"Brumous"
"Chapter Twelve: Breathe"
Ginny flicked her ponytail behind her shoulder as she knocked on Ron's bedroom door. Her brother called for her to enter, so she didn't waste any time in doing so. She immediately spotted her brother and Harry sitting on Ron's bed, their shoulders pressed together as they sat side-by-side with their backs leaning against the headboard.
"I was just about ready to tell Harry what happened last night," Ron said, gesturing towards the foot of his bed. "Want to join?"
Ginny nodded as she closed the door to the room before making her way over to the bed. She sank down across from her brother and her boyfriend. Butterflies erupted in the pit of her stomach at the very thought that she could now claim Harry as her boyfriend. She pushed that to the back of her mind, trying to keep the silly grin from crossing her features at the very thought. Harry looked grave, not even a hint of mirth anywhere on his face. He just looked… defeated.
Harry visibly swallowed as he looked lazily over at Ron. "Did I hurt Sirius?"
Ginny blinked, her gaze snapping between Ron and Harry. Ron winced, his head bobbing from side-to-side.
"I did," Harry breathed in a bitter tone. "He wouldn't tell me how he hurt his side. I knew it was me."
"It wasn't you, Harry," Ginny insisted.
"Yeah, I mean, you kind of just tossed Sirius across the room and he landed on an end table," Ron added. "A shard of wood implanted in his side."
"Harry didn't toss Sirius across the room, you git," Ginny hissed. "He was possessed."
Ron nodded. "Right, sorry, mate. It was your body but not your mind. It's all very confusing."
"It's not confusing," Ginny snapped. "Merlin, what is wrong with you?"
Harry let out a huff of air, his fingers pushing up his glasses to rub his eyes. Ginny mentally kicked herself because the last thing Harry probably wanted or needed was Ron and her bickering like normal. But Ron was a moron and was only going to make Harry feel worse about everything.
"I don't… I didn't…" Ron struggled as he shot Harry a sympathetic look. "Sorry, mate. I know it wasn't you. None of us blame you. We, you know, we blame him. You-Know-Who."
"It was me, though," Harry whispered, his eyes unfocused as they looked down at his lap. "I hurt him." Harry looked over at the burn on Ron's arm that was nothing more than a red spot at this point. "I probably did that to you too, didn't I?"
Ron swallowed. "You-Know-Who burned me."
"With my wand and my mouth and my body," Harry snapped through clenched teeth, the muscles in his neck showing prominently.
"You are not allowed to feel guilty," Ginny said, her chin jutting up.
Harry snapped his attention to her, his eyes blazing. "I've been trying to master Occlumency for six months, Ginny! I haven't been able to! Look what happened!"
Ginny shook her head, refusing to let him wallow in the guilt. Because if he was guilty then that meant… Ginny swallowed as a steely look crossed her features. "If you're allowed to feel guilty for this… for being possessed and doing things while possessed, then that means I'm guilty for hurting Colin and Hermione and, and Penelope. I hurt them. Not Tom. Not the diary. Me."
Harry blinked, stilling. "Gin…"
"You don't get to feel guilty," Ginny said through clenched teeth. "Because you made me feel like none of it was my fault. Now, now you're sitting there and taking on this blame. If you blame yourself, then you blame me too."
Harry's eyes searched hers. "It's different."
"It's not!" Ginny shouted, her chest heaving. "Just stop! Just… stop. Please."
Ginny swung her legs off the bed and stood up. Without another word, she stormed out of the bedroom. She couldn't be around them in that moment, the insecurities she felt when she was twelve years old clawing away at her and threatening to pull her under a thick fog. She had worked too hard to let go of the guilt and pain of her first year. She wasn't going to sit there and listen to Harry feel guilty. He was always feeling guilty and none of it was his fault.
She stormed down the stairs, not even watching where she was going. She collided against a body and she stumbled back. Her eyes snapped up, her lips parting to ready herself for a fight when she caught sight of a very concerned Sirius standing in front of her. He reached out, placing his hands on her shoulders to steady her.
"What's wrong?" Sirius asked, his gray eyes shining with concern.
Ginny sucked in a breath. "Nothing."
Sirius nodded, dropping his hands from her shoulders and shoving them into his trouser pockets. He appraised her for a few moments, as though searching for the answer on her face or in her body language. She just shook her head, her eyes dropping from his face to the tattoo on the right side of his neck, his Azkaban prison numbers were printed dark and bold on his pale skin.
It was hard to imagine Sirius sitting in prison, in solitary confinement no less, for over a decade. It was even harder to imagine anyone ever accepting Sirius as a traitor and a murderer. She couldn't understand it, since Sirius was so kind. He cared not only about Harry, but her and Ron as well. She wondered if prison had changed him. It had to have because it didn't make sense otherwise. He must have been so different before… it was the only explanation.
Ginny let out a breath, realizing that Sirius understood a thing or two about guilt. Sirius was the only person she even felt comfortable talking about Harry to since he was his only family and had known him since the day he was born.
"Harry is blaming himself," she explained. "For hurting you and Ron… for everything that happened at Grimmauld."
Sirius nodded, not surprised in the slightest. "Guilt has a way of consuming us and stifling the logical part of our brains."
Ginny blinked, her eyes tearing away from the prison tattoo. "I'm feeling… guilty for the first time in a long time."
It seemed so silly. But the way Harry had adamantly insisted that he had hurt those he cared about was just too much. She hated Tom Riddle. She hated You-Know-Who. She just hated him, whoever he was.
Sirius shook his head, a breath escaping his lips. "You were possessed, Ginny. The same way Harry was. Don't measure your guilt on the same compass as Harry. He'll come to realize, just as you did, that your possessions weren't your fault. You need to keep in mind too that you have had a few years now to work these things out. Harry has had a day. Hours, really. He still has a lot to work through. You both are so young and… Merlin, this is going to make me sound so bloody old, but you're both young and stupid."
Ginny scowled at him, her brows lowering on her face. A huff of air escaped her lips, her head shaking.
"I mean that in the most affectionate way possible," Sirius added quickly, his lips curving just a tad. "I was young and so fucking stupid once too. I thought I was so bloody clever and smart and, and better than everyone else. I wasn't. I was just a dumb, scared kid who thought I was a lot older and wiser than I was. I made a lot of bad choices, did a lot of bad things. I have a lot of regrets. I still reel from the guilt of my poor choices. The last thing I want you and Harry and Ron and all of you to go through is what I went through. Let go of the guilt and be better. Be smarter. Let go of the past and don't let it strangle you. Because, Ginny, if you don't, you'll find yourself thirty-six years old and just wanting to lie down in a ditch and just… give up."
Ginny blinked up at Sirius, not knowing how to respond. Sirius let out a small humorless chuckle, his tongue licking his bottom lip.
"Voldemort wants Harry and he'll do whatever he has to in order to get him," Sirius continued. "And Voldemort also finds you interesting. There will come a time when he will come after you as well. I'm not going to pretend that he won't. So you have to be smart and you have to let go of the past and move forward. If you don't, you and Harry are going to get hurt or… or even wind-up dead. You're going to make the same poor choices that James and Lily and I all made fourteen years ago. I don't… I can't do that again. You lot can't afford to go through that either."
Ginny wrapped her arms around her stomach, her head nodding. She knew Sirius was right. Now was not the time to let emotions such as guilt get in the way. They were at war. They had to be smarter and better than their age.
"Can we practice Occlumency?" Ginny asked.
Sirius chuckled. "Did you ask your mother?"
"Not yet," Ginny replied, a sigh escaping from her lips. "She'll say no. Everyone in my family treats me like I'm made of glass or something."
