The cold air that had been freezing my face and kissing the icy lips of the few passers-by who were still hurrying about their business was finally becoming softer and warmer. The sun began to peek through the clouds more often, and the trees were happy to shed their snowy coats to reveal bright and rich colours: pink, yellow, red, white and all shades of green. Spring was in the air. Even the half-decayed pear tree in the courtyard of the Black House had managed to sprout leaves and now proudly wore a sparse crown.
All the while, there was a surprising amount of peace and harmony in the house. Harry was resting and learning to live without looking back at his past, and Sirius was spoiling the boy by buying him everything he could ask for. New clothes, a super speed broom, ice cream from Florian Fortescue's café - it was all unconventional, but nice.
Sirius didn't restrict the boy in any way, and he wasn't anxious to leave the confines of the house either, knowing that no one would ever get to him here. So Black apparated around the shops, ordering catalogues and buying everything he could get his hands on.
About a month after Harry arrived at Grimmauld, the godfather began to think about the boy's education. The first thing Sirius did was to draw up a schedule of lessons for him. Fencing in the morning, exercises and a run through the Black Ritual Hall, then breakfast, artifacting, runes, transfiguration, lunch, spells, animagy, and after dinner, occluding. This went on for several weeks. As it turned out, spells were the easiest for Harry to work on, so they were soon replaced by devices. The boy didn't mind. The effort helped his thoughts and concentration. The high-calorie food and regular exercise did the trick - Potter grew a little taller, fatter and stronger.
Harry was quickly catching up on his school course in charms and spells, learning the basics of the ancient runes: now he could tell which rune was which. Potions were no worse, but not "excellent" either. Since Sirius had not shown much interest in potions at Hogwarts, they had to work together from the beginning. After making a rough table of the interactions between the main ingredients of potions and learning the names and uses of each ingredient, Black and Potter spent hours in the laboratory trying to brew the simplest of healing potions, just in case.
Artefacting took up most of the day. Once he understood the essence of the subject, Harry learned how to place certain spells into the object so that they would work for as long as possible. The very first artefact was a bracelet that could detect additives in food.
"Harry sat over a piece of gold, waving his wand over and over, while Sirius stood over the soul with a book, pointing out mistakes. The gold became soft and took on a bizarre shape: two snakes intertwined, wrapping around a twig of small berries that had previously been made of silver. The spell was quite complicated and required a lot of concentration. Occlusion came in handy; by removing himself from his thoughts, Harry could always do more than he normally did. He sighed tiredly and continued to move his wand. The bracelet became smooth and shiny, the silver berries slightly redder. Done! All that remained was to test it.
Harry had no doubt of success, but when the berries on his bracelet began to heat up at lunch, he gave up the steak and Sirius let out a long, barking laugh. The prank was a success!
From then on, not a day went by that Harry didn't create some sort of trinket. For example, he had become adept at creating translators that focused on a particular language. This was undoubtedly a success, but the boy didn't give up, and he continued to reconfigure the decorations.
A little later, Potter set himself the goal of making the port keys work smoothly. The shifting had to be unnoticeable, or at least more pleasant than usual. But so far, no effort in that direction had yielded the desired result.
Then the boy contracted with goblins to sell the items that worked best. The keepers of the gold found buyers for the artefacts they created. Anonymously, of course. Rings and pendants - poisons, earrings with protective charms against mental influence, cups that strengthened any potion poured into them - the list of artefacts on offer gradually grew. His knowledge of the ancient runes came in handy here as well: by studying the combinations of runes, Potter was able to increase the power and focus of individual artefacts, stabilise the magical background of protective amulets and ensure the strength of his creations...".
To study Animagic, after the boy had read all the books on the subject, Sirius gave Harry the notes he had kept since his studies. He described simple techniques to clear his mind to communicate with his inner Beast, calculations to identify his Beast, and many things that would make the first transformation easier. Harry persevered towards his goal.
"One day he ran into the study where Sirius was reading a book with his feet up on the desk, showed his clawed paw and burst out laughing. The godfather appreciated the transformation and turned into a huge dog, scurrying around the desk and barking at Harry. From then on, Harry walked around all the time, covered in black hair and sometimes with white wings clinging to something. It seemed a great achievement to him. After another two weeks, Potter quietly transformed into a huge black wolf with wings - he became a Simuran...".
