Disclaimer: Nothing's changed. Still don't own it.
Author's Note: Thank you for the congratulations on my upcoming wedding! I can't believe it's coming so soon. I really appreciate the really nice things that have been said about it. And I'm definitely not going to give up on this story. No matter how much time I take off for the wedding in May and the honeymoon in June, I will most certainly get back to it; you have my word on that.
Wow, I loved the response to the last chapter, especially concerning Dawlish. I love how riled up everyone got about him. Yes, he's a complete and utter fool, and I made him that way on purpose. He reminds me of some characters in real life that pursue an agenda without realizing that they're destroying their reputation. Believe me, I can't stand people like him in real life.
Anyway, this is the final part of Sirius's trial. I hope you enjoy it.
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Sirius felt his heart rate pick up speed as an Auror he didn't know pointed his wand at the chained chair, and he was unbound. He was rather surprised by this, as normally, if someone on trial was speaking for themselves, they did it from the chair. When Amelia Bones had actually called him to the stand, it had definitely come as a shock.
Apparently, it had to others as well, and they weren't happy about it. "What do you mean, you call him to the stand?" someone in the audience shouted. "He's on trial! He should stay in the chair!"
"I repeat. I now call Sirius Black to the stand," Amelia said, her eyes sharp. "Come on up, Mr. Black."
Sirius realized that this was yet another way that the wrongs done against him were trying to be righted. His head spun as he got out of the chair and made his way shakily over to Madam Bones.
This was the moment that he had been waiting for for fourteen years - to finally be able to tell his side of the story. He was going to tell everyone what had truly happened on one of the worst nights of his entire life, the night when he had looked upon the bodies of his very best friends and wept over them. This was the night when he'd clung to his tiny godson, the only ray of hope left in a bereft, darkened world. This was the night when, at the moment that Hagrid had informed him that he had to follow Dumbledore's orders, any semblance of sense had left him, and his blood hungered for revenge against a man whom he had thought of as a brother. This was the night that started him down a path of bitterness so strong that he could still taste it.
But as he reached Madam Bones, his eyes fell on Harry. Merlin, Harry. The love he felt for the boy was astronomical. His testimony had brought Sirius to tears, and it was very unusual for him to cry in public. He realized how much the boy had left out of his statement in order to save him from even more scrutiny. He feared the truth eventually coming out, but it was not himself he feared for. He did not want Harry or Remus to suffer for it. It wouldn't be fair for either of them.
As Harry had spoken, the tears had come; his emotions had been too strong to suppress. They had been let loose with a vengeance as his beloved godson stood at the stand, speaking from his heart about his relationship with his godfather.
The contempt Sirius felt for John Dawlish was enormous. Because of him, Harry's darkest secret had been revealed - at least partially. Not even Sirius knew everything about Harry's home life, and the fact that the entire courtroom now knew that Harry didn't at all like his home situation made him sick. But ... Merlin, his godson was so brave. Sirius could tell it was the last thing Harry had wanted to do, but he had done it. And he could tell, as soon as their eyes had met, that he had done it for Sirius. He didn't deserve him.
Now, as Sirius's eyes swept around the courtroom, he saw so many sets of eyes looking at him, awaiting his story. Fear caught him in its vicelike grip, but the one thing that was his anchor, his lifeline, brought him back as he glanced at Harry once more.
"My name is Sirius Black," he began, and the silence in the courtroom seemed more profound than any that had come before. "After fourteen years, I would like to tell my story."
And so he did. He spoke of how James and Lily had asked him to be their Secret Keeper when they went into hiding. He talked of how he had agreed to do it, but then realized he was far too obvious a choice, since the fact that he was James's best friend was well-known. "I would gladly have died for them," Sirius said, the familiar emotions wishing for nothing more than to burst forth. "I wasn't afraid of putting my life on the line. They were my family, and I would have done anything for them."
He stole a glance at Harry, whose eyes were shining with sadness. He stopped his story for a moment as he held the boy's gaze. It was true - he had never been scared for himself.
He laid his heart and soul bare as he told the courtroom that very thing. "It was them I was terrified for," he admitted quietly. "If Voldemort and the Death Eaters caught me, I was so scared that I wouldn't be able to withstand the torture. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I'd caved and told them the secret." He breathed deeply, the memories of that time bombarding him. "So the Potters and I came up with a different plan. We asked Peter to be Secret Keeper instead, but I would be used as a decoy. We wouldn't let anyone know that Peter and I had switched - we didn't even tell Dumbledore. That way, if I was caught, Voldemort could do anything to me that he wanted, and I wouldn't be able to betray my family."