"Why don't you ask anyway? Her answer may just surprise you," Sirius encouraged. "If she says no and then talks to me about it, I'll talk to her. It's a very good skill to learn, especially if he's intrigued by you."
Ginny appreciated it, but Sirius didn't know her mother as well as she did. Molly Weasley may seem levelheaded to Sirius, but she really wasn't. Her mum would always shield her from the cruelties of life even if she shouldn't.
"Can I ask you a question?" Ginny asked, her lips pursing to the side.
"Always," Sirius replied.
Ginny let out a shaky breath.
"Do you think I could be possessed, absent of the diary?" Ginny asked, her eyes locking with his.
"I think that a traditional possession can only happen when the two people are in close proximity," Sirius mused, his fingers rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "The diary was unique. Harry's connection to Voldemort is unique. You've seen Voldemort struggle to keep a hold of Harry when he's not in the same location. Without that connection, I think it'd be impossible. But if Voldemort was standing where I am now and you were where you are… I think it's entirely possible."
Ginny swallowed, ice pumping through her veins at the very thought. Though the chances of her being in the same room as Tom were slim, the fear still gripped her at the very possibility.
"Hey, hey, don't worry about it," Sirius rushed, his hand pressing against her bicep. "The odds of that happening are so unlikely."
"But not impossible," Ginny pressed, a slight waver in her tone that she hated. "He could possess me again and make me hurt Harry or someone else."
Sirius sucked in a breath. "I think given the opportunity, he'd possess Harry over you. While you intrigue him, there's not much he can do to you right now. The Fidelius is going up tonight around the Burrow. In fact, Remus said the Fidelius was still intact at Grimmauld Place, so we now know even Voldemort can't break that ward. We could have stayed there and been perfectly fine. We left in an abundance of caution, because Harry was hurt and he was in such close proximity."
The floor creaked. Ginny whipped her head to see her mother standing not far from them. She wondered how long she had been standing there and listening to them. If she was upset by the conversation, it didn't show on her face.
"Mum…" Ginny trailed off.
Her mum only shook her head, stepping up to the two of them. "You want to learn Occlumency?"
Ginny swallowed and nodded. "I asked Sirius to teach me. He said he would if you were all right with it."
Her mum sucked in a breath, her gaze flickering to Sirius for a brief moment before she focused on Ginny. "Let me talk to your father, all right, dear?"
"I just don't want to hurt anyone ever again," Ginny explained in a miserable tone.
Her mum sighed with sad eyes. "Oh, Ginny, I know, dear, I know. Your dad and I will discuss it tonight," Molly assured her before turning her attention fully to Sirius. "Andromeda is downstairs. Dora told her what happened. She wanted to check on you and Harry."
Sirius snorted. "She wanted to meddle more like it."
"Enough," her mum said, swatting him on the arm with the back of her hand.
Sirius sighed. "You're not allowed to be her friend, all right? I don't need the two of you talking about me and plotting against me behind my back."
"Well, don't be so bloody stubborn then," her mum protested, her tone light and teasing.
Ginny slipped away from the duo, making her way towards her room. She was more than a little surprised that her mother didn't shoot down the idea of the Occlumency lessons straight away. Maybe Sirius was right and her mother would surprise her. Or her mother was scared that she would become possessed again. That thought made her stomach drop.
Closing the door to her bedroom, she made her way to her bedside table. In the drawer sat the communication parchment that Demelza sent. More than anything, Ginny wished she could talk to Demelza and Demelza alone, but knew there was no way to hide the messages from Gemma and Niamh. With a sigh, she read through the morning's messages before she tried to push the possibility of possession out of her mind.
Ginny picked up her quill and wrote back to her friends, feeling a bit more normal and better after everything. None of them would know what happened the previous day or even know where she was. They were ignorant and it was a nice change of pace for Ginny.
A knock on her door had her stuffing the parchment underneath her pillow. She didn't know why exactly, but it felt intimately private. Calling for whoever was there to enter, she waited for the door to open. Harry appeared in the doorway, a lopsided and apologetic smile gracing his exhausted face.
"Can we, err, talk?" Harry asked in a tentative voice.
Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. Timid didn't suit him.
"Are you seriously asking me that right now?" Ginny asked, her head shaking.
Harry opened his mouth but no words came out. He looked downright confused.
Ginny huffed. "Yes, come in."
Harry did, closing the door until it was only opened a tiny crack. He made his way to stand at the foot of her bed, his palms pressing against the wooden footboard.
"I don't blame you for anything that happened with the diary," Harry started, his eyes snapping up to meet hers. "I didn't mean that when I was… it's just, I know I'm a target for that type of stuff. I blew off Occlumency with Snape for, well, because it was Snape and I hate being alone with Snape. And, also, I foolishly thought that I could help the Order if I could see what Voldemort was doing. I saved your dad's life. How many other lives could I save? So, I didn't try that hard or practice or anything. That's on me. Now, I'm scrambling, trying to learn as fast as I can, but apparently, I don't have a personality conducive of shutting off my emotions."
"You still can't blame yourself for trying to save lives, Harry," Ginny replied, swinging her legs until she was sitting on the edge of her bed. She patted the mattress next to her, a warm smile crossing her face.
Harry's Adam's apple bobbed and he hesitated a few moments before he rounded the bed and took a seat next to her, leaving a bit of space between them. He glanced over at the door and Ginny only snorted as she reached out to touch his hand.
"We can't dwell on the past," Ginny whispered and Harry's attention snapped towards her. "Bill told me that the summer after... well, yeah. Sirius says the same thing. He said we need to keep our heads about us basically, and be smarter than he was when he was our age."
Harry nodded, his eyes falling to both their hands. "I'm sorry, Gin."
Ginny's brow furrowed. "For what?"
Harry half shrugged. "Everything. Most of all… I'm sorry for kissing you in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. I think for a second I just forgot about everything going on. I just… I had thought about kissing you for so long and you were talking but I was barely paying attention because I was just staring at your lips. I just…" Harry let out a breath. "Are you sure you want to be with me? I'm such a git. And I'm wanted by a sociopath who likes to possess me. Plus, I don't even know how to do this. I don't know how to be a boyfriend. I could seriously hurt you. In more ways than one."
It was clear as day that Harry was struggling. He wasn't big on communication and often shut himself off to everyone. Except, Ginny could see he was making a big effort to explain to her his feelings. Ginny's heart warmed at the very gesture, knowing she meant to him as much as he meant to her.
Ginny squeezed his hand, her thumb brushing along his knuckles. "I'm not sorry that you kissed me. I've wanted to kiss you for quite literally years. I was so bloody happy when you did," she insisted with a smile. "Honestly, I don't care about the possessions or Tom wanting you. Least you forget, he wants me too. I intrigue him."
Harry let out a long breath. "It's… I mean, obviously I'm not happy that he wants you too. But I think… Merlin, I'm going to sound like the world's biggest git right now, but it took off a bit of pressure. It made it easier to kiss you, because I wasn't putting you in danger. You're already in danger."
Ginny couldn't help it, she laughed. Scooting herself closer to Harry, she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"We're wanted together," Ginny whispered, because if she couldn't joke about it with Harry than it would only paralyze her with fear.
Harry chuckled, his head shaking. "I hate that."
Ginny pressed her nose into his shoulder. "Me too. But if an evil wizard is interested in me, I'm glad to be by your side through it."
Harry nodded, his face sobering. "I won't let him hurt you."
Ginny squeezed his hand, her eyes screwing shut. "I know."
She meant those two words with every fiber of her being. Nobody made her feel safer than Harry, the boy who had loomed over her years ago covered in blood and dirty with a weak smile on his face. The boy who slayed a Basilisk with a sword and a heart made of gold.
