that….animaton," he said, stumbling over the word. "Was weird. Why were their faces contorted like that?"

"It's just the style," Hermione said with a shrug. "If you watch any animated film, you'll see them have their own style and this sometimes means…..very flexible bodies."

"It's supposed to be funny," Harry offered, thinking of all the warner brother cartoons Dudley loved to watch.

Ron considered this.

"Suppose I'll need to watch more of that stuff," he mused as they passed a poster featuring the candlestick, clock and teapot dancing about.

"And what's with the singing?" he burst out. "Be our guest, be our guest, I can't get that bloody song out of my head."

Several little children skipped by, merrily singing the song Ron had just been complaining about.

"A lot of muggle films have singing," Hermione explained. "Animated and live action."

"What's that?" he asked and she briefly explained the difference. She'd already done so previous but Ron was still getting used to it all.

"So all films have that kind of singing?" he said in disbelief.

"No, of course not," she laughed. "Some are too serious for that but most do have music in the background, to help tell the story or set the mood."

"I think we should watch Jaws," Harry suggested slyly.

There had been one time Dudley wanted to stay up late and watch the famous shark movie and he'd been able to watch it. His aunt had sat right next to her son, holding his hand in case he'd gotten too scared but his cousin had loved it. It had been years since he'd seen it but Harry did remember it being extremely atmospheric and he wanted to see what his friend's reaction to it would be.

"Oh yes," Hermione giggled. "I think that would be perfect."

"What?" Ron said but they just laughed.

"There you are," Hermione's father exclaimed, they'd finally made it out of Screen seven. "We thought we were never going to get out of there."

"Everyone ready for tea?" her mother asked, wrapping an arm around Hermione.

"Definitely," both boys said at the same time before looking at each other and laughing. Their friend smiled indulgently, it didn't matter that they'd already had popcorn and various sweets, they were still ravenous.

"Let's head to the car then, I know the perfect place."

….

Arriving at the Snow Goose, a family friendly pub that Hermione's parents had read about, they were greeted by a friendly waiter and taken to the smoking free part. Helen sighed and murmured something about how smoking stains the teeth, among other things. Harry had to admit, he was glad that neither his aunt or uncle smoked, he had never enjoyed being anywhere with a fuggy smog hanging heavy in the air.

Very soon, they were settled in a table next to a roaring fire, they perused menus while their drinks were brought over. Soon enough, they had ordered and were able to relax.

"So Ron," Hermione's dad asked, setting down his sparkling water with lemon. "How was your first film?"

"Good," Ron said with a thoughtful nod before taking another gulp of coke, he loved how fizzy it was. "I didn't really know what it'd be like but it was good."

"What about you Harry?" Hermione's mother asked kindly.

"I liked it too," he assured her. "It was a lot of fun."

"I definitely loved it," Hermione now stated excitedly.

"You liked it because that Belle girl reads books," Ron accused with a smirk.

"Well, it is nice to see a well-read heroine," she acknowledged. "But that's not the only reason. I've read the original version and this is a really well done adaption. In the original, Maurice was a merchant who becomes lost in the woods and finds the Beast's castle. The Beast actually allows him to stay, gives him a hot meal and a bed for the night. But he does it with magic and never shows himself. But just as the merchant is leaving, he decides to pick a rose for his daughter Beauty…."

"I thought her name was Belle?" Harry couldn't help but say.

"In the original, she was named Beauty," Hermione said patiently. "And she was the youngest, her elder sisters were of course, not as attractive and with a little sister called Beauty, it's probably not surprising that they didn't like her very much."

"What do you mean by of course?" Ron asked and Helen and Richard laughed.

"Older or step siblings in fairy tales are always ugly and nasty," Richard explained. "Seems to be a way of making the main character seem more perfect in an abusive environment."

"Like the three brothers?" offered Ron, glancing towards the bar and seeing various people milling about. "In that story, the youngest brother is the smartest and doesn't get offed."

"Exactly," Richard laughed. "Seems our fairy tales aren't so different to yours."

"Not so different, no," Hermione agreed with a wide smile. "As I was saying, the Beast is furious at the merchant for daring to steal a rose after all of his hospitality and declares that for this, he must die."

"Really?" Ron said in disbelief. "For picking a rose?"

"Yes, just a rose," she confirmed, lifting up her sparkling water for a sip.

