"Brumous"
"Chapter Nineteen: The Cave"
Sirius groaned, feeling someone tapping on his face. He swiped his hands up, trying to stop whoever was hitting him. A soft voice flitted through his head, but he couldn't understand the words that were being said to him. All he could concentrate on was the throbbing pain in his leg and a pounding headache. His eyes fluttered open to see Tegan hovering above him with a small orb of light in her hand. He blinked up at her, trying to recall what the fuck had happened.
"Oh, thank fuck," Tegan exclaimed. "You have a pretty nasty gash in your head. Here, hold this."
Tegan shoved the orb in his hands and it slipped through his fingers onto his chest. He just tried to keep it on him and to not let it fall on the ground. Tegan dug her heel near where the edge of the slit in her dress was and then yanked the fabric, ripping it.
"What…?" Sirius started but stopped when he realized he had too bad of a headache to form a complete thought.
"My wand snapped when you fainted on me," Tegan explained as she wrapped the strip of green fabric from her dress around his head. She pulled it tight, causing Sirius to wince.
"Fuck me," Sirius grunted.
Tegan froze, her head snapping to look at something. "Don't make a noise," Tegan hissed as she placed her hand on the little orb on his chest and they were surrounded in darkness.
Indistinct voices sounded from outside their hideout. Sirius bit his bottom lip as he listened as they drew nearer and nearer.
"Black has to be here somewhere," a vaguely familiar voice said. "There's no way he got out of here on that leg. We found his wand too."
Tegan's hand fumbled in the dark until she found Sirius' hand. She gave him a reassuring squeeze. But he didn't feel the effects of it. His mind wandered to Remus and Dora. Were they all right? Had they been hurt or captured? The four of them had stupidly separated for reasons Sirius wasn't that clear on.
"How did they know?" another voice asked, louder and closer now. Sirius suspected they were right outside of their cave.
"There's no way they knew. Fidelius was a last minute add to the guest list."
Sirius smiled ruefully. Of course, they fucking figured it out. They weren't morons. Well, perhaps a little bit because they had failed the mission. Fidelius was gone. That meant that Sirius would have to do better at hiding Harry than relying on the charm. Screwing his eyes shut, Sirius already started to think of all the Black properties they could hide at. All of them would already have blood wards attached to them. He'd just have to add Harry. Except the thought of staying at a Black property was not at all appealing.
"They must have known or at least suspected something," a voice said in a gruff voice but it seemed to be getting further away. "They were added late to the list. Black paid a pretty Knut to get on the list."
The voices grew more and more distant until Sirius couldn't hear them anymore. Tegan must have hidden the entrance to the cave well enough before he knocked her over and broke her wand. It took a while before Tegan activated the orb of light once more. Her exhausted face illuminated in the light as she looked down at him.
Sirius jutted his chin towards the light as his grip loosened on her hand. "Why'd you put out the light?"
"There's a small hole where you can see out of. I didn't want them to see the light," Tegan explained. "How do you feel?"
Sirius winced. "Like I could vomit all over you right now and it's taking everything I have in me not to so I don't stink up the joint."
"Yeah, please don't do that," Tegan replied, her nose wrinkling. "I don't think I can move the rocks without magic and you're no help with your leg."
Sirius closed his eyes. "So you're saying we're stuck here until someone finds us to rescue us or kill us?"
Tegan gestured for him to grab her hands and he obliged. "Something like that," she said as she helped him sit up.
The room spun as he scooted back to sit against the wall of the cave. He hit his head against the stone, which only seemed to make his headache worse. Looking over at Tegan through his long lashes, he watched as she peered at his leg. Sirius followed her gaze and winced when he saw the bone sticking out. He was going to fucking murder Macnair and Dolohov.
"Merlin, Sirius, you really stepped in it," Tegan said with a wince as she ripped even more of her dress. "We have to try to keep it clean to slow infection."
Sirius gritted his teeth, attempting not to scream as she wrapped pieces of her dress around his wound. She pulled the cloth tight against his skin as Sirius let out a guttural sob.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Tegan muttered as she worked.
Screwing his eyes shut, Sirius tried to think of anything except for the pain that consumed him. He honestly wouldn't be surprised if he passed out again. Not for the first time nor the last time did he curse his dead little brother and his degenerate family for causing Walden Macnair to go absolutely feral against all and any Blacks. Dolohov was just a psychopath, so he probably joined in for a bit of fun.
"There, all done," Tegan sighed as she sat back on her bum, her hands rubbing on her arms.
Sirius took a few deep breaths before he leaned forward and shrugged off his robes and the suit jacket underneath. He tossed the suit jacket at Tegan before he gestured for her to get close to him.
"We can use the robe as a blanket," Sirius explained, feeling exhaustion settle deep within his bones.
The jacket engulfed Tegan which she didn't seem to mind as she wrapped it tightly around her body. Sirius reached up to get the damn bow tie off his neck before he unbuttoned the top button of his dress shirt. Tegan settled in next to him and grabbed the robe from his lap. She flourished it to cover the both of them, her body pressing close to his side.
"It's July but it's freezing," Tegan huffed.
"We're in the bloody mountains of Snowdonia," Sirius grumbled. "Of course, it's freezing."
Tegan rested her head against his shoulder, her bum scooting closer to him. He automatically reached over to place a hand on her thigh, encouraging her to come even closer. With his free hand, he reached over to pull the robe over her shoulder, wincing as his leg shifted as he made the motion.
"How long do you think it will be before the Aurors start searching the area?" Sirius asked, his check resting against the top of her head.
"Depends on how quickly they find out what happened," Tegan mused, her arms wrapping around his and hugging his arm close to her chest. "There will be a graveyard shift of Aurors on duty, but if they think nothing is actively happening then they'll call in a team which could take an hour or two to put together before they head out."
Sirius looked down at his right wrist to see it was a quarter to eleven at night. He had a feeling they would probably be there until at least morning. It would take a while to figure out who was missing, who was dead, and who was alive to question. Then they would have to start searching the grounds. Sirius didn't even know how far away from the mansion they were. He had just run blindly, trying to get away.
"They took Fidelius," Tegan whispered. "We failed."
Sirius nodded against her head. "Yeah, we fucking did."
A few moments passed in comfortable silence.
"Can I ask you how you escaped Azkaban?" Tegan asked.
Sirius closed his eyes, a sigh escaping his lips. "My dog form was skinny enough to slip through the bars. I swam to shore, nearly drowned in the process, and then just kept going."
"Hmm, I always wondered once I found out you were an Animagus if you escaped as you or as a dog," Tegan explained. "What kind of dog?"
"Big black scary grim," Sirius replied, his lips twitching.
Tegan snorted. "That doesn't suit you at all."
Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Oh yeah? I'm not big and scary?"
"Well, you're definitely tall but not so scary," Tegan said. "Your bark is definitely worse than your bite."
Sirius stared across the cave at the makeshift rocks that held them captive. "You haven't read my Ministry file that was started when I was sixteen then."
"I have actually," Tegan said as she lifted her head off Sirius' shoulder, causing him to have to move his head. "I remember the Nott death. Merrick McKinnon and Alastor Moody had a shouting match over it. Stunned the entire department to silence as we watched."
Sirius swallowed. "Nott was going to murder James," he said in a soft voice, his eyes flickering to soak in Tegan's expression. "James was on the ground, choking on his own blood. Nott had his wand trained on him with this twisted smirk on his face. And I just did it. I sliced him like a loaf of bread. I can't say I regret it, because I don't. I'd do it all over again even if I knew the murder charges wouldn't be dropped."
Tegan swallowed. "I'd have done the same if I was there the night David died. I wouldn't have hesitated to kill Rookwood."
"I think it's part of human nature that we'll do whatever we need to in order to protect the people we love," Sirius whispered. "I think we just act on fear and adrenaline. Sometimes, we don't make the best decisions, but they seem like the only option at the time."
Tegan chewed on her bottom lip. "Is that why you switched Secret Keepers? Just running on fear and adrenaline?"