Remus stood outside Nymphadora's flat as still as a statue. He couldn't help but think he was doing the wrong thing by dragging Nymphadora into a relationship with him. There wasn't much he could offer her. But she invaded his dreams and thoughts more often than not. There wasn't a day that went by where he didn't think about her. She made him happy and feel, well, normal for once in his life. Sometimes when he was with her, he forgot that he was a werewolf and jobless and shunned by society.
Raising his hand, he knocked on the wood and waited patiently for her to answer. The door wrenched open. Nymphadora grinned at him, her hair back to bubblegum pink and wearing a Hobgoblins t-shirt.
"You came," Nymphadora greeted as she stepped aside into let him in her flat. "Not going to let yourself in again?"
Remus let out a small chuckle as he entered her flat. "No, I thought I'd knock."
The door snapped shut behind him. Remus rubbed his sweaty palms on his shirt, not knowing why he was so bloody nervous. Perhaps it was because it was the make it or break it point for them. Remus could very well lose Nymphadora and that thought made him sick to his stomach, because he didn't want to lose her.
Turning around, Remus shot her a smile as his eyes searched hers. "I'm sorry."
Nymphadora arched an eyebrow at him. "No walk then? We just going to do it right here and now?"
Remus shook his head. "No, because I just need to get this out so we can go after if you want," Remus replied before taking a deep breath. Nymphadora opened her mouth to speak but Remus raised a hand to stop her, an apologetic smile crossing his features. "I like you. A lot, actually. You're smart and funny and so full of life. You make me forget about my problems. You make me feel normal. That, that, Dora, is very scary for me."
"Feeling normal is scary?" Nymphadora asked, her brows furrowing.
"I'm a werewolf who can never lead a normal life," Remus clarified, his hands shoving into his trouser pockets. "You make me forget that. You make me think that normal is a possibility."
"Remus, you turn into a werewolf once a month in the evening," Nymphadora said slowly, taking a step closer to him. "There is even a potion now that allows you to keep your mind, as you very well know."
"A potion I can't afford to buy," Remus added. "A potion that is beyond my skill level to brew."
Nymphadora blinked. "You've been taking Wolfsbane for as long as I've known you."
"Because Sirius buys it for me or enlists someone in the Order to make it," Remus explained, his heart twisting, because Sirius never told him where he got the potion from but Remus knew his friend wasn't skilled enough to brew it himself. "He refuses to take no for an answer."
Sirius would just sit the vial of Wolfsbane in front of him without fail every month, never saying a word. If Remus tried to protest, Sirius wouldn't hear of it. More often than not, he'd just walk away without even saying a word to avoid a fight. It was something that James would have done, had done quite a few times when Fleamont had brewed the potion for him. Then Fleamont had died. James had ordered the potion from an apothecary to owl to him, but there were a few times it didn't arrive in time or one of the vials had been made wrong. Eventually, Remus had disappeared off with the werewolf packs and just didn't use it.
"All right, so I'm still not seeing the problem, Remus," Nymphadora said, her head shaking.
"The problem is that there's going to come a time when he stops buying it for me," Remus reasoned. "He can't just buy it until one of us dies. That's impractical."
"So… I'll get it for you," Nymphadora replied like that was the most obvious answer in the world.
"I can't ask you to do that," Remus pressed.
"Well, good thing you won't have to ask me to do that," Nymphadora responded with a chuckle. "I want to do that for you."
Remus scowled. "I can't give you anything in return."
Nymphadora huffed. "I know where Sirius gets the potion from. Trust me, he's not spending an arm and a leg for it."
Remus perked up. "Where?"
"My mum, of course," Nymphadora said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "They discussed it last summer. Sirius is supplying the ingredients for her, but she's brewing it. Apparently, Sirius asked my mum where to buy it and she told him that buying it from an apothecary was hit or miss on quality because it's such a tricky potion and she felt more comfortable brewing it herself."
Remus' heart swelled, because he didn't know if Nymphadora had even told Andromeda about their… relationship. If she had, Andromeda acted like she didn't know a damn thing. The very thought of Andromeda taking so much time to brew the potion for him left him speechless.
"She is?" Remus asked, a little huff escaping his lips. "I didn't think your mum liked me that much, to be honest."
Nymphadora furrowed her brows. "Why would you think that?"
Remus gave a half-shrug. "Well, I don't think she was very happy with me after Sirius went to jail. She asked for my help to prove his innocence and we fought about it. I think I may have told her she didn't know Sirius all that well. Even now, she's a bit… I think she's disappointed I'm not pushing Sirius to talk with Marlene. Though she may think differently after I grabbed her to heal Harry the other day. Apparently, they talked on the back deck alone."
Nymphadora laughed. "Mum's just very protective of Sirius, is all. I remember growing up and hearing my mum talk about how she didn't believe he did the things he was accused of. When he escaped prison, she wanted to try to find him to talk to him and was looking into lawyers for him, hoping that he'd finally get a trial," she explained, a soft smile on her lips. "Mum's mentioned before she feels dead guilty for not helping Regulus separate from the family since it was basically our family that killed him. She hates that she's not on speaking terms with Narcissa. She's more than happy to pretend Bellatrix isn't her sister though, so there's that. But Sirius is here and she can't help but meddle and try to make him happy. She knows you two are close and, trust me, she likes you or she wouldn't enlist you to help her."
Remus nodded, his face pulling. "Does she know about…?" Remus gestured between them.
Nymphadora burst out laughing. "No! I did not tell my mother I was having casual sex with you," Nymphadora explained with a wide grin. "I did tell her I fancied you. She thought you were nice and a perfect gentleman. I did not tell her that you make some filthy jokes or have quite the mouth on you, though."
Remus let out a small chuckle. "Doesn't she care about the age difference between us? Or care about the fact that I'm a werewolf? And the fact that I'm Knutless and can't keep a job to save my life?"
Nymphadora rolled her eyes. "No, she doesn't. She just wants me to be happy and to be with a nice bloke."
Remus nodded, his lips pursing to the side. Never in his wildest dreams did he actually think he could find a girl that he simply adored whose family liked him as well. He knew he already had Sirius on board, commenting how they could be cousins one day, which was irritatingly so Sirius. But the fact that Andromeda, and Remus could only assume Ted, were fine with it, well, it was too much to even hope for. He couldn't help but laugh because it was the Black family no less that who were fine with bringing a werewolf into the fold.
"I like you, Dora," Remus whispered, his eyes locking with hers. "But it would be a lie if I said I'm not scared. I like you too much to hurt you or hold you back, and I'm scared that that's what I'll be doing." Nymphadora opened her mouth to interrupt, but Remus continued before she had a chance to. "But, I also respect you. I respect you to make your own decisions. So, if you really want to, and you're sure, absolutely sure, perhaps we could… give it a go."
Nymphadora smiled. "Give it a go? Are you asking me to be your girlfriend or what?"
Remus laughed, his hands reaching out to grab hers. "I'd like you to be my girlfriend."
Nymphadora leaned into him, her breasts pressing against him. He squeezed her hands, a ray of sunshine bursting in his chest. He could do this. He could allow himself to grow close to someone for once. Sirius had been right. He had always kept everyone at arm's length, so afraid he would hurt someone he loved. Over the years, especially after that dreaded Halloween night, Remus had tortured himself in isolation and only allowed himself small sparks of human contact.
But now he had Sirius. He had Harry within arm's reach. He could have a happy life with Nymphadora. Swallowing, Remus leaned forward and captured her lips. Her hands slid from his, her arms circling around him to wrap around his waist. He brought a hand up, cupping her face to deepen the kiss. Time stood still as all the worries and anxieties surrounding them seemed to slip out of existence.
