Harry Potter and TGTL: Fourth Year

by KappaIota

Sequel to Harry Potter and the Godfather that Lived. AU Fourth Year with Harry facing the Tri-Wizard Tournament, his first crush, Voldemort's return and an overprotective guardian. As with the original, will include teen discipline themes/adult language

26. Chapter 26

A/N Thank you everyone, for your warm reviews and comments and making me feel welcome again. I can't stress enough how nice it is to hear that my little work is still being enjoyed by so many after such a long hiatus!

I appreciate the reviews more than you could know and I've tried to answer as many questions as I can in PMs. For the guest reviewers, I'm sorry that I can't answer your questions directly, so here's a little clarifying info for you now.

1) The most important thing about how the story is going to proceed is to remind my gentle readers that it can't possibly go the way the original books did. Pettigrew is permanently out of the picture, so he was never around to find Voldemort in the forest or able to nurse him back to health. Not to say that there is nothing going on with that story line, but it's certainly not like the original story.

2) My Harry is a much different character, as I think I've mentioned in the past. I'm not saying that he isn't still a powerful and fearless wizard, but he doesn't have the same set of circumstances surrounding him anymore. Canon Harry had no one to rein him in or take issue with the crazy stunts he pulls, and consequently he was significantly more reckless, always putting his own safety and well-being last because, well, so did everyone else. A very unfair way to treat a young boy and something that I dislike about all of the adult characters who were present in his life during these years.

With Sirius in his life, he actually gets to be treated like a kid and, despite his bold personality, my Harry thrives on having a father who gives a damn about him. Which means that he will act out of character, because our environments shape who we are as people. If that makes him act younger, then so be it. It's about time he did. Harry and Sirius are both terribly damaged by the injustices they suffered. They find solace in their relationship. It is made very clear in canon that Harry desperately wanted Sirius to act more like a father to him. Even in canon Harry is craving this structure.

I will cover all the events of the TWT, I promise, but this story is more about the relationship between Harry and Sirius and, to a lesser degree, his friendship with Hermione and Ron. That is where the real focus remains.

Also, book canon and movie canon,as well as Pottermore canon, seem to contradict each other in more areas than they really should. So sometimes I include info from the books, other times I use the movies. It all just depends on what I feel works with my story the best.

Again, I thank everyone who is continuing to read and enjoy and review!

WARNING! This is a loooong chapter. It's a mix of all the warm and fuzzies because it's Christmas! And a little bit of naughty Harry who is in BIG trouble with Sirius too, because Harry always finds trouble during the Christmas break lol.

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

"God rest ye, Merry Hippogriffs! Let nothing you dismaaaaay!"

The jubilation in Sirius' singing voice resounded through the residence as he flung open Harry's bedroom door with a huge smile. He was wearing scarlet and gold pajamas with a festive crown of holly perched atop his long black hair and carrying a matching robe as he strode over to Harry's bedside. Rudely awakened, Harry groaned and flipped onto his stomach to bury his face in his pillow, although there was a fond grin on his face that he couldn't help despite the hour.

"Up up up, little one! Fun awaits you!"

"'s'too early," the cranky boy mumbled into the pillow, kicking slightly as Sirius gently tickled an exposed foot. "Go'way."

It was early, the pink mist of morning barely peeking out over the lake, but Sirius was not going to be deterred. He had the whole day already planned and it started with time for him and his godson alone.

"Our guests will be here for breakfast in an hour or so," he reminded Harry as he pulled the blankets off the boy who immediately emitted a cry of protest from his source of warmth being so cruelly taken from him.

When Harry tried to burrow further into his bed, Sirius leaned over and gave the wiggling bum a playful swat before taking him by the hand to tug him into a standing position. With Harry grudgingly on his feet and giving his godfather the world's cutest scowl, Sirius perched the round spectacles on Harry's nose, wrapped the boy up snugly in the robe he'd brought with him and threw an arm around the narrow shoulders as he kissed the top of Harry's messy bed-head.

"It's Christmas! Don't you want to see what's under the tree?"

Of course Harry did, but he couldn't make it seem like he was an overly eager and greedy child. That was too much like how Dudley behaved and Harry had always hated him for it.

But feeling like he'd put up enough of a token resistance by this point, he couldn't help the smile he was sporting over his godfather's clear excitement and he willingly allowed himself to be herded into the sitting room.

The main room of the residence looked exceptionally merry this morning. Sirius had charmed the entire ceiling to look like a soft snow was falling. The curved stone walls were covered in brightly glowing fairy lights made of actual live fairies and softly lit candles were spread over every surface that wasn't already covered in either food or gifts. The fire in the hearth was crackling and popping and there were several stockings hanging from its mantle that were bulging with sweets.

The whole room smelled delightfully of cinnamon and ginger and freshly baked pastries and Harry's stomach gave an interested rumble after he saw several platters of treats already on their dining table. Under the tree, Harry's pile of presents seemed to have grown even larger overnight and he idly wondered where the new ones had all come from in the short time since he went to sleep the previous evening.

Too tired to give it much thought, he mentally shrugged and just accepted another wonderful perk of a magical life.

Sirius steered the boy over to the couch and got him settled under a thick blanket before he bounced off to the kitchen area to retrieve two mugs of a pleasantly aromatic mulled cider. Harry reached for his with tired grabby hands and then took a sip, letting the spicy blend warm him up inside as well. Sleepily, he leaned against his godfather sitting next to him, and as they were alone in their home, and there was no one around who could tease him later, he unashamedly snuggled into Sirius' side, content for the moment to rest with his eyes closed as he continued to slowly wake up.

Although he was eager to get the festivities started, Sirius couldn't resist the obvious demand for affection from a half-coherent boy who had been too busy lately pretending to be far too grown up to want regular hugs from his godfather. Placing his own mug down on the table in front of them, he wrapped both arms around his godson and just hugged him for a few minutes in the cheery quiet of their home.

A large improvement over the Christmases from the last thirteen years for both of them. They needn't hurry it along.

Only a few short minutes passed however before the companionable silence was interrupted by the low grumble of a hungry stomach and Harry glanced up sheepishly, his face blushing as he grinned. Sirius barked a laugh and summoned a plate of warm cinnamon rolls that Harry immediately pounced on before the indulgent godfather took the opportunity to stand up to pluck a few gaily wrapped packages from under the tree and place them on the table in front of the boy.

"Happy Christmas, little one."

With anticipation and excitement mounting, Harry indelicately stuffed the last bit of roll into his mouth, chewing messily as he brushed the crumbs from his hands and proceeded to embark on the enormous task of opening all of his gifts.

As in many households that morning, there were a lot of packages that contained the boring basic necessities like clothing and other school supplies. Jumpers, trousers, socks and boots and another winter cloak as well as a wool Muggle pea coat. Sirius had already purchased some warmer winter things for Harry before the first cold snap of the year, but the boy really did need more as he'd also had a small growth spurt over the past couple of months.

Not enough of one to make a huge difference to the naked eye, but enough that he was slowly but surely growing out of some of his things already. Box after box produced all manner of apparel, Wizard and Muggle alike, although Harry, like Sirius, tended to prefer Muggle clothing over traditional robes when not in class

New quills to replace the ones quickly wearing down with the increased workload of advancing class years. A dozen bottles of ink with spill-proof tops for a boy that couldn't always be bothered to put his things away neatly. Thick rolls with sheets of new parchment paper that Sirius expressed his hope in a mockingly stern voice would not all be used for writing lines in detention.

More boxes held the fun treats that Harry had grown to love since his introduction to the wizarding world. A large assortment of tricks and games from Zonko's and a collection of what must be every Quidditch book ever written that he hadn't read yet, along with new gear that Harry grumped about not needing any time soon since there would be no playing for the house team this year.

"Remember, we can always go home to Celestial Court so you can fly," Sirius gently chided when he saw Harry's face cloud over from the loss of his favorite school sport.

Fancier wrapped packages yielded the expensive special presents, like the fantastic penknife that had attachments designed to open any lock and untie any knot and made Harry's eyes widen with delight. Along with an incredibly ornate Globe of the Moon that Sirius was quick to point out would be invaluable during their Astronomy class together in the next term.

It was an embarrassment of riches, and as Harry sat in the middle of an avalanche of torn, sparkly Christmas paper, he couldn't quite suppress the satisfying feeling of being a loved and spoiled child for the first time in his life. As soon as he felt it, however, he quickly shook it off and mentally remonstrated himself.

How often had he thought badly of his cousin for being exactly the same?

Of course Dudley had always felt that it was his right to be spoiled by his doting parents and not a privilege, whereas Harry was just excited by the fact that he now had a parent who loved him enough to want to spoil him. So it wasn't exactly the same thing, but he couldn't help the uncomfortable pinch in his stomach that reminded him to be grateful and not greedy.

