"Brumous"
"Chapter Fourteen: Godric's Manor"
Ginny made her way into the kitchen, spotting Sirius and Harry already up and having breakfast. She walked over to the stove to grab herself some breakfast, her gaze stopping to look out the window and seeing her mother gathering eggs from the chicken coop. Her lips twitched as she helped herself to some eggs, toast, and bacon.
"Everything will be ready for us to head to Godric's Manor by the end of the week," Sirius said. "Although, I'm afraid I have some unfortunate news."
"Hmm?" Harry asked.
Ginny turned around, plate in her hands and made her way towards the table. She sat down next to Harry. He shot her a quick shy smile before he turned his attention back to Sirius who sat directly across from him at the table.
"We were talking last night," Sirius started, leaning back in his chair with his cup of coffee in his hands. "Molly, Arthur, Remus, Dumbledore, and I. We thought that perhaps, given our quick exit from Grimmauld and the potential that we may need to make a quick exit from the Burrow, that Hermione should stay at her parents' house for the summer and not join us. Given her connection to you, Harry, Dumbledore's stationed some Order members outside her house to keep an eye on them."
"Oh," was all Harry said, his brow furrowing.
Ginny didn't exactly expect to hear that. Hermione was supposed to arrive in a few days' time, but she supposed now she would keep her room to herself. Honestly, though she felt slightly guilty to admit it, she was glad. If another nightmare plagued her again, she could easily slip into Harry's room undetected just like she had the other night. It was the best night's rest she'd had in a long time and she definitely knew she wanted to do it again.
"It's just one less body for us to all worry about," Sirius added. "We have a pretty good adult to teenager ratio now since Molly and I are primarily with you lot at all times. We can easily grab the three of you if need be. You start adding more people, and it can be easy not to be able to get everyone out if we're separated."
"That makes sense," Harry replied, his fork pushing his eggs around on his plate.
Ginny's gaze flickered between them. Sirius let out a little breath before he tore his gaze away from his godson. He smiled warmly at Ginny.
"What's Godric's Manor?" Ginny asked, leaning towards the middle of the table to grab the pumpkin juice jug.
"My grandparents' house," Harry replied. "My dad's parents. I guess I own it."
"We're going to hold Order meetings there from now on," Sirius elaborated. "You lot are coming with us weekly to the house."
"Oh, thank Merlin! Something to do!" Ginny said with a smile. "Your grandparents' house, Harry? That sounds bloody brilliant! You'll be able to grab so many pictures and trinkets and such."
Harry nodded, a slight smile crossing his face. She reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling it into her lap and giving his fingers a squeeze.
Sirius cleared his throat. "We're going to start Occlumency today as well. I hope you don't mind that I asked Remus to help."
"So, you'll both break into our minds?" Ginny questioned.
"If that's all right, yes," Sirius clarified. "It's a very taxing process. Breaking into three minds over and over again is, well, daunting. Remus will, of course, respect your privacy and would stop as soon as you say stop."
Ron entered the kitchen, making his way to grab enough food to feed everyone at the table. He took a seat next to Sirius, grunting a good morning before he started to dig in.
"No, no, I trust Professor Lupin," Ginny insisted, not wanting Sirius to get the wrong idea.
Professor Lupin had been very kind to her while she was a second year. She had been so unsure of herself going back to Hogwarts after the Chamber of Secrets incident. Professor Lupin could spot right away that she was nervous and anxious, calling for her to stay after class to ask her if she was all right and inviting her into his office one day after she had a panic attack in class when someone had fainted, her mind wandering to those that had been petrified by the basilisk. He had, by far, been her favorite professor.
"No, this has got to stop," Sirius said, his face pulling. "This Professor Lupin tosh. I mean, call him Remus. You certainly don't call me Mr Black."
Ginny let out a snort. "Only because you threatened to hex us if we ever called you that when we first met you."
"I will not be called by my father's name," Sirius emphasized, his nose wrinkling. "I'm trying to just distance myself as much as humanly possible from that family. I could be like one of those famous people who only go by their first name. Just Sirius. No last name. No bloody middle name either."
"What is your middle name?" Ginny asked.
Sirius groaned, his head rolling back onto the top of the chair. "It's my father's name. Sirius Orion Black."
Ron lifted his head, turning it slowly towards Sirius as he chewed. "You know that makes your initials S.O.B., right?"
Sirius shot Ron a look. "Yes, I'm very well aware of that, but thanks anyway."
Ron snorted. "Touchy much?"
"What's your middle name?" Sirius pressed. "It's bound to be good. I know you have some interesting names in your family."
"It's, uh, it's Bill," Ron said, his head nodding.
Ginny let out a loud laugh. "It is not Bill."
Ron shot Ginny a rude gesture. "Close enough, Ginevra."
"Watch it, Bilius."
Sirius let out a bark-like laugh, his head shaking. "Bilius. Merlin, that's brilliant."
"Such a charming namesake too," Ginny said in a loud voice. "He was always drunk off his bloody arse and pulling flowers out of his trousers."
"Oh, I think I'd like him," Sirius said, a wide grin on his face.
"Too bad, he's dead," Ron snapped. "Saw a grim and died a day later."
Sirius snorted. "Unfortunate luck. Hope it wasn't me that scared him to death."
"Nah," Ron replied with a full mouth of food, waving Sirius off. "You were locked up."
Sirius let out a loud laugh just as the back door opened. Ginny watched as her mum sat the basket of eggs next to the stove, appraising what was left over of breakfast and most likely debating if she should make more.
"What's so funny?" Mum asked, deciding that there was enough food so she made herself a cup of tea.
"Oh, just talking about Uncle Bilius," Ginny supplied.
Her mother's face soured as she walked over to the table, opting to stand as she sipped her tea. "Bloody moron, he was, but your father was very fond of him."
"Sounds like he would have been a blast at the Black's posh and boring parties with his flower trick. Pity that Cedrella was disowned," Sirius said in a casual tone. "I may have actually enjoyed myself a bit if they were around."
"Oh, you," Mum sighed, swatting Sirius' arm with the back of her hand.
Ginny looked over at Harry, a smirk on her lips. Except Harry wasn't smiling at the conversation, nor did it seem like he was even paying attention. The smile dropped from her face, her hand reaching out to touch his arm. A sinking feeling happened in her chest as she turned fully towards him, expecting to be met with red eyes and another quick escape. His eyes were screwed up, his face pointed towards the table. His hands rose to his ears, pushing them firmly against the sides of his head. His slow shallow breathing wafted in her ears.
"Sirius…" Ginny trailed off.
The chair scraped across the tile within two seconds. Sirius rounded the table. He dragged Harry's chair around so that they were facing each other. If Harry minded, he didn't say anything. In fact, he didn't even move.
"Sirius, what's happening?" her mum squeaked as Sirius crouched down in front of the chair.
"Be quiet. Everyone," Sirius hissed as he placed his own hands over Harry's to help him block out the noise.
The seconds dragged on and nothing happened. Ginny couldn't breathe as she watched Sirius and Harry huddled together, waiting for the wand to drop at any second. She dared a glance over at Ron who had foregone his breakfast, his freckles shining brightly on his pale face. Her mum stood behind him, her teacup clutched in her hands.
Finally, Harry's shoulders sagged and his eyes opened. He leaned forward, his head resting on Sirius' shoulder. Sirius wrapped his arms around Harry as best he could from his crouched position.
"Can you check?" Harry asked in a hoarse voice.
Sirius shook his head, pulling back slightly. "Molly, can you call Dumbledore?"
Ginny watched her mum hurry out of the kitchen. Sirius cupped Harry's face, his thumbs brushing along his cheekbones.
"Did he try to possess you?" Sirius pressed.
Harry shook his head. "I don't think. I just felt this, this prickling. So I closed off my senses and then I felt like I was falling, you know that feeling you get when someone performs Legilimency? Then I just tried to push him out. I think he's gone but I don't know."
Sirius nodded, the color completely gone from his cheeks. "It's all right. Just sit still for a bit. You did good, mate, you hear me?"