Nymphadora pulled back just slightly, her hot breath tickling his lips. "I think I'm falling in love with you."
Remus swallowed. "The feeling is mutual."
Nymphadora grinned for a split second before their lips crashed into each other. There was no tenderness, so softness. They were kissing like it was their last day on earth as their fingers fumbled to tear the clothing that separated their bodies from one another.
Harry leaned his head to the right, feeling some of the tension leave his shoulders as his neck cracked. Sirius stood in front of him, wand in hand, with a grave look plastered across his face. True to his word, Sirius had his wand locked up somewhere within the Burrow until it was time to practice Occlumency. When Harry had entered the room Sirius was staying in, he had already been equipped with his wand. Harry had not been given the pleasure of having his back. Sirius said he didn't need it to practice.
Sirius waited patiently, unmoving like a statue as he watched Harry closely. Learning Occlumency was the most important thing in Harry's life at the moment. He needed to master it not only for himself, but for everyone he cared about. He needed to protect Ginny, Sirius, Ron, everyone. Voldemort already knew about his feelings for Ginny, knew that he considered Sirius his family, and probably knew more than Harry could even guess. That had to stop because he had foolishly kissed Ginny in the spur of the moment. He had put everyone at risk by just being near them.
Pushing those thoughts out of his mind, Harry tried to think of nothing. Except, he couldn't. Ginny's face floated in front of his eyelids, and Harry knew that Sirius was going to see something about them. Harry just hoped it wasn't anything embarrassing. Swallowing, Harry nodded at his godfather. A beat passed and a wand pressed to his temple. Harry sucked in a breath.
"Legilimens," Sirius' voice sliced through Harry's anxiety and he found himself falling.
Harry saw his younger self, his clothes hanging off his body like they were giant blankets and not actual clothes. He was small, and Harry could only guess twelve based off the fact that he was in the Burrow. Harry watched his younger self walking down the stairs, sticking to the wall, as though he was trying to make himself not heard or seen.
A breath escaped Harry's lips. He had been so nervous the first time he had stayed at the Burrow. He hadn't wanted to upset Mr or Mrs Weasley and have them send him back to Privet Drive. They had been so kind, so welcoming, so amazing. Harry felt like he was just annoying them with the way he carried on with Ron, Fred, and George. He had been nervous with the way Ginny avoided him, worried that he had said or done something to upset her despite Ron's reassurances that she had a bit of a crush on him. He just tried to be quiet, be polite, and be helpful.
Harry rounded the landing to go down the next flight of steps when he came to a halt. Ginny huffed, the air escaping her lips causing her flyaway red hair to blow off her forehead. Her fingers curled tight around the handle of her trunk as she pulled it out of her bedroom. Her cheeks looked flushed and she eyed her trunk wearily.
"Do you need help, Gin?" Harry asked, stepping up beside her.
Gin. Gin. Gin.
Harry squinted at his younger self, not knowing why he had even called her Gin to begin with. Ginny made him nervous that summer as he walked around eggshells whenever she was near him. She had been so shy, so embarrassed anytime they came into contact with one another. He had hated it. He just wanted her to treat him like Ron, the twins, and Percy treated him. Like he was just Harry. He thought perhaps he had been overcompensating their familiarity at the time. Except, the name had stuck. Harry called her Gin at least fifty percent of the time from there on out.
Ginny turned towards him, her face burning. Her wide brown eyes stared up at him, her fingers leaving the handle of her trunk. She stood to her full height and, at the time, she hadn't been that much shorter than Harry. Just a smidge.
"It's just, well, it's heavy," Ginny replied, her voice squeaky.
Merlin, Harry forgot how squeaky her voice was when he first met her. A grin flittered across Harry's face. It hadn't lasted more than that summer. She avoided him mostly at school the following year. The few times they talked throughout that year, she had lost the squeak to her voice as she became more comfortable around him. Now, at fifteen, Harry missed the embarrassed squeak in her voice. It had been adorable, just as adorable as the way she blushed like the setting sun and put her elbow in butter dishes.
"I can carry it down," Harry offered. "I already took mine down. I thought I left my Charms book out, so I went back up to check. I guess I packed it."
"Mum would send it if you didn't," Ginny replied, her eyes screwing shut. "Sorry."
Harry's brow furrowed. "Why are you apologizing?"
Ginny's eyes flew open, wide and unblinking. She stood still as she thought of what to say. Harry just let out a small chuckle and gestured to her trunk.
"May I?" Harry asked, always the gentleman.
Sirius leaned forward, his face pressing close to Harry's. "You two are fucking adorable. Look at you."
A growl emitted in the back of Harry's throat as he screwed his eyes shut and placed his hands over his ears. Sirius just had to go and ruin a good memory.
Get out. Get out. Get out.
Harry chanted in the darkness, willing Sirius to vacate his mind. He refused to open his eyes, refused to take his hands off his ears until he had accomplished it. The stakes had risen the moment Voldemort had slit his throat. He was not going to be the victim again. Nor was he going to hurt Ginny or Ron or Sirius or any of the Weasleys ever again.
A gust pushed Harry forward, causing him to trip over his two feet. His eyes snapped open as an unfamiliar parlor came into view. Harry turned to see Sirius looking young, sitting crossed-legged on the floor. His long hair fell into his eyes as he held a tiny plastic teacup in his hands. In front of him stood a small messy-haired child who bounced with a plastic plate in one hand and a plastic carrot in the other.
Harry's heart hammered in his chest as he took a step forward. He didn't remember this.
"I'm out of tea," Sirius said, his voice so light and calm with a wide smile spread across his handsome face. "Can I have more tea?"
The child giggled, his bright green eyes sparkling as he looked up at Sirius. The child placed the carrot in the teacup. Sirius pretended to drink.
Harry squinted, realizing that the small child was him. He knew nothing about children so he couldn't even wager a guess how old he was. Harry didn't even know how old he was when his parents had died. Taking a step closer to the pair on the floor, Harry did the math, upset that he didn't just know that information off the top of his head. If he had been born in July of 1980 and his parents had died on Halloween in 1981… he had been fifteen months when his parents died. The child in front of him was standing and babbling. So apparently babies younger than fifteen months could do things like that. He had been a little person before his parents died, which made sense because he had heard his younger self babble in Sirius' memory of the night his parents had died.
"Mmm, carrot tea," Sirius replied, rubbing his stomach. "I think you're onto something, mate."
Harry giggled, his feet stomping in excitement. He looked around at the mess of plastic food and blocks surrounding the two of them. Harry bent down, picking up another cup. He held it out to Sirius.
"Do you want carrot tea?" Sirius asked as he plucked the carrot from his cup and placed it into Harry's. "Try it. You may or may not regret it. Depends on how refined your palate is."
Harry put the teacup up to his mouth, tilting his head all the way back and the carrot bopped his nose before tumbling to the ground. Giggling, Harry looked back at Sirius and dropped his cup onto the floor. Stumbling over a few toys, Harry leaned into Sirius with his little arms wrapping around his neck. Sirius returned the hug without hesitation, pressing a kiss to Harry's forehead.
"I love you, Harry," Sirius murmured.
Harry's heart sank to his stomach. This has been the childhood he had been robbed of. One where Sirius told Harry he loved him out of the blue, one where Sirius played with him, one where Harry was happy.
Harry pressed his mouth against Sirius' cheek. Wincing, Sirius laughed.
"Merlin, your kisses leave a lot to be desired, you know that, right?" Sirius commented as he pulled away and wiped his cheek. "Less wetness and no licking, mate. Let's practice that."
Harry only giggled again, a few nonsensical babbles escaping his lips.