In truth, just getting to spend the holiday with his godfather was really all he needed to make this the best Christmas he'd ever had.

With most of the pile under the tree unwrapped and neatly stacked next to couch, Sirius smiled enigmatically and winked at Harry as he retreated into his bedroom for a moment. When he returned he was carrying another wrapped gift that was clearly a broom by the easily recognizable shape. Pumping an elated fist in the air Harry whooped with joy and leaped over the back of the couch to take the package from his laughing godfather's hands.

Ever since the first task had ended with the destruction of his beloved Firebolt, Harry had been sorely lamenting his lack of a broom. Although, given the fact that there was no Quidditch to play and a closet full of older brooms to ride at home, he hadn't been in a hurry to spend the money to procure a new one either.

In truth, he was still grieving the loss of his last broom.

The Firebolt had been special to him. Mostly because of the person who had gifted it and not necessarily because of the broom itself. Regardless of much he had coveted owning one during the weeks spent by himself in Diagon Alley before the start of his third year, it was the fact that his godfather had taken the risk while on the run to buy one for Harry that really mattered.

How he'd managed to do that, Harry still didn't know.

He'd had been distraught by its loss simply because of how he'd come to acquire it, but secretly he'd also recently begun to suspect that there was a better than average chance that Sirius might use their first Christmas together as a reason to present his godson with another one.

Having now heard the story that Sirius was also responsible for the very first broom Harry had ever owned, the toy he'd ridden as a toddler, the gift of a broom seemed to be a tradition that the indulgent guardian might be inclined to continue.

The Firebolt was still by far the best broom on the market and there was always a waiting list for them, especially during a high demand time like Christmas. And Harry, while trying to convince himself to be content with any of Sirius' second-hand brooms that they already owned, also half-hoped that his godfather might have been of a mind to once again go through the trouble of purchasing another for him.

Although, to be honest, he wouldn't really mind if the package he now held in his hands turned out to be nothing more exciting than an economy model Cleansweep. Because the reality was that there were lots of kids at school, including Ron, who'd never even owned one broom yet. Much less already be on their third.

After all, Harry had allowed both his original Nimbus 2000 and the Firebolt to get destroyed over the course of less than three years of broom ownership. Both very costly errors that would have most parents throwing their hands up in despair. He wouldn't blame his guardian for any unwillingness on his part to invest that kind of gold again into another pricey broom when Harry was proven to be a less than careful owner.

So when he tore the wrappings from the frame he had to blink his bleary eyes several times in order to convince himself that what he was holding in his hands really was what his sleep addled mind was seeing and not a figment of his overactive imagination.

"It's a Firebolt Supreme," Sirius confirmed with a wide smile. "They won't even officially be offered to the national teams until spring. You're getting one of the very first."

Stunned into complete and utter silence, Harry reverently stroked the glossy finish of the ebony handle embossed with the very limited edition serial No. 2 in shimmering gold. The twigs were a precise mixture of birch and hazel, giving the broom the maximum speed and maneuverability over any other model in existence. It even had an updated Braking Charm that was said to be twenty percent smoother than the one his original Firebolt had boasted. The goblin made ironwork of the footrests and stand were exquisitely crafted and custom to each broom according to the measurements of the rider.

Harry had seen the adverts spoiling the Firebolt Supreme's heavily anticipated development while he was browsing in Quality Quidditch Supplies when he and Sirius had gone shopping for his beginning of term supplies, but he'd never imagined owning one himself,especially so soon, even in his dizziest daydreams. The original Firebolt itself was still such an elite product that one needed to supply a qualifying letter of credit from Gringott's to even inquire about the sale price.

Horrified, Harry couldn't begin to imagine what the Firebolt Supreme had cost his godfather.

He gulped several times and the handle shook slightly in his trembling hands when he thought about the stratospheric value of the broomstick he was holding. He wasn't even sure he could dare ride something so dear.

Seeing Harry's onset of nerves, Sirius correctly guessed the cause and he put a reassuring arm around the boy. Yes, the thing had been incredibly pricey, but it didn't even make a tiny dent in Sirius' personal vault, let alone the much bigger one in his possession as the head of the Black family.

"I don't think I ever told you that Randolph Spudmore was a few years above me and your dad at school," Sirius explained as he led the shaking boy to sit on the couch.

Harry sat down gingerly, mindful of where his hands were grasping the handle, and not allowing the twigs of the broom within six feet of the roaring fire in the hearth.

"To be honest, he was a bit of a prat. But he always did know what he was about when it came to flying. He was also the Captain of Ravenclaw's house team during your dad's first year as Chaser and they spent hours talking brooms. I wasn't surprised to find out that he was responsible for the creation of the Firebolt."

The boy's eyes bugged out of their sockets upon finding out that his dad had flown against the man who designed the Firebolt. It never ceased to amaze him every time he heard a new story about the father he didn't remember.

"The only helpful thing to come out of those tall tales that shrew Rita Skeeter spews about the tournament was her story about your Firebolt getting burned," Sirius continued, his gray eyes smoldering with anger. "You were so upset over losing it that I reached out to Randolph personally once you were safely out of hospital to make sure there would be no delay in getting you a replacement as quickly as possible. He was delighted with the idea of the famous Harry Potter having one of the first Supremes. Provided, of course, that I was willing to pay handsomely for it."

Sirius grinned and gave Harry's shoulders a squeeze. His godson's unwanted notoriety made him uncomfortable most of the time, but sometimes it could have its perks. The boy blushed before very carefully setting the broom aside and giving his godfather an enormous hug.

"Thanks," he muttered quietly into Sirius' shoulder, overwhelmed with the magnitude of the gesture. "I love it."

"You're very welcome, little one. Just...be careful with this one, yes? The broom can always be replaced, but the boy riding it cannot."

Harry hugged harder, sorry to have ever worried his godfather like he knew he had during the first task. It couldn't be easy for Sirius to be saddled with the enormous responsibility of raising a danger magnet like Harry.

And there were still two more tasks to go...

"Yes, sir."

Although he could think of worse ways to spend the morning than getting hugged by his kid, Sirius willingly pulled back when Harry suddenly sat up with a big grin on his face.

"My turn."

Jumping up from his seat, Harry dashed over to the tree and extracted an armful of presents that he placed in front of his godfather. Heavy with anticipation he curled up on the couch, tucking his legs underneath him, and nervously fiddled with the blanket Sirius had given him earlier.

"I hope you like them," he said hesitantly, his forehead scrunched into a frown. "I'm really not very good at picking out gifts."

"I'll love anything you give me," Sirius assured his boy with a large smile, reaching for the one closest to him. "No matter what it is."

The first package contained a frame with several moving photos of just the two of them. Taken at the World Cup, Harry's birthday party and a Hogsmeade weekend with Hermione's fancy Muggle camera and developed in the special potion that allowed the movement to show.

Ever since her parents had gifted her with it the previous Christmas, she had been adamant about documenting her time together with her friends, and once Harry had been reunited with Sirius, the sweet girl became especially insistent on making sure they also had lots of photos together to make up for the years of not having any.

"I thought," Harry started shyly, "maybe we could put it up in here?"

Sirius smiled softly as he slowly took in each photo. Harry's impish face beaming out at him as they laughed and joked around. He'd wondered if he was ever going to see the final product after posing for so many shots, and now that he had them in front of him, it was all he could do to keep from shedding a few happy tears.

"I think that's an excellent idea."

He was reluctant to put the frame down, happy to just lose himself in the pleasant memories of days they had spent together, but a quick glance at the clock on the wall reminded him that they didn't have much time left before Remus, Ron and Hermione were due to arrive. Leaning over he reached for a small box, only to have Harry grab his sleeve and pull his hand back with a jerk.

"Not that one!" the boy yelped before catching himself. "Um. Just do that one last, okay?"

Sirius cocked an eyebrow in curiosity, but he slid the package back onto the table and grabbed one of the larger ones instead. He tore off the wrapping paper from the first of the two and revealed a box containing a very expensive bottle of his favorite Firewhiskey that Harry wasn't old enough to purchase.

"I gave Remus the gold to pick it up for me," Harry explained with a pout. "They wouldn't let me into the shop."

"And I'd better never catch you in there until you are of age, young man," Sirius scolded, wagging a finger and barely suppressing a grin. Knowing of course that Harry and his friends would try to sneak in at some point.

Just like Sirius and James had.

He winked at the boy to take the sting out of his words and picked up the other large box to unwrap it. He was surprised to see a box embossed with the name of a well known shop in London.

"I know you like Muggle clothes," Harry explained. "I thought. Maybe. You might like this if we go flying on your bike again."

