Chapter 5 - Sirius Developments

Well, they really were up the creek without a paddle now.

Thicknesse had been killed and the idiot that was Dolores Umbridge had been put in charge.

Despite being minister for magic now and presumably expected to wear the robes to indicate the position, she still insisted on wearing that ridiculous pink cardigan.

There was a photograph of her on the front of the Daily Prophet one day in mid October.

'New minister, Dolores Umbridge, vows that she "will have order."'

Harry was, understandably, furious by the appointment.

"We've got to remember, it's not actually anyone competent who's elected her in. Clearly it's all been manipulated by the death eaters and Voldemort." Sirius said in a poor attempt to reassure his godson.

"But why her?!"

"I suppose she was already senior enough for it to not look suspicious and she would probably be happy enough with the new laws the death eaters wanted putting in place they wouldn't even need to bother with the imperius curse. She's for all intents and purposes their puppet."

"Ugliest puppet I ever saw." Ron muttered darkly.

She was passing some very ugly laws too. More and more muggleborns were being called in for questioning about their magic and Azkaban was now so overcrowded prisoners were sharing cells.

This concerned Albus greatly. "What are they going to do to them next…" he muttered to himself time and time again.

No one wanted to answer that question.

Of course Sirius and the others knew the only way to stop this was to stop Voldemort.

People were like sheep, he realised. They all just wanted to follow a leader as it was too inconvenient to have to think for themselves.

"That's not true." Albus told him as he voiced this frustration to the older man. "In many ways Voldemort being in power has forced people to think for themselves. They've realised they cannot rely on those in charge. Have you not heard? Potterwatch has over a hundred regular listeners now!"

Potterwatch was the radio show Fred and George had set up with their friend, Lee Jordan. It was a good name, as to many in the wizarding world Harry was their only hope of ending this.

Of course the Daily Prophet was not calling him 'the chosen one' anymore, but as so many people up and down the country (usually in secret) disagreed with the dramatic change in government policy, they were seeking alternative answers.

"Nothing like being in a world of shit to drive someone to find a way out." Sirius muttered darkly.

Albus gave him one of those looks he knew only too well.

"Aha, don't even try it…" he said, quite sure he knew where the man was going with this.

Dumbledore had tried to discuss his disastrous attempt to destroy the horcrux a few weeks ago about once a day with him since.

By disastrous of course he hadn't failed to succeed in destroying the bloody thing, but he'd have preferred to have got the job done without having had to relive his sordid past first.

It was certainly rather embarrassing to realise (and have everyone else see too) he still had hang ups from his teenage years.

"It's perfectly understandable." Albus had told him on countless occasions. "When we come under extreme duress or pressure we always seek an escape. It's human nature."

"It's cowardly." He muttered.

He's never thought of himself as a coward before. Since he was very small he'd not had the same fears the other kids he knew did. He supposed he'd never needed to fear monsters under the bed… his monsters were quite clearly in plain sight.

'Hatred often masks fear' was another thing the headmaster (the real one, not Snape) had once told him and he wondered now if that was true. He hadn't run away because he'd hated his family, he'd run away because he was afraid of what they'd do to him next. And because of his cowardice Regulus had suffered. He'd not been able to come to Sirius to tell him he'd changed his mind. The guilt had been eating up at him for weeks.

"You needed a way out." Albus said quietly. "And you found one. Don't forget that."

But whatever Dumbledore may say, he couldn't get the scenarios to fit. People wanted a way out of Voldemort's reign of terror because the man was a flaming psychopath. He certainly didn't blame them for looking for an escape from that. His case was entirely different. The people he ran away from were his family.

Although he did have to question the sanity of his mother at times…

"Albus, with all your magical power, there must be some way for you to get rid of this… witch." He said, shaking his head in disbelief as he passed the old man having a 'chat' with his mother's portrait in the hall.

Dumbledore seemed to be the only person who didn't instantly try and close the curtains over the woman's frame when she woke up.

Clearly able to see the good in absolutely anyone, he would attempt to engage her in polite conversation instead.

"FILTH! SCUM! STAINS OF DISHONOUR!"

"I'm ever so sorry you think so." Albus said pleasantly. "Tell me more?"