Voices wafted through the house, indistinct and drawing nearer. But Harry didn't turn around to see who was coming. His focus was solely on his youthful-looking godfather and his very tiny self. Harry's stomach clenched uncomfortably as he watched the two, not being able to help the disappointment that blossomed in his chest.
"We're all done making potions," a familiar voice rang.
Marlene stepped into view, crouching down next to Sirius. Her fingers massaged the back of his head as she smiled down at Harry.
"Hello, sweetheart," Marlene cooed at Harry, causing the small child to squeal.
"Lily did all the work," James said as he collapsed down on the sofa. "Marlene and I were merely assistants."
Marlene scoffed. "Speak for yourself. I contributed."
"You only received a N.E.W.T. in Potions because you were Lily's partner in seventh year. We all know that," James snapped playfully, a wide grin on his face.
"I was better than the two of you," Marlene argued, a grin playing on her lips as she rubbed Sirius' back between his shoulder blades. "The son of a potions prodigy and you just barely scrapped by with an Exceeding Expectations."
Sirius snorted. "That was only with Fleamont reading some of his assignments before he turned them in."
James waved them off. "I was decent. Certainly, better than you, Padfoot."
Sirius shrugged, holding out the teacup to Harry. "I could have excelled if I gave a shit."
"Marlene was good at Potions," Lily argued as she took a seat next to James, his arm automatically wrapping around her shoulders. "An excellent partner. James was mediocre."
"Oi!" James laughed, removing his arm. "Rude much?"
Lily laughed, resting her head against James' shoulder. "Marlene needed the grade in Potions so she worked hard. You didn't."
"My interests lied elsewhere," James replied. "Plus, the less spectacular I was, the less attention Slughorn paid to me. He was unbearable. Wanted to meet my dad. Wouldn't shut up about it."
"Yeah, I mean, why focus on Potions when you could be doodling little cartoons," Sirius retorted with a grin. "Or Snitches with the letters LE on them."
James shot a rude gesture in Sirius' direction. "Fuck off."
Marlene laughed, leaning over and pressing her lips to Sirius' in a quick peck. "Ready to go or do you want to take the piss out of James some more?"
Sirius threw his head back, a loud bark-like laugh escaping his lips. "I'm ready. Matthew and I are tailing my lovely cousin tonight. I need to go get ready."
"Ah, pretending to be an Auror again with my brother tonight?" Marlene teased, leaning in and pecking him on the cheek.
Sirius grinned as he pulled Harry into a goodbye hug, his lips pressing against the kid's forehead. "Ah, but see, I'm a vigilante so I have no rules to follow or any superiors to report to," Sirius explained before turning his attention to Harry. "I'll see you later, all right, mate? No wreaking havoc without me."
Harry blinked up at him, his fingers toying with the silver dog tags looped around his neck. It wasn't until Sirius moved to stand up that Harry began to cry, his arms lifting to be picked up.
Sirius winced as he bent down to pick Harry up. "Ahh, don't do that. No crying, all right? I wish I could stay but I can't."
A hand touched Harry's shoulder. He whipped around to see Sirius standing there, his Sirius with shorter hair and a beard and crinkles around his eyes.
"You always hated when I left," Sirius explained. "Made me feel awful yet oddly good at the same time."
Harry swallowed. "I don't remember this. Why would this come to the forefront of my mind when I don't remember it?"
Sirius tore his face away from the memory and looked at Harry. "Because this isn't your memory. It's mine."
Harry stilled. "Yours?"
Sirius nodded. "You successfully pushed me out of your mind, but you did so with such force that you invaded mine. I was slightly worried when I felt you pushing against my walls. So I thought of you and only you. Luckily, this memory came out."
Harry felt a swoop in his stomach, a smile tugging on his lips.
He did it!
Sirius grinned at him, wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulders and turning back to the memory. Sirius rested his head against Harry's, and for the first time ever… Harry didn't even mind. He felt himself melting against Sirius, accepting the affection in full force.
"I knew you could do it, Harry," Sirius murmured. "Because you're as big and as bright as a constellation."
Harry felt his heart soar at the words, a smile creeping on his face.
"How about I stay for five more minutes?" Sirius reasoned with the toddler, his fingers brushing the tears off Harry's chubby cheeks.
Marlene laughed. "You are such a pushover when it comes to him."
"He has you wrapped around his little finger," Lily added with a grin.
"If he wasn't my son, I think I'd feel slightly threatened," James said in a teasing tone.
Harry chuckled, a wide grin spreading across his face at the scene in front of him. Harry thought, for the first time ever, he could come to enjoy Occlumency lessons if he saw more memories like this, despite the aching in his heart at the life he could have had if only there was no prophecy about him and Voldemort.
Sirius lounged back in the armchair by the fireplace, his head nodding as he listened to Molly give him guidelines on teaching Ginny Occlumency. Truth be told, Sirius was sort of surprised that Molly had agreed so quickly. Her and Arthur talked about it only two nights ago in depth and decided that it was a good idea for Ginny to learn, given Voldemort's interest in her because of the diary. Their hope was that she could master it before it was time to go back to school, which Sirius thought was an excellent goal to have. Sirius only hoped that he would be able to help her as much as he was helping Harry. Although, he wished Harry was picking it up a bit faster, just because of how dire his circumstance was at the moment. But Sirius would never tell him that, knowing the kid was already beyond nervous and anxious about everything.
He glanced beyond Molly to see Harry and Ginny sitting close together on the sofa. Harry seemed almost concerned, his eyes wide behind his glasses as he talked to Ginny in a low voice. Honestly, Sirius didn't know why Harry would be so surprised by Ginny wanting to learn Occlumency. In fact, Sirius would be willing to help Ron and anyone else who wanted to learn. While it had been to Sirius' detriment in the first war to have the natural ability, it was an ability that everyone should have with Lord Voldemort back and lurking about.
"Sirius, are you listening to me?" Molly huffed.
Nodding, Sirius turned his attention back to Molly and smiled. "Yes, I will stop if I see anything inappropriate. I will stop when she asks me to stop. I will not invade her privacy. I will not push her beyond her limits. Merlin, Molly, do you really think I would do any of those things?"
Molly ringed her hands in her apron. "Well, no, but…"
Sirius held up his hand. "I understand, all right? I'd be spewing the same speech to you if it was Harry."
Molly sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. "Do you think she needs this?"
"I think it's an excellent skill to have during a war," Sirius replied. "I'd be willing to help out Ron too. And Hermione when she gets here. Hell, we could even have some fun, you and me and I'll teach you."
Molly huffed, her lips curving. "You're too much, Sirius, you know that, don't you?"
Sirius nodded, his eyes flickering over to where Ron had joined Ginny and Harry on the sofa. Harry was squished between two Weasleys, something that was common place at this point in time. His heart twisted painfully, not helping but seeing James in Harry, Lily in Ginny, and himself in Ron. It had always been James sandwiched between the two of them since they were seventeen… well, seventeen until twenty-one because the world was fucking cruel and awful and Sirius hated every single bloody second of it.
Snapping his gaze back at Molly, he forced a shit-eating grin on his face. "What are brothers for?"
"Oh, you!" Molly laughed, a wide smile gracing her features. "You think you're teasing me, but I am enjoying every single second of it."
Sirius shook his head, a bark-like laugh escaping his lips. "I know you do. I will forever hold that very dear to me and bring it up every single opportunity I can."
Molly beamed at him. "You may offer Ron lessons as well."
Before Sirius could reply, footsteps pounded on the stairs. Sirius turned to see a sheet-white Remus bolting into the parlor. His eyes locked with Sirius', but Sirius couldn't figure out what had happened to upset him so much. Remus had been reading upstairs, or whatever the bloody hell he was doing. Being antisocial like normal. But Sirius hadn't heard anything nor did he know what was going on.