There were stunned looks in the courtroom, and some people had succumbed to tears again. Their misjudgment of Sirius had been spectacular - this was a man who was willing to go through an incredible amount of suffering, all to protect the people he loved. The Potters had meant so much to him, and he'd have given up his very sanity for them. And they had all thought that he had a direct hand in their murders. Truly, they had never known Sirius Black at all.
"Peter agreed to the plan," Sirius said, his anger at the other man barely controlled. "It went into motion. We said goodbye to the Potters, and they went into hiding. I'll never forget the last time I saw them alive."
The moment of their final goodbye ran through Sirius's mind - that had also been one of the things the Dementors had constantly shown him in Azkaban. He remembered how James's embrace had felt, the promise for a better tomorrow shining in his hazel eyes. "I love you, mate." His whisper had been full of so many things that were all contained in that one phrase. "It will be all right. I promise."
"You mean everything to us, Sirius." Lily had literally thrown herself at him, her tears soaking into his robes as she hugged him, hard. "Thank you. For everything. You have no idea what this means to us."
Sirius's eyes had been swimming with tears that he'd been unable to hold back. "You're worth it," he'd whispered. "All three of you. You're worth the whole world, and more."
He had kissed Harry's forehead, breathing in his warm scent, and letting go of him had been intensely painful. "Take care, Harry." he'd whispered in the boy's tiny ear. "I love you so much, little Prongslet."
Flying away from them on his enchanted motorbike had been the hardest thing Sirius had ever done in his life. He returned to his empty, lonely flat, and sighed dejectedly as he poured himself a glass of Firewhiskey. Merlin knew when he'd see the Potters again. But he knew he had to keep them safe. He had to have hope for the future, because if he didn't, he had nothing to cling to.
"The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter," Sirius said, flashing back to the moment when he'd told the entire truth to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "When I arrived at his flat, no one was there. He'd left the door unlocked, and when I went inside, there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't take long to figure out what must have happened. With no hesitation, I flew to Godric's Hollow. But by the time I got there ..." He choked, a huge wave of grief hitting him afresh. "It was too late. The house was ... destroyed. I found James in the hallway, and he ..." He had to stop for a moment to pull himself together. "He was gone," he whispered. "And so was Lily. She was ... she was lying in Harry's nursery. Once I had said goodbye to her, I picked up Harry. I wanted to embrace my little godson, one last time."
He looked at Harry again, and he wanted to go to him so badly. Tears were silently streaming down the boy's face as he heard the man's heartbreaking testimony.
"I expected to find Harry just like his parents. He was silent, and I thought that meant only one thing," Sirius said, struggling to continue the story. "But it turned out that he was just asleep - I think he must have cried himself out. When I picked him up to embrace him, he opened his eyes and looked at me. He gave me this look of ... complete trust. And I ... and I betrayed him."
After taking several deep breaths, he went on to explain how Hagrid had told him that Sirius couldn't have Harry - that Dumbledore wanted him to go to his aunt and uncle's. He noticed that the courtroom perked up at this, interested to know that it had indeed been Dumbledore that had put Harry with his Muggle family.
And then came the hardest explanation of all. He spoke of being on the hunt for Peter, of how he had cornered the man in a Muggle street the next morning. He told of how Peter had outsmarted him - how he had screamed for the entire street to hear, "Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?"
"I admit, I wasn't in my right mind," Sirius said quietly. "I pointed my wand at Peter, but he was faster. He blew up the entire street, killing a dozen Muggles. He cut off his own finger, transformed into a rat, and ran into the sewers. I lost all sense then. I won't lie - I laughed then, but not for the reasons everyone thought. I laughed because I'd been a complete and utter fool. I laughed because I totally underestimated Peter. I laughed because in the span of less than twenty-four hours, I'd lost everything. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a Ministry holding cell. Twelve hours later, I was on my way to Azkaban."
He couldn't help but make eye contact with Sturgis then. He'd seen the man looking guilt-stricken in the last six days, but that was nothing compared to how he looked now. His eyes were closed, but the expression on his face couldn't have been more apparent.
"Twelve years passed," Sirius said. "It was ... well ... I won't go into the lurid details. All I'll say is that there isn't a more horrible place on Earth than Azkaban. I spent twelve years reliving what had happened, and everything I had done wrong. I spent twelve years wishing for nothing more than to have made different decisions. My life might as well have been over ... until something gave me the motivation to escape."