"GOOD-FOR-NOTHING, WORTHLESS FREAKS!"

"You sound awfully put out by something. Is there someone in particular you're displeased with?"

"No prizes for guessing who…" Sirius muttered darkly from beside him.

"Ah, hello Sirius." Albus turned to smile at him. "Has she always been this upset?"

"My mum?" Sirius looked dispassionately at the woman's portrait with her bulging eyes and trail of spittle. "Probably a lot more so now she looks like the backside of a troll."

Of course this comment did little to improve her mood and she continued to rage and shriek until Dumbledore conceded that, as everyone else realised long ago, the best thing to do was just to tug the curtains over her.

"I don't blame you for wanting to get away from that." Albus said, which made Sirius simply stare at him.

Dumbledore knew what the woman had been like. He'd heard her screaming howlers at breakfast as much as anyone else during his Hogwarts days and he had a portrait of Sirius' great grandfather, Phineas Nigellus, on his office wall. Surely he knew exactly what was going on at home for Sirius.

"If you thought I was better off out of it, why didn't you do something?" He asked, the childish question tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

Now he'd said it though he felt the anger and sense of injustice he'd felt all those years ago rise up again. Sure Dumbledore wasn't responsible for all the wizarding children in the United Kingdom, but wasn't it bleeding obvious he needed help?

"What would you have wanted me to have done?" Albus asked.

"Let me stay at Hogwarts in the holidays!" How many times had he asked to be given permission? It hadn't been granted once. He'd even got the bloody trolley witch to keep an eye on him on the train home so he didn't try and run away. "I had to go back there twice a year after I'd been sorted into Gryffindor. How do you think my parents took that news?!"

"About as well as a kneazle takes to water, I should imagine."

Sirius scowled. This wasn't funny. "I reckon I've still got the marks if you really want to know."

Dumbledore sighed. "I am well aware things were unpleasant for you here." He said, not altogether unkindly. "But I could not make an exception for you. You're not the only student I've ever had who did not get on with his parents. What ought I to have done? Run a holiday camp? I'd have needed your parents' permission first…"

Sirius felt some of the fight drain out of him. He supposed it was easy to blame Dumbledore for every little issue he faced in his life as the man took so much responsibility for everything else. He still thought more could have been done to save him the years of hell he endured at the hands of his parents, but he knew it wasn't the headmaster's fault entirely.

"It just makes me angry." He said at last. "It's not fair." Again, he hated how childish the words sounded. He was thirty-bloody-seven. He ought to know by now that life wasn't fair.

"I know." Albus said, giving him his familiar knowing look. "I can see that."

"And it wasn't fair that Harry lost his parents." He went on, emotion choking him slightly at this reminder of his best friend. "He shouldn't have had to live with the Dursleys…" he glared at Dumbledore. "You could surely have done something about that. It was on your orders that he went there."

He remembered it vividly. He'd taken his motorbike to the Potters' cottage the moment he'd found Wormtail's hiding place deserted. His heart had been racing in his chest the whole way there. He dreaded seeing what he might see when he arrived. And when he got there it was worse than anything he could have possibly imagined.

He'd never forget the looks on his friends' faces as he found them lying there, dead. It wasn't how he wanted to remember them. They shouldn't have been killed like that. They were so young. They had so much still to live for.

But he couldn't think about it. He had to think about Harry. His mind hadn't been working very well at the time, but he knew he had to run for it, and he wanted to take Harry with him.

He knew it was selfish. What kind of life could he give to Harry while on the run from the law? They'd all assume it was him who'd betrayed the Potters. He was their secret keeper after all. No one would ever believe him when he told them the truth. But perhaps they would if only he could catch Wormtail first…

And so when Hagrid arrived he did hand Harry over. "Take the bike, I won't need it."

Wormtail would certainly see him coming on that. No, he was going to catch the rat the old fashioned way and then skin him alive.

And then he remembered. He could have saved Harry. What if he hadn't been intent on nothing but revenge? Could he have found a way to prove his innocence and care for Harry after all?

He looked back at Albus. No, he wasn't perfect, but was anyone really?

"I made a mistake." The man said, and there was deep regret in his blue eyes now. "I thought family was the best place for him to be. I thought he would be best protected there."