"I was petrified of Bellatrix," Sirius explained, hating to admit to such a pathetic thing. "She's very good at getting what she wants. I knew… I knew they'd know it was me. I didn't care about being tortured to death, funnily enough. I kind of just, just accepted it. Blacks don't really live long anyway. And I had lost so many people at that point. I just wanted to put a sign over my head that said take me, torture me but not have to worry about ever giving the secret away. It seemed like a brilliant plan at the time. Now, I realize I was the biggest idiot to ever exist and it's my fault James and Lily are dead."
Tegan smiled softly at him, her icy cold fingers brushing along his jaw. "Hindsight is always a bitch, Sirius. We were all amazingly big idiots when we were younger. We thought we knew it all. But we knew nothing. Even now, we know nothing. We just pretend like we know what we're doing, but nobody does. We're all just scrambling and doing our best."
Sirius squared his jaw. "I don't know how to protect Harry. I'm a shit godfather. I'm a shit parent. If there was anyone else who cared about him as much as I did, I'd step aside so he had a fighting chance."
"Even the best parents don't know what they're doing. We're all just trying our best for our kids," Tegan replied, her hand dropping from his face. "You're doing a damn fine job with Harry. He's happy and healthy and, and as safe as he can be given his situation. You've done that. You helped him out of a shitty situation. When Demelza saw the article in the Prophet about you adopting Harry, the first words out of her mouth were that she knew his aunt and uncle were shit people. That everyone knew and gossiped about how his relatives abused him."
Sirius nodded, hating Petunia and Vernon Dursley more than he could put into words. If he knew he wouldn't be arrested, he would strangle them with his bare hands and gleefully watch as the light left their eyes. Except he knew he could go nowhere near them. He wouldn't be able to control himself. Harry needed him more than Sirius needed to avenge his godson.
"I wish I would have escaped Azkaban sooner," Sirius said in a soft voice.
"Why didn't you escape sooner?" Tegan asked, not daring to look at him but that made things easier.
It had been a regret of his as soon as he started to piece together the small hints of Harry's childhood. The neglect, the abuse, the verbal humiliation… it was something that no child should have to experience. But Sirius didn't do anything but wallow and scream at ghosts for twelve years instead of being the godfather he had promised James he would be.
"I was depressed," Sirius admitted, leaving out that he was still fairly certain that his depression had never left, even after he was out of the clutches of the Dementors. "I saw James that night. On the floor. And I… I wanted to die."
Tegan adjusted herself against his chest, her fingers playing with the hem of his dress shirt. "Was Harry already gone?"
In hindsight, Sirius could have taken Hagrid. A couple flicks of his wand and Hagrid would have been down and immobilized. Sirius had held Harry at one point, felt his warm breath against his neck. He had willingly given Harry back to Hagrid because Sirius had been so close to dropping his godson. Every single part of his body had trembled violently as soon as he saw the front door blasted off its hinges. His mind had been numb.
"No, he was there," Sirius croaked, wincing as he adjusted and jostled his leg. "I just wasn't thinking clearly."
"Nobody would be," Tegan assured him.
"I just… rotted there," Sirius whispered, his hand sliding across Tegan's thigh as he thought about how cold Azkaban had been… how James had haunted him nearly nightly. There wasn't a moment of peace in that forsaken pit.
Tegan looked up at him, her nose red from the cold. Sirius pressed his palm to her cheek. Her skin was like ice.
"What made you finally escape?" she whispered.
"I asked Fudge for a copy of the paper, said I missed doing the crossword," Sirius explained, splaying his hand across her frozen face to try to warm her up. Although, his fingers were probably just as cold but he couldn't feel it anymore. "I saw Peter as a rat in a picture. It was like a spark went through me. He was on Ron Weasley's shoulder. I knew he was at Hogwarts, saw in the caption that Ron was thirteen. I knew the Weasleys were always so violently Gryffindor. I assumed Harry was a Gryffindor. I guess I felt alive for the first time in a very long time. I wanted to live. I wanted out of that hole and to make sure Harry was all right. I obsessed over it while I made plans and, and I knew I just had to escape. It was all I thought about. Day and night. Awake and asleep. And then I just did it. I made it."
"Well, you accomplished the impossible before," Tegan whispered, her lips twitching. "Let's do it again, yeah?"
Sirius let out a chuckle, his head pressing against the jagged stone. "If I could put weight on my bloody leg, we'd be out of here already."
"If you hadn't snapped my wand, we'd be out of here already as well," Tegan said in a light tone, sniffing as she pressed herself closer to him.
Sirius pulled up his robe, tucking it underneath Tegan's chin once more. She bent her knees, her legs resting on top of his thigh. Sirius wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against him.
Sirius swallowed, his lips curving up. "You know, the best way to retain body heat is to snuggle naked."
Tegan snorted in a very unladylike way which only caused Sirius' grin to widen. "You get those trousers off with your bum leg and we'll cuddle naked all night long."
Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. "In that case, please move so I can rip these trousers off."
Tegan wrapped an arm around his waist. "Hmm, no. You're too warm right now."
"I could be warmer," Sirius insisted.
"You're so full of shit, Sirius, you know that?" Tegan replied, laughter ringing in her voice.
"Can't blame a bloke for trying," Sirius argued. "You were quite popular if I remember correctly."
Tegan pressed her face into his chest, a groan escaping her lips. "That was you, Sirius. I was the nerdy Gryffindor who was always with the Gryffindor Grump."
Sirius laughed. "That was all James! He started calling Robards that when he became prefect! Merlin, we were little shits. I don't know how anyone could stand us."
"While annoying, you boys were oddly charming," Tegan replied.
Sirius closed his eyes. "Am I less annoying now?"
"Just slightly," Tegan said in a teasing tone.
"Fuck off, Emerson," Sirius joked.
Tegan jerked her head away, glancing up at Sirius with an odd expression on her face. "It's been a long time since someone called me by my maiden name."
Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Oh, shit, I guess I forgot. I'm sorry."
"No, no, it's fine," Tegan said with a shrug. "It was just odd hearing it, I suppose."
"I'll stick with Tegan," Sirius assured her. "Why don't we just try to get some sleep before we're rescued or, you know, kidnapped and tortured to death. We'll need plenty of rest in either scenario."
Tegan nodded before she settled against him once more. The light extinguished and darkness engulfed them. Sirius adjusted the robe around them one more time, trying to cover as much of them as possible to keep them warm. Letting out a shaky breath, Sirius knew it would be a long and uncomfortable night for the both of them. He just hoped that the Order or the Aurors found them sooner rather than later.
The early morning passed sleeplessly. Demelza laid next to Ginny in bed, the two girls facing each other for much of the night but not talking. Demelza seemed shaken by everything and Ginny couldn't blame her. As far as Ginny knew, Mrs Robins was Demelza's only family. She talked about some Muggle aunt on her dad's side that lived in America that she saw once in a blue moon, but that was it. If anyone would sympathize with Demelza, it was Harry. But Harry wouldn't be caught dead talking about it. He just wasn't capable at the moment.
Ginny dosed on and off into a fitful sleep. She knew Ron would be with Harry, but that brought her little comfort. She wished to be with Harry as well, but she couldn't leave Demelza either. Ginny really hoped it could be easier but it really couldn't be. The entire situation was just shitty as Ginny felt so torn.
When the girls couldn't lie in bed any longer, they wordlessly agreed to go down for a late breakfast. They realized they were the last ones up. Harry and Ron sat side by side at the kitchen table, their chairs pressed close together. Harry sat hunched over the table, his hands gripping his hair while Ron leaned back casually with his arm draped across the back of Harry's chair. Remus sat across from them looking exhausted with a cup of coffee which was odd, since Remus normally exclusively drank tea. Ginny's mum bustled around the kitchen aimlessly as though she just wanted to keep moving.
"Any word yet?" Ginny asked, knowing Demelza wouldn't be able to as the two girls sat down at the table. Ginny took the vacant seat next to Harry, but he didn't even look up at her.
Remus sighed. "The Order of the Phoenix is out looking for them around the mansion."
"I had a dream," Harry croaked.