Sirius had been debating whether or not to actually admit this in his testimony, and after speaking with Sturgis about it, he realized what he needed to do - he needed to come clean. After being reassured that he would receive no prison time for this, he thought it was more prudent to tell the truth. It would probably have been revealed anyway - he knew he would be questioned after his testimony, like everyone else had been. And it was better to get it out now.
He also realized that it needed to be out in the open for the good of the wizarding world as well. After all, if Peter were ever to be caught and sent to Azkaban himself, this would need to be known. Otherwise, he could escape the same way Sirius had. The more information the Aurors and those in magical law enforcement had, the better.
He explained how Cornelius Fudge had come to inspect the prison in the summer of 1993. He couldn't help the disgusted tone of his voice as he spat the former Minister's name. He explained how he had asked Fudge whether he was done with the paper, and that he missed doing the crossword. Several gasps emitted from the room at this - it was astounding that an Azkaban prisoner could talk so calmly to anyone while entombed within its walls. Scream, sob, beg, shout - that was common. But talking normally was not.
"I don't think Fudge knew what to do," Sirius said, feeling a laugh bubbling up within him, but he tamped it down. "He handed me the paper, and left me alone as quickly as he could. I reckon he found my company ... disconcerting, to say the least.
"And there he was. Right on the front page. Peter," Sirius spat, unable to help the renewed anger that struck him at the memory. "In rat form. That article about the Weasleys winning that competition. They were in Egypt on holiday, and Peter was right there, on Ron's shoulder. I'd seen him transform a million times, but I knew it for sure because of his missing toe. That gave me the drive to escape - I knew Harry's life was at risk. And that was not a happy thought, so the Dementors couldn't take it from me.
"How did I escape? It's said that no one can escape Azkaban. It's said that the fortress is impenetrable. It's said that many people have tried, and failed. But I succeeded, and for one reason alone."
Here goes nothing, Sirius thought as he took a deep breath, locking eyes with Harry. "I, like Peter and my late best friend James, am an unregistered Animagus," he said quietly. "I turn into a big black dog."
He expected shouting to follow this groundbreaking revelation, but surprisingly, none came. There were looks of deep shock on many faces, but there was only silence. One of the questions that the wizarding world had sought an answer to ever since the news of Sirius's escape first blared out from the Daily Prophet had finally been answered.
Sirius felt like all the energy had been sucked out of him. Exhaustion filled every part of his body as he realized that he had told his story, that he had laid his soul bare for everyone to hear. There was only one more thing left to say, and he wasted no time in saying it.
"I love Harry," Sirius whispered, knowing his facial expression revealed how intense that love was. "I've made so many mistakes. I've done things I know I don't deserve to be forgiven for. But Harry ... he's forgiven me. He's helped to heal me. Being with him has helped me find myself again. When he was facing the same accusations I was, I knew I had to save him." He looked out at the courtroom then, anger leaping to life within him at everyone who had doubted Harry. "Harry didn't get a trial either," he said fiercely. "He was accused of murder when he wanted nothing more than for Cedric Diggory to be safe. I shudder to think what would have happened to him if I hadn't taken him from Hogwarts when I did. You can say anything you want to me - I don't care. But how dare you accuse Harry! How dare you think him capable of murder just because he didn't meet your every expectation! Harry is not your knight in shining armor. He's a human being who came back from a terrible ordeal, scared and lonely and hurting. And I took him away from the pain and let him be a child, something you lot have never done. I can only hope that in the future, you think about the damage you are doing before judging someone without knowing the facts. I hope to Merlin that you will NEVER hurt my godson again."
Sirius took deep breaths to calm himself, observing the silence of the courtroom before continuing with his story. "Now, I know you want to know how I was able to withstand being with the Dementors for twelve years without becoming a gibbering wreck like many of the other prisoners. It was the fact that I could become an Animagus - when I was a dog, my animal emotions were much less complex, and so the foul creatures couldn't affect me as badly.
"But there was something else, too - it was the knowledge that I was innocent. That simple fact played like a drum in my head for twelve years. It ... kept me anchored to reality somehow. It gave me the strength to bear another day in Azkaban. It also helped once I escaped. I knew I had to find Harry.