"Sirius, please," Remus whispered in a desperate tone. "Don't do anything stupid."
Sirius furrowed his brows. The front door opened and Molly let out a little noise in the back of her throat. Whipping his head around, Sirius saw Arthur stepping aside to allow Rufus Scrimgeour, Gawain Robards, and Albus Dumbledore into the house. Sirius' heart stopped beating.
Scrimgeour stepped forward, a grim look on his face. "Sirius Black, we're going to ask you to come with us to the Ministry."
Sirius swallowed, not moving from the chair. "Am I under arrest?"
"He's innocent!" Harry shouted, jumping up from the sofa. "Please, don't do this!"
Sirius rose up from his chair, his legs leading him to stand next to Harry. He placed a comforting hand on his godson's shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze as he focused his gaze on Dumbledore. They stared hard at one another. Sirius had to place his trust in Dumbledore, even though everything in his body was telling him not to. A lump formed in his throat as he tried to find the words to reassure Harry, even if he didn't feel the effects but nothing came. The words were trapped in his throat.
His freedom had to be a done deal. Because even if Dumbledore didn't care what happened to Sirius, he wouldn't have put the Weasley family at risk of being convicted of harboring a fugitive. He needed their allegiance. Most importantly, he needed Harry's allegiance. If Sirius was imprisoned or kissed, Harry would never forgive Dumbledore. Sirius didn't think Dumbledore was willing to severe ties with the only living Potter.
"It's all right, Harry," Sirius said in a strained voice.
The only one in the room that didn't believe Sirius was innocent was Scrimgeour. He was obviously willing to hear him out, to potentially believe him. Robards looked at him hard and Sirius couldn't decide if he was just playing his part well to hide his involvement in the Order of the Phoenix, or if Robards just really fucking hated him for being a little shit in school. They hadn't really talked much as adults. Sirius all of a sudden wished he had branched out a bit more during Order meetings instead of just sticking to Remus, Dora, Andromeda, and Ted.
Robards nodded in his direction. "Turn around. Put your hands behind your back, Black."
"Is that necessary?" Dumbledore asked, his eyebrows raising.
"He's one of the most wanted fugitives," Scrimgeour huffed. "We can't take him into the Ministry without following proper arrest protocols."
"He didn't do anything!" Harry protested again, practically seething at what was happening. Sirius had never seen someone look so angry yet so scared at the same time. "He's innocent!"
Sirius licked his bottom lip as he turned to face Harry. He grabbed the kid by the shoulders and forced Harry to look at him. Harry was nearly the same height as him now. A few more months and he'd probably be taller. The kid had been growing like a fucking weed, shooting up at an alarming rate. He shoved that thought to the back of his mind when he saw his godson's tear-filled green eyes staring at him.
"It's all right," Sirius whispered, his hands reaching up to cup either side of Harry's face, Sirius' eyes searching his. "This is what we want, right? A normal life. To be a proper family. You and me."
Harry looked like it was taking everything he had in him not to let the tears fall down his face. "What if they don't believe you?"
Sirius clenched his jaw. "They will," he said, trying to convince himself of that bit as much as Harry. "I didn't kill anyone that day."
That day. That was the key word, because Sirius had killed in cold blood before. Without mercy, without thought, without remorse. James had been shaken to his core, claiming they were no better than the Death Eaters if they were willing to kill so flippantly. But in a life and death situation, Sirius would always choose himself and his true family over some pureblood tosser. Sirius had killed to save James' life before. He'd do it again to save Harry's.
Harry sucked in a breath, a stray tear falling down his face. There was no doubt that the kid was petrified. The punches kept coming for Harry, knocking him down bit by bit. Sirius' thumb brushed the tear off Harry's cheek and he smiled at him.
"I'll be back soon," Sirius promised.
Sirius hoped to Merlin that he wouldn't break another promise to Harry. It was the same promise he made him at fifteen months old in the aftermath of his parents' deaths. He'd be back. Except, it took Sirius twelve years to find his way back to Harry, thirteen until they were reunited. Sirius wasn't ready to let go of him, to say goodbye forever.
Sniffing, Sirius pulled Harry into a bone-crushing embrace. Harry clung to him, his fingers clutching the fabric of his t-shirt. Sirius held his breath, his gaze focusing on the wall across from him. His eyes twitched, and Sirius knew he'd have to leave now if he stood a chance at holding it together for Harry.
With a thump on the back, Sirius pulled away. He ducked his head, his eyes screwing shut for a few moments, as he raised his hands into the air and made his way over to Robards. His chest twisted with anxiety as he looked up at Robards.
"There's a wand in my back trouser pocket," Sirius announced. "It belonged to Alphard Black. I acquired it from my family's old house."
Sirius turned around slowly with his hands still raised in the air. He couldn't bear to look at Harry so he looked at Remus instead. He felt the wand be pulled from his trousers as Remus nodded in his direction. Sirius supposed that was Remus' approval that he hadn't done anything stupid yet, which wasn't quite the accomplishment since Sirius was too nervous to be snarky. Fingers wrapped around his wrist, gently tugging his arm behind his back. Sirius knew what to do, having been arrested before. A panicked lump formed in his throat, his eyes burning into Remus as he tried to communicate that he needed to take care of Harry in case the worst happened.
A face pressed close to Sirius' and he could feel hot breath on his neck.
"We have your back, Sirius," Robards whispered in his ear. "You can thank Tegan later, because she put her arse on the line for you with this harebrained scheme."
Sirius' brow furrowed, his head turning so he could attempt to catch Robard's expression. But he remained perfectly stoic as he pulled back, jerking Sirius by the arm to walk towards the front door. Sirius swallowed at the lump in his throat, his mind going wild with possibilities on what Tegan Robins had done.
Exiting the Burrow, Sirius saw a mass of Aurors standing just beyond the wards. He recognized a few of them while more than half were strangers. Robins stood next to Kingsley, a smug smile gracing her features. She winked at him, but the gesture didn't alleviate any of the stress he felt with the situation. Sutton and Lowe were there as well, standing with Dora in the very back of the group. Sirius let out a long breath, trying to calm his nerves as the Aurors surrounded him. In one collective and loud pop, as though they had practiced this particular grand exit, they all Disapparated at once.
All eyes were on him as they entered the Ministry of Magic. Whispers and cries of fright echoed in his ears. Sirius looked down at his feet, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other as they marched in a herd towards the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He tried to ignore the flashing of cameras because of course reporters would be at the bloody Ministry to take his picture.
It seemed to take forever for them to enter an interrogation room. Amelia Bones already sat at the table, her legs crossed one over the other as she leaned back in her chair. She didn't even look back at him as Robards pushed him around the table. He took a seat on his own accord, his eyes staring at the new Minister of Magic as his hands were uncuffed from behind his back. With the force of magic, his legs were spread apart and manacles cuffed around his ankles. His arms jerked out in front of him, manacles clicking around his wrists a tad too tight, but Sirius wasn't about ready to complain. The manacles were attached to the table, keeping him firmly in place.
Scrimgeour took a seat on Bones' right while Dumbledore took a seat on her left. Robards and Robins were the only Aurors to linger in the room, standing guard of the door.
"This is not what I need to be dealing with in my first week of office," Bones sighed, her gaze burning into him. "You were in Islington during the attack, were you not?"
Sirius' eyes flickered behind her to look at Robards and Robins. Robins gave him a nod. Had Robins planned this? Robards' comment made it seem like she had a plan. Well, Sirius had nothing to lose. Okay, well, he had a lot to fucking lose but he couldn't think of it in that way. He was going to tell the truth, the entire truth, and hope to Merlin that he was let off.