Harry only visibly swallowed.
"This is big," Sirius continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "He can't just see where you are or what you're doing now. You can sense it."
"He still saw the Burrow," Harry replied in a miserable tone, his shoulders shuddering.
A tight smile spread across Sirius' face. "He has no frame of reference for the Burrow or what the kitchen looks like. He could have already guessed we were all still together."
"I'm not a kid, Sirius," Harry grumbled. "You don't have to try to make me feel better. I know how serious this all is."
"I'm not trying to make you feel better," Sirius replied, his tone even. "I wouldn't lie to you just to make you feel better. I'm telling you what I genuinely think. And if I thought it was something we needed to be worried about, I sure as hell wouldn't be sitting here talking to you right now. I'd be dragging you out the door. Voldemort has never been to the Burrow like he has Grimmauld Place. Voldemort, with or without Kreacher's help, knew exactly where you were. The Burrow? Merlin, Harry, this kitchen could be anywhere."
Harry didn't look convinced. His gaze lowered to his hands in his lap. He hadn't looked at anyone but Sirius, nor did he even dare to look around the room. Ginny's heart sank to her stomach at how frustrated he looked by it all.
Footsteps sounded. Dumbledore and Mum entered the kitchen. Sirius didn't move from his spot, but Ginny rose from her chair to give them a bit of space. Her mum wrapped her arms around her as they watched with batted breaths as Dumbledore pressed the tip wordlessly to Harry's temple.
Ginny supposed she was expecting Harry to start screaming or something like he had the last time Dumbledore had checked his mind, but he never did. Instead, Dumbledore pulled away his wand in a calm matter and smiled down at Harry.
"You did well, Harry," Dumbledore said. "He's gone. You successfully pushed him out."
Harry only nodded, not looking up at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore turned towards Sirius. "May we speak in private, Sirius?"
Sirius sucked in a breath, tilting his head down so he could catch Harry's gaze. "You all right, mate?"
"I'm fine," Harry whispered.
"I'll be right back," Sirius explained. "Stay here, okay? We'll talk when I get back."
Sirius rose from the floor, his head stiffly gesturing towards the back door. Dumbledore and Sirius disappeared from the kitchen. Ginny let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, her attention snapping towards Harry who looked up at them with watery eyes.
"I'm sorry, Mrs Weasley," Harry croaked. "He saw the Burrow."
Mum rushed forward, her head shaking as she crouched down in front of him. "Oh, Harry, dear, stop. Please, it is what it is. We're under the Fidelius now so he can't get to us even if he figures out where here is. Sirius said he's going to start to look at properties to buy now that he's been declared innocent so we'd have somewhere to go if we need to get out. So don't worry about it."
"I'm putting you all in danger," Harry whispered.
She placed her hands over Harry's, a bright smile crossing her features. "Harry, dear, listen to me, because I will only say this once. You are family. Sirius is family. Remus is family. We are in this together, all right? We need to look out for each other and take care of each other, because that's what family does."
Harry visibly swallowed, his head nodding. He turned his head, his gaze locking with Ginny's. She smiled at him, though he only returned a small shy smile.
"We should get ready for the day," Ginny announced, trying to take everyone's mind off what had just transpired. "We're starting Occlumency lessons."
Ron clapped his hands together. "Excellent. I just want to say, anything anyone may see from my past that they may or may not tell you, Mum, is in the past. You can't punish any of us for things that happened years ago, yeah?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Like we don't already know everything."
Ron shrugged. "I am just saying I have immunity from any and all past indiscretions."
Harry let out a soft chuckle as his eyes flickered between Ginny and Ron. She shot him a wink before holding out her hand for him. He grasped it in his and the three of them made their way out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.
Remus tapped his wand on his thigh, as he listened to Sirius explain to Ginny and Ron what was going to happen during the Occlumency lessons. Harry sat stiffly between them, seemingly only half-listening to the speech. Which Remus couldn't blame him. He had been living and breathing near-daily Occlumency lessons with Sirius since he had left school. While Ginny and Ron looked excited albeit a little nervous, Harry looked downright miserable.
"Harry, come here," Sirius called.
With a sigh, Harry rose from the sofa and made his way over towards them. He wiped his hands on his trousers. Sirius grabbed Harry by the shoulders and turned him so that their sides were facing the sofa.
"All right?" Sirius whispered.
Harry nodded.
"Okay, so what works for Harry is that he closes off his senses," Sirius explained, turning his head towards Ginny and Ron. "He will close his eyes and cover his ears while in the memory to try to block out whoever is in there. Once his mind is completely black, then he can force out the intruder."
Harry shifted. "It's easier to clear my mind. I've tried other things, but none of them worked as well."
Sirius smiled at him. "All right, Remus, you want to give Harry a go? Give him someone different to force out for a change?"
Remus looked up, startled. He just assumed Sirius would want to keep being Harry's teacher since he was stronger at Legilimency than Remus was. Sirius glanced over at him, his eyebrow arching.
"It's all about variety," Sirius explained. "He's worked with Snape, Dumbledore, and myself. The more magical signatures he can detect will only help him in the long run."
"Right, no, that makes sense," Remus agreed as he stepped forward.
Sirius moved back, crossing his arms over his chest. Remus shot Harry a warm smile.
"All right, Harry?" Remus asked.
He only nodded.
Sucking in a breath, Remus placed the tip of his wand to Harry's forehead and cast the spell. He stumbled forward into a room that Remus didn't recognize, but he knew it had to have been somewhere at Hogwarts. Remus spotted the back of Harry's messy hair immediately. He swallowed, thinking about how many times he had seen the tall and lean figure of James from behind, his hair wild and sticking up in the back just like that. Pushing that thought to the back of his mind, he looked beyond Harry to see another Harry in his Hogwarts uniform. His tie was loose around his neck and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.
The room was filled with students paired off into different groups. But Harry was standing next to Ginny.
"What was the memory?" Harry asked, his left hand reaching to push up his glasses.
Ginny shrugged, annoyance clear as day on her face, as she twirled her wand in her hand. "The first time I rode a broom."
Harry chuckled, a smile spreading across his thin face. "Well, that's not nearly good enough, Gin."
Ginny huffed. "I like flying, Harry. A lot. It calms me. It makes me feel invincible. It makes me feel free."
Harry nodded knowingly at her. "Nah, I tried that memory too, but Professor Lupin told me it wasn't nearly good enough."
Remus took a step forward until he stood next to Harry. He glanced over at him to see he wasn't even attempting to stop the memory. It was almost like he wanted to keep watching. As though feeling eyes on him, Harry turned to face Remus.
"This is one of the last D.A. meetings," Harry explained. "Those that I thought were good enough could try a Patronus. Ginny was upset she was only getting wispy white smoke. She did not appreciate being told her memory wasn't good enough." Harry's lips twisted. "I know exactly how that feels though so I can't blame her."
Remus laughed, his attention turning back to the slightly younger Harry.
"Well, what did you think about when you cast your first corporal one?" Ginny asked.
Harry leaned down close to her, his lips nearly touching her ear. "Sirius invited me to live with him once he was declared innocent. It wasn't a memory so much as a hope. I pictured us being a family and happy."
Ginny reached out, her hand touching his arm. "One day, Harry."
"You know, I tried to emulate your teaching style," Harry admitted. "You made lessons interesting, made me actually want to study for once. I think Hermione was impressed that Ron and I opened our Defense books without even being told that year."
Remus raised his eyebrows. "Yeah?"
Harry nodded. "It's a shame you were sacked. It wasn't fair. You were by far the best professor we ever had for Defense. I learned a lot from you, and I wanted them to learn like I did. I wanted them to open up a book and study because it was so important and imperative. It's life or death now, not just some mark on a test."
"You were by far my favorite student," Remus confessed. "Not just because you were James' son either. You were smart and had amazing instincts. I'm not going to lie to you, I pushed you far harder than the rest of the students during the end of the year maze exam. You impressed me at every turn."
"So maybe don't try a memory if you can't think of one," Harry explained. "Think of your hopes or dreams and imagine them coming true."