"My Animagus abilities allowed me to get away from the Dementors. When they came to my cell to deliver my food, I snuck out of there as a dog. They didn't understand what was going on, and weren't fast enough to catch me. I was able to find my way out of the prison, because I'd relived my arrival there over and over again. I knew I had to find Harry - I had to tell him the truth.
"And now, all of you know the truth as well. You know the mistakes I've made, and I want to rectify them. Spending time with Harry has brought me so much joy, despite the turmoil we have both been through, and what we as a society are about to face. I need him," he said softly, echoing Harry's words from his own testimony. "He is everything to me. He is my reason for living. He is why I can still exist in a world without Lily and James, something I thought to be impossible. He is ..." He couldn't stop the tears that fell from his eyes as he concluded his testimony. "He is my redemption."
His eyesight was so blurry now, as all the tears he was shedding blocked his view of everyone. He was shaking, and he felt like he wouldn't be able to stand much longer. All his energy was leaving him, and his head was spinning. He'd done it. After almost fourteen years, he'd done it. He'd told the entire wizarding world the truth. Sirius had no doubt that those who had been unable to attend the trial would learn it all in tomorrow's Daily Prophet. What they made of it remained to be seen.
"Thank you for your testimony, Mr. Black." Madam Bones's voice was quiet. "Please return to your seat, and I will ask you some questions."
Sirius wobbled on his feet, unsure if he had the strength to get back to his seat. Someone noticed, and stood up to guide him. It was Sturgis. There were tears in the man's eyes, and his face was open, displaying everything he felt. One thing Sirius had always appreciated about Sturgis was the fact that he was never afraid or ashamed to show his emotions - he'd had very frank discussions about it with him during their training. He had always astounded Sirius with how calm and controlled he was, but instances like this only made Sirius admire him more. As he helped him back to the chained chair, he whispered to him, "HANG in there, Sirius. This will all be over soon."
Sirius could only nod as the chains bound him again. His vision had cleared up enough now that he could see Harry, and the sight made him tear up all over again. Harry had his face buried in Hermione's shoulder, his own shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Please let this end soon, Sirius thought desperately. I need to go to him. I need to hold him again.
"Mr. Black," Amelia started, still in that quiet voice. "Why did you become an Animagus? And why did you not register with the Ministry?"
This was another thing that Sirius had thought a lot about. If he told the courtroom that he, James, and Peter had done it for Remus, the outcome would not be at all good for his remaining best friend. He despised it, but with the way the majority of the wizarding world regarded werewolves, even people who were open-minded about most other things would think that Remus somehow coerced his friends to do that for him. Even if Sirius told everyone exactly what the facts were, they would think his mind had been addled by an evil, bloodthirsty werewolf. It made Sirius livid. He wanted to explain to this courtroom how he had wanted to do nothing more than help his friend through the worst time of every month.
But he couldn't. He did not want Remus locked up in Azkaban - that would be an unimaginable fate for him. So instead, he said something that was true, but only a tiny part of the whole truth. "For adventure," he said quietly. "James, Peter, and I thought we were invincible. Stupid, I know. Incredibly foolish. We thought we had it all. We ruled the school back in our day, and we thought it would be fun to break rules. I'm not saying we were right to do it. I'm not saying we weren't stupid, and that we didn't break the law. But we thought we were the height of cool, and our success at the Animagus transformation only made us think it more."
Yes, it was true that the Marauders' sense of adventure had only added to the thrill of it. But their initial reason for doing it was to keep Remus company on full moon nights. Only one thing Sirius had said was a lie - that he thought they had been stupid to do such a thing. The truth was, he had absolutely no regrets about what he had done for Remus.
"Thank you," Amelia said. "I only have one more question." She was now speaking more gently than she ever had before. "Why did you not come to us, on Halloween 1981?" she asked. "Why did you think you had to bear such a thing alone?"
Sirius felt the tears coming on again, but managed to blink them back. "Because I was a fool," he said bluntly. "Because I was heartbroken and desperate and betrayed and grief-stricken. Because I was angry. And that's the honest to God truth."
Amelia nodded. "I have no further questions," she said quietly.
Sirius took several deep breaths as Dawlish stood. Don't let him rile you up, he told himself, even as exhaustion dug its unrelenting claws into him. It's almost over. Don't ruin this now. You have to get through this ... for Harry.
"Mr. Black, are you aware that there are severe consequences for breaking the law?" Dawlish demanded harshly, staring at Sirius unforgivingly.
"Yes, I am," Sirius replied without hesitation. "Completely."