Remus frowned, his gaze flickering to Demelza. "Harry–"
Harry looked up and Ginny noticed the large dark bags stamped underneath his dull green eyes. "She has a right to know as much as the rest of you," he said as he turned his attention to Demelza. "I have these… dreams about Voldemort. I can see what he's doing and such. It's why I left abruptly at the end of last year."
Demelza blinked at him. "You're what? Like a Seer?"
Harry scowled. "No, I just have a connection with Voldemort. He can… possess me and… yeah. Anyway," Harry waved her off, "I had a dream last night where Voldemort and his Death Eaters were looking for Sirius and your mum. Sirius lost his wand and has a broken leg. Voldemort thinks they're hiding together somewhere."
Demelza's brows furrowed. "If that's true, why wouldn't my mum just Apparate them out or send a distress signal?"
Remus sighed, setting his cup on the table. "There's an Anti-Apparition ward around the mansion for a good twenty-minute walk in any direction. If Sirius is struggling to walk with a broken leg, they probably found a hiding spot and are lying low," he explained. "As for the distress signal, well, either the Death Eaters are close and she doesn't want to draw attention or she may have lost her wand as well."
Demelza stared at Harry, as though she expected him to say more and to do something. Except Harry just turned to look at the table again, his body leaning back in his chair.
"Where's Dad?" Ginny asked, her attention turning to her pale and trembling mother.
"He went with Dora to go look for Sirius and Tegan," she replied, her hands wringing in her apron. "Bill and Fleur, as well as Fred and George, went out as well. Professor Dumbledore was going to join them along with several others."
Harry made a noise in the back of his throat, a deep frown etching on his features. Ginny reached out, placing a hand on top of his.
"I'm hoping we'll have some news soon," Remus added, his eyes flickering between the four teenagers. "Sirius is crafty and Tegan is a force to be reckoned with. The two of them together will be able to stay safe."
The hours ticked by. Harry and Demelza barely said two words during the afternoon while they waited for news that never seemed to come. Ginny wondered just how big the grounds were around wherever the event was that it was taking so bloody long to hear back from the Order.
It was in the late afternoon that Andromeda Tonks appeared at the Burrow with a treacle tart. She made a beeline for Harry, pulling him into an embrace and whispering something in his ear. Harry seemed uncomfortable at first, stiff in her arms, but slowly his shoulders sagged as he listened to her speak. When they finally pulled away from one another, Mrs Tonks cupped his face in her hands and offered him a watery smile.
"It'll be all right," Mrs Tonks assured him, but Harry didn't look like he believed her. "Sirius is a hard one to kill. He grew up and lived with these monsters from a very young age. He knows them better than most."
Harry didn't say anything. He only nodded, his gaze never leaving Mrs Tonks' face.
"Let's have some tea, yeah?" Mrs Tonks urged, her arm wrapping around Harry's shoulders as she steered him back to the table.
Mrs Tonks and Ginny's mum busied themselves making tea and talking in low tones. Ginny couldn't help but feel like it was going to be a very long day as she sat nestled between Harry and Demelza. All she wanted was some good news that Sirius and Mrs Robins had been found. She wanted to laugh about how worried they were, wanted to see them walking through the door with only a few scratches and Sirius with a limp due to his leg. She wanted everything to be all right.
Harry kept staring at the kitchen door waiting for news. His tea sat untouched in front of him as Ginny held his hand and Ron sat with his arm slung across the back of Harry's chair. Neither one of them forced him to talk, which he was grateful for. He didn't feel like talking when he was upset, more than content to just stew alone.
"Just go, Remus," Andromeda urged him, her eyes soft. "I've got Harry."
Harry's gaze flickered between the two, neither one of them bothering to ask what he even wanted. Truth be told, he wanted to go search for Sirius which he now knew was somewhere in the mountains of Snowdonia thanks to the edition of the Daily Prophet he saw earlier, which was all about the attack on the gala. He knew he'd be more helpful with them than sitting at the Burrow, twiddling his thumbs.
Remus' gaze flickered to Harry for a brief moment.
"Ted called off work to go help," Andromeda added. "As far as I know, Dora is still there."
Remus carded a hand through his graying sandy hair, his head nodding. "Make sure he stays put," he whispered as he took the bracelet off his wrist and handed it to Andromeda. "Molly can show you how to activate the bracelets if I'm not back in time to do it myself. I trust Sirius told you about these?"
Andromeda nodded. "Yeah, he did."
Remus turned to look at Harry, a tight smile crossing his features. Harry didn't need the pep talk. He stormed out of the parlor without saying anything. All he wanted was to be left alone and not be talked about like he wasn't sitting right there. He wasn't a child any longer. Harry stomped up the stairs, making his way to the twins' room. He couldn't help but slam the door shut before stalking over to the bay window and claiming his spot to brood.
Harry couldn't keep the scowl off his face as he watched Remus' figure leave the wards of the Burrow before Disapparating to go help. Pressing his forehead against the glass, he tried to regulate his breathing but he just couldn't do it. His fingers curled into fists, his jaw clenching painfully as a strangled sob escaped his lips.
It had been too good to be true. Harry had finally had a family and it had been ripped away from him. Everyone who ever loved Harry in a parental role always seemed to die or be taken away from him. He couldn't help but think that he was the problem. His life, the prophecy, all of it was just his fault.
A knock sounded on his door, but Harry didn't reply. He didn't want to talk to anyone, not even Ron or Ginny. Harry wanted to be left alone, to finally let out some of the emotions that had been building inside of him. He couldn't do that with people around.
"Harry, it's Andy," she called. "May I please speak with you?"
Harry screwed his eyes shut. Perhaps if he didn't respond, she would just get the hint and leave.
"Harry, I have an idea and I need your help with it," Andromeda continued. "Do you want to go on a little trip with me?"
Harry's eyes snapped open. Slowly, he pulled his head away from the window and turned to look at the closed door. He called for her to come in, his hand wiping across his face quickly before she entered. She smiled softly at him, a piece of parchment in her hand. Andromeda closed the door behind her before making her way across the room towards him.
"I had an idea on how to help Sirius and Tegan," Andromeda explained as she took a seat next to him. "I'm not sure it will work, but I thought it was worth a try."
Harry's brow furrowed. "What is it?"
"So, Kreacher is bound by the Black family," Andromeda started. "Sirius will never think to call him for help because Kreacher was never seen as an asset to him. But house-elves can sense their master's magic. If Kreacher was to search the grounds of the mansion, he would easily be able to detect where he was far faster than anyone else given how large of an area they are searching. I tried calling Kreacher, but he won't come for me. Either that's because Sirius has bound him from leaving Grimmauld Place or because he doesn't view me as a Black any longer. But you, Harry, were adopted by Sirius," she explained as she held up the adoption parchment with Sirius' signature on it. "You may not be a Black by blood, but you are legally Sirius' son now. Can you please try to call Kreacher?"
Harry stared at Sirius' signature, his heart twisting in his chest. "Err, Kreacher?"
Nothing happened.
Andromeda pursed her lips. "Do you want to go to Grimmauld with me? Sirius gave him strict orders to never leave Grimmauld no matter what. Since Sirius is the head of the house, his main master, he may not be able to come to you unless you give him direct permission."
"Yeah, of course," Harry replied, jumping up from the windowsill. "Can we go now?"
Andromeda smiled at him as she stood up. "Stay close to me, all right? The same rules that Sirius has applies with me as well. This is for your safety. If you get hurt, Sirius will go completely mental."
"I'll stay close," Harry promised.
"Excellent. Now, let's not let anyone know we left. I don't think Molly would approve," Andromeda replied before they made their way out of the bedroom and downstairs.
The two of them made their way stealthily towards the kitchen, bypassing everyone who was sitting in the parlor and talking. Harry was fairly certain they were not detected as no one called after them or followed them. He couldn't help but look back at the house once they made their way into the garden, his eyes flickering to look for any movement through the windows. Andromeda's hand grabbed his as they exited the wards marked by the stone.
"I'm going to Apparate us on the top step," Andromeda explained.