The days, weeks and months passed. In some subjects, learning was futile because Harry had exceeded his wildest expectations and now knew far more than any seventh year at Hogwarts. Of course, the boy had to work even harder to master them, but still Potter managed to leave the school curriculum far behind. As a separate point in his godson's education, Black singled out ZoTI, the Dark and Light Arts. Sirius poured all his knowledge into this, teaching his godson even his own ancestral spells.
- "Ignis Flagellum!
A fiery tourniquet bursts from his wand, splitting the dummy in two.
- Aqua Flagellum!
The water whip hits its mark, cutting the pear on the table in half. Two spells that require extreme concentration and against which no shield can help, except a material one..."
Apparatus was next. At Hogwarts, Apparatus is taught in seventh year, under the strict supervision of the professors, to avoid splitting. Here, however, Harry had only Sirius to try and trip him up: the boy was, frankly, no good at it.
"Sirius moved to the far end of the Ritual Room. Drawing a circle with chalk.
- You must concentrate on the circle and imagine yourself standing on it! No extraneous thoughts or I won't pick you up!
Harry closed his eyes and began to visualise himself standing on the circle and seeing his shoes. Suddenly it was as if he had been squeezed through a narrow tube and there Potter was, standing inside the chalk circle. But only half his body. Harry felt sick to his stomach, but Sirius ran after the incense, cursing and swirling his wand as he poured the potion over Harry. After a few moments, it all came together. Potter collapsed to the floor.
- That's it, break!
After a few minutes the drowsiness was gone and Harry wanted to try again. This time the move was more successful. Only his glasses and the tip of his nose remained in place. Sirius 'blinded' Harry again. The attempts continued until the boy appeared in one piece, with no parts of his body missing. The sensations were enough for that evening. The rest was for later.
A few days later, the machine continued. Now it was all over the house. Black chased Harry through the rooms, forcing him to hide behind a closed door. The culmination of the taunting was the day Sirius made Harry apparate to a certain rung of the stairs. First from the eighth step of the ground floor to the first step of the fourth floor. Then from the tenth of the third to the fifth of the first, and so on. Harry mentally whimpered, but he persevered and did it all with amazing accuracy..."
Christmas was approaching. Harry was decorating the large tree in the living room in Muggle fashion, while Sirius watched lazily, occasionally shooting gingerbread at the empty spots with his wand.
There wasn't much entertainment. Black and Potter had a modest celebration of Christmas itself, ordering the housekeepers a festive dinner of their favourite dishes and giving each other piles of presents. Harry, secretly from Sirius, had ordered through Dobby, and now rejoiced as he watched the man tear open the wrapping paper. Inside was an engraved magical wristwatch. He was terribly proud of the inscription, for he had managed to write the words in calligraphy: "To my dear godfather, for a long time to come.
Then the two men spent the rest of the evening playing the magical chess Black had given his godson, drinking creamy ale and scurrying around the house shooting at goblins that had taken up residence on the upper, sparsely populated floors.
****
After Christmas, when Sirius noticed that the boy was finally coming round, he decided to give the letter to the Potters, choosing to do so one evening when they were not studying, but just talking, cosying up in his godfather's room.
- Harry, I have something to tell you," Black began. - Recently, last summer, I was going through some old letters. Well, among them I found a fresh envelope signed by Lily.
- What?" Potter stared at his godfather. - No, it couldn't be. You know she's...
- I know!" Sirius interrupted. - 'And yet,' he said, 'your mother wrote it. I remember her handwriting well. And I remember James' handwriting. I'm not a public speaker, Harry. Anyway, here - this is what was written to me, but there's also an envelope for you. And I think it'll be good news for you. Everything it says is true.
He winked and rubbed Potter's unruly frizz almost to his shoulders.
****
The slightly yellowed parchment, which smelled sharply of fresh ink, rustled softly as Harry unfolded the letter. His temples thumped, his hands clenched, tears welled in his eyes. Finally, Potter opened the envelope and removed the contents. There were a few scribbled pages and a beautiful dragon medallion. Putting the letter aside, Harry stared at the jewel in fascination, his fingers fumbling for the clasp and turning it. A slight sting had sobered the boy a little and now he was looking at a collodograph of his family. Sirius looked into the locket. On the left was a picture of James and Lily laughing happily as they cuddled a one-year-old baby. On the right was a small vial of silvery liquid, shimmering and swirling in the light as if it were alive.