Ginny looked longingly up at Harry, a tight smile crossing her face.
Harry shook his head. "I didn't know that."
"Yes, well, I may have been working a tad against you to test you a bit," Remus continued. "It didn't even faze you. You know, Fleamont was a natural as well. He was the British Grand Dueling Champion for well over a decade. Powerful, powerful wizard. Though couldn't fly a broom to save his life, a fact that James never let him live down."
Harry chuckled, glancing over at Remus. "Seriously?"
Remus nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, ask Sirius about it. He has a funny story about James and him trying to teach Fleamont when they were sixteen."
Harry's grin became impossibly wider.
"But, uh, not that I don't enjoy our chat but shouldn't you be trying to, you know, force me out?" Remus asked.
"Oh, right, yeah, sorry," Harry apologized.
Remus watched in fascination as Harry pressed his hands to his ears and screwed his eyes shut. The voices grew muffled and the room darkened. Before long, there was nothing but an odd ringing and a pitch blackness. Then, a prickling happened in his mind. Remus felt his heart race as he tried to think of nothing. Except all he could think about was James and how much Harry reminded him of James.
Then, he was pushed back with such force that Remus fell to the ground and his head knocked against the hard tiled floor. A ringing sounded in his ears as he blinked up at the stark white ceiling, his eyes squinting. Sitting up, Remus saw James sitting in a hospital bed at St. Mungo's. Remus' younger self stood next to him, his head shaking. Across from his younger self stood Harry who peered curiously at his father.
"You're a terrible liar, James," Remus hissed. "Why aren't you telling anyone who stabbed you?"
Remus stood up, making his way to stand at the foot of the hospital bed. He could remember clear as day when he received news that James had been stabbed. Sirius had found him bleeding out in an alleyway and had rushed him to St. Mungo's. When Remus had arrived, James had been in a procedure to repair the damage to his lung that had been pierced by the blade. The Potters, Lily, and Sirius had been pacing the waiting room when he had arrived. Sirius had been covered in James' blood.
James shrugged, his hand rubbing against his mouth. "Because they had a mask on?"
Remus cocked his head to the side. "So you just let a Death Eater get close enough to bloody well stab you? Where did they even get a knife?"
"Jumped me," James replied as he looked down at his hands. "The knife shot right out of the tip of his wand."
Remus sighed. "James."
"Remus," James replied, his eyes snapping up. "Drop it."
"It's not like you to protect a Death Eater," Remus insisted, his arms crossing over his chest.
James righted his glasses on his face, leaning back against his pillows with a wince. "I'm not protecting a Death Eater."
"Then who are you protecting?" Remus pressed.
James' jaw clenched. "I'm protecting Sirius, all right? Can you just fucking drop it already? Merlin, do we really have to do this?"
"Sirius?" Remus repeated. "What does Siri… wait, was it Regulus? Regulus fucking stabbed you?"
A gasp sounded and Remus flickered his eyes over to Harry to see him standing there with his lips parted. Suddenly, Remus remembered they were both in a memory. He had been too absorbed in the scene, his eyes just staring at James with his chest constricting painfully.
James grimaced. "No, Regulus tried to kill me. There's a slight difference."
Remus sputtered. "A slight difference, Merlin, James!"
James waved his hand. "Look, I was just trying to talk to him, to offer him help. He went a bit psycho on me."
"A bit psycho? You think?" Remus said with a humorless chuckle.
"Look, it doesn't really matter," James insisted. "I know now the next time I encounter him to run in the opposite direction and not try to bloody well reason with him. He was a tad bit bitter with me over, well, everything. But I'm not pressing charges and I'm definitely not telling Sirius that his little brother tried to kill me in some back alley. It would only hurt him and he'd feel the need to, I don't know, go after him in some false sense of loyalty. That's the last thing I want, is for Sirius to feel the need to hurt his little brother to avenge me for being stabbed. Plus, I like to think this makes Regulus and I even. I beat the bloody shit out of him when we were kids and now he's stabbed me."
Remus shook his head, his eyes wide. "I think stabbing someone is a little more extreme than getting punched a few times in the face."
"I wanted to kill him, Remus," James admitted, his Adam's apple bobbing. "He was only fourteen and I saw him, knowing what the Blacks had done to Sirius, and I wanted to kill him for just sitting there and doing nothing. There was this rage in me, and I don't think I would have stopped attacking him if you and Pete didn't pull me off him."
"You wouldn't have killed him, James," Remus insisted.
"No, I really think I would have. I wasn't thinking straight," James insisted, sucking in a breath. "You didn't see Sirius when he got to my house. The Blacks tortured him. If it wasn't for Alphard, he would have died."
"Look, James, I get the guilt you feel for beating up Regulus," Remus said, his hand running through his hair. "But he's a Death Eater now. From what we know, Bellatrix has taken him under her wing and is training him. We both know that Bellatrix is psychotic. Regulus, well, look, I get he looks just like Sirius and I know Sirius struggles a lot because Regulus didn't turn his back on the Blacks like Andromeda did, but Regulus is not Sirius. You can't trust him or try to reason with him. He's just some evil little shit who has probably already tortured and killed, especially if he was so eager to stab you in the chest. You have to know Sirius won't hurt Regulus, but Regulus wouldn't hesitate to hurt Sirius."
"No, yeah, I know, Remus," James said with a slight huff. "It was stupid, I get that. I just… I don't know. I get it now, I really do. At the time, I thought if I could help him defect, that Sirius could have his brother back. They were close once, you know that, don't you? They were thick as thieves and then Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor and their parents started forcing them apart. Then Sirius, you know Sirius, he's such a noble git that he started purposely pushing him away and doing stupid shit just to piss off Walburga more. He made himself a target to protect Regulus."
Remus blinked, knowing he needed to pull Harry out of the memory but he also knew that he had to talk to Harry first. It wouldn't do Sirius' mental health any good to find out this bit of information. Remus was fairly certain that he had never found out after all this time.
"Harry, let's keep this memory between us, all right?" Remus asked, directing his attention to the teenager.
Harry's head snapped towards him. "Sirius' brother tried to kill my dad?"
Remus nodded, a wince crossing his face. "Look, just, we can talk about this later? Sirius doesn't need to know. It's what your dad wanted, okay?"
"Why?" Harry whispered.
Remus didn't respond. He rounded the bed, grabbing Harry by the arm. Closing his eyes, Remus tried to block out the scene around them.
"Regulus will kill the both of you if given the chance!" Remus hissed. "You can't protect him!"
"What am I supposed to do, Remus? It would only hurt Sirius if he knew!" James protested.
The voices became softer and softer until they were a low hum. A moment later, Remus felt himself become steadier and steadier.
"How'd it go?" Sirius asked.
Remus snapped his eyes open to see the parlor of the Burrow. Harry stared at him with wide eyes, refusing to look away. Remus swallowed, forcing a small smile on his face.
"Brilliant," Remus replied in a tight voice. "Pushed himself right into my memory."
"You two were gone a bit," Sirius replied.
Remus shrugged, not looking away from Harry. "Got lost in the memories," he replied before clearing his throat. "All right, Ginny, you're up. Sirius, you want to take the lead?"
Finally tearing his gaze away from Harry, Remus looked over at Ginny and Ron on the sofa. Ginny rose up, shaking at her arms as she rose. She shot Harry a soft smile before she stood in front of Sirius. Harry stepped out of the way, sinking down onto the sofa next to Ron.
"Legilimens," Sirius' voice rang.
Remus turned around, watching as Sirius broke into Ginny's mind, his heart hammering in his chest. He didn't know why he was so nervous about what Harry had seen. Surely, even if Sirius found out that Remus knew what had happened during the first war, he wouldn't be upset. They had put a lot of the past behind them. What was one more secret to be had between them?
Sirius stared at the cupboard door where his wand lay locked up. Part of him thought they should take their wands to the Order meeting in case somehow Voldemort guessed they would be there and attacked. Dumbledore knew Voldemort had been keeping an eye on Godric's Hollow, but Sirius wondered if he was only keeping an eye on the actual town where the Hollow was located and not the outskirts of town where Godric's Manor was.