Andromeda's hand tightened around his as his entire world squeezed together. Harry nearly fell back when his vision settled, his heels hanging off the edge of the top step. The front door pushed open and Harry stumbled inside, his hand leaving Andromeda's.
"Kreacher!" Andromeda shouted.
Again, nothing happened. Andromeda sighed.
"He has a little hidey hole in this blasted house," Andromeda muttered. "Sirius practically banished him there when he went to Bella and Cissy."
Harry followed Andromeda to the cupboard in the kitchen that he had seen Kreacher disappear to with items that Sirius wanted to throw away and never see again. Andromeda opened the door to see him sitting there, his eyes blazing as he stared at her with utter contempt on his face. She only smiled at the house-elf, ignoring the death glare he shot her.
"Kreacher, come out," Andromeda tried.
"Kreacher does not need to obey blood traitors that no longer have the last name of Black," Kreacher said with a twisted smirk. "Mistress ensured it."
Andromeda held up the adoption parchment. "Do you have to obey a boy that Sirius adopted as his own? Harry is Sirius' heir now. His son."
Kreacher looked over at Harry, his face snarling.
"Give him an order," Andromeda instructed as she stood up and took a step back.
"Err, Kreacher, can you come out?" Harry asked.
A low growl emitted from Kreacher's throat as he crawled out of the cupboard. Harry took a step back, surprised that it worked.
Andromeda smiled. "We need to give Kreacher very specific instructions."
"Kreacher, Andromeda is a Black," Harry told him. "You have to obey everything she says."
Kreacher sneered. "Yes, blood-traitor brat of a master."
"None of that, Kreacher, if you will," Andromeda snapped. "We will refer to everyone in the family with respect. You will not call Harry such names, nor will you call Sirius, Dora, Ted, or myself any names. Those are your masters, those are who you are bound by. You will never see Narcissa or Bellatrix again, nor anyone with the last name Malfoy or Lestrange."
Kreacher mumbled under his breath.
"Sirius is hurt and in danger," Andromeda continued. "Aurors and Order members are searching for him. I want you to Apparate to Dora and lead her directly towards where Sirius is. You will obey everything Dora says and you will not leave her side until Sirius is found. As soon as Dora is with Sirius, you are to return directly to Grimmauld and stay here until you are needed again. For Merlin's sake, clean up the house a bit when you get back."
A whining noise sounded in Kreacher's throat. "Yes… mistress."
With a snap, Kreacher was gone. Andromeda turned towards Harry, a wide grin spreading across her face. Her hands grabbed the sides of Harry's face, pulling him down slightly to press a kiss on his cheek before she wrapped her arms around him. Harry stood frozen for a few moments, not knowing what to do. A few beats passed before he wrapped his arms awkwardly around Andromeda to hug her back. A lump formed in his chest as he realized that he was starting to feel very grateful to have met Andromeda.
She pulled back and Harry felt a small tinge of disappointment flutter in the pit of his stomach. Gripping his hands, she gave them a squeeze as she beamed up at him. Andromeda had dubbed herself as his honorary aunt. Harry couldn't help but wonder what his childhood would have been like if Petunia had been even half as decent as Andromeda.
"You did good, Harry," Andromeda whispered. "I'm very proud of you."
"Thanks, Andromeda," Harry whispered.
"My family calls me Andy," Andromeda replied. "You are my family, remember?"
Harry jerked his head. "Sorry, Andy."
"Should we head back to the Burrow and wait for news?" Andromeda suggested. "I'm sure the Order will go there first."
Harry agreed. He wanted to be one of the first people notified when Sirius and Mrs Robins were rescued, to know they were all right. Harry bit the inside of his cheek as he followed Andromeda through the house.
"Andy?" Harry asked in a soft voice.
"Hmm?" Andromeda replied, wrapping an arm around Harry.
Harry swallowed. "If Sirius broke his leg, he'd go to St. Mungo's, right?"
Andromeda nodded. "Depending on how bad the break is, he'll either need it patched up or if it's severe enough he may need to have a procedure to fix it. Why?"
"I want to go see him at St. Mungo's," Harry explained, looking over at her. "I know Remus won't take me. Sirius probably wouldn't approve. But… I mean, we're family so you'll take me, won't you?"
Andromeda arched an eyebrow at him. "I'll figure out a way to make it work, all right? Don't worry. Leave Remus and Sirius to me. They've become paralyzed with fear and anxiety ever since your parents died. I think they feel lost without James' guidance. They'll say there wasn't a leader in their little group, that they were all equals. Except James was the leader. He was the one who looked out for all of them. They were all such lost boys, struggling to find their way in life. I think James was the only one who had life figured out, the only one who could help steer them in the right direction."
"You knew my dad pretty well, didn't you?" Harry asked.
Andromeda nodded. "I did. I knew him better than I knew Remus and Peter, to be honest," she explained as they stopped in the entryway by the front door. "Anytime Ted and I would see Sirius for lunch during a Hogsmeade weekend, James tagged along more often than not. Remus and Peter never joined us. What I knew about them was mostly from stories that Sirius and James would tell. When your grandparents basically adopted Sirius, they always invited Ted and I over to their house. I think they wanted Sirius to have some sort of family to turn to that wasn't them. Your grandparents simply adored Dora. James and Sirius used to mind her for us occasionally. They'd take her to the park and out for ice cream and around Godric's Hollow. They were so good with her, so patient and loving. James treated her like she too was his little cousin and he used to make her laugh until she cried."
Harry only felt disappointment, like he often did, when he heard of the family he could have had growing up. One with loving parents, one where Sirius was his favorite uncle, one where Andromeda and Ted were a beloved aunt and uncle, one where Tonks was a cousin, one where his grandparents doted on him. He wanted it so badly that his heart physically ached anytime he heard little snippets of the past. Harry knew it could never be that way, but he still had Sirius. Andromeda and Ted had barged their way into his family as well. Harry couldn't help but feel the hole in his chest fill just a bit knowing he did have people who cared about him in his corner.
"Sirius will be all right," Andromeda assured him. "Kreacher will find him quickly."
Harry couldn't help but see the glass half empty. "What if the Death Eaters got to him first?"
Andromeda pressed her palms against his arms. "Then, you will come live with Ted and I until the Order can rescue Sirius."
"What if they kill him?" Harry whispered the fear out loud.
"They won't," Andromeda assured him. "He's a Black. While Bellatrix would love nothing more than to destroy him, Lord Voldemort will not allow it. He will want to use and manipulate Sirius. Ever since he was sixteen and escaped Walburga and Orion's clutches, Lord Voldemort has wanted to claim Sirius as his own. He has had plenty of opportunities to kill Sirius, but instead he has tried to force Sirius' hand in joining. It's almost like there's a bit of an obsession there for reasons I can't fully comprehend. Lord Voldemort wants the Heir of House Black and he's proven he'll stop at nothing to get that loyalty. But Sirius will never give it."
"Why do you think he's obsessed with Sirius joining?" Harry questioned.
Andromeda blinked, her jaw squaring. "Sirius has said how Walburga and Lord Voldemort were close. He suspected closer than just friends and implied that the family would whisper about the two of them having an affair. I think Lord Voldemort had a sort of… appreciation for Walburga. He surely trusted her more than everyone else."
Harry's face pulled back in disgust. "Sirius' mum had an affair with Voldemort?"
Andromeda smiled tightly. "It appears so," she replied before clearing her throat. "All right, let's head back."
Andromeda opened the front door and the two of them stood on the front stoop. She grabbed his hand in hers and they disappeared with a soft pop. They successfully managed to sneak back into the Burrow without anyone noticing they were gone. They settled in the kitchen as Andromeda busied herself making more tea. Harry could only think about Voldemort finding Sirius and altering his mind like Bellatrix had done to Marlene. Harry couldn't help but think that would be worse than his godfather dying. To see the man who had become a father to him stand before him and hate him as much as the rest of the Death Eaters did. Harry didn't know if he could stomach it.