Sirius sighed. Clearly Albus came from the sort of family that would protect him if he lived with them. How could he have possibly understood?

"I'm sure it would mean a lot to Harry to hear you say that." He said quietly.

Albus nodded. "I will. In good time. But Harry is the way he is partly due to all he has suffered. That is something I did not want for him, but I believed it has served him well nevertheless."

Sirius didn't know what to say to this. Of course agreeing with Dumbledore would mean he would need to agree that he had somehow gained something from his time in Grimmauld Place. He certainly wasn't going to do that (at least not yet…).

It was impossible to argue with the old man. The most he could do was sigh. "Alright. You win."

"It's not about winning or losing. Your viewpoints are equally as valid as mine." He did smile then. "They're just wrong."

Sirius laughed. "Well, you are the only one Voldemort ever feared so we have to assume you know some of what you're talking about."

"Thank you for your generosity."

They smiled at one another. "I'm glad I didn't let Snape kill you."

"All these compliments, Sirius, you're making me blush!"

He laughed again. "Are you comfortable here?" He asked seriously. He hadn't really bothered to check how the older man was doing. Albus was so self-sufficient and seemed satisfied with most things he'd just sort of let him get on with it.

"Quite so." Albus smiled. "I've got the charming Araminta Meliflua's portrait in my bedroom. We have some excellent debates."

Sirius frowned. Araminta was the cousin of his mother who had tried to force through a bill to make muggle hunting legal. How did Dumbledore manage to find something polite to say about anyone?

Well, not quite anyone…

"Now folks, what are our plans for taking down that silly old toad in the pink cardigan?" He smiled at the gathered Order members one meeting.

Of course there were no prizes for guessing who he was referring to.

Though Dolores Umbridge wasn't exactly a death eater, she certainly didn't seem to mind going along with the laws they pressured her to pass, which, to all their minds, made her just as bad.

"Can we find a way to put her under the imperius curse?" Podmore asked.

"Possibly…" Dumbledore mused.

"Take her out by slow and painful assassination?" Ron suggested.

"Tempting…" Dumbledore conceded. "Severus?" He said, turning to the greasy pillock. "Any thoughts from yourself?"

"You know my views on the matter, Albus." He said in his laboured monotone.

This was yet another reason why Sirius couldn't stick the oily prat. Snape accused him of being arrogant, but at least he didn't think of himself as so lofty and superior that he wouldn't deign to share his ideas with the rest of the group. Why did the stupid git even turn up to the meetings if he wasn't prepared to share his thoughts?

"We're all desperate to hear them for ourselves, Sniv-Snape." He said, doing his best to keep his voice free of sarcasm (but not really).

"Severus wants a revolution." Albus explained. "He thinks we should storm the ministry and take power ourselves."

Sirius stared. He what?! That was exactly what he thought they should do! No, this couldn't be happening. He couldn't agree with the man, could he?

"What do you think, Sirius?" Albus asked and Sirius had the distinct impression the man knew exactly what dilemma he was in right now and was rather enjoying it.

Sirius looked back at Snape.

"Well, you can still sweep the floor with a broken broomstick.."

"So you agree?"

He turned to look at Albus. The man was definitely smiling now.

He sighed. "Yes. I agree."

"Excellent." The man said. "So I will assign you both to the task of organising it. May I suggest Kingsley as minister if the opportunity arises?"

"Wait -" both Sirius and Snape said together.

"Yes?"

Both men turned to look at one another. "I'm not working with him." They said simultaneously.

"Let's take a vote on it. All in favour of a coup on the ministry?"

Everyone raised their hands, apart from Mundungus who was asleep and Mrs Figg who had her cat album out again and didn't appear to be listening.

"And all in favour of Sirius and Severus to lead it?"

Everyone except Harry and Ron raised their hands.

"Moony!" He said indignantly to Remus, who was grinning ear to ear and had his hand high in the air.

Remus shrugged. "Diversity is the cornerstone of success?" He suggested.

"Great." Sirius muttered. "That's just great…"

/

As he and Snape worked (reluctantly) together on a plan for a ministry takeover, he noticed that Harry and the others appeared rather distracted from their task of hunting horcruxes.