"Yes, I was staying in my parents' old terrace house," Sirius replied, knowing honesty was the best course of action. "Number Twelve Grimmauld Place."
Bones nodded. "Harry Potter was with you as well, we hear. Not with his aunt and uncle like he was supposed to be, but with you."
Sirius swallowed, the pesky lump still residing in his fucking throat felt like it had grown roots and settled there for all eternity. "He's my godson."
"Most of the wizards were masked in Islington. All but three apparently. Do you know who those are?" Bones continued.
Sirius' brow furrowed. "I, uh, I saw Bellatrix Lestrange through the window. I also saw Lord Voldemort."
"No idea who the third one was?" Bones pressed.
Sirius knew there was a specific answer she was looking for, but his brain wasn't working. He hadn't seen anyone else maskless outside of the house. Just Bellatrix and Voldemort were brave enough to show their actual faces. He just shook his head.
"One Auror said they saw Peter Pettigrew there," Bones supplied, her fingers tapping on the arm of her chair, and Sirius felt like he couldn't breathe. "Can you explain to me how I have an Auror telling me they saw a dead man? A man you killed fourteen years ago? A man who displayed a very interesting bit of magic before disappearing."
Sirius blinked, wishing he could lean back in his chair but he couldn't due to the shortness of the chain of the manacles around his wrist. "I didn't kill Peter Pettigrew all those years ago. I wanted to. I really, really wanted to, but I couldn't. He got away."
Bones nodded, her hand gesturing to Scrimgeour.
Scrimgeour cleared his throat, leaning forward so that his elbows were propped up on the table. "We pulled your wand out of evidence. Had five different Spell Specialists analyze it. Do you remember the last spell you cast with that wand?"
Sirius swallowed, his eyes squinting. "I think, uh, a Stunner, maybe? I tried to stop Pete… Pettigrew. It all happened so fast."
Scrimgeour nodded. "It was a Stunner. Any guess what the spell before that was?"
Sirius shook his head. He really had no idea. Everything was blurry after he had left Harry at Godric's Hollow. He had been running on zero sleep and pure adrenaline at that point. The only thought in his mind had been murdering Peter before he had a chance to tell anyone about the prophecy, and then getting back to Harry.
"A Magnifying Spell," Bones supplied with a small laugh. "Care to explain that one?"
Ahh, Sirius remembered now. He had grabbed one of Peter's old shirts from his flat and had bought scrying materials from Arcadia Avenue to help him locate Peter quickly. He almost forgot about that. The Magnifying Spell had been to help him pinpoint Peter's exact location on the map. He had Apparated right in front of his fucking face, not caring that he scared Muggles by appearing out of thin air. It was worth it to see the petrified look that Peter shot in his direction.
"I bought materials to scry for Pettigrew," Sirius explained, remembering how the crystal had stopped on Shaftsbury Avenue.
"What happened when you met up with Pettigrew?" Bones asked, her gaze burning a hole in him.
Sirius swallowed, launching into the story he wished he could have told fourteen years ago. He started with how James had asked him to be their Secret Keeper, how he had been too fucked up after Marlene's death to even think straight and petrified of his family (namely Bellatrix) breaking into his mind and forcing him to betray his friends. He told them how he was the one who suggested Peter, how pathetic and talentless he was, so no one would even suspect he was given such an important role. When he had to talk about Halloween, it took everything in him not to break down. He barreled on in his story, not even daring to stop to take a breath in fear that he wouldn't be able to finish. Once he had finished stumbling over the Potters' deaths and explained how he had found Peter, his breathing evened out a bit but his limbs still shook.
"He's an Animagus?" Scrimgeour interrupted. "There's no record of that."
Sirius looked over at Dumbledore who proceeded to nod in his direction, a gentle tell them everything clear as day written across his face. "I am too. So was James Potter. We were fifteen and dumb and we thought we were so fucking clever."
Bones blinked at them. Sirius swallowed, leaving out the bit about how Fleamont had helped them brew the potion. Granted, he had no idea that they had no intention of registering themselves. He had been irate when he found out, telling them to march their arses to the Ministry but they refused. James even had the gall to remind Fleamont about how he had done an illegal thing or two at their age. Fleamont had just looked at them, disappointed. But even if he knew about their intentions, he would have helped them brew the potion regardless. It was complicated and none of them excelled in Potions to begin with. James and him were decent, Remus had been all right, and Peter had been downright dreadful.
"You're an Animagus?" Scrimgeour asked flatly.
Sirius nodded. "It's how I kept my mind in Azkaban. It's how I escaped. I'm a big black dog. Peter, like I said, was a small filthy little rat. James had been a stag."
"Why didn't you register?" Bones demanded.
In hindsight, he supposed they just wanted to be rebellious. At the time, they reasoned that they didn't want to mention they did it so Remus wouldn't have to be alone on the full moon. They had no idea what the interview process would be for registering, none of them wanted to be asked any question as to why three fifteen-year-olds decided to attempt some dangerous human-to-animal transfiguration. Sirius didn't think they'd accept the answer that James and Sirius were bored and top of their class at Transfiguration so they thought they'd do something stupid and reckless.
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "If I may interject, I'd like to answer this question because Sirius has a very firm sense of loyalty. You all know that Remus Lupin is a werewolf, having been ousted from his teaching position two years ago."
Bones glanced over at Dumbledore. "He was one of the friends that was interrogated thoroughly after Black was arrested, was he not? The one you insisted could track Black down if he was allowed to teach at Hogwarts despite his condition."
Dumbledore nodded. "You see, werewolves don't pose a threat to animals. I have never met a closer and more loyal friend group than James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin," Dumbledore explained with a frown. "Or, at least, I thought I hadn't. I'm sad to say that one was not as fiercely loyal as the rest."
Bones snapped her attention to Sirius. "What do you have to say?"
Sirius swallowed. "We did it for Remus. We didn't know the process for registering and didn't want to have to mention him. Partly, I suppose. I think we were also just arrogant little shits who liked the thought of doing something illegal."
"Two years ago, when Mr Black was captured by the Ministry at Hogwarts and then escaped, I too saw Mr Pettigrew myself," Dumbledore added, and Sirius knew that was also a bald-faced lie. "Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger also saw him transform from a rat to a human. Severus Snape and Remus Lupin were also witnesses. I believe Auror Robards and Auror Robins have testified that they saw Pettigrew transform into a rat as well in Islington. Perhaps each can describe what the rat looks like and you will be provided with enough proof that Mr Pettigrew has been an Animagus for many years."
"There was a picture in the paper," Sirius explained, launching into the story about how he had recognized Peter in the paper sitting on Ron's shoulder and had been terrified for Harry's safety.
Sirius then detailed the night Peter was exposed, how he had escaped, and then proceeded to lie about how he himself had escaped. "I mean, the Hippogriff just showed up. I think he was trying to escape his fate as well. Kindred spirits and all that. I bowed, he ripped the bars off with his beak, we've been best mates ever since."
He detailed his year on the run, how he had written Harry countless letters and the two of them had become close. With a twist in his heart, he explained how Harry told him it was Peter who had brought back Voldemort, giving as much detail as Harry had given in case they brought Harry in for questioning so he didn't have to go through that entire ordeal again. Sirius then explained how he had remained in close contact with Harry in the past year, telling them about the communication mirrors.
"And Harry Potter was with you the past few weeks?" Bones asked.
Sirius nodded. "He was."
"Why?" Bones pressed. "He left school early. Nobody would say anything. We had no idea where he even was or why he left the school."
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Yes, you see, I believe I have told you about the prophecy in the Department of Mysteries."
Sirius shot Dumbledore a cold look, a scoff escaping his lips.