Sirius only dozed off in fits of restless sleep. Quite a few times he heard voices in the distance, no doubt hunting for him and Tegan. The fact that nobody located them only eased the tension in Sirius' chest that maybe they'd get out of this ordeal alive. Perhaps Malfoy had lied and Bellatrix had not placed a tracking spell on him all those years ago. It would only be fitting that he had been lied to and manipulated by his supposed family. The word felt sour and wrong in his mouth. None of them had been family for the longest time.
He remembered when Narcissa married Malfoy at the end of the summer before his first year at Hogwarts, how he and Regulus had been asked to be in the wedding. Malfoy had been fake nice to them, spewing lies as he tied Regulus' bow tie with promises that he would be like a big brother to them both. He had told Sirius that Narcissa always claimed they were more like brothers than cousins to her and he would treat them as such as well, excited at the prospect at having little brothers like he always dreamed of. Sirius had been young and naive and hadn't hated a majority of his family at that time. But he quickly came to realize that Malfoy had been a liar as he felt some sort of sick dominance over the Black brothers. The first time he had pointed his wand at Regulus and punished him, Sirius had lost his collective shit at only eleven years old as a deep hatred for Malfoy started to brew deep within him.
His family had slowly but steadily stopped being his family as soon as the Sorting Hat yelled Gryffindor! after only just barely touching his head. Everyone had turned on him. He could remember how he had arrived for Christmas in his first year, not allowed to speak with Regulus and ordered to write lines every day in his father's study until his hand hurt so bad that he couldn't even hold a quill any longer. Late at night, Regulus would slip into his room and they would whisper for hours about how glorious Hogwarts was and how there was such a vibrant life outside of Grimmauld Place.
"There's so much more than stuffy pureblood parties and preparing to take over as head of a family," Sirius had whispered as Regulus had pressed close to him. "There's friends and adventures and laughter. There's so much laughter, Reggie."
Sirius swallowed at the memories that suffocated him, his grip tightening around Tegan like she was a lifeline that stopped him from being pulled him under into a pit of despair. Something broke long ago in Sirius that had never been repaired. Sirius was uncertain on what specific event in his life broke the final bristle on his broom. But he knew he was broken even before James and Lily had died, just a man who had been driven to the edge of the cliff and dangled off for so bloody long. He had just been waiting for someone to give him the final shove over. Perhaps it had been Marlene's death that had pushed him off. He had been attempting to clamor out of the icy waters ever since, making mistake after mistake after fucking mistake as he gulped for air.
Tegan stirred against him, her face pressing into his chest. Sirius held his breath at the intimate gesture, his heart aching as he remembered so many years ago when Marlene would wake up next to him. Screwing his eyes shut, he pushed back those thoughts because they were nothing but ghosts to distract him. He had to figure out how they were going to escape the cave. Harry needed him. And Sirius wasn't about ready to let the kid down again, especially not since he had just finally started to really fulfill his duty as godfather. For some insane reason, Harry loved him and worried about him and wanted to be a family. Harry was the only bright thing in his otherwise dark existence, the only person able to push down his demons and allow Sirius to breathe.
Tegan's cool hands pressed against his face. Sirius snapped open his eyes to see she had activated her little light as her hand moved from his forehead to his cheek. Sirius swallowed, staying perfectly still as her hands moved down to press to his neck.
"I don't think you have a fever," she explained. "Which is inevitable given your leg. But we should have a good couple of days until infection settles in."
"Hmm," Sirius hummed. "I hope not to be here in a couple of days."
Tegan let out a small humorless chuckle as her fingers pressed tightly against the vein in his neck. "I'm going to be honest, blood loss is my major concern with you."
"I'll be fine," Sirius replied.
Tegan's lips pursed as she grabbed for his left wrist and pushed his sleeve up.
"I'm left-handed," Sirius explained. "My watch is on my right."
"You think after watching you fight, I would have picked up on that," Tegan mused as she shifted to grab his right wrist and twisted it so she could see the face of the watch better.
Sirius let Tegan take his vitals because what else were they going to do in the cave? He shifted, a wince crossing his face as pain shot down his leg.
"Let's see how your cut on your head is healing," Tegan said as she pulled the piece of fabric away from his head before her fingers pressed around the wound. "Looks like it clotted which is good."
Sirius shot her a weak yet cocky smile. "Told you I was fine."
"How do you feel, Sirius? Dizzy? Lightheaded?" Tegan cupped his face with her hands, tilting his head from side to side. "You look pale."
"Besides having to pee and wishing we had some food, I'm fine," Sirius assured her, although he did feel unnaturally tired.
"Your heart rate is a bit up," Tegan explained, her thumbs brushing against his cheekbones. "We need to get you to St. Mungo's."
Sirius searched her eyes. "We'll get out of here soon and everything will be fine."
"I'm a bit of a glass half empty type of person," Tegan said, the corners of her lips twitching. "I pegged you as one as well."
"Oh, I am," Sirius agreed. "As a parent, I've learned you have to swallow down those fears and silently fret while your mouth says the complete opposite."
Tegan laughed, her hands dropping from his face and falling into her lap. "Welcome to parenthood where there's nothing but paralyzing fear and anxiety over something happening to this little person who you love more than life itself."
"Here I thought it'd be all fun and games," Sirius said with a smile. "Nobody warns you about the anxiety you feel when they so much as scrape a knee."
Tegan chuckled, her head nodding. "I think the anxiety is worse for people like us. We lost people in cruel and unexpected ways. I sometimes think I project that loss onto Demelza. That I look at her and just feel this mounting stress of her dying like David did. I think I can't lose her. I can't go through another loss like that. I smother her and suffocate her. She takes it pretty well, because we really only have each other. Her eye rolls speak volumes though."
Sirius nodded. "I think Harry secretly likes when I smother him because he never had anyone to smother him before. He may shoot me a look but he never fights it."
"Demelza really likes Harry," Tegan said with a soft smile. "She thought it was so horrid how people treated him last year. She said he's always been exceptionally kind, willing to help anyone who needed it. There's a boy in the girls' year that has a bit of an obsession with Harry. Always wants to take his photo. Demelza says the boy is bloody annoying and a lot of kids think so. But Harry always smiles at him and will always talk with him whenever the boy goes up to him. Demelza said a lot of the boys are cruel to him, but not Harry. She said she's never seen him be cruel to anyone."
Pride shot through Sirius' chest. "His parents were like that. Lily would help anyone who asked with a smile on her face. Even James was always helping out the younger kids in Gryffindor. He had a rule we could never prank anyone younger than us, because that was just cruel."
"Lily was so nice," Tegan agreed fondly. "She was easy to team up patrols with. If someone canceled off her for a patrol, she always found someone to go with her. Gawain and I never had to worry about it. She was always available to pick up a patrol."
Sirius nodded. "She always roped Remus into extra patrols with her if she needed someone. I think he was afraid to say no to her."
"You know, I never pieced it together that he was a werewolf at school, even if he canceled patrols often around full moons," Tegan said, her head shaking. "Maybe it was just the pressure of Head Girl that I never noticed. Gawain likes to tell me he always knew, but I think he's full of shit."
"Gawain is full of shit," Sirius replied with a laugh, his eyes searching her face. "There's no way he knew."
Tegan swallowed. "Yeah, he is. Much like you."
"Oi!" Sirius exclaimed, knowing it was more than true. "You didn't like me at all in school then?"
Tegan smiled softly. "I thought you were immature, funny, and a loner. We never really talked in school. But I can safety say I like you a lot better now that I've gotten to know you in the Order."
Sirius nodded, his eyebrow arching. "So still funny and a loner but a tad less immature?"
"I'd say you're kind," Tegan corrected. "A very kind man who is marvelous with kids and can, on occasion, be funny."
Sirius grinned. "Oh, I'm a kind bloke who's good with kids?"
"The way you thought to give the mirrors to Demelza and Ginny. The way I've seen you after Order meetings greeting all the kids. I saw the tender way you spoke with Harry before we left for the gala," Tegan explained, tucking a stray hair that fell out of her updo behind her ear.
"He was nervous about me going on a mission," Sirius replied with a shrug. "I was just reassuring him, which he probably thinks I'm a bloody liar right about now since we never returned home."
"I think he'll forgive you when he sees your mangled leg," Tegan assured him, her hand pressing against his.