She went on to explain about the deal the merchant made with the beast and how this resulted in Beauty making the decision to stay at the castle to save her father's life. How she spent the day by herself, enjoying the luxuries the Beast's home had to offer while being served by monkey butlers. Beauty was at first afraid of the Beast but unlike the Disney version, from the very start, he behaved like a perfect gentleman, only visiting her in the evenings. And even then, it was only to talk to her, ask her if she was happy and so on.

"And the beast asked her every night if he could sleep with her…."

Harry and Ron almost spat out their drinks but instead settled for coughing furiously.

All three of the Grangers laughed at the expressions on the boys faces.

"Bloody hell," Ron coughed out. "Are you telling me that the Beast wanted to…"

"Sleep by her side," Hermione laughed, she just couldn't help herself. "Not in the way you were thinking."

"Thanks Hermione," Harry groused, taking a gulp of his drink to soothe his throat.

"But I don't get it," Ron said, his voice slightly rough as he also took a drink. "Why would he want to sleep….in her bed….with her?"

"It was the only way to break the spell," his friend said simply. "He could only become a Prince if a girl told him she loved him and was willing to let him share her bed. I'm guessing it was a test of trust, she terrified by him in the beginning and even getting over that, he was a large creature."

"So, then they get married and live happily ever after right?" Harry said as Ron continued to look a bit bemused.

"Well….in the original, the story actually goes on a bit longer and gets rather complicated but I'll tell you about that another time," she said, seeing that their meals were being brought over.

Instantly Ron perked up and so did Harry. There was nothing like a hot meal to distract them from their friend's little joke. Everyone tucked in and for the next half an hour, they enjoyed their food and only engaged in some casual chit chat. Once they were finished, desert and coffee was ordered the little group were sitting back in their chairs, completely relaxed.

"So, is the magic in the film anything like real life magic?" Helen questioned.

"In a way," Hermione stated. "You can transfigure living creatures into inanimate objects but giving them faces and having them able to think and feel as they did in the film….that is not possible."

"You can get talking portraits," Harry reminded her and turning to Helen and something, explained a bit about them, such as headmasters and mistresses gained a portrait when they died. The two Grangers stared in amazement, they could hardly believe it.

"So….they talk back to you?" Richard said a little faintly.

"They do," Harry confirmed. "If you're ever able to visit Hogwarts or another building that has portraits, you'll be able to see what they're like."

"I hope we get the opportunity then," Helen laughed, although she still looked a little overwhelmed. "Amazing, the things you can do."

"It's a shame we couldn't see a bit of your magic," Richard mused. "But rules are rules, hmm."

"Yes…..rules are rules," Hermione repeated in a strangely quiet voice.

Harry glanced at her but she didn't say anything more on the subject and it wasn't long until their new orders arrived. While she had ordered rhubard and strawberry crumble, Ron had gone for hot chocolate fudge cake with ice cream while Harry had sticky toffee pudding. A great end to a great outing.

…

"Have a good time?" Sirius asked with a grin as they trooped in.

"Yeah, it was great," Harry said, grinning just as widely.

"Excellent," Sirius said as Ginny came charging into the sitting room.

"What was it like? Did you have a good time? Will you take me next time?"

She was bouncing up and down on the spot, firing off questions at them in rapid order. Sirius had been telling her all about muggle movies and now she was dying to know what Harry and Ron had thought of the one they'd gone to see.

"Give me some room Ginny," Ron grumbled, trying to get past her and having to stop short as she continued to bounce.

"Ginny," he complained, wanting to flop down onto the sofa to digest his meal. "Get out of it."

Giving him a scowl, she sidestepped her brother to beam up at Harry.

"So how was it?" she said breathlessly.

"Pretty good, you'd like it," he said, smiling back at her.

"Really?" she asked and when he nodded, asked. "So what was the story about?"

"Ah ah, Pippi, you can't ask him that," Sirius said sternly, wagging a finger at her. "That would spoil all the fun."

"But I wanna know," she groaned before perking up.

"You'll take me, won't you Sirius?" she said pleadingly, turning to him with big eyes. "You know how to go to sin….sin…."

"Cinemas," he said helpfully with a grin. "And yes I do."

Throwing Harry a wink, he said proudly. "Unlike a certain friend of mine, who took several years to work out muggle money."

"Why do wizards have a problem with it?" Harry asked jokingly, going to sit on the sofa with Ron, Sirius was leaning against the fireplace.

"Who knows, never had trouble with it myself," Sirius mused, flicking his waistcoat in a gesture of modest arrogance. "Top marks in Muggle Studies."

"Bill got an Owl in that," Molly now said, looking around the door. "Did you have a nice time, boys?"

