Chapter Two: Always Pure.
Soft classical music bounced off thick stone walls and found its way into the ears of a painfully thing man sat with his head in his hands, his long dark hair which had a few strands of grey seemed almost tamed. His clothes were not his own and hung loosely on his frame, his tattoos were on display with his shirt unbuttoned to his chest and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
Three knocks on the door shook him from his thoughts. The brass doorknob turned and two people walked through. One was tall and resplendent in his robes while the other seemed almost as threadbare as the man on the bed.
"Moony." Sirius said with affection, raising from his the bed with his arms held out for an embrace. Instead of the embrace he had hoped for he received a fist to the jaw. Reeling from the blow Sirius didn't retaliate, he simply spat out a small amount of blood from his mouth and looked at his friend.
"I thought I lost you all that night Sirius." Remus growled whilst cradling his bruised hand.
"You did Moony. You did." Sirius replied with a tear rolling down his cheek.
"You could have told me the truth." Snapped Remus nostrils flaring.
"And you would have believed me Remus, I didn't even believe myself sometimes." Replied Sirius his voice devoid of any emotion except sadness.
"I should have had the chance to decide Sirius." Retorted Lupin. Dumbledore spoke for the first time when a degree of peace had descended between the two.
"This discussion will have to take place another time gentlemen. Our escort is waiting outside and I think it is best if we don't keep them waiting."
"What do we need an escort for?" asked Sirius.
"Because many of the general public are not convinced of your innocence. The Aurors are here to take you home and make sure there are no incidents." Dumbledore explained.
Outside of the room a group of four Aurors waited with their backs to the door and looking down the long corridor to the elevator which would take them to the atrium. Their long navy blue greatcoats were open and their hands were on their wands which were on the inside pockets for the greatcoat. They were a very different from each other and hadn't worked with each other before but they all shared a common trait, their loyalty to the minister was absolute. Despite of any misgivings or distrust they might hold they could be trusted to follow their orders to the letter.
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Flanked by Aurors Dumbledore, Sirius and Remus stood in silence as the elevator moved slowly up to the atrium.
"Siruis there is something you should probably know." Dumbledore said breaking the silence.
"What is it?" asked Sirius even though he mind was on other things.
"It's your mother, she has been very ill for the past few years and has been in St. Mungo's for the past few months." Dumbledore said gently.
"Right." Sirius replied slowly.
"I'm sure that if you would like to see her it can be arranged." Albus stated.
"She threw me out when I was sixteen and told me to never come back, I don't think I will be sitting by her sick bed Professor." Snapped Sirius.
"Very well Sirius, we shall head straight to Grimauld Place and organise from there." Dumbledore replied with an almost disappointed tone in his voice.
The doors of the lift opened with a loud ping noise. "First Floor Ministry Atrium." A detached magical voice announced.
The silence of the lift was invaded violently by the wall of noise which met the group, reporters shouted questions and took pictures relentlessly. The flashes of the old bulb cameras blinded and the smoke stung the eyes of everyone.
The leading two Aurors made their way out of the lift and were closely followed by the others. Sirius was half glad that he couldn't hear what the crowds were shouting and that they didn't seem to be able to get through the corridor of Aurors who held the masses back.
With his head lowered Sirius almost ran the full way to the green tiled fireplaces. An Auror was waiting with a enough flu powder for the three of them, they each grabbed a handful and shouted "Grimauld Place." And where gone a burst of green flame.
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"I never thought I'd be back here." Sirius said rather melancholy as he stepped out of the fire. Lupin who had arrived first didn't reply, with a wave of his hands the chairs which had been atop the kitchen table righted themselves and waited to be sat on.
He pointed for Sirius to sit and took the opposite seat. "We have things to discuss." Remus asserted.
Two glasses and a bottle of whiskey appeared on the table, Sirius grabbed himself a glass and poured a good measure into it.
"Been awhile since I've had any, you trying to get me to talk?" Sirius laughed, Remus shrugged his shoulders in reply. Sirius just sat and slowly sipped his whiskey whilst looking round the kitchen of his childhood home, the green walls looked like they had suffered from a mixture of damp and a little neglect. But it still seemed the same as the day he had left, well thrown out would be a more accurate term.
The flash of green flames announced the arrival of Dumbledore, he stepped out of the fireplace and brushed a few specks of ash from his deep purple robes. "I see that you have started without me." Dumbledore remarked without any really disappointment.
"I thought we could get a head start and see what Sirius had to say." Replied Remus as he poured himself another glass of Whiskey.
Sirius didn't reply, he just sat in his chair and swilled the whiskey around his glass whilst looking around the old kitchen.