Inside the box was a soft, black leather bomber jacket with ornate silver buckles and studs. It was exactly the kind of thing that Sirius would have picked out for himself and he told Harry so to the delight of the boy who'd gone through a lot of trouble to obtain it. Standing up, he donned the jacket and put his hands on his hips, giving his godson an exaggerated model's pout.

"What do you think? Is it me?"

Harry smirked and nodded enthusiastically. "Definitely. Just don't ever do that thing with your face again, okay? That's just wrong."

Sirius laughed and took the jacket off before hanging it up on the coat rack by the door. As he walked back over to the couch, he noticed that Harry was nervously bouncing a leg up and down.

"Is there something in that little box that I should be afraid of? Are you getting ready to prank me on Christmas Day, young man?"

The words were said in a joking manner, but they didn't help ease the tension he could see radiating off of his godson's narrow shoulders. If anything, Harry's unease seemed to get worse.

"Okay. Just...don't feel like you have to like this gift," Harry warned, holding up his hands in caution. "It's alright if you don't. I won't be upset. I promise."

"That's quite a caveat," Sirius said guardedly as he slowly sat down and took the box into his hands. "I'm a little afraid to open it now."

Harry shrugged and burrowed further into the corner of the sofa, trepidation in his green eyes as he studiously watched his godfather carefully unwrap the box. This gift was a gamble. One that he was more than willing and ready to take, but a gamble nevertheless. He had promised himself the moment he'd placed the charm on the item to not regret giving it, no matter how things turned out.

It looked like a harmless white box, but Sirius still used care to open it just in case his godson was honing his skills as a junior Marauder. Slipping his thumbnail under the lid, he slowly lifted it and reached in to extract a simple black coffee mug decorated with one word moving around in floaty white letters.

PAPA

Without warning tears flooded his eyes and a sharp intake of breath hitched in his throat as he looked up at his nervous child plucking apart the seam of the blanket.

"It doesn't feel right to keep calling you Sirius," Harry said quietly, unable to look him in the eye just yet. "You deserve more than that."

Sirius reached over and gently took Harry's chin in his hand and coaxed the boy to glance up. Harry was giving him a look of pure hope and longing as he leaned into the touch. As if his entire life's happiness hinged on the next few minutes.

"Harry."

The word came out of Sirius' throat like a breathless gasp, his heart doing flip-flops in his chest and making it hard to take in enough oxygen. He looked directly into Lily's green eyes and probed the intent behind them.

"Are...are you sure?" he stuttered incredulously. "James..."

"Is always going to be my Dad," Harry insisted quietly. "And I'm always going to love him and be grateful for everything he did for me. But you're my father too now and I wanted to have a way of showing you that."

Harry shifted around nervously, unable to keep making eye contact just in case his overture was rejected. His face and neck were flushed bright red and his feelings of inadequacy were bubbling to the surface, making him feel horribly insecure. Although he knew in his heart that he had no real reason to fear that Sirius was suddenly going to change his mind about being his parent.

"I thought, maybe, if it was okay with you, I could call you Papa?"

A lump the size of Britain rose into Sirius' throat as he reached over to pull Harry into his arms. Hugging the boy fiercely, he kissed the side of Harry's head, his tears now running down his face.

"It would be my greatest honor to be your Papa."

With those words the tension in Harry's body suddenly melted away and he sagged boneless against his father's chest. He exhaled a shaky breath he didn't even realize he was holding as he shyly buried his face into Sirius' neck.

He'd been petrified that the man he'd grown to love would be put off by his declaration. After all, they had only been together as a family properly since the beginning of the summer, and while Sirius had shown over and over again how committed he was to being a parent to Harry, the thought had occurred to the boy more than once that he might prefer to remain in the more comfortable role of godfather.

But now it was clear that those fears had been unfounded and the strong arms surrounding him were a protective armor of love and safety. Things that Harry hadn't had a lot of in his young life and the reason why he tended to be a little on the reckless side of adventure.

After all, no one had really ever cared if Harry was hurt or injured before Sirius came into the picture. So why would Harry have cared himself? Sirius was the first adult in his life that Harry had ever felt would put himself in front of danger before allowing Harry to get hurt.

Feeling the comfort of an unconditional security that he'd never really experienced before, Harry laid his head against his Papa's chest, listening to the soothing thump of his beating heart as Sirius continued to press soft kisses to the top of his messy bed-head.

Neither one was in any kind of a hurry to let go of the other. This bonding was years in the making and it needed to be savored and not rushed.

Harry had just given Sirius the best Christmas gift imaginable, and if he could he would stay in this moment forever. Content to just sit and watch the flames dance in the hearth together, they remained in their embrace long enough to be startled by an abrupt knock at the door.

Realizing the time, Sirius pulled back and swiped a hand down his face to brush off the remains of his tear tracks. It was going to be obvious enough, at least to Remus, that the morning had been incredibly emotional for them.

"They're here," he said, almost grudgingly at the intrusion. "Are you alright? Ready to greet our guests?"

Nodding, Harry cleared his clogged throat and stood up from the couch, belatedly remembering the obscene pile of unwrapped gifts he'd been given. Grabbing his wand from the table he thrust it in the direction of the pile.

"Locomoter gifts!"

One by one Harry's Christmas presents levitated and quickly began streaming into his bedroom while Sirius watched curiously as another knock sounded on the door.

"I don't want Ron to see," Harry explained quietly, his face blushing. "His parents could never buy him this many presents. I don't want him hurt."

Sirius' face fell in acknowledgement and he raised his own wand to assist in speeding the process along as the clothing neatly stacked itself in Harry's wardrobe while the rest nudged each other as they fought for space under his bed. When the task was complete, he strode over to answer the door and opened it to reveal Remus with both Ron and Hermione behind him, standing as far apart from each other as they could while still remaining in the entryway.

It was clear that although they had both agreed to come this morning, they still hadn't made up from their fight.

"Happy Christmas!" Remus called out, attempting to cheer up the mood of the teenagers behind him.

Moving aside to let their guests in, Sirius returned the greeting with an enormous smile on his face as he took their cloaks and hung them on the rack next to his new leather jacket. Harry emerged from the bathroom after quickly washing his face and attempting to run a brush through his unruly hair.

"Happy Christmas, guys."

Hermione greeted him with a warm hug before she moved over into the kitchen area with Sirius and Remus to help out with the breakfast while Ron joined Harry near the tree. The redhead looked like he hadn't slept in the last couple of days judging by the dark circles under his eyes as he placed the packages from himself and his family on the now significantly smaller pile.

Harry didn't saying anything, the misery on his best friend's face more than enough to show that things had not improved. He settled for giving Ron a quick pat on the back and silently commiserated with him.

It was a slightly awkward breakfast, despite Sirius' genuine happiness and his determined effort to maintain a cheery atmosphere in the residence. Remus, who had stayed the night at his cottage in order for Sirius and Harry to have this morning to themselves, helped as much as he could to boost the joviality of the small group. The two men spent the entire meal sharing several humorous stories of the Marauders' escapades during the holidays while they ate the delicious food that Dobby had provided.

The elf himself appeared early in the meal to gift Harry with a hideous pair of socks that he'd made before practically collapsing in a frenzied hysteria of happiness and appreciation for the gifts of tiny jumpers and socks that Harry and Sirius gave him in return.

While he was there he confirmed for a delighted Hermione that part of Sirius' Christmas gift to her had been to grant the house elves of Celestial Court a long holiday off to spend with some of their family. Sirius had made as many arrangements as he could with the other owners to make this happen, including bearing the cost of temporary domestic help to cover the holiday chores.

She squealed in delight and immediately threw her arms around him before realizing in horror what she had done. Sirius didn't mind as he gently patted her back. He'd long ago started thinking of Harry's good friend as a favorite niece. With Regulus gone, he'd never actually get the chance to have another one.

It still hurt to think about his little brother.

What Hermione wasn't told was how many of the elf relatives steadfastly refused such an offer. Some of them had become excessively distraught over the very idea that they wouldn't be allowed to serve their masters during a busy time of the year. The young girl was kind, but still woefully ignorant about the realities of the traditions of house elves and Sirius didn't feel the need to upset her with something she wouldn't be able to change, regardless of her good intentions.

Although neither Sirius nor Harry mentioned anything during the course of their morning together, their guests easily took note of the increasingly warm and affectionate displays between the two of them. Not that they didn't usually have a close relationship, but it was clear that something had happened to strengthen it even further.

Remus noticed the new mug right away and he asked a wordless question of his oldest friend across the table that Sirius answered with a simple joyous smile. Ron and Hermione stayed silent on the new dynamic, but Harry was grinning like a maniac the entire morning and they were both happy for their friend who officially deserved a loving father after years of neglect by his relatives.

After a leisurely but somewhat tense breakfast they decided to move on to opening gifts since Hermione had made more than one remark of her need to return to Gryffindor tower sooner rather than later. Ron didn't say anything that might inflame an already touchy subject, but the hurt was clearly etched into every freckle on his face.