"Yeah mum," Ron mumbled, slouched with his eyes closed.

"We really enjoyed it Mrs Weasley," Harry assured her.

"That's wonderful dear," she before gasping. "Oh, I almost forgot the sauce."

She disappeared back into the kitchen, causing Sirius to chuckle. Ginny abruptly left and they could hear her running up the stairs.

"Your mum is some cook," he stated fondly. "I don't think mine ever cooked a day in her life, always left it to our House Elf."

"Mum wouldn't complain if a House Elf turned up here," Ron stated and Harry suddenly had an image of Kreacher cleaning the Burrow and telling the twins to wipe their feet as they came in from outside.

"Well, she's a hard worker who deserves a bit of extra help," Sirius said reasonably. "I don't suppose my Elf would come here but if I can get my house straightened out, at least she wouldn't have to do anything there."

"She probably would anyway," Fred stated as he entered the sitting room with George. "That's mum for you."

"Hi boys, looking for something?" Sirius asked as Ron sat up straight.

"We wanna know whose getting the Map," George said without preamble, folding his arms with Fred.

Sirius nodded his head as though he'd been expecting the question. Harry and Ron were both sitting up alert for the older man's decision.

"So I've been thinking it over," he said. "And I've decided that the fairest thing to do is for you all to share it."

"But we found it first!" complained George, shooting the two boys a mulish look.

"I know and I congratulate you," Sirius said with a nod. "But I don't want you boys falling out over who should get it. So instead you can share it."

"How's that gonna work?" Ron asked, knowing his brothers weren't going to be happy.

"One group has main control for a month and then the next group gets it," Sirius explained. "But if the group who doesn't have it really need it for something, the others must lend it to them."

"However," he added as all four boys stared at him before glancing at each other. "That doesn't mean the group who is being lent the map can hog it. Nor that the control group can refuse to hand it over, if there are any problems, then I'll confiscate it until you can sort things out. Everyone got it?"

"Yes," they all sighed, all of them thinking they should be the one to have the precious map.

"We'll get it first then," Fred said instantly.

"Oi, what about us?" Ron exclaimed.

"You've had it all term, it's our turn now," his brother said hotly. "That's fair, isn't it Sirius?"

"Hmm, they've got a point Ron," Sirius said with a shrug. "It's theirs for now."

As the twins grinned, he added. "But remember boys, you can't keep it all to yourselves. If they want to quickly check someone or borrow for a night, you've got to let them, alright."

"Yeah, yeah, that's fine," Fred said with a roll of his eyes. "So can we have it?"

Pulling the old parchment from his jacket, Sirius presented it solemnly, chuckling when the twins eagerly snatched it.

"Thanks Sirius," they chorused before charging upstairs to their bedroom.

"Well, that's them happy," the former Marauder mused, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah," Harry sighed, thinking about how it had been roughly two years from now before the twins had originally decided they didn't need the Map anymore. He wondered if they'd been more interested in memorising the castle and its secret passageways than needing the map to avoid detection. It wouldn't surprise him if they'd found sneaking around without the Map a challenge.

"Don't worry, you'll get it back," Sirius reassured. "If there's any difficulties, just let me know and I'll sort it out."

"Thanks," Harry said as Sirius suddenly grinned.

"Have you been using it to sneak around the castle?"

"Maybe….once or twice," Harry said in a complete tone of casualness.

"That's my boy," Sirius said proudly, giving Harry's hair a ruffle as a clatter was heard on the stairs and Ginny reappeared.

"Ron, will you and Harry play Exploding Snap with me and tell me all about the movie?" she asked in a rush, waving the battered pack of cards madly.

Harry and Sirius caught each other's eye grinned as Ron let out a loud grumble of complaint. That was little sisters for you.

….

"Looking forward to going back?" Sirius asked as they strode along the snowy street of Ottery St Catchpole. Only a couple of days remained until Harry and the other Weasley boys returned to Hogwarts.

"Yeah, especially for Quidditch practise," Harry replied with a grin. "Oliver's determined to win this year."

"Quidditch captains," his godfather chuckled, smiling at a couple walking by who smiled back. No one knew anything about Sirius Black in the muggle world and he preferred it that way. "You'll never find a more obsessed bunch, it's all about the win."

Harry nodded, he well remembered how hectic third year got. Both Gryffindor and Slytherin had been hexing and jinxing each other in the weeks leading up to the final Quidditch match that had finally earned Oliver his long awaited win. Not that the teachers had been much better, both Heads of House had been doing everything to give their team an advantage over the other. Retrospectively, it was rather amusing.