"Perhaps if you were to both say how you think the other should have acted." Supplied Dumbledore cautiously.
"He should have come to me the moment he realised it was Peter. We could have gotten him together!" Remus exclaimed loudly.
"And tell you what? That we trusted him over you. That because you were a werewolf we thought you might be tempted by Voldemort?" Sirius retorted with anger rising in his voice.
Remus didn't reply, a pained look passed over his face but he quickly squashed it. "I have moved on from that Sirius. You don't have to revisit that, I understand you made a mistake but what we need to do know is focus on Harry." Replied Lupin calmly.
Dumbledore who has kept his silence so that the two old friends might work through their problems finally new they had gotten down to the heart of the matter. The reason that Sirius had broken out of prison in the first place.
"Yes let us move onto young Harry." Dumbledore said whilst getting himself more comfortable in the chair and summing his own cup of tea. Peering over his half-moon spectacles at his two former pupils sitting on the edges of their chairs with eagerness and hints of trepidation in their faces, he began the long process of explain the effects of the event of James & lily's deaths. How through Lily's sacrifice Harry had gained protection against the dark lord and how he theorised would keep that protection if he stayed with his blood relatives.
"The Dursles or whatever their called. You expect me to sit here and let him live with those animals." Roared Sirius.
"It's for his own safety Sirius, you must understand that." Replied Dumbledore calmly.
"So how is he going to be protected when he leaves their home? I know for a fact his name is down for Hogwarts, will the protection stop working if he isn't with his blood relatives." Asked Remus.
Stroking his long beard Dumbledore pondered how he should reply and where exactly Remus was going with his line of questioning.
"No I believe that the blood wards only need a few weeks each year to recharge, so he would be perfectly safe in Hogwarts." He said honestly.
"So in theory Harry could be with Sirius or me for the year but spend a few weeks a year with his Aunt?" prosed Remus.
Understanding dawned on both Sirius and Dumbledore quickly, Sirius's eyes were wide with anticipation of Dumbledore's reply.
"There is no way to tell if the wards would need more time to reach their peak, what your suggesting could be incredibly risking to Harry." Dumbledore explained slowly, in a voice he had used many times as teacher explaining a hard truth to unwilling students.
"Are you saying that because you truly believe it or because you feel it is necessary?" Sirius spat. "We all know about that prophecy and how much stock you put into it professor. But what is going to be better for Harry, being raise by people who love him or by people who hate everything about him." Continued Sirius.
The three sat for a time in silence and seemed to be digesting the words of each other. Dumbledore had to concede that both Sirius and Remus had a point, Harry's childhood would be better with his parent's friends in his life. With thoughts of Harry's parents at the forefront of his mind he could only feel guilt, his motives may have been pure and noble but he had failed his former pupils.
With a shaking hand Dumbledore removed his glasses and cleaned with the tails of his shirt, looking at the two eager faces in front of him he made a decision.
"From this moment on Harry will be in your care." Whispered Dumbledore.
Sirius jumped from his chair and embraced his old headmaster, small sobs escaping as he buried his face into the chest of Dumbledore. Remus had swung his feet onto the table and sat back in his chair with a grin plastered in his face whilst sipping from his glass.
With an arm around Sirius patting his back gently Dumbledore continued. "There will be conditions that you must abide by." Both men stated their agreement.
"To the wider wizarding world Harry Potter is still missing, presumed dead even. I would suggest that you travel often and far away. It would be best if it became common knowledge that you have claimed your long lost son Sirius, but remember that for at least a month a year Harry must be with his Aunt so that the blood wards are renewed." Explained Dumbledore.
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And so Harry met his parent's two closet friends, an agreement was struck between his family and Sirius. Once a year they would house Harry for a month, but they wouldn't interfere with him, punish him or even talk to him. All this was for a health sum of galleons from Sirius and even though it made him feel dirty and sick to deal with such self-serving scum his did it for Harry.
For a time everything went well, they travelled as a family and even managed to grow. When Harry was six Sirius met a young witch named Rachel whilst they were in the south of Franc and in only a few months Sirius who had sworn he would die a bachelor was married. That same year Rachel gave birth to a healthy baby boy, to everyone but the family it seemed to be only a shotgun wedding, one to save face for the Black family and Rachel's own parents who came from a minor noble pureblood family. But for Sirius it wasn't the fact that Rachel had fallen pregnant only made him propose sooner rather than later. While Harry was just excited to have a little brother who he loved and could play with when he was old enough.
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The next chapter is when the story starts, the last little bit is just back story for what is to come.
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