As the group gathered around the tree, they took turns handing out parcels to each other. Not wanting to put more pressure on the precarious finances of the Weasley family, who would surely feel the obligation to reciprocate any hospitality extended to Ron, there had been an agreement made early on that the children were not to give gifts to Remus and Sirius.

Although Harry was going to be gifting Remus with a first edition book on ancient runes that Sirius had found, but that would wait until later when the other teens were not around.

Harry gave Hermione a beautiful book bag made of soft Italian leather to replace the one she was currently using that was slowing breaking its seams from excessive over-packing. He also gave Ron a large box full of Chudley Cannons memorabilia, including an orange hat that clashed terribly with his hair but that Ron insisted on wearing anyway. In return, Hermione gave Harry a book titled Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland and he didn't have the heart to tell her that Sirius had already given him a copy earlier that morning. He would give it to Ron on the condition that she not find out and be hurt.

After an awkward moment of silence, Hermione handed Ron a small package wrapped in Chudley Cannons themed paper. Inside was a pair of top box tickets for the opening game of the new season. The implication that she had originally intended to be the one to use the other ticket was left unsaid.

For some unknown reason, Ron had the questionable idea of gifting Harry with a large box of dung bombs. Perhaps forgetting all the trouble that Harry had gotten into when he pelted Sirius' classroom with them earlier in the term in an effort to get his godfather back on track with his parenting. Harry and Sirius shared a disbelieving look with each other that had them eventually chuckling over the incident while the others around them didn't appear to notice.

But it was Ron's gifts to Hermione that had the room go quiet, not unlike what happened at Hermione's birthday party that past September. She opened a box to reveal a gorgeous journal with her name tooled in gold on the front cover. Inside were dozens of blank pages to be used to document and create spells, along with a ornate new quill.

Another smaller box revealed a charm for the silver bracelet she had taken off in a huff a few days prior.

The shimmering white pearl snowflake a clear symbol for the Yule Ball that they would now not be attending together.

The thoughtful gifts, ones that were obviously expensive and would have been hard for her cash-strapped former boyfriend to acquire, had Hermione struggling to maintain her fragile composure. Summoning up her entire reserve of strength, she pushed down her sadness long enough to politely thank everyone for their gifts, as well as Sirius and Harry for hosting the breakfast, and then excused herself, citing a need to get some work done since she wouldn't be able to that evening.

With a sad and longing look on his face, Ron watched her go and stubbornly rebuffed any attempt by the others to comfort him.

Harry, trying hard to get Ron's mind off his troubles, suggested they go into his room and play one of the new games he'd received that morning so Ron didn't need to suffer any more pitying looks from either Sirius or Remus and the redhead gratefully agreed, having already been wounded enough for one day. He morosely trudged into Harry's room while Harry went to tell the others.

"Ron and I are going to try out my new Wizard's Checkers game for a while. Is that alright?"

Sirius was contentedly puttering around in the kitchen area, gathering items for the next meal while Remus was setting the table.

"Of course," Sirius replied, looking up long enough to give the boy a smile. "Just for a bit, mind you. We'll be having lunch in a half hour or so."

"Yes, Papa."

Harry had already dashed back into his bedroom, so he didn't see Sirius' knees buckle enough to make him collapse into one of the dining chairs. With his heart about to burst out of his chest, the gobsmacked man tried mightily to catch his breath as a concerned Remus took a seat next to him.

Eyes wild and misting, Sirius looked helplessly at his oldest friend as he rode through the emotional shock of hearing that precious word used for the first time.

Harry had just casually tossed it out into the open, as if he'd been calling Sirius Papa all his life. There had been no hesitation on the boy's part. No awkwardness or uncertainty. It had been natural and reflexive and it meant more to the man than he would have ever realized.

Remus stood again and quickly poured a generous measure of Firewhiskey into a cup of eggnog that he pressed into Sirius' trembling hand. Knowing, quite correctly, that his friend needed a little something bracing but not enough of it to taint the festivities of the holiday with excessive mid-day drinking. Besides which, the heavy sugar in the drink would help with the sudden onset of shock that Sirius seemed to be suffering.

"Drink that, Padfoot," he instructed firmly. "You know it will help."

Mechanically Sirius raised the cup to his mouth and took a forced swallow, allowing the burn of the whiskey sliding down his throat to ward off the shakiness he was feeling inside. He took in a shuddering breath and sipped again before attempting to speak.

"Did...did you hear him?

Remus smiled sadly and nodded, reaching over to grasp Sirius' shoulder in a comforting grip.

"I heard. It's about time too. Good job, Harry."

Looking up, his eyes desperate and pleading, Sirius wordlessly begged for affirmation and absolution from his oldest living friend.

"But, James..."

"Would agree with me," Remus insisted, brooking no refusal from Sirius who, despite his natural air of confidence, was struggling mightily to come to grips with what he felt was his biggest betrayal to the memory of the man he considered his brother.

Remus leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands together on the table. A dark shadow crossing his face as he allowed the overwhelming surge of the guilt he carried on a daily basis come to the forefront of his mind.

"When James asked you to be his son's godfather, it wasn't just a casual request," he reminded his friend, making sure that Sirius was looking directly at him. "There was a war going on. We all of us knew that what happens in war time doesn't carry the lesser weight of daily life in times of peace."

It was true enough. Sirius didn't necessarily need to be told this, having lived it himself. The uncertainty of the time during Voldemort's rise to power had shaken their entire world to its very foundations. Many people in the wizarding world were making large, life-changing decisions on a regular basis with the urgency and need of those who understood that their tomorrows were by no means guaranteed.

"When James and Lily decided to get married so young, right out of school, we didn't even blink an eye," Remus stated firmly. "So many were doing the same."

Sirius nodded, fondly remembering how an excited but nervous James had dragged him to Diagon Alley right after their graduation to help pick out Lily's engagement ring. Fortunately for him, she had said yes, and the wedding itself had taken place only a few days later with Sirius as the best man. A year after that, Lily was pregnant with Harry.

They had all been so very young.

"None of us knew whether or not we would survive even to the next day," Remus continued. "James asking you to stand as godfather for his son was done with the full knowledge that there was a better than average chance that you would one day be put in the position of being, not just Harry's godfather, but his father."

It was a blunt truth.

Not that any of them had ever spoken aloud about the possibility, but it had existed nevertheless. Too many people they knew were dying at that time, especially once they joined the Order.

Whether Sirius wanted to admit it or not, James wasn't just asking his best friend to be a fun uncle to his only son.

He was asking Sirius to stand in his stead as Harry's father should James fall.

Although Sirius had loved Harry from the moment he was born, and had spent every minute since his escape from Azkaban doing everything he could to care for him as a son, it wasn't until just this moment that he began to allow the finality of it all to really take hold in his mind. Only now was he ready to let go of the crushing guilt over his many failures and fully embrace the mantle of being Harry's father in every way.

"You're doing well by Harry," Remus assured him. "You won't be the one who's unable to look James in the face when you cross over into the next life."

Sirius looked unconvinced but he held his tongue further, hoping in his heart that Remus was right.

"You're not the one who will have to explain to him why his child had a loveless upbringing with those people while you were falsely and cruelly imprisoned for years with no one defending your innocence," Remus said quietly. "That distinction will belong to me."

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

Wizard's Checkers didn't have nearly the same excitement as the chess game. Yes, the pieces were charmed to hop around the board, smashing the other rounds that were jumped, but the blood lust of battle was sorely lacking for the two boys who were used to a much more aggressive game.

But it was probably best that they played something a little more lighthearted, considering how truly woeful Ron looked.

"So she's really going with someone else then," Harry ventured quietly.

Ron nodded as he made his next move, his face pinched between hurt and anger.

"Yeah. I thought she was having me on, you know? Just to get back at me for asking Fleur. But Ginny swears she has a date, and as much as a pain as my sister is, she wouldn't tell me that if it wasn't true."

"I'm sorry," Harry said, really meaning it. He hated to see his two best friends at such clear odds with each other. "Have you tried talking to her?"

At this Ron's face clouded over as his eyebrows narrowed and he aggressively jumped another round causing it to crack especially hard.

"I told her I was sorry about Fleur, but she wouldn't listen," he spat out. "I don't even know why I did it, really. It's not like I actually wanted to go with her instead of Hermione. There's just something about her that makes me lose my mind for a moment."

"Papa says that she's part Veela," Harry said as he brushed some of the debris from the board before making his move. "You're not the only one who's been affected by her."

Ron stopped his pity party long enough to take a good hard look at his best friend. Harry's remark had been casual, but there was a small grin playing around his lips that clearly belied the happiness he felt inside from saying the word.