"I hope so," Sirius whispered.
She gave his hand a squeeze. "I know so. He'll be relieved you're all right."
Sirius' eyes searched her face, soaking in the small details like the way her dark eyes flickered in the light from her little orb and how she had a freckle under her right eye. She had a scratch across her forehead and some dirt on her chin. Sirius swallowed as he licked his thumb and brushed the of dirt off her face from their run-in with Macnair and Dolohov, no doubt. He could take care of her a bit like she had for him.
Tegan leaned forward, her soft lips brushing tentatively against his as though testing the waters. The kiss was brief, her face pulling away from his as her hot breath tickled his chin. Her lips parted, her eyes flickering to read his expression. Sirius only cupped his hand to the back of her neck, pulling her back against him. Sirius' lips parted to deepen the kiss as a warmth flooded in his chest, something he hadn't felt in years sparking to life deep within him. He had been touch-starved for so long, his body longing to be with another.
When they parted, both of their chests heaving, Tegan smiled at him. Her hands rose to his face, her fingers brushing against his cheeks. Sirius returned the smile, their eyes boring into one another.
"I may or may not have wanted to do that for a while," Tegan whispered.
Sirius chuckled. "Too bad you didn't do it sooner when we weren't stuck in some cave."
Tegan's laughter rang like music in his ears. "Oh, I think it was the perfect time," she commented as she leaned forward once more, a smile on her lips as she kissed him again.
A tingle shivered up Sirius' spine at finally having someone that he could not only talk about with things but could also relate to him in this moment in his life. She too was raising a teenager alone, stuck in a war raging around them. Tegan was compassionate and understanding. She had risked her career to help prove his innocence which had sprouted so many positive things in his life.
Remus was exhausted. After not sleeping the night before and then being woken up after only a couple hours of sleep by Harry, he was ready to collapse on the ground and sleep for the next few days. Except he couldn't stop, not until Sirius and Tegan were found. That could take a while given the terrain and how large of an area they were searching.
Nymphadora looked just as tired as she walked beside him, her wand flourishing every few minutes as she cast Homenum Revelio to look for any sign of life around them. She needn't cast it so often, but he could tell she was anxious to find them as much as he was. Neither one of them wanted to miss anything. Except, they had found nothing but for a dead body of one of the guests that neither one could identify.
"This place is massive," Nymphadora huffed. "We really should have done a better job securing it."
Remus shrugged, his toe digging into the dirt. "It was a last-minute mission that we didn't think would turn out the way it did. Who would have thought Adriano Fidelius would be in attendance?"
"We should have expected it to be something big," Nymphadora pouted, sounding angry with herself. "We were just bloody stupid not to think of it sooner."
"There was nothing that indicated what they were after," Remus reasoned. "How were we supposed to know they were trying to secure Fidelius' attendance? If he didn't secure the Portkey, then nothing would have even happened."
Nymphadora sighed. "No, I know that, it's just bloody frustrating."
They continued on, passing several other Order of the Phoenix members in the process. They had all spread out, taking different sections of the grounds, but it was easy to get lost. They were all on high alert in case Voldemort and his Death Eaters were still lurking about, though there was no indication that they were. But Remus knew better. They were most likely hiding and waiting for a Patronus to be sent that they could follow and be led straight to Sirius and Tegan.
A soft pop sounded and Remus froze. Turning to the right, standing catty-corner to Nymphadora, was Kreacher with a twisted look of disgust clear as day on his face.
"Kreacher?" Nymphadora said, her eyebrows raising.
Kreacher looked like he had swallowed a lemon whole as he glared up at Nymphadora. "Mistress," he started in a pained voice. "Kreacher is here to show you where…" a shudder ran down his spine, "master is hiding."
Nymphadora just blinked at him. "What?"
Kreacher growled. "Teenage br… master and mistress who shouldn't be a mistress but thinks she is told Kreacher to find… master."
"Is he incapable of just using names?" Remus asked.
"Uh, yeah, Kreacher, use their bloody names. I'm not following," Nymphadora instructed.
Kreacher moved his neck, his little hands clenched in fists at his side as though he wanted so badly to disobey but was being forced to cooperate. So either Sirius called for Kreacher, which was highly unlikely because Sirius would rather die than ask for the house-elf's help, or that meant that Harry had left the Burrow and traveled to London to speak to Kreacher himself. There was no one else that Kreacher would listen to.
"Master Harry," Kreacher spat out like it was the nastiest name he had ever spoken. "Ordered Kreacher to obey Mistress Andromeda. Mistress Andromeda ordered Kreacher to obey Mistress Dora and show Mistress Dora where Master Sir… Master Sir…" Kreacher struggled to get the words out, looking ready to vomit. "Master Sirius is hiding."
"Harry and Andromeda were at Grimmauld Place?" Remus demanded, his head shaking at how reckless Andromeda had been to take Harry away from the wards of the Burrow.
"Mistress Andromeda did not say Kreacher had to engage with filthy half-breed werewolves," Kreacher spat.
"Oi! Don't call him that!" Nymphadora snapped.
Kreacher held his breath, his head looking ready to explode, as his big eyes bugged out of his head.
"Kreacher, show us where Sirius is," Nymphadora demanded.
Kreacher sulked away, as though being led by some invisible string. He pounded his little feet into the ground, his body tense and rigid as he walked as though he would rather be doing anything except aiding in the rescue of the master he hated. They passed Dumbledore and Moody on the way, both doing a double take when they saw Kreacher muttering under his breath in front of Remus and Nymphadora. They too began to follow without so much as a word. Oh, Sirius would love that. Not only was Kreacher, of all people rescuing him, but Moody and Dumbledore would be there as well.
They walked for a good ten minutes across the front garden of the mansion, continuing to pick up Order members as they went. Gawain and Sutton were the second group to join them, as well as Ted and Arthur.
Ted walked alongside Nymphadora, leaning over to whisper to her. "Is that Kreacher?"
"Yep!" Nymphadora replied happily. "Apparently, Mum took Harry to Grimmauld and they forced him to now listen to me. He even calls me Mistress Dora, which you know it was Mum who taught him some manners. Sirius always just told him to shut up or scram."
"Sirius didn't want to engage with Kreacher more than he had to," Remus supplied. "He hates him."
"Oh, well, Sirius is certainly going to be cheerful when we find him then," Ted replied.
Suddenly, Kreacher stopped walking and sneered at a large rock. Then, without warning, Kreacher disappeared with a snap of his fingers. Remus stared at the rock, his head cocking to the side.
"Sirius? Tegan?" Nymphadora shouted in an uncertain tone.
"We're here!" Tegan shouted, her voice muffled. "The rocks! Look at the rocks! My wand snapped and Sirius lost his!"
Remus soaked in the rocks in front of him. At the very bottom, in a tiny hole, he saw Tegan poke her fingers out and wiggle them.
"Stand back!" Dumbledore commanded, his wand raising.
The hand disappeared. Dumbledore waited a good thirty seconds before he moved the large rock to reveal an opening to a cave. Remus took a step forward, peering in to see Tegan standing with an orb of light in her hand. On the floor next to her, slumped against the back wall of the small cave, was Sirius who looked pale and tired with dried blood caked down the right side of his face. Remus ducked down as he made his way inside and over to Sirius.
"His leg was snapped in half," Tegan supplied. "The bone pierced the skin. He needs to go to St. Mungo's and probably have a good five Blood-Replenishing Potions."
"I'm fine," Sirius croaked as he reached out a hand for Remus. "Help me out of this fucking cave."
Remus looked down at Sirius' leg to see it wrapped in Tegan's dress. Blood soaked through the green fabric and onto the ground beneath him. Remus' gaze snapped to Sirius' outstretched hand and noticed the way it trembled.
"He shouldn't put weight on it," Tegan advised. "It'll only cause more damage."
Sirius shot her a look but didn't say anything.
"I have an emergency Portkey to St. Mungo's!" Gawain called outside of the cave. "But we should stabilize his leg first though before we send him."