"I see," Dawlish said in almost a snarl, not expecting Sirius to agree so readily. "And I do hope that you are not encouraging Mr. Potter to follow in your footsteps?"
"I am not a schoolboy anymore, Dawlish," Sirius said, struggling to remain calm. "And my responsibility now is to keep Harry safe. I would NEVER encourage him to do something that is unlawful."
Dawlish glowered at him, and proceeded to take a different route. "You said in your testimony that when you confronted Peter in the street, you pointed your wand at him. What, pray tell, were you planning to do to him?"
"You know perfectly well what I was planning to do, Dawlish. To say anything else would be a lie," Sirius admitted quietly, his mind flashing back to the pure anger and hate that always accompanied memories of that day. "I can't live in denial about it. And that decision ... it cost me everything."
"So you're saying," Dawlish sneered, "that you wouldn't try anything if you ever came in contact with Pettigrew again?"
Sirius looked Dawlish directly in the eye, and spoke from his very soul. "If you'd like me to say that it wouldn't be a struggle not to, then I can't," he admitted, his honest sincerity catching Dawlish off-guard. "But as I sat in the holding cell for the past six days and contemplated my life, I came to one conclusion."
He looked at Harry, who was staring at him with love radiating from his eyes. Sirius felt infinitely stronger even as the tears came again, and he allowed them to fall as he continued. He had stopped caring about who saw him displaying such emotion - not even Auror John Dawlish mattered to him anymore. No, it didn't matter - nothing mattered, except telling the courtroom a truth that he had realized fourteen years late. A truth that would have spared him so much pain and anguish, a truth that would have granted him so many more years with Harry if he'd only realized it sooner. I've wasted so much time, he thought as his heart was inundated with feeling. All I want is to show the world that I can be a better man. For James. For Lily. For Remus. But especially ... especially for Harry.
"I realized that no matter what I do to Peter, it won't bring James and Lily back," he choked, struggling to get the words out. "But perhaps the most important thing I realized is that my hatred for Peter Pettigrew does not compare to the love I feel for Harry. Harry Potter is worth more to me than any revenge on Peter Pettigrew will ever be."
Harry was crying freely, using every bit of restraint not to leap from his bench and go to Sirius. It was a moment that everyone at this trial would remember for years to come. It would be written about in wizarding history books, but only those who had been there would truly be able to understand what this had been like.
Dawlish's face went blank, obviously taken aback by the pure, raw honesty in Sirius's voice. He said nothing for several seconds, simply looking at him. Finally, he said in almost a monotone, "I have no further questions."
Sirius could feel his walls crumbling down, the exhaustion almost excruciating now. His desperation to hold Harry again was getting the better of him. Please, let this end, he thought silently. Please let this end now.
Amelia seemed to have read his thoughts, and Merlin, he couldn't be more grateful. "You have heard all the testimony. I now ask the Wizengamot," she said quietly, "whether Sirius Black should be freed of all charges, and whether he should be allowed to return to wizarding society."
Time seemed to freeze as Sirius looked up, attempting to see the Wizengamot through the tears that still fell. His heart somersaulted in his chest as he managed to make out the sight before him.
Every single member of the Wizengamot had their hands raised. Many of them were using a handkerchief to dab at their own eyes, knowing that they had to keep their decorum in the courtroom.
An elderly lady with gray hair stood and faced Amelia. "Madam Bones, I think that Mr. Black deserves a second chance," she said in a strong voice. "After all the wrongs that were done to him, he should be allowed to get his life back. However, it is obvious that he has suffered much trauma from his experiences. Therefore, I think it would help him if he were to seek assistance from a Mind Healer."
"I agree with Miss Celkins," a balding man said as he stood as well. "And I know that lately, we have been hearing more than we would like to about certain Mind Healers. But to judge all of them by the same so-called standards of Healers Pollander and Shaddock would not be right." All the other Wizengamot members nodded in agreement.
Sirius thought of Sturgis, and what he had said about Healer Dixon. How was it that the man had predicted the trial exactly as it was happening? Sirius remembered that his old mentor had always seemed to possess that ability. He looked for him in the courtroom, and saw him looking back. He didn't know exactly how, but in that moment, Sirius realized that though it would take time, he could learn to trust Sturgis again.
"I'll do whatever it takes," Sirius croaked as his gaze returned to the Wizengamot. "If I need to see a Mind Healer, then I'll do it."