"So that's new," Ron remarked with a playful tone in his voice.

Harry's grin grew wider as his cheeks flushed pink. On the board there was a small coronation ceremony as one of his pieces got kinged.

"Just officially," he explained with a shrug. "I've sort of been calling him that in my head for a while now."

Ron smiled and he and Harry shared a quick moment of recognition for the change in Harry's family status, but that was about as much as either boy could stand in regards to talking about their feelings. To avoid any discomfort, they determinedly focused their attention back to their game until Harry's doting Papa called them into the kitchen for lunch.

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

The girls' dorms in Gryffindor tower were positively resonating with the squeals and excitement of the occupants getting ready for the big evening. In a quiet corner of the common room, a shy brunette was attempting to avoid the melee as best as she could while wiping away the occasional tear from her face.

Stupid Ronald Weasley

It shouldn't have been as hard as it was to ignore the sadness on his stupid face over her date with another boy when he had been the one to hurt her first!

But that didn't mean that it wasn't hard.

Because as much as Ronald was a stupid boy, he was still her stupid boy and she took no pleasure from hurting him in return. It had only been her own pain that had her readily accepting Viktor's invitation to accompany him. Something she never would have even considered if Ronald hadn't made the stupid decision to ask stupid Fleur Delacour to the ball instead of his own girlfriend!

He had to have known that Fleur would've laughed in his face at such an offer. Everyone in the school knew that she'd already promised to be Roger Davies' date. Roger was the Ravenclaw's team Captain. Wildly handsome and popular in his own right. Just the kind of guy that someone like Fleur would agree to be squired around by.

Hermione had never been a popular girl, even before she came to Hogwarts. She'd always been the class smart girl and yes, maybe, a little bit of a know-it-all, so there had never been the possibility of her even being noticed by a popular boy before. Smart girls are generally ignored in favor of the pretty girls who shamelessly flirt with the popular boys who always fell for their charms without ever caring if there was anything of real substance inside the beautiful packages.

Yet here she was, about to head up to her room to get ready for a magical night on the arm of the biggest catch in the school. The boy every other witch positively swooned over, to the point that he had his own fan club who devotedly trailed behind him just hoping that he'd look their way, and she couldn't get her mind off of Stupid Ronald Weasley!

The sparkly pearl snowflake she held in the palm of her hand glittered up at her accusingly. Reminding her that she had once been eagerly looking forward to this evening ever since the night the ball was announced. Because it was supposed to be the kind of night that she and her boyfriend would remember forever and tell stories about to their grandchildren.

And now all it was, was a reminder that she apparently didn't mean as much to stupid Ronald Weasley as he meant to her.

The ringing of the bells in the distant tower heralded the time to start her preparations if she was going to be ready for her date. Slipping the snowflake into the pocket of her Christmas jumper, she sighed and gathered her things. Already wishing that this evening would have gone far differently.

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

"Bloody Hell! I can't get this sodding thing to tie right!"

Harry viciously yanked his white bow tie from around his neck for the umpteenth time and fumed in front of the full length mirror in his bedroom. Belatedly he realized that his father was standing in the doorway with a scowl on his face from the boy's choice use of words.

With a resigned sigh Harry turned towards him and obediently opened his mouth just enough to receive the Scourgify spell for the washing out that he knew he'd just earned.

Instead, Sirius walked over and took the tie from his son's hand and began to deftly fasten it around the boy's neck.

"You get one free pass since it's Christmas Day," he warned gently with a tiny twinkle in his gray eyes. "Everyone knows that bow ties can be notoriously evil sometimes."

Harry huffed a quiet chuckle as he watched his Papa tame the infuriating scrap of fabric into submission. His own nervous hands refused to cooperate and it had been all he could do to get dressed as far as he had.

When the tie was properly in place, Sirius turned him so he was once again looking into the mirror. There was a proud smile on the man's face as he smoothed down the creases in his handsome son's dress robes.

"You look very nice," he said, patting Harry's arm affectionately. "Cho's a lucky girl."

At the mention of her name Harry paled and whatever little confidence he'd had inside of him seemed to abandon him.

"She's going to take one look at me and wonder what she was ever thinking in agreeing to come as my date," he muttered, carefully avoiding his father's disapproving frown at his lack of faith in himself.

"She wouldn't have said yes if she didn't want to go with you," Sirius firmly told his insecure child. "It's not like she didn't know there would be other offers coming her way."

Harry shrugged but he didn't put up the effort to disagree again. Sirius was biased and there would be no convincing him otherwise.

"Well, she'll change her mind quick enough once I trample all over her feet on the dance floor," he uttered miserably.

Over on Harry's bed, Ron snorted through a handful of Bertie Botts beans.

"You're the Saviour of the Wizarding World, mate," he chuckled. "A hero. She'll probably just wanna snog until the sun rises.

Harry rolled his eyes as he brushed a piece of lint from his sleeve while Sirius threw the redhead an annoyed glare.

"Well, the Saviour of the Wizarding World has a midnight curfew that he'll obey if he wants to keep out of trouble," he reminded his son sternly. "The only thing you'll be doing as the sun rises is sleeping safely in your bed."

Harry blushed as he was scolded in front of his friend, but he managed a sheepish grin anyway, inwardly pleased with the protective tone in his father's voice.

"Yes, Papa."

Ron stood from the bed and and threw away the empty wrappers from the stash of candy that had filled his Christmas stocking. It was just about time for Sirius and Harry to leave for the ball and he was going back to his dorm to retrieve his own Wizard's chessboard. Remus had kindly offered to spend the evening playing a few games with him.

"Are you sure you don't want to go, Ron?" Sirius asked, concern obvious on his face. "You're more than welcome to those robes I brought back."

Harry had told him that part of Ron's reluctance to attend the ball, with or without a date, was the sorry state of the hand-me-down dress robes that Molly had acquired for him. Not wanting the boy to be embarrassed, Sirius had retrieved a spare set from Celestial Court that had belonged to his Uncle Alphard.

Although also an older set, these were expensive and superbly tailored. And unlike the lacy, frilled nightmare Ron already owned, they wouldn't look out of place in the least tonight.

Classic styles never went out of fashion and by good fortune Alphard had been of similar height and build as Harry's lanky best friend.

"No thanks," Ron muttered miserably. The last thing he wanted was to be a dateless outcast at the fancy school function. "I'll just stay up here with Professor Lupin for a few hours if that's okay."

"Of course," Sirius soothed kindly. "It's almost time for Harry to meet Cho. Why don't you walk down with us now and Remus can be here to let you back in."

Together the three of them made their way out of the Astronomy Tower and down towards the Great Hall. They could already hear music wafting through the corridors as sharply dressed students buzzed around to find their dates from the other houses, as well as the visiting guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.

"There are a lot of people here this evening," Sirius observed with a frown. Several representatives of the Ministry as well as the press were contributing to the large crowd beginning to assemble. "Stick to the Great Hall tonight please, Harry James. There's too much of a chance for trouble with whoever it was that put your name in that ruddy goblet if they manage to get you away from the main room."

Harry sighed and rolled his eyes without letting his father see. If Sirius had his way Harry would be locked up safely away from the world until he was an old man.

"You know, I fought an enormous mountain troll when I was eleven," he reminded his worried papa. "And won."

Sirius stopped short in his stride and turned to give his child a fierce glare.

"Was that really the wisest thing to say to me right now, young man? When I'm already concerned about your safety?"

"Umm," Harry gulped, belatedly realizing how badly he'd miscalculated. "No, sir?"

Sirius glared for a few more seconds until he was sure that his point had been made. "Hmmph."

Sufficiently cowed, both Harry and Ron meekly followed behind as Sirius continued to lead them towards the Hall. When they saw Cho standing by the large oak doors, the beautiful young girl resplendent in Asian inspired dress robes of silver satin with tiny sprays of pale pink roses, Ron said his farewells before stalking off in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.

"Have a good time, little one," Sirius whispered quietly near Harry's ear before giving Cho a quick greeting and then heading off to do his duty as chaperone.

"H..hi," Harry said nervously.

"Hi, Harry," Cho replied with an adorable blush. Her long ebony hair was twisted up in the back in an elegant knot, showing off her perfect facial structure.

"You look...really nice."

Cho gave him a dazzling smile that made his heart flip and looked meaningfully at his arm. After a brief second of confusion Harry finally got the hint to offer it to her when he saw the other boys do the same with their own dates.

Together they slowly made their way inside the Great Hall. The walls were covered in sparkling silver frost with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The house tables had vanished, making way for a hundred smaller lantern lit ones that seated about a dozen people each. In the center of them all was space for dancing and the reminder had Harry fidgeting uncomfortably as Cho steered them towards a group of her Ravenclaw friends and their dates.