There was no way Sirius would step foot in the actual town of Godric's Hollow. All of the good memories that he had of running around with James were overshadowed by what had happened on Halloween. The town, which had once been his safe haven, was now his darkest nightmare. The thought that James and Lily were buried there… Sirius sighed, making his way towards the locked cupboard. Pressing his hand against the wood, he whispered, "Archibald."
A click sounded. Sirius opened the cupboard, grabbed his wand and stuffed it in his front pocket, making sure to shove it deep within the magically expanded space so it couldn't be easily accessed just in case.
"Remus went to gather the kids," Molly said, stepping up next to Sirius and glancing up at him. "We'll each take one. Arthur is meeting us there directly from work."
Sirius nodded. "That sounds good. Are you taking your wand?"
Molly shook her head. "Less wands the better, yeah?"
Sirius shut the door and placed his hand on it once more. He muttered the password again before stepping back.
"I, well, I may have heard something," Molly said, her hands ringing in front of her.
Sirius furrowed his brows at her as she forced a tight smile on her face. Sirius for the life of him couldn't figure out why she seemed out of sorts. Sucking in a breath, he debated if he even wanted to know.
"Just spit it out, Molly," he told her.
"Marlene is going to be at the meeting tonight," Molly said in a rush.
Sirius winced. They hadn't spoken since they had a small heart-to-heart on the back deck of the Burrow. She had never written him, and Sirius certainly wasn't going to take the lead on that. He did notice Harry had received a letter just yesterday from her and his face had gone white. Harry fretted with Ginny for nearly an hour over what to write back. The kid had been completely out of his depth. Sirius couldn't help but wonder if he had been that way when Sirius started to write to him.
"She obviously feels comfortable enough around you now to come," Molly added. "Maybe she remembers something."
Sirius shook his head. There was no way that Marlene remembered anything. If she had, she would have come to see him immediately.
"I'm fine," Sirius stressed. "I'll be fine."
"You could sit with her," Molly insisted.
"I will sit with you and Remus like I always do," Sirius said in a flat tone, leaving no room for Molly to meddle between him and Marlene.
Molly blinked innocently up at him. "Remus and I won't mind."
Sirius sucked in a breath. "Look, meddling with Remus and Dora was fun, Molly. Even meddling with Harry and Ginny was a blast with you. But I don't do well with people meddling with me. I'm the meddler, not the meddlee, yeah?"
Molly huffed. "You deserve happiness too, Sirius."
"Who said I'm not happy?" Sirius pressed and Molly gave him a dubious look. "I'm… relatively happy. I mean, I'm a free man now. I don't have to live in the house that I despised any longer. I have custody of my godson. Life is… great."
"Sirius…" Molly trailed off.
Sirius only scowled. Before he could say anything, footsteps sounded on the stairs. The kids and Remus rounded into the kitchen. Sirius tore his gaze away from Molly to glance over at his godson. Harry seemed to be practically vibrating, a look of excitement yet anxiety clear as day across his face. Sirius felt his heart sink a bit at the reaction, but he pushed it to the back of his mind.
Everyone broke out into pairs. Sirius wrapped his arm around Harry as they made their way out of the Burrow into the back garden. He walked towards the rock that marked where the wards ended. He glanced over at Harry briefly, giving his shoulder a squeeze before they stepped past the rock. In a split second, they were gone with a soft pop.
They reappeared in front of Godric's Manor, right inside of the gate. Sirius pushed Harry forward, rushing to get him under the Fidelius. Harry stumbled, obviously his attention on the large manor that stood in front of them. It appeared larger than Grimmauld Place since it wasn't nearly as narrow as the terrace house.
A soft pop sounded behind them, and Sirius turned to see Remus and Ginny had arrived. Remus seemed stiff as he walked into the wards, his eyes staring up at the house without blinking. In that moment, Sirius knew Remus hadn't been back to the house since Fleamont and Euphemia had died.
Another pop sounded to indicate Molly and Ron had arrived. The group made their way towards the house. Sirius tugged his wand from his pocket, using the same unlocking pattern from so long ago. He hadn't had the heart to change it, even if Dumbledore insisted. Nobody alive but Sirius knew the unlocking pattern anyway, that was until he had told the Order of the Phoenix.
Pushing the door open, Sirius kept his eyes locked on his godson. Harry looked around in complete amazement, his gaze locking with the large picture in the foyer of Fleamont and Euphemia on their wedding day that was situated on the wall above a small table. Harry gravitated towards it, his eyes soaking in every single detail from Fleamont's messy black hair and glasses to Euphemia's strawberry blonde hair pulled up in an elegant updo.
His eyes snapped away from the wedding picture to see the pictures on the table below. They ranged from James with his parents at age eleven at King's Cross, to Sirius and James at sixteen at a Muggle funfair, to the Potters and Sirius at the Quidditch World Cup in Austria when they were seventeen, to Fleamont and Euphemia holding Harry in a hospital room with wide grins on their faces.
Sirius placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Here, you'll like this."
Sirius led Harry into the parlor to show him the large picture above the fireplace of his grandparents, parents, Sirius, and himself at a few months old. Harry swallowed visibly, his green eyes staring unblinkingly at the family that had been ripped away from him in the cruelest way possible.
"All right, you lot," Sirius announced, clearing his throat as he turned to see Ginny and Ron making their way into the parlor. "This isn't Grimmauld Place. There's no Dark objects or books or whatever here. But there is one rule. If you find Fleamont's study, there's a door that leads to his potions' room. Under no circumstance do you lot go into the room without me."
Ron wrinkled his nose. "Why?"
"Because Fleamont was a potions' prodigy and didn't shy away from using some very volatile ingredients," Sirius elaborated. "Those ingredients are likely very expired and even more unstable now. It's dangerous in there, all right? James and I weren't even allowed in there alone when we were twenty."
Ginny snorted, her lips twitching. Sirius shot her a look. He'd have to be sure to tell Fred and George they weren't allowed in there either come to think of it, when they arrived for the meeting. Merlin only knew what those two would get up to in there. The entire house would probably blow up.
"All other rooms are safe," Sirius concluded, his eyes snapping to look at each one of them.
"No going outside though!" Molly added. "You don't know where the wards end here and I want you all inside during the meeting."
Sirius nodded. "Okay, there's two rules then. We're going to be taking over the dining room. There's already privacy charms on the door and the Extendable Ears won't work."
A flicker caught Sirius' eye and he looked beyond the kids to see Andromeda and Ted making their way into the parlor. He offered them a small smile in greeting before turning back to the teenagers.
"You can explore all you want. That's fine," Sirius added before turning his attention solely to Harry. "If there's anything you want, take it, all right? Pictures, trinkets, whatever. It's all yours. There should be quite a few old Quidditch bags in James' cupboard upstairs if you need them."
Harry nodded. "Thanks, Sirius."
Andromeda stepped past the kids to Sirius, pulling him into an embrace. Sirius returned it, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her tight.
"Merlin, this place brings back memories," Andromeda whispered in his ear.
A lump lodged itself into Sirius' throat. He nodded against her, unable to talk in that moment. It was so familiar yet so strange at the same time. It seemed odd not to see Fleamont and Euphemia rattling around the house. Fleamont's reading chair sat empty. There was no clanging of pans in Euphemia's kitchen. There was no smell of freshly baked bread or alluring fumes from Fleamont's cauldron. There was just an odd silence and emptiness about it.
Andromeda pulled away from the embrace before turning towards Harry. She immediately pulled him into a hug as well, the kid tensing and looking awkwardly over at Sirius. He only smiled at his godson, knowing full well that Andromeda had gone into full blown aunt mode with Harry and there was no going back.
"I heard the wonderful news," Andromeda said as she pulled back, her hands cupping Harry's face. "It's so good to have you be an official member of the family now."
"Err, thank you, Mrs Tonks," Harry replied, shifting his weight.
Andromeda let out a small laugh as she dropped her hands from his face. "It's Andy, Harry. We're family, all right? None of this Mrs Tonks tosh."