"You mean the one you refuse to tell us the details of?" Bones challenged. "The one you refuse to let Harry Potter come claim?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, the very one. You also know that Lord Voldemort has tried to claim that prophecy for months now, sending his Death Eaters in but being unsuccessful. In fact, Lord Voldemort was trying to draw Harry to the Department of Mysteries the night it was attacked, to claim the prophecy for him but was unsuccessful. You see, Lord Voldemort successfully invaded Harry Potter's mind, tried to lure him to the Ministry to grab the prophecy for him. Harry, luckily, contacted Sirius who then contacted me. It was imperative then to get Harry to safety where someone he trusted could watch over him. Sirius was the obvious choice."
"So you decided to ignore Mr and Mrs Dursleys' custody of him?" Bones snapped. "Do you know how that would look if they caused a scene over their nephew not coming home?"
Sirius wanted to snap that they didn't give two shits about Harry but he kept his mouth shut. Dumbledore could handle that line of questioning because Sirius wouldn't be able to stay civil and calm while talking about the fucking Dursleys.
"Harry made it very clear he would not go back to his aunt and uncle's house," Dumbledore explained. "He wanted Sirius. Sirius came to me and told me he feared Harry would leave Surrey to find him. Mrs Dursley was fine with allowing Harry to spend the summer with his godfather. She signed a document for me transferring custody of Harry to Sirius."
"This is just… you knew where a wanted wizard was?" Bones huffed. "For years and you just what? Helped him hide? You helped ensure that a child would be ripped away from his family and put with a wanted wizard? I mean, reckless comes to mind, Albus!"
"I told Cornelius that Sirius Black was innocent," Dumbledore replied, his glasses sliding down his crooked nose. "He refused to even listen to the evidence. Countless wizards have seen Mr Pettigrew alive. Mr Black assured me that if his wand was to be examined, there would be no Blasting Curses to be found, no Unforgivables, no Dark Magic at all." Dumbledore turned to appraise Bones and Scrimgeour. "Tell me, did you find any of that when you examined Mr Black's wand?"
Scrimgeour shifted. "We went back months and found nothing incriminating."
Dumbledore raised his hands as though saying see, I told you this already. Sirius held his breath, his eyes glancing over to Bones.
"As Minister of Magic, all charges against you are dropped, Mr Black," Bones said with a sigh, her head shaking.
Dropped.
Just like that.
Sirius sat still, stunned, while his brain fought to register the words. Fourteen years brushed aside and dismissed with a simple word.
Then, he began to shake. The fury, the relief, the anger, the hope. All these emotions swelling within him, battling it out for dominance until they became too much to contain. He attempted to jump from his seat but the chains kept him in place. He clenched his fists.
Fourteen fucking years.
Sirius lifted his head to see Bones staring at him, her eyebrow raised. He met her gaze for a long moment. Letting out a long breath, Sirius schooled his features. He had never really learnt how to let go of his anger, but he was pretty damn skilled in pushing that shit aside to deal with later. So instead, he tried to focus his attention on what this all meant. Now, he could gain custody of Harry and they could be the family they were always meant to be. He would be able to attend Harry's Quidditch matches, see him during Hogsmeade weekends for a quick lunch like the Potters had always done with them as kids, and just be able to be there for him no matter where or what was happening. And these realizations made it that much easier to push aside everything else.
Bones resumed talking, ignoring to the swarm of emotions coursing through Sirius. "You will be forced to register as an Animagus, but I think we can waive any fines and jail time as you spent twelve years in Azkaban already. The Ministry, of course, would be glad to pay you-"
"I don't want your money," Sirius interrupted. He didn't need nor want money from the Ministry. There was only one thing he wanted that they could give him. He'd do just about anything to get it. No, that was a lie. He would do literally anything to get what he wanted.
Bones blinked. "You don't? Mr Black, it was not my Ministry that wrongfully imprisoned you. It was not my Ministry that overlooked evidence and didn't grant you a trial. I would hope you are not going to take your anger out on my Ministry for the mistakes of past Ministries. We are trying to right a wrong and we are in a very delicate time."
Sirius shook his head, the manacles clanking as he raised his hand to stop her. "I'll sing your praises if you give me one thing."
Bones held her breath.
"I want full custody of Harry Potter, effective immediately," Sirius continued. "Pull up the Potters' will. I was named as rightful guardian in case of their death. I'd like to fulfill my promise to them and to Harry."
Bones smiled tightly. "I'll have all the documents ready to sign before you leave here," she supplied. "But Harry Potter is very precious. He's the Boy Who Lived and now he's been vindicated and will be more beloved than ever. Merlin forbid the press get a whiff of some prophecy that involves him and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."
Sirius scowled. "I love Harry for the mere fact that he's Harry, not because he's some warped hero in our world's eyes."
"Yes, but if something were to happen to him, the public would not take kindly to you," Bones pressed.
"Is that a threat?" Sirius asked, his eyebrows raising.
"It's a warning, Mr Black," Bones insisted, pushing her chair back and rising to her feet.
Sirius clenched his jaw, his eyes boring into Bones'. Robards moved from his spot next to the door, pulling his wand from his Auror robes. The wand pressed against the manacles on Sirius' wrists and they fell with a clank onto the table.
"It would be prudent for you and Mr Potter to get on board with the new Ministry and speak highly of it," Bones continued. "I'm sure once word gets out that you, of all people, have obtained full custody of Harry Potter, that people will naturally be upset. A wizard who spent twelve years in Azkaban caring for the Boy Who Lived will anger a lot of people. They won't trust you nor will they like you. But if you were to align yourself with the Ministry, with me… well, we'd sing your praises as much as you sing ours."
The manacles fell from Sirius' ankles as he contemplated the words. He understood what was wanted of him and Harry. Sirius didn't exactly like it, but Bones was right. The public probably wouldn't like nor trust him. It could cause problems for Harry.
"I look forward to being allies," Sirius replied, attempting not to clench his teeth as he spoke.
Bones nodded curtly. "Wait here. The adoption documents will be drawn up now. You will be given back your personal effects that were confiscated when you were arrested as well as your wand. Is there anything else the Ministry can do for you, Mr Black?"
Sirius leaned back in his chair, his head shaking. "Nah, I'm good. Just custody of my godson will be more than enough."
A chuckle escaped Bones' lips. "You know, Albus was right. He said you'd ask for custody of Mr Potter."
"Yes, well, I think anyone who knows anything about me knows that the only person I care about in this fucked up world is Harry," Sirius replied in a nonchalant tone.
"Yes, clearly," Bones said, her eyes boring into his. "I read through your arrest record the other day. You seemed very focused on Mr Potter's wellbeing as you were strip-searched and processed for Azkaban then too. Most people would have asked what was happening or have been concerned about themselves, but you only asked about young Mr Potter."
Sirius shrugged, the memory a haze in his mind. He could barely remember the arrest, too surprised and depressed to even think clearly. He had a one-track mind, often only being able to focus on one thing at a time. It seemed like ever since he became a godfather, his mind was always thinking about Harry. He didn't care about being arrested, didn't care that he was carted off to Azkaban. He probably deserved it on some level or another. But the thought of Harry not in a loving home had set him off. He wanted to be with Harry, wanted to raise him, wanted to be a family. Nobody would even tell him if Harry was all right.
That changed now, though. Sirius would do right by Harry and protect him. They would survive the war ahead of them together. Sirius was willing to die at a drop of the hat if that meant Harry could live. Now, well, now that was even more a possibility if he was free. It would be easier to protect Harry now more than ever. That thought was what kept him going.
Hope you enjoyed the newest chapter! Don't forget to drop a review. It only takes an extra minute and they motivate me to keep chugging along!
Special thanks to Bell for editing and helping me with Sirius' scene!