Remus bent down and touched the tip of his wand on Sirius' shoulder to cast a Feather-Light Weight Charm on him before pocketing it. He slid one arm under Sirius' knees and the other around his back.
"I can walk," Sirius protested.
"Shut up, Sirius," Remus replied as he hoisted Sirius up in his arm. "Tegan, go ahead and make sure I don't hit his leg going out."
"This is ruddy embarrassing," Sirius grumbled.
Once Sirius was successfully out of the cave, Remus sat him gently on the ground. Sirius laid down, his face twisted in pain as Dumbledore stepped forward and kneeled down beside him. Remus felt sick when Dumbledore took off the makeshift bandage to reveal the bloody bone sticking out. A whimpering noise sounded in the back of Sirius' throat, his eyes screwing shut as Dumbledore waved his wand over the open fracture. A board appeared underneath Sirius' legs with straps keeping it secure. The bleeding seemed to slow.
Once finished, Dumbledore pressed a hand to Sirius' shoulder and offered him a strained smile. "You did everything you could do, Sirius. We'll keep Harry safe together. Do not worry."
"Get out of my head," Sirius seethed through clenched teeth, his eyes snapping open.
Dumbledore nodded, rising to his full height as he gestured towards Sirius. Tegan held the Portkey in her hand, her thumb brushing along the dented tin can. Nymphadora was the first to Sirius as she kneeled down next to his head. She ran her fingers through his hair, pushing the dirty hair off his forehead.
"Mum took Harry to Grimmauld and they forced Kreacher to find you," Nymphadora explained as Sirius winced. "Mum even taught him manners, which you should have done a while ago. He looked about ready to vomit when he called you Master Sirius, could barely get the words out."
Sirius swallowed, his eyes looking up at Nymphadora. "I'm not going to be indebted to that blasted elf," he said as he reached out to grab her hand. "Help me sit up."
She obliged, Sirius wincing at the motion as a whine sounded in the back of his throat. His body slumped against Nymphadora, but she didn't seem to mind as she rubbed his back and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Tegan swooped down on the other side of him, holding out the tin can to him.
"Let's get that leg patched up, yeah?" Tegan said, nodding towards the Portkey. "After we get settled in St. Mungo's, I'll let Harry know you're all right. I'm sure he's fretting."
"Oh, he was," Nymphadora confirmed. "He was so bloody nervous that he barely moved. He and Remus had a bit of a spat."
Sirius looked up, his gaze catching with Remus. There wasn't much to say besides that Remus was only trying to keep Harry safe and talk him down from potentially hurting himself by going after Sirius himself. So Remus shrugged, conveying to Sirius that they'd talk about it later. Luckily, Sirius seemed to understand because he turned towards the Portkey. Remus wondered when they had become so good at communicating because that was something the two of them had lacked for decades.
"You coming, Remus?" Nymphadora called.
A hand pressed to Remus' shoulder and he turned to see Dumbledore standing next to him. "Go. There's not much left to do besides make sure Lord Voldemort or his Death Eaters aren't still lingering."
Remus nodded before he bent down next to Nymphadora and reached for the Portkey. Tegan said the password to activate it and they were pulled away from the grounds of the mansion.
Once they arrived in the emergency bay, Sirius was rushed off to a procedure room. Tegan spoke to Nymphadora in soft tones before she too disappeared from the hospital. Nymphadora grabbed Remus' hand and the two of them walked the length of the waiting room, pacing as they waited for Sirius to be patched up and given a room.
Harry refused to eat the dinner that Mrs Weasley prepared. Not because he didn't appreciate it, but because he was too nervous to even be hungry. Even Ron picked at the meal as he sat next to Harry, refusing to leave his side the entire day. Andromeda stayed at the Burrow as well, nobody mentioning that they had disappeared for a bit earlier in the day. She sat across from Harry, offering him reassuring smiles and attempting to make small talk with him. Ginny sat sandwiched between Harry and Demelza all day, attempting to divide her attention between the both of them. Honestly, Harry didn't mind if Ginny wanted to focus solely on Demelza. He didn't like to talk or do anything when he was upset anyway.
A soft pop sounded. Harry looked up at the back door, his heart hammering in his chest. Part of him wanted to jump up and look out the window to see who had arrived but another part of him was too scared to. What if it was just bad news? What if Sirius was captured or dead?
The door opened and Mrs Robins stepped in. Demelza jumped from her chair, running to meet her mother in a tight embrace. Mrs Robins' dress was ripped on the bottom, dirt caked her face, and blood caked her hands. Harry rose from his seat, expecting Sirius to come limping in after her but nobody else was there. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach, dread slithering across his body in icy waves.
"Sirius is fine," Mrs Robins called across the room, her eyes locking with Harry's. "He has a nasty open fracture in his leg. He's at St. Mungo's getting it repaired. He's fine. I promise you."
Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, his entire body sagging. In a second, Ginny hugged his left side while Ron hugged his right. He swallowed the lump down that had resided in his throat, his gaze meeting with a teary-eyed Andromeda.
"Can we go see him?" Harry asked her.
"What?" Mrs Weasley answered first, rubbing a tissue to her nose. "Harry, dear, he'll be home in a day or two. It wouldn't be safe."
"Andy, please," Harry begged, refusing to look over at Mrs Weasley.
"He's in a procedure to fix his leg," Mrs Robins explained, holding Demelza close to her side. "He'll be an hour or two before they get him a room. Let me post a few Aurors outside his room and then it'll be safe for you to go, all right?"
Harry's chest felt oddly full as he looked between Mrs Robins and Andromeda. "I want to be there when he wakes up."
"Sirius wants you there, but he'd want to make sure you were also safe about it," Andromeda replied. "I'll take you as soon as the Aurors are standing guard. I promise."
"Remus and Dora are at the hospital waiting for him," Mrs Robins replied, a strained smile crossing her face. "He won't be alone when he wakes. I'll get the Aurors there as soon as I can and send a Patronus."
Harry's face fell, his shoulders sagging. He hated how everyone around him had to ensure his safety before he went anywhere. All he wanted was to wait at the hospital with Remus and Tonks like a normal person, but he was never allowed just to be normal.
"Mum, I want to go with you," Demelza said, looking up at her mother.
"Yes, yeah, you can come to the Ministry with me," Mrs Robins agreed before turning towards Mrs Weasley. "Thank you so much, Molly, for everything."
"It was no problem at all," Mrs Weasley replied. "She's a darling."
Demelza darted from her mother over towards Ginny. Harry felt an emptiness when Ginny pulled away from him in order to hug Demelza goodbye. Ron stayed close though, his arm slung casually around Harry's shoulders.
"I'll call you on the mirror tonight," Demelza whispered. "Thanks for everything."
The two girls parted and Demelza turned towards Harry. He offered her a small wave when she stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist in a bone-crushing embrace. Harry stood frozen, his arms not knowing what to do. His wide eyes looked over at Ginny who just smiled and mouthed hug her! Gulping, Harry wrapped his arms awkwardly around her and gave her a small pat on the back. Ginny grimaced.
"I'm glad your godfather is okay, Harry," Demelza said, pulling back.
"Err, glad your mum's all right too," Harry replied, trying to smile at Demelza but he wasn't sure it looked like one since she shot him an odd look.
Demelza turned towards Ron and embraced him as well. Although, Ron took the physical affection a lot easier than Harry did. He easily hugged her back.
"Thanks for the distraction, Weasley," Demelza said.
"My presence is always calming and filled with entertainment," Ron replied as he pulled back.
Demelza snorted before she turned towards Mrs Weasley and thanked her for letting her stay. A few moments later, Demelza and Mrs Robins left the Burrow. Harry stuffed his hands in his trouser pockets, a frown tugging his face down. He wondered how long it would be until they could leave for St. Mungo's.
Andromeda crossed the room towards Harry, stopping short of him. She gripped his arms, giving him a reassuring squeeze.
"Why don't you run upstairs and get ready so we can leave as soon as the Patronus arrives," Andromeda suggested.
Harry blinked at her. "I am ready."
Andromeda wrinkled her nose. "Those are the same clothes you were wearing yesterday. Shower, brush your teeth, attempt to brush your hair, change your outfit. Hospitals are always cold so grab a hoodie or something, yeah?"