A slight pink washed across Harry's neck. "Right, sorry, Andy."
Andromeda turned and gestured for Ted to step forward. He quickly shook Sirius' hand, a wide grin spreading across his face. His free hand clapped Sirius on the bicep. "Sirius, always good to see you."
"You too, Ted."
"Harry, this is my husband Ted," Andromeda introduced them as Ted turned and held a hand out for Harry. "Ted, this is our newest nephew, Harry."
Harry's eyes flew to Sirius, a slight panicked look crossing his features. He was obviously unprepared for Andromeda to so casually introduce him as her nephew. Sirius shot him a thumbs up behind Andromeda's back and mouthed, "Just go with it."
"Great to meet you, Harry," Ted said, encasing Harry's hand with both of his as they shook. "Sirius and Andromeda have failed to stop talking about you, so you'll excuse me if I already feel like I know everything there is to know about you," Ted explained with a grin as he turned towards Andromeda. "Nephew, though, Andy? Wouldn't he be a cousin?"
Andromeda waved him off. "Nymphadora always called Sirius her uncle when she was very little. It's the age gap."
Sirius nearly forgot about Dora always calling him her uncle. Not that she ever called him Uncle Sirius, it was always just Sirius, but she had definitely introduced him as her uncle to a few of her friends at the park when he would take her when she was younger. He never corrected her. He had rather enjoyed that she thought of him as an uncle back in the day.
"Ahh, that's right, Dora did do that," Ted said in a fond tone before turning his attention to Sirius. "Does she still do that?"
Sirius shook his head. "Nah, I'm just her cousin now."
"I'll have to have a word with her to start calling you Uncle Sirius," Ted said with a twinkle in his eye.
Sirius grinned, his eyes flickering to Remus who had been quiet since entering the parlor. "Yeah, I think that'd be a wonderful idea. Hey, if she gets a boyfriend, he should probably call me Uncle Sirius too, right? I mean, showing some respect and all of that."
Remus clenched his jaw, shaking his head at Sirius.
Andromeda rolled her eyes. "I know Nymphadora and Remus are dating."
"What?" Remus spoke for the first time.
Judging by Harry, Ron, and Ginny's expressions, they had not heard of the newest development either. Sirius just grinned, enjoying the show.
Andromeda turned around to look at him. "Did you think she wouldn't tell me first thing?"
Remus blinked. "I, uh, we didn't… well–"
"We approve, Remus," Ted interrupted. "You're a nice lad, all right?"
Sirius threw his hands up in the air as though to tell him I told you! Remus only shot Sirius a look, but kept his lips pressed firmly together.
"We have to get to the meeting," Remus said, turning towards the teenagers. "Sirius is right. You lot should stay out of Fleamont's potions room. Merlin only knows what's in there."
Andromeda nodded. "I'll help you clean it out, Sirius, and ensure it's safe."
Sirius shot Andromeda a grateful smile. It would take a lot less time with Andromeda helping. He had no doubt she'd most likely take a lot of the ingredients that were still good to use and know how to properly dispose of the ones that weren't.
Turning towards Harry, he clapped a hand on his shoulder. "If you lot need anything, just knock on the dining room door or scream. We'll be able to hear you even if you can't hear us, all right?"
The kids all nodded. With one final smile at his godson, Sirius turned to leave with the other Order members. The dining room was towards the back of the house, off the kitchen. Most of the Order already sat around the large table. They had no doubt transfigured a bunch of knick-knacks into chairs since Sirius didn't recognize all of the seats.
Sirius spotted Tegan sitting with Robards, Sutton, and Axel. He broke away from his normal group, a wide grin spreading across his face. Tegan caught sight of him and rose from her seat. She stepped around her chair and pulled Sirius into an embrace.
"Thank you so much," Sirius whispered as he wrapped his arms around her. "I don't know how to thank you."
"It was the right thing to do," Tegan replied as she pulled back, her hands resting on his biceps. "It was a complete waste of Ministry resources to try to pretend to search for you. Although, I think Kingsley had a bit of fun with planting evidence on your movements."
Sutton leaned back in his chair, balancing it on two legs. "I came up with the story that you were the drunken fool who danced naked on the pitch at the Wasps versus Arrows game last spring. I don't know how the fuck that bloke got away from law enforcement. What a bloody brilliant wanker."
Sirius chuckled, his grin growing impossibly wider. "I liked that. He had a ginormous cock so now I'm just seen as a catch."
Tegan rolled her eyes, pushing him gently away from her. "Merlin, I'm glad that's what you take away from it all."
"I'm now a free man, Tegan," Sirius explained with a wink. "Makes me more desirable."
Sutton snorted. "Until they see the real thing."
"Fuck off, Beauregard," Sirius snapped in a playful tone. "It's not far off."
"Prove it," Axel insisted, a grin on his face.
"If you think I haven't dropped my trousers for a lot less, than you are sorely mistaken," Sirius insisted.
"Merlin, no, trust him, he has," Robards interjected, a look of disgust pulling on his face. "You never saw him and Potter drunk off their bloody arses after a Quidditch victory."
Sirius clapped Robards on the shoulder, shooting him a wide grin. "I knew you looked."
Robards shoved his arm off. "Fuck off, Black."
Sirius let out a loud bark-like laugh. Merlin, he forgot how easy it was to rile Robards up. It was a talent that he and James had perfected about two months into Robards' tenure as Gryffindor prefect.
The smile dropped from Sirius' face when he caught a swish of familiar brown hair out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to see Marlene walking in, looking uncertain as she entered the room and scanned the occupants. Their eyes locked and Sirius gave her a half smile. Marlene raised her hand to give the smallest of waves before she looked away.
"Merlin, they always snuck out of the castle to buy enough alcohol for the entire student body," Tegan added, laughter ringing in her voice. "Him and James Potter knew all the secret passageways in and out of the castle. I suspect they knew more than Dumbledore did."
Sirius turned his attention back to the group, his mood slightly deflated. "He asked us once how we got out. I'm surprised he didn't know. We certainly didn't tell."
"Nah, he was probably just trying to figure out which ones you knew and didn't know about," Sutton said with a wave of his hand. "There's no way he didn't know."
Sirius leaned forward. "How do you think I got into the castle then when I was on the run looking for Peter? Wouldn't he have had them blocked off?"
"Why don't you fill us in?" Robards said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Be nice to know something like that since we're going to be stationed at Hogwarts starting this fall."
Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Because of Harry?"
Tegan touched Sirius' arm. "Partly because of Harry, but mostly for all of the students. Dumbledore and Bones worked it all out. There will be four Aurors inside the castle plus six-to-eight foot patrol on the grounds at any given time."
Sirius nodded. "Now that I'm free, I was thinking about getting a terrace house in Hogsmeade to be close just in case something happens. I'd be glad to patrol around Hogsmeade if need be."
Robards snorted. "You know, I know you ran around with the pack of Aurors in the first Order. You should have joined up. Never understood why you didn't."
Sirius shrugged, trying not to think about Matthew McKinnon, Edgar Bones, and Gideon and Fabian Prewett. After James had been benched from all Order missions, he had relied on that group to watch his back as much as he watched theirs. Or at the very least he had tried to. They were all dead now, though he had only witnessed Edgar Bones die right in front of him.
"I hate authority figures, as you know," Sirius replied.
Robards laughed. "Oh yeah, yeah, you do. I swear to Merlin that you and Potter purposely tried to piss me off."
"It was a talent, what can I say?" Sirius responded.
"Are we all here?" Dumbledore's voice rang from the head of the table.
Sirius nodded at the group before he rounded the table to sit in his normal spot between Remus and Molly. His lips twitched when he noticed Dora sitting beside Remus. Next to Dora sat Ted and then Andromeda. His heart beat harsh when he saw Marlene smiling at something Andromeda said.
Sinking into his chair, he leaned towards Molly so that he could catch a better glimpse of Marlene. She looked a lot more relaxed, happy even.