The last he'd heard they were looking for Hufflepuff's cup, but they were talking about some kind of 'stone' now.

"The resurrection stone." Harry explained as Sirius questioned him on it. "It's one of the three deathly hallows."

"The what?!"

"It's from The Tale of the Three Brothers." Ron said. "Beedle the Bard, y'know?"

Sirius frowned. He thought he remembered the story. "They were trying to avoid death, weren't they?"

"Yes, and they succeeded!"

"No they didn't." Hermione said impatiently.

"Well the uniter of the hallows will!"

Sirius frowned again. "Are we seeking horcruxes or immortality then?"

"Thank you, Sirius." Hermione said at the same time as Harry cried "why not both?!"

"What does Dumbledore think?" He asked.

Harry looked rather uncomfortable. "He, er, thinks we should make the horcruxes our priority. He didn't put me off though!" He added quickly.

"Sorry Harry, but I think this hallows nonsense is a load of bollocks, if you'll pardon my French."

Hermione was looking very pleased, Harry crestfallen.

"You must want the resurrection stone too though." He said, very quietly.

Sirius considered him. He could quite understand why the idea of this would be so appealing to his godson, but…

"There's no bringing your parents back."

He hadn't meant the words to come out quite so harshly. He knew some people liked to believe in an afterlife, or that they were being spoken to by spirits, but he preferred to live in the 'real world'.

"Thanks, Sirius, I did know that."

"And I think you should probably do what Dumbledore says."

"You're a great role model for that."

Sirius sighed. Weren't they past the teenage rebellion phase by now?

"I'm not going to argue with you. I'm just giving you my opinion."

"Well thanks, but I don't want it. Now if you're not going to help, please leave us. We've got a lot to organise."

Sirius looked at his godson. He really was such a perfect mix of James and Lily. "Sure." He smiled, moving for the door. "Well good luck."

He supposed he really ought to be working on his own plans with Snivellus.

So far the pair of them had come up with ideas for an invasion of the ministry totally independently.

"That won't work." Snape said crossly as Sirius grudgingly shared his plans with the other man after an Order meeting one night. "In my plans I've got us starting with the auror department."

This whole affair really was testing Sirius' patience. Of all the people he could have picked to work on this project with Snape was surely bottom of the list.

He had to admit the other man wasn't stupid. His plans weren't objectively bad, they just didn't fit in with his own.

"Excellent." Dumbledore said as Sirius went to him (yet again) to complain about the set up. "You're learning."

'Learning how to work with idiots' was what he wanted to reply, but he said nothing.

Eventually, he and Snape did vaguely agree on a set-up.

They had discovered from their observations of the building that security was significantly tighter since the last infiltration by the Order members.

There was no way Sirius would be allowed entry as himself, but Snape, he had to grudgingly admit, could walk straight in.

"Which is what I shall do." The other man drawled. "And I will ensure enough of a distraction to bring you and… the others inside too."

Sirius knew Snape didn't like working with 'others'. Why did this man have to hate the world so much?

"Sounds good." He said, which was probably the most friendly thing he'd ever said to Snape in his life. "When shall we do it?"

"November 3rd."

"That's my birthday!"

Snape fixed him with a cool look. "I know. Don't you remember? All throughout Hogwarts Potter decided the best present to give you would be the opportunity to hex me without my being able to defend myself. A very happy birthday for you I'm sure…"

Sirius stared at him. Now he mentioned it he did have vague memories of casting tarantallegra on an immobilised Snape James had transfigured into wearing a tutu, to an enormous crowd of cheering onlookers.

"Er…" well what was he supposed to say to that?! "Sorry I guess."

Snape blinked at him. That clearly wasn't what he'd been expecting to hear at all.

And then Sirius did something he never thought he'd do in his whole life. He held out his hand to the man.

As Snape reached his own forwards to take it he had to resist a strong urge to pull it back. But he didn't. And they shook hands. And there wasn't even any Dumbledore around to facilitate it this time.

What was that called, he wondered. Progress?

...

A/N: I have to admit, while Snape isn't exactly my cup of tea, I've been wanting this scene to happen for a while now!