Across the room, a proud parent looked on with a smile, fervently hoping that tonight was going to be wonderful for his beloved son who hadn't known nearly enough happiness in his young life.

Ron was ambling dejectedly towards Gryffindor Tower, steadfastly ignoring the looks he was getting from the students passing him who were all dressed up for the ball. He didn't want to be an object of either curiosity or sympathy and the humiliation was making his ears burn more red by the minute. By the time he arrived at the tower his mood was decidedly dark and therefore he might not have been entirely hospitable when he saw the imposing figure of Viktor Krum waiting anxiously at the base of the stairs.

"What are you doing here?"

Viktor scowled, or it could have just been his default facial expression for all Ron knew, as he assessed the young redhead and sniffed derisively.

"I vait, for Herm-own-ninny."

The words hit Ron like a bludger to the stomach, completely knocking all the wind out of his sails. With his temper rising dangerously fast, there was a very real chance that Ron was about to do something incredibly stupid.

But then the door behind the Fat Lady's portrait opened and out stepped a vision of brown, tumbling curls in a cloud of periwinkle blue mist.

Both young men stopped their posturing with each other long enough to look up and admire the beautiful girl emerging from the doorway. Hermione had done something incredible with her normally bushy hair and it was falling down her back and over her shoulder in shiny, smooth cascading curls. In the sparkling blue dress robes, she looked like a fairy princess.

Ron forgot to breathe as he took in the sight of her. He'd always known that Hermione was pretty, but right now she was nothing short of stunning. His head muddled, he started to go to her to take her in his arms but was stopped by Krum's broad shoulders blocking his way as he charged up the stairs first. He clicked the heels of his dress shoes together very formally and bowed before taking one of Hermione's delicate small hands into his own and kissing it softly.

With Hermione clinging to his arm, Viktor led her down the stairs to where Ron was still standing dumbstruck. As they were about to pass him, he reached out to lay a light restraining hand on Hermione's free arm. Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't rebuke him as she stood for a second and waited for him to speak.

Although Ron was tempted to try and persuade her to take his arm instead, he realized that he had no right after hurting her so badly. Having her attend the ball with the person that he considered to be Harry's current enemy smarted a little, but he had no one to blame but himself. At Hermione's side, Krum was started to show a little annoyance at his evening being interrupted by the rude redhead and he loudly cleared his throat to express his displeasure.

"You look really beautiful," Ron finally uttered, his voice hoarse with regret. He turned to Krum, danger in his eyes, and issued a very fierce warning. "You better take good care of her."

With that he darted up the stairs, leaving Hermione speechless behind him as Viktor gently tugged on her arm to keep them moving forward.

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

Like most things that get scarily built up in anticipation, the opening dance wasn't nearly as awful as Harry had feared. Cho, while ostensibly letting him lead, was exceptionally helpful in his efforts to guide her around the floor and her natural grace made up for his overall clumsiness. It was all over rather quickly and soon they were able to move on to much more fun music and easier dance moves.

Harry just about fell over with shock when Hermione arrived with Viktor Krum for the grand entrance of the champions and their dates just before the opening dance. He wasn't the only one either. The entire school seemed to come to a halt when they walked into the Great Hall together.

To Harry's annoyance, there were far too many murmurs that were generally unflattering to one of his closest friends and not nearly enough of them complimenting Hermione on how positively amazing she looked. In the end he decided that it was down to the obvious jealousy of catty girls who wished that they were the ones who were hanging on the arm of the Bulgarian Bonbon as well as the aloofness of boys who were inwardly kicking themselves for never noticing just how beautiful Granger really was.

For the sake of peace he decided to just ignore them and enjoy his time with Cho.

Because he was sure that if he kept listening to the mean remarks then he would be forced to defend Hermione's honor and he was also pretty sure that Krum would join him. With the two of them, both champions, working as a team, it was a significantly unfair advantage over the mean spirited and certainly less talented students who should really learn to just shut their mouths.

At least the champions and their dates had a table just for themselves, which meant that they were all more or less familiar with each other. Besides Harry and Hermione being friends already, Harry, Cho, Cedric and Roger were all Quidditch players that spent a lot of time on field together. Viktor and Fleur, as prominent members of their student delegations, were popular figures that all the Hogwarts students had been tripping over themselves to get to know.

The only relatively unknown face at the table was Cedric's date, Siobhan Templeton. A fiery redheaded witch who was in Cedric's year and was also another member of Hufflepuff. She had an easy smile and a wicked sense of humor and Harry liked her immediately.

With the tournament at the forefront of everyone's mind, talk naturally turned to the second task and there was a bit of good-natured ribbing and some fairly blunt inquiries on how the others were coming along with their egg.

Harry, who so far hadn't even given the thing a second glance since he'd been almost roasted alive by an enormous scary dragon, had little to contribute to the conversation.

Of course no one was about to give away any valuable information, but he could tell from the clear confidence in both Viktor's and Fleur's demeanor that each of them were well set for whatever life endangering situation the group of school children were about to be thrust into.

On the one hand, Harry himself had already fought off the darkest wizard that had ever existed no less than three times, including once as a toddler for Merlin's sake, but that didn't seem to make a scrap of difference to either the members of the Department of International Magical Cooperation or the Department of Magical Games and Sports.

He doubted very much that they would have thought to devise a task involving who could burn the parasitic face of a dark lord surviving on the back of a professor's head with their own bare hands the fastest!

Cedric was being uncharacteristically quiet while the others were trying to pry out Harry's progress from him. Maybe it was because he was too busy being otherwise occupied. Harry had caught him several times during dinner sending quick, bashful glances in Cho's direction when he thought no one was looking.

Fortunately for Harry, Cho seemed oblivious to the attention.

After a sumptuous dinner that Harry ate very little of, given his fear of dribbling a forkful of his messy goulash down the front of his white dress shirt, the couples began to make their way back and forth to the dance floor again.

Their dress robes were all fairly heavy and the Great Hall was quickly becoming warm from the hundreds of energetic bodies shimmying around the dance floor. Cho was an avid dancer, and since Harry was willing to do anything to please her, he spent quite a bit of time trying very hard to not look entirely ridiculous. As the evening went on the boys of the table took turns fetching punch and butterbeers for everyone, while the girls did that thing that girls do when they all go en masse to powder their noses.

It was during one of those times with their table relatively empty that Harry found himself alone with Cedric Diggory.

Looking around to see if anyone was paying attention, Cedric shifted his chair closer to Harry and leaned in next to his ear.

"Listen, I owe you for telling me about the dragons," he muttered under his breath. "You know that golden egg? Does yours wail when you open it?"

Harry had no idea if it did or not, as he hadn't touched the thing. But he wasn't about to let Cedric of all people know how woefully unprepared he was.

"Um..yeah, sure it does."

"Well, take a bath, okay?"

A bath? What did that mean? Was he having a go at Harry's personal hygiene?

Affronted, Harry resisted the urge to give himself a quick sniff. He wasn't about to give the overly tall git that was making eyes at Harry's date all night the satisfaction of thinking that Harry was insecure in his person.

"What?"

"Take a bath, and er...take the egg with you, and...er...just mull things over in the hot water. It'll help. Trust me."

Harry didn't get a chance to respond to the extremely cryptic and quite possibly insulting suggestion as the gaggle of girls returned from their group outing to the ladies room.

Little by little the Great Hall began to empty out as the clock ticked closer to midnight which was the official end to the ball. But far from the couples dispersing for the night, most of them were actually heading outside to the enormous enchanted rose garden that had appeared out of thin air beyond the front doors of the entrance hall.

Cho was bubbling with excitement, wanting to take a walk along the winding pathways that were leading in every direction, and Harry, wanting what Cho wanted, didn't even hesitate to take her hand and head outside.

There was a maze of bushes surrounding the ornate pathways, with swarms of fairies glittering rainbow colors in the dark night sky along the walls of the grotto-like landscape. Several large sculptures were scattered around and Harry could hear the splash of water close by that was almost assuredly a fountain of some kind. Delicate, wrought iron benches dotted the curved pathways, most already taken by couples making googly eyes at each other, with some just openly snogging.

Cho looked at Harry meaningfully and his neck flushed red with discomfort as he awkwardly pulled her further down one of the paths in an effort to find a place a little more on the intimate side.

At the end of a very narrow path was an empty bench and from the lack of students in their proximity it was clear that Harry and Cho were the only ones lucky enough to happen upon this much more private space. Together they sat down, Cho's hand feeling warm in his own as Harry summoned up the courage to give her a little kiss.

As it turned out, he needn't have bothered to try so hard.

Cho, a year older than him and not a particularly shy girl in any case, leaned over suddenly and caught his lips with hers.