Sirius' eyes flickered around the table, his gaze landing on Snape who stared at Marlene as though he had seen a ghost. There was something about his unblinking stare and lines in his forehead which told Sirius all he needed to know. Snape had been at the McKinnons the night of the attack and he was petrified of what she had told everyone.
"I have many things that I need to say," Dumbledore started, standing in front of his seat. "But first, I must express my sincerest gratitude towards Sirius for, once again, supplying us a safe haven to meet weekly. This house belonged to Fleamont and Euphemia Potter, Harry's grandparents. Speaking of Sirius, I must say it brings me insurmountable pleasure to announce, though I have no doubt you all already know, that Sirius has finally been proven innocent of the crimes he was framed for fourteen years ago."
Claps sounded around the table. Sirius shifted in his chair, forcing the tightest of smiles on his face as Molly rubbed his back between his shoulder blades. His gaze flickered over to Marlene to see her staring at him as she too joined in on the clapping.
George cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Speech!"
Sirius shook his head, his hand waving to indicate he would do no such thing.
Dumbledore smiled. "Sirius has always been a wizard of few words."
Sirius swallowed down the laugh that had crawled up his throat, his eyes flickering over to look at Dumbledore. The two had some very lengthy arguments over the past few years, so Dumbledore knew that was a bald-faced lie.
"Tegan Robins was the bristle that made the broom fly in securing Sirius' acquittal of all charges," Dumbledore continued, gesturing towards Tegan. "I know I speak for Sirius when I thank you, Tegan, for putting into motion this turn of events. It is a great victory for the Order of the Phoenix to have Sirius be acquitted. He is a very intelligent and powerful wizard who will be able to better aid us all in the fight against Lord Voldemort."
Sirius rubbed his fingers across his mouth, waiting for the focus to be off him. There was no doubt in his mind that Dumbledore only wanted Sirius for one thing and one thing only. Sirius was to figure out where Voldemort's Horcruxes were hidden, but he hadn't the foggiest idea of where to even begin. He had yet to pull any concrete memories out of his head, despite pulling random memories nightly out of his mind and viewing them in the Pensieve.
"Lastly, before we begin the debriefings, I would like to welcome Marlene McKinnon back into the fold," Dumbledore announced, gesturing towards Marlene.
Sirius listened as Dumbledore explained what had happened to the McKinnon family all those years ago and how Bellatrix Lestrange had manipulated her mind. His eyes wandered down the table to watch as Marlene sat stiffly in her chair with her gaze focused on the table in front of her. Sirius rolled his eyes, hating that Dumbledore found it completely acceptable to make her so uncomfortable.
She relaxed once Dumbledore had turned the attention away from her. Snape was the first one to stand and give his weekly report on Voldemort's movements, who had been given the latest Dark Mark, and whatever other news he had. Snape seemed on edge as he spoke, seemingly trying to get through the information as fast as possible. His eyes kept flickering towards Marlene. Sirius only felt his anger rise. He wouldn't rest until he found out what Snape knew and how he had been involved.
Harry wandered into his grandfather's study with Ron and Ginny trailing behind him. Ron let out a low whistle as they entered, his head tilting back to take in the floor-to-ceiling bookcases filled with potions books, pictures, and trinkets. A large mahogany desk sat in the middle of the room. There was a book open and a few pieces of parchment with small messy scroll next to it. The ink bottle was open, the quill not cleaned. Harry swallowed as he peered at the handwriting of his grandfather.
It was a bunch of information on dragon pox. Harry picked it up to read it more closely when he saw four neatly folded pieces of parchment underneath. The top one had Sirius' name on it. Pushing it aside with his fingers, a lump formed in his throat when he saw one with his own name, another with his mother's name, and finally one with his dad's name. His heart beat harsh in his chest as he scooped the letters up.
"Oi, Harry, look at this," Ron called him over to the bookshelf.
Harry made his way over to see Ron pointing at a picture of what must have been his dad around his age. James looked painfully like Harry did with his messy mop of hair and crooked smile on his face. He donned Gryffindor Quidditch robes. One hand gripped a broom while the other arm wrapped around a Quaffle to keep it pressed firmly to his side. Pinned to his robes was a Quidditch Captain badge.
"He looks eerily like you, mate," Ron whispered in slight awe. "I mean, I know I've seen a few pictures of him, but they were all with you in them so he was a bit older. He has to be what? Fifteen? Sixteen?"
Ginny pressed her chest against his arm as she craned to see the photo. "Let me see. Today's the first time I've ever seen pictures of him," she said, her fingers caressing down his arm and sending a shiver through his spine. "Merlin, Harry, we need to take a picture of you like that once we get back to school and compare them side-by-side!"
Harry swallowed. "Yeah… yeah."
They looked at all the pictures. Fleamont with a medal around his neck, James and Sirius on the beach somewhere with surfboards, Euphemia cooking with Lily and Marlene, a small black-haired little girl who giggled as Sirius pushed her on the swing while James swung next to her, his parents and godparents all dressed up in dress robes and fancy gowns posing in front of a fireplace, Fleamont with his arm around Sirius' shoulders with a big motorbike in front of them, and even a few photos of Harry as a baby with various family members.
He wanted all the photos, to spend hours just looking at them again and again. He wanted Sirius to tell him the story behind each photo, and maybe even show him a few memories in the Pensieve if he felt up to it. Harry wanted to know everything and anything. Even the most minute details. He had never craved information more in his life before. It was all right there, just at his fingertips yet so far away.
"I, uh," Harry cleared his throat. "I need the loo."
He stepped around Ron. The loo wasn't what he needed. He just needed a moment by himself to process everything. Over the course of the past couple of months, the Potter family had started to became more and more real to him. He felt like he was starting to get a grasp of their personalities and their relationships. The more Harry found out, the more miserable he became at the lost opportunities.
"Harry…" Ginny whispered, her hand reaching for his.
"I'm fine," Harry assured her. "I'll be right back."
Harry made his way out of the study, realizing he could very easily get lost in the large manor. The floors creaked behind him, but he didn't bother to turn around. He knew that Ron and Ginny would follow him to make sure he didn't become possessed and try to off himself again. He knew the only peace he would get was if he went upstairs. They could casually stand in the entryway and pretend to be looking at something instead of watching the staircase.
He just needed time alone to process everything in the house. His loving grandparents, his parents with personalities, and even his happy little self was all too much to comprehend. Merlin, even Sirius looked far happier in the pictures than Harry had ever seen him in real life.
Harry paused at the landing, his eyes roaming along the hallway at the doors. The one closest to him on his right had a large and fancy wooden S hanging on the door. The one next to it had a fancy J. It didn't take Harry more than a few seconds to work out whose bedrooms they were. Sucking in a breath, he pushed opened the door that led to Sirius' old bedroom.
It was donned in all red and gold with light wooden furniture. An old broom sat in the corner, looking barely used. A few miniature motorbike models sat on the bookshelves, mixed with books and photos. Most of the pictures were of Sirius with the Potters. But there was one with Sirius and a female that Harry recognized as Andromeda with a small purple-haired child in Sirius' arms. An old wireless sat on the bedside table with a bunch of Muggle magazines.
Swallowing, Harry opened the drawer to the bedside table and saw a nearly empty carton of cigarettes, a magazine with a naked girl on the cover, and a vial of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. Closing the drawer, Harry continued to glance around the room, his eye catching a desk on the opposite wall. He made his way over towards it.
Harry sat down at the desk, soaking in the picture of his dad and godfather that made him smile. They were on a broom, Sirius behind James. As soon as they hovered over a swimming pool, both teenagers leaned and tumbled down into the water. The broom fell in after them, nearly knocking Sirius on the head. The picture blinked black for a second before it started over again in its loop.
Harry opened a drawer, seeing what trinkets Sirius had left behind in the house. A piece of folded up parchment caught his eye. He grabbed it and unfolded it, a few pictures tumbling out in the process. He picked them up to investigate, his heart speeding up when he realized they were photos of the Black family.
Harry recognized Sirius in the first photo. He looked to be around thirteen, standing behind a beaming Regulus. Sirius had his arms draped casually around his brother's shoulders with his chin resting on Regulus' head. They were not at Grimmauld Place but rather in what looked like a large garden with a cottage in the background.