"Very well," Amelia said, nodding in ascent. "Does anyone in the Wizengamot believe that Sirius should not be cleared?"
Not a single hand went up, and Sirius felt himself shaking. Was this real? Was this really happening, after fourteen years?
"Sirius Black, you are freed of all charges," Amelia announced. "Sirius, there is no apology that we in magical law enforcement can give you that will truly be enough. There is no possible way to wholly repay you for all the wrongs that were done, and for all the horror and pain that you went through. I know it isn't much, but you will be receiving one hundred thousand Galleons restitution from the Ministry. However, you will need to pay a ten thousand Galleon fine for becoming an illegal Animagus. You will need to register as soon as possible."
Sirius laughed, still unable to believe this was real. "That's ... that's fine," he choked. "It doesn't matter. I'll register. I'll pay the fine. It's not an issue." He was hardly hurting for money, after all.
"Then you are free to go," Amelia said. "I wish you all the best." She turned to the courtroom. "This trial stands adjourned," she said, banging her gavel.
And then, Sirius felt the chains disappear as he was unbound. He looked up through bloodshot, teary eyes to see that it had been Sturgis who had pointed his wand at the chair. He stared at Sirius, and the look told him everything - he had been the one to start Sirius's terrible ordeal. It was only right that he be the one to end it.
And then, Sirius was running. He didn't know how he managed, since he had been so shaky a moment ago. But only one thing mattered now, and no amount of weariness was going to keep him from his godson any longer. And Harry had had the same idea, because it took only a few seconds for them to reach each other.
In the next moment, Sirius was embracing Harry fiercely, and it was then that he lost all control. He held onto his godson, the most precious gift he had been given, and sobbed unrestrainedly. Harry didn't care - he was crying just as hard as Sirius was as several Aurors herded everyone else out of the courtroom.
But neither Sirius nor Harry cared about any scene they might be making - it may as well have just been the two of them left in the courtroom. Newspaper reporters were flashing their cameras, but it didn't matter. People were trying to edge closer to the reunited pair, but neither of them paid attention. Sirius was free. Harry was free. And they had each other.
"EVERYBODY OUT!" Sturgis's voice seemed very distant to Sirius as he and Harry stumbled towards one of the benches, still holding tightly to one another. "EVERYBODY TO THE LIFTS! NOW!"
"You're ... you're free," Harry gasped, his smile so bright even though tears were still streaming down his face. "It's over."
"It's over," Sirius agreed as he felt some of the weight of the last fourteen years lift off of him. It was a truly liberating feeling. "Harry, how can I ever thank ..." he started, unable to put into words how grateful he was for everything Harry had done for him.
Harry smiled, and Sirius felt love wash through him, clearing away the pain, the heartbreak, the agony of the last fourteen years. "Don't," the boy said quietly. "You don't have to thank me. I was only telling the truth."
"Oh, Harry," Sirius whispered. "So was I."
"You really mean that?" Harry asked, looking deep into Sirius's warm gray eyes, eyes that looked so much less haunted now. "That you'll never try to hurt Peter again?"
"Harry." By now, everyone had cleared out of the courtroom; it truly was just the two of them now. "I promise that I will do nothing, nothing, that will ever take me away from you again. You are more important to me than a grudge against Peter. You were right ... your parents wouldn't have wanted me to become a killer."
"And I don't want you to, either," Harry said softly. "He's not worth losing you."
Sirius held on tightly, finally feeling complete again. "You're not going to lose me ever again, if I can help it." He lifted Harry's chin so he could look into those beautiful emerald eyes. "I missed you so much," he whispered. "Thank you for all the messages."
Harry looked at him reassuringly. "I missed you, too," he whispered back. "And ... no problem. I just wanted you to know that I'll always remember my birthday."
"So will I." Sirius gently kissed Harry's forehead. "So will I."
They sat there in silence in the empty courtroom, both feeling the raw intensity of the moment. Finally, Harry broke the stillness. "Can we go home now?" he asked.
Sirius smiled, realizing that for the first time in his entire life, he wanted to return to Grimmauld Place. He knew that soon, he would want to look for a place that would be all their own, somewhere he and Harry would grow to love. But right now, they had a place to return to that had been their sanctuary, a place that Sirius never thought he'd learn to adapt to. But somehow, it had happened, and for some inexplicable reason, it felt right to go back there.
"Yeah," Sirius croaked as he and Harry got off the bench. "Yeah, kiddo. Let's go home."