Harry opened his mouth to protest when Andromeda shot him a look that clearly read she wasn't taking him anywhere unless he listened. So, he did. He took the quickest shower of his life, brushed his teeth, and combed his hair. The wet strands actually laid flat on his head, but he knew they wouldn't stay like that. As soon as they began to dry, they would stick up in every single direction possible.
Making his way into the room he was staying in, he dressed as quickly as he could in a t-shirt and some trousers. His gaze caught sight of the neatly folded Magpies hoodie that used to belong to his dad. It was the only piece of clothing that he had actually taken the time to fold instead of just throwing it in his trunk. He picked it up carefully, as though the fabric could break, and traced the letters. Without overthinking it, he shoved the hoodie on over his head to see that it fit him perfectly. He shoved his hands into the pouch pocket, freezing when he felt a piece of parchment. He pulled it out with shaky hands and looked down to see unfamiliar writing on it.
James, Harry read, his heart beating harshly at the first word and his chest constricting painfully.
Is there any way you could meet me in Cokeworth tomorrow? Preferably without Sirius? My parents said that Petunia is stopping by for dinner with her fiancé. Apparently, they're not coming by on Christmas day but celebrating early. I guess I'm too horrid of company on Christmas. I just, well, I don't want to be alone during this dinner. You've heard how wretched Petunia can be even on a good day. I'd rather you were there with me. I know you'll be able to lighten the tension a bit. Mum and Dad will find you absolutely charming as well. Be sure to tell them the story about how you and Sirius botched that Shrinking Potion last month and it exploded in your faces and you both aged a good forty years for the rest of the day. Dad loves chemistry (it's sort of like Potions) so he'll appreciate the humor behind it.
Oh, and don't be offended by Petunia or Vernon. They often have particularly nasty things to say about the wizarding world. I think they're jealous that they can't just wave a wand and get whatever they want. Although, they don't exactly understand that's not how it works. Oh, please, do not mention Severus in front of Petunia. She absolutely loathes him. And I don't want to give her the sick satisfaction of her telling me she told me so. And I know what you're thinking: oh, Lily, this could be the perfect opportunity to bond with your sister. No, it's really not, James, so keep your mouth shut please. She is not like other people who you can just start bonding instantly with. Not everyone is easy to get along with. I know you, Mr Social Butterfly Who Can Befriend Anyone with Just a Smile, you will not and will never be on good terms with Petunia. So, please, don't try. Just be polite and realize that I need you to just be there for me.
I'm sorry, this sounds like such a demanding and awful letter. I'm just nervous and I really don't want to go to the dinner tomorrow. Ever since Petunia moved out, she's just been a right piece of work. I think she feels she can be even nastier since she's an adult and thinks Mum and Dad can't force her to be pleasant. I've been literally worrying myself sick about this since I haven't even seen Petunia in nearly two years now. This is actually the sixth letter I've written you. The other five are in the bin.
I understand if you can't make it. I know it's so close to Christmas and your family probably already has plans. But if they don't, please, come. If you can't, can you see if Remus could come and pretend to be you? Or Peter? I'll even take Sirius, although I fear that would be disastrous because Sirius is so quick to anger and won't be able to keep his mouth shut when the insults start coming. Which, I suppose I should warn you in case you can come, to just smile when they insult us. Please? I know you are far better at controlling your temper than Sirius is. They're just not worth it. They'll never change their mind about me or you or our world.
I hope to see you tomorrow.
Love,
Lily
Harry stared at the letter from his mother, a frown etching on his face. He could feel his mother's anxiety about having dinner with Petunia and Vernon, which was how Harry always felt when he was around them. They were so quick to anger that it felt like he had been constantly walking around egg-shells when he was younger. He loved going to school, to be free of them for at least a little while, even if Dudley tormented him as often as he could during school days. Dudley was far easier to put up with than his parents were.
Harry sat down on his bed, rereading the letter and wondering if his dad had actually been able to go to the dinner. He knew his aunt and uncle had met his dad because they had never had anything nice to say about him either.
A knock on his door drew him out of his musing. He called for them to enter as he folded back up the letter. He wanted to ask Sirius if his dad actually went and what he had to say about that. Perhaps when Sirius was out of the hospital and was home again. He turned to see Ginny entering the room, closing the door softly behind her.
"The Magpies?" Ginny asked as she took a seat next to him on the bed. "I didn't think you had a team."
Harry shrugged, his eyes searching her face. "Found it at my grandparents' house. Apparently, my dad liked them."
"Holyhead Harpies all the way," Ginny replied, her body swaying into his gently. "Join me in supporting the superior team."
Harry chuckled, a soft smile crossing his lips. "I just like to play Quidditch and I don't mind watching it. I'm not going to learn stats like you and Ron."
"I'll have you interested in learning stats before long," Ginny commented with a grin. "You'll know all the players on all the teams and know everyone's stats. You'll be better than Ron and I at knowing everything."
Harry smiled at her, his eyes searching her face. "Good luck with that."
"Challenge accepted," Ginny replied, resting her head on his shoulder. "Tell Sirius I hope his leg feels better soon. I'll make him a get-well card when you're gone to take to him next time you see him. Or if he comes home first. I don't know how long he's staying."
Harry rested his cheek against the top of her head. "Your get-well cards are possibly the best get-well cards I've ever received. If we're being honest, you're the only one who has ever sent me a get-well card."
Ginny snorted. "I am not. You probably get loads of them every year when you get hurt on your grand adventures."
"Nope, just from you," Harry replied with a fond grin. "I've kept every single one of them, by the way. Although, I don't think the singing ones sing anymore."
Ginny lifted her head off Harry and looked at him. "You really kept them? Why? You didn't even like me back then."
Harry shrugged. "I liked you back then. I just didn't like like you at the time, if that makes any sense, because I was a clueless wanker who couldn't see what was right in front of me. But you were always so nice and sweet. You took the time to make them by hand. How could I just throw them out? I even kept that bloody embarrassing Valentine."
Ginny's lips twitched. "You got the copy of it?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I did. I shoved it in my trunk. Then, when you started sending me get-well cards, I just stuffed the Valentine in one of them."
Ginny pressed her nose against his arm. He could feel her smiling against him.
"I'm going to send you more cards now, you know that, right?" Ginny asked. "I'm going to have so much fun sending them to you randomly."
Harry laughed. "I look forward to it."
Not for the first time, Harry felt a deep appreciation for Ginny flood his body. She was always so kind and understanding. She wasn't easily upset when he was moody or grumpy. There was an unspoken support that radiated off her.
"Thank you for everything," he whispered in a thick voice. "I know I was quiet and moody, but I just don't like to talk when I'm nervous."
Ginny wrapped her arms around his waist before she looked up at him, her chin digging into his chest. He tucked his chin to look at her.
"I know, Harry," she whispered.
So many emotions swirled around in him. He was fairly certain that he was experiencing a certain four-letter word, but he knew he wasn't ready to say it out loud. It was far too soon and would make him just look pathetic especially if he wasn't actually sure that was the emotion he was feeling. But he couldn't help but wonder if the way he felt towards Ginny really was that emotion.
"You make me happy," Harry settled on saying, bending down so he could peck Ginny on the lips.
"You make me happy too," she replied, a brilliant and dazzling smile crossing her lips before she cuddled into his side once more.
A warmth spread in Harry's chest, blazing and bright. He pressed a kiss on top of her shimmering coppery hair. The anxiety he had felt for the past week or so receded completely. Sirius was fine. Ginny was by his side. Ron had silently supported him the entire time. While he had conceptually known that Ron and Hermione had supported him for years, there was just something about the recent events that made him believe that he had a great support system. He had family in Sirius and Ron. He had an amazing girlfriend in Ginny. For the first time, he felt truly deeply happy.
Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! Don't forget to drop a review. They keep me motivated and inspire ideas.
Special thanks to Bell for editing. Special thanks to funbunnypotter who helped me pick out Snowdonia as the setting and walked through the Sirigan scene with me!