The second picture featured an even younger Sirius with a boy Harry assumed was also Regulus. Behind them stood a tall brunette teenage girl that Harry recognized as Andromeda. They stood in the same beautiful garden, though not as large or as grand as it was in the first picture.
The last picture Sirius looked to be around the age Harry was. Fifteen with a small smile spread across his pale face. He leaned into a side embrace with a man Harry didn't recognize at all. Sirius seemed comfortable with him, almost as though he liked the man. The man said something in the picture and Sirius let out a laugh and his smile widened.
Turning his attention to the letter, he didn't recognize the handwriting.
My dearest Sirius,
I hope you are doing well with the Potters and taking the time you need to heal after everything. I've sent along a pouch of money for you to buy a new wand and whatever else Walburga destroyed of yours.
From what I've heard, Walburga first tried to blame Regulus for your grand escape. She called him soft and disloyal. Narcissa was able to convince her that Regulus had been with them the entire evening and had never once gone upstairs to even speak with you. Then, not satisfied, she turned her rage on the house-elves. Apparently, Kritter did not survive her wrath. Still, with no answers, she of course blamed the Potters. She accused them of breaking into her home and kidnapping you. I must admit, not once did she accuse me of anything. She must think I'm too dim-witted to dare go against her.
I know I told you briefly that I had heard what was going on with you through your grandparents. The moment I heard, I was appalled. Walburga is cruel but I never would have imagined she'd go as far as she did. I fretted over how I was going to get you out of that house. Then, the answer came in the form of your brother.
Regulus came to my cottage beyond upset in the middle of the night. He told me everything that your parents were doing to you. I could barely understand him because he was sobbing and trembling so badly. He aided me willingly in my plan to get you out. He entertained the family long enough so I could help you. So please, don't be upset with your brother. He is one of the good ones. Good Blacks are so very rare.
I don't think I need to say this to you, but I will anyway. You can never go back to Grimmauld. Walburga will break you if you ever step foot in that house again. If she can't break you fast enough, she will kill you. I know you may want to go back purely for Regulus' sake, but he knows perfectly well how to play Walburga and Orion. I just hope that once he's of age, he will find the strength within him to walk away like Andromeda did. But Regulus, well, I could see him becoming trapped. He still cares for your parents and they will undoubtedly shower him with praise for being the good son in order to dig their claws in him. They lost the heir. They cannot afford to lose the spare.
I want to tell you how proud I am of you, my brave nephew. So often the Black family likes to make stars out of their children. Force them into their image of a constellation, to mold and bend to their desires and wants. But you are not a star, Sirius. You cannot be manipulated and forced into position. No, my dear boy, you outgrew being a mere star and are a constellation all on your own. So big and so proud.
I don't want you to forget there are Blacks who care about you. Andromeda is such a fine young woman who cares deeply for you. Little Nymphadora is an absolute gem of a child. I enjoy her transformation shows quite a lot. I have told Andy what happened and have no doubt she will be calling on you soon, if she hasn't already. Regulus is a fine young lad. Do try to guide him a bit at Hogwarts. He'll need the push to help him separate from the family, because I fear he cannot be a constellation without a bit of help from you and Andy.
You will go far in life. I love and admire you so very much.
From one constellation to another,
Uncle Alphard
Harry swallowed, his eyes flickering back to the picture of Sirius and the man. That must be his Uncle Alphard. Sirius had mentioned him before, leaving Sirius his money after he died and being blasted off the family tree. He looked remarkably like Sirius - tall and handsome with dark hair and piercing gray eyes. There was a softness to his strict looking face, one Harry also recognized Andromeda Tonks possessing.
The floor creaked and Harry whipped around to see Sirius standing in the doorframe. Suddenly, Harry felt guilty for snooping through Sirius' things from so long ago.
"Ginny said you went off to the loo and never came back," Sirius commented, his body leaning against the doorframe. "They assumed you were exploring. They've already gone back to the Burrow."
Harry nodded. "Sorry, I just…"
He didn't know what to say – he couldn't help himself when he saw the S on the door, knowing it had belonged to his tight-lipped godfather? He just wanted to know more about his dad and Sirius as teenagers? He wanted to feel closer and more connected to them? Was that stupid?
Sirius gestured his chin towards the parchment in Harry's hands. "What's that?"
Harry swallowed, setting the letter down. "It's, uh, a letter from your Uncle Alphard after you ran away."
Sirius nodded. He didn't look upset. No, he just looked sad. Crossing the room, Sirius looked down at the pictures and letter, a frown etching into his face.
"Uncle Alphard was the only adult that I had actually liked in my family," Sirius commented. "Others thought he was a bit off, too soft and a bit weird. But honestly, he was just normal. I loved going to his cottage as a kid, because he'd let us just be kids. We were allowed to play and run around and get dirty. I used to help him in his garden."
"He helped you run away too," Harry whispered. "He said in his letter that Regulus distracted the family while he helped you run. Were you locked up in your room or something?"
A dark look crosses Sirius face. "Something like that."
Harry swallowed, shifting in his chair. "The Dursleys used to…" Harry sucked in a breath, his gaze dropping from Sirius' face. "Well, they used to lock me in a cupboard when I was bad."
He didn't have the heart to admit that the cupboard was also his bedroom until he was eleven. Sirius gripped Harry's shoulder, giving him a squeeze. Harry dared to look up at Sirius' devastated face.
"There is nothing you could have done that would have warranted that," Sirius whispered. "I need you to know that because it took me a long time to realize I wasn't the problem. It was them. Fleamont helped me see that. The same is true for you. You were never the problem. It was them. Do you understand?"
Harry nodded, his heart expanding oddly in his chest.
"The thing that made me run and never look back… well, they chained me to my own bed. Walburga wanted to break me," Sirius continued, his eyes looking unfocused as though slipping into a dark memory. "They wanted to break into my mind and manipulate my memories so that I was a compliant and dutiful Black. They wanted to do to me what they did to Marlene. But my Uncle Alphard got me out before they could accomplish their goal. Honestly, I think a day or two more and they would have succeeded."
Harry felt sick to his stomach at the very thought.
"Do you miss him? Your Uncle Alphard?" Harry asked.
"Very much," Sirius replied with a sigh. "He always had a way of making you feel special. Like your opinions mattered and it was all right to be yourself."
"How did he die?" Harry asked, his brows furrowing.
"Well, there's a blood disease called Sanguis Syndrome," Sirius started. "It's common in pureblood families that are known to… well, inbreed. Too much of the same blood and not enough variety. He was one of the lucky ones. He was diagnosed when I was in my seventh year. Two months later, he died from a blood clot in the brain from it. Died peacefully in his sleep one night while he was staying at St. Mungo's due to some elevated blood pressure."
"That's lucky?" Harry asked, unable to stop himself.
Sirius smiled ruefully. "Well, considering my own father was diagnosed when I was twelve and it took him seven years of being in pain and suffering daily until he finally died of a heart attack… I'd say so."
Harry's chest constricted. "Is that… I mean, could you…?"
Harry didn't want to say the words. Thinking that Sirius could potentially become sick and die in a short amount of time seemed impossible to him. It was a realization he didn't even want to think about.
Sirius gave a shrug. "We'll find out, I suppose. My parents were second cousins so… who knows?"
"Did anyone else have it in your family?" Harry whispered, his chest feeling as though it were being squeezed tight.
Sirius nodded. "My mother apparently had it and died from a blood clot in the heart, which seems fitting because she didn't really have a heart to begin with. My Uncle Cygnus, Andromeda's dad, also died from it. Though, I didn't ask specifics. Andromeda didn't seem like she wanted to talk about it."
"Yeah…" Harry trailed off.
Sirius gripped both of Harry's shoulders and forced him to look at him. "I am not sick. I have no symptoms or signs. If I were to get sick, most of the Blacks started to become ill in their fifties. I'm only thirty-seven, all right? I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Besides, Andy told me there's a lot more advancements and such now. Purebloods have money and when they start dying young, they throw a lot of money into research. Potioneers and Healers are far more motivated to find cures and advancements if the coin keeps hitting their vaults."