Startled just a little, Harry closed his eyes and returned the kiss. Cho's lips were soft and there was the faint taste of strawberry melting on his tongue from the gloss she was wearing. Completely inexperienced, Harry fumbled a bit at first but soon was pressing more hesitant kisses to her mouth as one of his hands snaked up to lightly clasp her upper arm.

It felt somewhat weird at first, but it wasn't unpleasant. Once she'd gotten them started, Cho seemed content to let him take over and Harry soon found himself become more confident with each kiss.

Every now and then they could hear another couple wandering in their general direction, but they were far enough removed in a corner to be more or less left alone. It made for a very romantic environment and, engrossed in such a pleasurable pursuit, Harry wasn't even paying attention when the bells in the Clock Tower chimed the arrival of midnight.

Cho had just begun to do something weird with her tongue when Harry heard the distinct sound of angry, raised voices nearby.

"...don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor."

It was Snape's voice and he sounded more than a little perturbed. And who was Igor?

"Severus you cannot pretend this isn't happening," came the sound of Headmaster Karkaroff.

Interested, Harry pulled back from Cho and paid closer attention to the harsh exchange of words that were starting to move off in the other direction.

"It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it..."

What was becoming clearer and clearer?

Harry's curiosity kicked in and he knew that he needed to follow them and hear the rest of the conversation.

"I'll be right back," he promised, leaving a very confused and slightly miffed Cho sitting on the bench alone.

Using extreme caution he slipped unnoticed behind the pair of squabbling men as they ventured further into the garden, using the conjured shrubs to hide himself from their sight.

"Then flee," Snape snapped curtly. "Flee. I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."

Whatever it was, it was enough to obviously have Karkaroff considering leaving Hogwarts in the middle of the tournament. It also seemed to involved Snape and Harry was more than a little curious about how the men seemed to know each other so well that they were on a first name basis. Stealthily pushing his way closer, he was abruptly stopped short by Snape pulling out his wand and blasting a couple of the rosebushes apart, eliciting a squeal from the students emerging from their depths.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett. And ten points from Hufflepuff too, Stebbins."

Harry's further progress was impeded by a small stampede of students suddenly rushing in his direction and away from their angry potions master. By the time he was able to push past them, Snape and Karkaroff had disappeared from sight.

He turned to head back to where he'd left Cho, but in the confusion he'd lost which path led back to her. Taking his best guess he moved forward quickly only to find that he'd reached the end of a different path that opened up into a small clearing containing one of the fountains he'd heard earlier.

Along with the sounds of a very private conversation going on between Hagrid and Madame Maxine coming up from behind him.

"Momen' I saw yeh, I knew."

An uncomfortable queasiness rolled in Harry's stomach. He knew this was probably not a conversation he should be intruding on. Unfortunately, the only way out of the clearing was the way he'd come in and in order to get there he'd have to get past the two of them. Making himself as small as possible he wedged his way in between two of the bushes and went completely still.

"What did you know, 'Agrid?"

For several long minutes Harry drew in tiny, quiet breaths as he unwillingly listened in to the conversation. He wasn't necessarily startled by the information that Hagrid was half giant. It was fairly obvious after all that the enormous man had something unusual in his genetic make up. And Madame Maxine was even bigger still. Why she was so insistent on just being "big boned" Harry didn't get.

With Madame Maxine's feathers ruffled, she departed leaving a confused Hagrid behind for just a moment until he trailed after her. The coast now clear Harry emerged from his hiding spot and began to make his way towards the castle again. With the familiar lights of the towers directing him, he was soon back on a path that looked vaguely familiar when the back of his robe was grabbed and he was yanked to a halt.

"What are you doing here?" Snape growled, pointing his wand at Harry menacingly.

Harry fidgeted in the man's grasp and was about to make a rather rude retort when he heard another angry voice.

"I was wondering the same thing."

Sirius' face was full fury as he glared at Harry. The boy gulped in dread from the anger that was radiating off of his father in waves, but he was also eager to get Sirius away from Snape so he could tell him what he'd heard earlier.

"I..." he started, only to be interrupted sharply.

"Miss Chang was wondering where you had disappeared off to, Harry James," Sirius said with forced calm in his voice. "Mr. Diggory offered to walk her back to her dorm."

The use of his full name in front of Snape along with the news that his date had gone off with his rival had Harry fuming, but he had enough sense to keep his mouth closed as he realized that his father was a powder keg about to explode.

"Thank you for finding my wayward son, Severus," Sirius growled through clenched teeth. "I can take it from here."

Snape sneered at Harry with a satisfied look on his face before turning around dramatically and letting his long black robes billow behind him.

"Papa..."

"Not one word, young man," Sirius hissed before prodding Harry in the back forcefully towards the entrance hall. "Not one single word."

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

Harry's heart was racing as he scurried along the corridor towards the Astronomy Tower. Sirius's angry footsteps, echoing against the walls behind him, were pounding a death knell into the stone floor as he prodded Harry forward.

There were still a few clusters of students milling about, despite the chaperones making a valiant effort at dispersing them with reminders about curfews and threats of points being taken from their houses.

At this moment Harry would take a four hundred point loss for Gryffindor and bear the considerable ire of his housemates rather than take one more step forward to what was most definitely not going to be fun filled conversation with his infuriated father.

If he would only just stop for a moment and listen to Harry, he would understand why it had been necessary for him to follow Snape and Karkaroff in the first place! Clearly something big was going on if it had the formidable headmaster of a school like Durmstrang nervous.

Something had to be done before it was too late!

Once they were at the staircase to the tower and there were no further students in sight, Sirius took a firm hold of Harry's upper arm and half dragged him up to the door of their residence. In a truly foreboding use of silent and wandless magic by an enraged papa, the door flew open and smacked loudly against the interior wall as Sirius swept them both inside.

Remus and Ron were just putting away the Wizard's Chessboard and they both looked up in surprise at the abrupt arrival. Sirius hauled Harry over to the couch and deposited him there with a firm order to sit. Taking one look at Harry's fretful face and another over to where Sirius was yanking off his outer robe before flinging it on one of the squashy armchairs, Remus got the gist of what was happening far quicker than Ron did.

"Ron, it's time to go back to your dorm, please," Sirius directed, grabbing the boy's cloak from the rack and holding it out. "Harry will send you a message tomorrow when he's free."

Throwing a nervous glance at where his best friend was sitting morosely on the couch, Ron didn't need to be told a second time. Wanting nothing to do with whatever it was that was surely about to happen in the room, he made his farewells and scampered off to Gryffindor Tower without another word.

Remus was about to make his own strategic exit into his room when Sirius stopped him.

"Remus, stay please. We have things to discuss once I have a word with a certain young man who doesn't listen very well."

"I do listen," Harry protested, his face frowning with frustration at finally being allowed to speak. "That's the point! I heard Karkaroff having a discussion with Snape about something that was worrying him. He was really unhinged by whatever it was and I thought..."

"Professor Snape," Sirius snapped. "And you didn't think. That's the point."

Harry derisively huffed at the rebuke which only made his father even more angry. Really, Sirius thought, the boy had no sense of self-preservation sometimes. It's no wonder he found himself in tough spots so often if he was going to continually throw himself at danger without thinking it through first. And Sirius would know the consequences of rash behavior. Having spent twelve years in prison for his own.

"When I give you rules to follow," he continued, trying mightily to keep his temper in check, "I don't do it just to hear my own voice. It's for your own safety! And you may not like them, but that doesn't mean that you don't have to obey them the minute you feel the need to go wandering off on a wild goose chase."

"But Snape said..."

"Professor Snape has already spoken with Professor Dumbledore about his conversations with Karkaroff, who in turn informed me as to the content of these discussions earlier this evening. Had you just done as you were told and enjoyed the ball with your date, I would have talked to you about it all tomorrow."

"Well, then what..." Harry started anxiously, only to immediately be shushed by Sirius holding up a hand. Harry's eyes flashed with anger over the repeated interruption but he held his tongue. He was already in enough trouble.

"As former Death Eaters they both carry the Dark Mark on their arms. Apparently, the marks have begun burning with some regularity over the past few weeks. It could be a sign of Voldemort gaining strength again or it could be something else entirely. We don't know yet. But Dumbledore and others are already working on finding out. What they don't need is you getting involved right now."

Sitting down on the table in front of Harry, Sirius leaned over with his forearms resting on his knees and made sure that his son was looking directly at him. There could be no misunderstanding regarding what was going on.

"Karkaroff turned informer to keep out of Azkaban. If Voldemort's followers are gathering again, he knows that he'll be one of the first hunted down for his betrayal. Which means that he's already possibly another target for an attack here at the school. Don't you understand how dangerous it could be for you right now?"

Sirius waited until he could see his words sinking in as Harry lost some of his physical defiance. Across the room, Remus was processing the news with his usual quiet introspection. Both men knew what the possible implications of this information was, and they also both knew that Harry had a bad habit of going into dangerous situations with guns blazing when it came to anything Voldemort related.