"Your dad was captain our last two years," Sirius said conversationally.

"He was?" Harry asked, sidestepping a patch of shiny ice.

"Yep and it did him a lot of good," Sirius said fondly. "It's a big responsibility, managing a Quidditch team and planning moves for all the players, not just yourself. He loved it and well, those last two years saw Voldemort start to show his true colours so this was something positive for your dad to focus on. And it just so happens that during this time, he and your mum became close."

"And ended up being Head boy and girl," Harry offered, earning a nod of agreement.

"That's right, Dumbledore decided that they deserved the position," Sirius confirmed. "It wasn't that much of a surprise that your mum got it, she was always interested in inter-House cooperation and was a good student who rarely got a detention. I think I just about fainted when your dad received the letter about becoming Head Boy. Actually, I think your dad did faint when he saw the badge."

Harry laughed, recalling the incredulous expression on Ron's face when he'd been made Prefect. Somehow, he thought that his dad's expression would have been roughly the same.

"So, I suppose I should say to you to have a great time but study hard," Sirius said briskly, easily stepping over a frozen puddle.

"I'll try," Harry said with a grin as his godfather mused. "I've got my old home to look forward to."

"Was your parents' house really horrible?" Harry asked softly.

Heaving a very heavy sigh, Sirius said quietly. "Yeah, it was. Even if you took out my parents, the very house it's self is overflowing with the Dark Arts and Slytherin memorabilia. It's why I ran away when I was sixteen, I just couldn't take it anymore. Luckily for me, your grandparents took me in until I got my own place after Hogwarts. I wish you could have known them."

"What happened to them, were they killed by Voldemort?" Harry questioned, the snow crunching underfoot.

"No," Sirius said with a heavy sigh. "Once I've got hold of my things, I'll show you some pictures of them but the thing is, they were getting on in years when they actually had James. They passed away just before you were born but very peacefully."

"I'm glad," Harry said seriously. "From what I've heard, it was pretty….AH!"

His foot had just found a small but deadly patch of black ice and his foot went forward and widely he grabbed onto Sirius who stumbled and also stepped onto some ice. The result was that they both landed heavily onto their backs and thanks to a slight incline, shot forward several metres before a red post-box stopped them in their tracks.

With the shock of what had just happened, they lay there dumbly before a small pile of snow fell from an overhanging tree and landed squarely on Sirius face. Harry burst out laughing, he just couldn't help himself. A moment later, Sirius was also laughing and the two of them clung to each other, regardless of any bruises or wet clothes they might have.

A few people gaped at them but since they appeared unhurt, most carried on with their business. A couple of elderly ladies, laden with shopping, declared.

"Oops, did you slip dearies?"

"We're….we're fine," gasped Sirius, trying to regain a bit of composure.

"You be careful on that ice," one of them warned, waggling a knitted gloved finger. "Do yourself a mischief."

"We'll be more careful," Harry wheezed out, he almost couldn't breathe, he'd been laughing so hard.

"It's nice to see a father and son having such a good time," the second old lady, white hair gleaming in the sun. "And don't they look alike Margaret?"

"Oh yes Rosemary, peas in a pod," Margaret agreed. "Do you need a hand?"

Sirius waved his hand in a negative gesture and she nodded.

"I'm gasping for a cupper," Rosemary stated, her eyes travelling up the street to where a warm café was located. "Let's stop for a brew."

"And cake," her friend added slyly and they both burst out laughing as they set off up the street again.

Gradually, Harry and Sirius's laughter died away as they couldn't help but think on Rosemary and Margaret's words. Sirius was the first to haul himself to his feet before offering a hand to Harry. With a practised movement, he withdrew his wand without attracting attention and cast a quick drying spell over both of them.

"You know, a cup of tea doesn't sound too bad right about now," he said jovially. "What do you say?"

"Sounds great," Harry agreed and they followed the elderly ladies towards the café.

An impulse suddenly hit Harry and he couldn't help but speak.

"Sirius…I'm…..really glad you're in my life," he said, trying not to sound too awkward.

His godfather stopped dead and looked down at him. Gripping Harry's shoulder, he said quietly.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to be Harry. I honestly don't know what I'd do if you weren't in my life right now."

Harry smiled and Sirius smiled back. No more words were needed as they resumed their walk but somehow, they felt a little bit closer.

Author's note. I realise that once more, I haven't revealed how Harry is planning to get in contact with Kreacher but I promise, it will definitely be in the next one. Thank you for reading, reviewing and voting. Until next time.