Harry nodded, though he didn't feel that much better.
"I probably shouldn't say this, because well… she's young so you may worry, but, uh, Andy's sister, Narcissa Malfoy, was diagnosed two years ago with Sanguis Syndrome at thirty-nine. But Andy said, based off what she's heard around the pitch, is that she is not hindered at all by the disease. She takes a couple of daily potions and it's like she's not even sick at all. So, even if I did inherit the blood disease, I'll be fine."
"But you might not be," Harry whispered.
Sirius shrugged. "Andy and Bellatrix are older and they don't have it. It's just… random."
"Are Andy's parents related like yours?" Harry asked.
Sirius winced. "Uh, no, she is a Rosier. She's still alive and as miserable as ever, or so I hear. She was, I believe, your grandmother's uncle's granddaughter. Don't quote me on that, though. Pureblood family trees are very convoluted."
Harry chewed on the inside of his cheek, not liking one bit about the admission that Sirius had just told him. He didn't like the odds stacked against Sirius. The thought of Sirius becoming sick at any point made his chest ache. There was no point in worrying about it now, when it may not even happen. Trying to push it to the back of his mind, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the four letters he had found in Fleamont's office.
"I, err, I found these in my grandfather's study," Harry explained in a soft tone. "There's one addressed to my dad, my mum, me, and you."
Harry held out the one with Sirius' name on it. He accepted it, his gray eyes focusing on the small cramped writing of Fleamont.
"Did you read them?" Sirius croaked, his thumb brushing against his name.
Harry shook his head. "No, I… well, I didn't know what to do with my parents' letters. I didn't know if you'd want them or, or if I should keep them."
Sirius raised his eyebrows, his gaze snapping up. "Harry, they're your parents."
Harry shifted in his chair, his head cocking to the side as he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I know that. But you knew them. I didn't." He let out a huff. "I just thought maybe you'd like to read them."
Sirius nodded, his eyes searching Harry's. "We could read them together, if you like. I could explain anything that you don't understand. Fleamont always had a habit of being very long winded in letters. Went off on tangents."
Harry liked that idea. He couldn't deny that he wouldn't mind sharing all the letters and not just his parents' letters. He was genuinely curious to see more of Sirius' relationship with his grandparents.
"If… well, if we read my letter together too, would you share yours?" Harry asked.
Sirius' jaw clenched. "You want to read my letter?"
"Sorry, it was just a thought," Harry said in a rush. "You don't have to."
"No, no, it's fine, I just…" Sirius sucked in a breath and held it for a few moments. "I was just surprised. Of course, yeah, I'd share with you."
Sirius stuffed his letter into the back pocket of his trousers before he held out his hand. "Let's read James' first."
Harry held out the letter with his father's name on it. Sirius accepted it, making his way over towards the bed and sitting down. His thumb ran under the Sticking Charm holding it together before he opened it.
"Dear James," Sirius read, his voice cracking just a bit so he cleared his throat. "I have no doubt that the Dragon Pox will claim my life within the next few days. It was a struggle just to walk to my study to write you this letter. I will make it as short and sweet as I possibly can, which you know is quite a difficult feat for me."
Sirius chuckled, a soft smile spreading across his lips. Harry smiled too, grateful that Sirius had already clued him in on his grandfather's tendency to be long-winded. He felt like he had been in on the joke for once, which was such a rarity in his life.
"There are so many things that I want to say to you, but there is so little time. Life is often cruel in that way. I think you are just beginning to understand just how cruel life can truly be," Sirius continued to read, tears brimming in his eyes. "I know you've felt out of your depth lately, like you have been floundering to find an answer that is not there to grasp. I find myself in that same position, wanting so badly to be able to protect you, Lily, Sirius, and Harry in the way a father and grandfather should. But you'll come to learn that parents often don't know what they are doing and do not possess the knowledge that they so often crave. It often comes down to doing your best and letting your heart guide you."
Sirius paused in his reading, his eyes flickering across the page. Harry suspected he was rereading the last few lines. Harry didn't say anything, but instead waited patiently for Sirius to start reading again.
"I know you already follow your heart," Sirius finally started to read again. "You have such a ginormous heart, James, bigger than any other person I have ever encountered in my lifetime. I have no doubt that you'll protect your family, that you'd go as far as to die for them. I know it's what you are already thinking. I see the pain in your eyes when we talk of the prophecy and the way you look at Lily and Harry. Harry is extremely lucky to have you as a father."
Sirius let out a sigh, his eyes flickering up to Harry. A stray tear fell down Sirius' face before he dropped his head back down to the letter.
"I must warn you of your heart as well. You trust so freely and fiercely. I will tell you from personal experience, trust should not be so easily given. I have been betrayed before by those I have trusted. I know Sirius is telling you the same thing, to not give your trust so freely. Honestly, James, you know I adore Remus and Peter. They are fine young lads. But I tend to agree with Sirius that perhaps you should be a little less open with them about things. You never know who is being manipulated and blackmailed, who is under enchantments or Dark magic. The smaller your social circle is right now, the better. I feel inclined to advise you to only trust Sirius, and he should only trust you. You boys know each other better than anyone and are brothers in every single way that truly matters. You will see right through any spells the other may be under straight away. Can you say the same for your other friends?"
Harry's brows furrowed. His heart hammering in his chest. If his dad and Sirius would have received the letters, would they have never trusted Peter Pettigrew to become the Secret Keeper? Would they have only trusted each other like Fleamont told them to? A million scenarios flooded Harry's mind.
"I love you, James," Sirius read. "We waited for many years, through many heartbreaking miscarriages and stagnant years of negative pregnancy potions, for you to finally come to us. You were our miracle, the light in our lives. Lily is the finest young lady, and I am beyond delighted to call her my daughter. Harry is just the most wonderful and precious baby boy in the entire world. I am so happy that I was able to meet him with his bright eyes and curious looks. I am blessed that you brought Sirius into our lives, a second son to your mother and I as well as a brother to you. I am beyond elated to know that Sirius is Harry's godfather, because I know he will protect Harry as vehemently as you will. This isn't goodbye, my darling son. I truly do not believe that, for the last enemy that shall be defeated is death," Sirius said in a hoarse voice. "With all my love, your father."
Sirius dropped the letter in his lap, his hands scrubbing across his face. Harry didn't know how to feel. He just felt… numb. To hear about how much his grandfather loved him but he couldn't remember one single detail about him that wasn't told to him or seen in pictures seemed, well, disappointing.
Sirius sniffed, dropping his hands from his red face. He rose from the bed and held the letter out for Harry to take.
"Can we read the others later?" Sirius asked, his voice strained.
Harry nodded. "Yeah, that's fine."
Clearing his throat, Sirius tried to smile but it only came out as a grimace. "Molly's probably fretting we're not back yet."
"Yeah, we probably should go back," Harry replied in a lame tone.
Sirius reached behind him and pulled out his letter and handed it to Harry. "Keep this too. I'll probably read it alone and then burn it if you don't."
Harry furrowed his brow as he accepted the letter. "Why would you burn it?"
Sirius gave a half-hearted shrug. "I destroy things when I'm upset. Best you keep a hold of them so we can do this together. Maybe we can read one a day, yeah? You pick which one is next."
Harry nodded as he stood up. He hesitated for a few moments before he wrapped his arms around his godfather's shoulders. Burying his face into Sirius' shoulder, he screwed his eyes shut as Sirius returned the embrace.
Truth be told, Harry didn't know if he was even doing this comforting thing right. Ginny had told him to run his fingers through someone's hair which seemed natural with her. But that seemed weird to do with Sirius. So he just tightened his arms a tad, his fingers clinging onto the soft cotton fabric of Sirius' t-shirt. Sirius pressed a hand against the back of Harry's head, holding him tight against his chest. Harry melted into his godfather's arms.
I 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 writing!
Special thanks to Bell for being awesome as always.