Harry had gotten by before mostly on sheer luck and his inherent strength of will. But that wasn't always going to be enough. Especially when his opponents were much more experienced than he was and they had no moral conscience to prevent them from doing truly despicable things.

Sirius wasn't about to let his son keep offering himself up as a sacrifice.

"Someday," he continued, a little more calm as he reached out to take Harry's chin in his hand, "I will convince you that you are not alone in this anymore. Someday you will come to me first before running off half-cocked and getting yourself into more trouble."

The rebuke made Harry visibly deflate, the air of urgency regarding the worrying encounter and indignation over not being heard earlier washing away and leaving behind only the realization of just how badly he'd screwed up.

Sirius could see the fight leaving his boy as Harry sagged into the couch, the adrenaline he'd built up inside of him receding. He certainly had Lily's hot temper on occasion. Unfortunately, he also had James' total disregard for the rules as well. A disregard that Sirius himself had held in his intemperate youth.

But Harry was different. He didn't get the luxury of being a reckless and hot headed boy. Something that Sirius would get through his son's head if it was the last thing he did.

"I specifically instructed you to stay in the Great Hall this evening for a reason, young man," he scolded. "I can't say that it's not incredibly hurtful when you choose to defy and disrespect me like this."

Harry flinched, the stinging words hitting home. It had never been his intention to disrespect his father's wishes. In truth, he hadn't really considered that side of things when he decided to follow Snape and Karkarov down the path. Sirius had every right to be as upset as he was.

"I'm sorry," he whispered miserably. Sad that he was the cause of giving his father more pain when it could have all been avoided.

"I'm sorry too," Sirius sighed as he stood back up. Suddenly feeling very, very tired and old and positively hating what he had to do next. "Go get ready for bed. I'll be along in a few minutes.

"Yes, sir."

Harry stood and walked forlornly towards his bedroom, unable to make eye contact with either man in the room. Sirius watched him go before joining Remus at the dining table and accepting the glass of Firewhiskey that was slid across to him.

"What does Albus say?" Remus asked quietly, once the door to Harry's bedroom was closed.

"He's concerned," Sirius replied, tipping the glass to his mouth and taking a large swallow. "With the brazen display at the World Cup this summer, Severus is positive that the mark's activity is a sign that Voldemort's forces are once again gathering, and they wouldn't be doing that if he wasn't regaining his strength somehow."

"Kingsley is certain that something is definitely wrong with Crouch," Remus said, making Sirius' already troubled face even more so. "He's been locked away at his home for weeks now and leaving all the work to be done by Arthur's boy."

"He was at the ball tonight in Crouch's place," Sirius nodded. "It caused a few heads to turn, let me tell you."

The two men sat in silence for a moment as they each processed the new information. To both it seemed very reminiscent of the times before the last war started.

"What are you going to do about this?"

Remus nodded his head in the direction of Harry's room, causing Sirius' forehead to crinkle in displeasure as he took another sip from his glass.

"What I have to."

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

Stripping off his dress robes, Harry kicked them into a corner, hating the very sight of them right now. What had started out as the best day ever had turned into a steaming pile of dung in the blink of an eye.

He should have just stayed with Cho in the Great Hall like his father had told him to. But she had been so insistent on going out to see the enchanted rose garden and the intoxicating scent of her floral perfume had Harry so dizzy that he didn't have the will to say no.

After all, the other couples were freely strolling in and out. Why should he have to always be so different?

And yes, he probably should have stayed with her and not gone after Snape and Karkarov, but no matter how helpful the disagreeable potions master had been over the past few months, there was always going to be a part of Harry that never truly trusted him.

But none of that mattered now.

All that mattered was the sad and betrayed look on Sirius' face. After giving Harry the best Christmas anyone could ever have, Harry had gone right out and thrown it all in his face by disobeying him without even giving it a thought beforehand.

Sirius was right. It was far too easy for Harry to forget sometimes that he had a father now. When it was actually the last thing he wanted to do. Maybe it was all because of so many years of not having one, but that didn't make it okay.

When he opened his wardrobe to pull out a clean shirt and pair of sleep pants, the stacks and stacks of new clothes he had received that morning were a stark reminder of just how hard Sirius was trying to give Harry the good life he'd missed out on. After all, he'd taken the time to carefully pick out an entire wardrobe of new clothes that fit Harry, which was a far cry from the over-sized hand-me-downs that the Dursleys had always made him wear.

There was no money to spend on the freak they'd been saddled with and who should just be grateful for the roof over his head.

Then Sirius had come along and given Harry a home and every single material thing he'd ever been denied as child. But more than that, he'd given Harry love and Harry had casually tossed that aside as if it meant nothing.

Hating himself at the moment, he dragged a shirt over his head and pulled the bottom seam down to his waist where it belonged. Sometimes it was still strange to wear something that didn't pool around his hips like a dress. Feeling incredibly guilty for hurting Sirius the way he had, he rummaged through the stack of thick flannel pajama pants until he found a lightweight pair that he wore in the summer and slipped them on.

If Sirius was going to give him the paddling he deserved, Harry was going to make sure that he really felt it.

It was only fair.

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

Harry was sitting on the edge of his bed dejectedly, his glasses off and laying on the night table, by the time Sirius had worked up the courage to head into his room. With his head hanging down and his shoulders slumped, he was the very picture of a repentant young boy.

Sirius sighed heavily as he cast a silencing spell over the room. The tower walls were thick and there was little chance that Remus would hear anyway, but Sirius didn't feel the need to embarrass his son anymore than he'd already been. He walked slowly over to the bed and sat down next to Harry, their arms slightly brushing against each other as he heard the boy quietly sniff.

"I'm sorry."

Harry's words were almost too soft to be heard but Sirius could detect the note of true apology in them anyway. Harry was always genuinely sorry after he'd misbehaved because he was actually a pretty good kid at heart. It was just his impetuous nature that occasionally had them at odds.

"I know you are."

The beleaguered father ran a hand down his tired face, wishing there was some way around this. He knew that Harry understood the gravity of his actions and that the kid was already kicking himself for them without any further correction on Sirius' part. But Sirius had also made a very clear re-commitment to being the boy's father just that morning and fathers needed to be consistent.

It was important to give a child what they deserved, whether it was a well earned spanking or a fancy broom.

"I do respect you."

Harry looked up briefly enough to make sure that Sirius saw the truth in his watery eyes before he dropped his gaze again. Although the words should have been a comfort to him, they only made the man's stomach clench a little.

"It's hard to believe that when you act like you did tonight."

Next to him, Harry choked out a sob, and as much as Sirius would rather put his arms around his child and comfort him, he needed to make sure that the boy understood the gravity of his choices.

"Do you have any idea what went through my mind when I couldn't find you earlier? How frightened I was when I found Cho all alone with no clue about where you had gone off to?"

The memory of his terror at finding his son missing caused Sirius' entire body to shiver. For just a few moments it was as if his worst fears had come true. Harry felt the shiver and he sobbed again. So incredibly sorry to be the cause of his father's grief.

"I can't protect you if you don't let me, Harry. I can't take care of you the way you deserve to be taken care of when you don't listen. Do you understand?"

Harry's shoulders hitched and he nodded his head rapidly, using the heel of his hand to swipe away the tears that were now falling freely down his cheeks.

"Yes, sir," he croaked out miserably as he tried to steady his breathing.

Without even waiting to be told Harry shifted at Sirius' side and draped himself across his father's lap before gathering up a handful of his blanket and burying his face in it.

Shocked by the abrupt move that clearly showed just how guilty Harry was feeling over his behavior, Sirius reflexively rubbed his son's back with one hand while using the other to draw Harry closer to him.

If Harry was initiating the punishment then he obviously understood just how unacceptable his actions had been so there was no need to lecture him further. And because the boy was already in tears, the correction didn't need to be especially harsh, so Sirius decided to forego his traditional use of a paddle in favor of his own hand.

Raising his arm high he proceeded to quickly deliver fourteen hard and fast smacks to Harry's backside, and while they caused Harry to repeatedly flinch and muffle the occasional yelp into his blanket, there would be no lingering effects after an hour or so.

Realistically, Sirius knew the reprimand was just enough to sting and make a point, but he still hated to see his child in distress and his heart was breaking.

It only took a few moments before he told Harry that it was over, and once it was the boy immediately slid back until his head was pillowed in his arms and resting in his father's lap. With hands that desperately needed to comfort and soothe his child, Sirius rubbed Harry's back and stroked his spiky hair as he sobbed out repeated apologies.

Finally, physically exhausted and emotionally drained, Harry fell asleep curled up in his father's arms.

It wasn't exactly the way Sirius had planned to end the day.

Happy Christmas.

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