- Do you have Memory Potion? - Harry turned to Sirius.
- It was in the library, in the safe. We'll tell the housekeepers, they'll bring it to you. You read the letter.
As he unfolded the pages, Harry saw that one of them showed a map. It showed the boundaries of the estate clearly marked and a bright dot in the centre. Putting the parchment aside, Potter picked up the second.
"Dear Harry! If this letter has reached you, it means we are dead and you are already a big boy and should be in your fifth year at Hogwarts. We have left Sirius our wizarding guardianship, and if anything should happen to him, Remus Lupin should be your guardian. On your fifteenth birthday, you received the general gifts of the Potters - most notably the ability to handle dragons. And you're now considered a conditional adult, hence the awakening of such a legacy.
You probably haven't even noticed, because all your skills will develop gradually, and your magic level will steadily increase. As the last of the Potters, you'll become a powerful wizard, my boy. You will have to work hard to learn to control your gifts. Dragons are powerful and dangerous creatures, they are constantly surrounded by magic, and while they are restrained by ordinary mages, there will be no ceremony with an Overlord. He must be strong so that the dragons can rely on him and trust him.
At the bottom of the parchment, James wrote a list of the Hallows he wanted to reveal or appear. We very much hope that Sirius has proved himself a worthy guardian and that you have learned to control your mind and magic since you were a child. It will serve you well. By the way, we have included a medallion with this letter. It is an artefact that will help you summon and befriend your first dragon. It will most likely be a Chinese Fireball. Your father was very friendly with it, although the other dragons never showed up to summon it. If you succeed, you will become a brother of dragons, to help them, to cherish them, to command them, to multiply their kind. It is the calling of all Potters whose magical power has been enhanced by the blood of the Oblates...".
The handwriting changed here.
"Son, there is a great place of power in Mexico. It was discovered by the very first dragon lords and has been passed down for centuries. Dragons are magical creatures, and to feel good they need to be close to magic. Of course, after all these years, it's probably going to need some major repairs as well as some special logging and clearing and more, so I think Sirius will be able to help you hire the goblins. They're reliable craftsmen and always get the job done right.
The map is enclosed, the Portkey in the form of a medallion containing our memories is in the envelope. You're the only one who can enter the house, as everything is activated by the heir's blood. After you, anyone else you wish to invite. It's the least we can do for our only son.
Don't worry about the money. The vault you have at your disposal now is your own, but we have three other ancestral vaults on the lower levels. Most of these vaults are filled with money: keeping dragons is no easy task, so none of your ancestors, in whom the Hallows have been awakened but not developed, have touched a single knut. About a tenth of the vaults are jewels and books. The first vault is open to anyone with at least a quarter Potter blood. The others are reserved for those who manage to develop the Legacy.
You can ask Gripphook, our family lawyer, for more details. He can give you all the information you need. Be sure to also order a full blood test from him. My list of gifts may not be complete. We love you very much, Harry, and we're proud of you.
Mum and Dad.
P. S. The ancestral magic of the Potter family:
- Partnership with Dragons;
- Battle magic;
- Protective artefacts;
- Fire and Air Magic;
- Parseltongue".
Harry stared at the parchment and the lines became blurred. Tears had been falling for some time now, dripping onto the black lines and blurring them. The godfather hugged him tightly:
- Harry, we can't bring her back, but the memory will live on. I foolishly failed to get you away from the Dursleys in my time, but now I will teach you everything I know myself, give you protection and support - all the support I can. In Azkaban, I watched the house in Godric's Hollow collapse, the traitor Peter flee from the ashes, the Muggle mob blow away... I realised many things, and the first was that I should never have let my emotions get the better of me. All I wanted was to gnaw at the throat of the bastard who had betrayed us to Voldemort. And I ended up in prison for twelve years, without a trial or a chance to defend myself.
- Th-Thank you, Sirius," Harry whispered. - Azkaban really does change people. Six months was enough time for me to realise who was who and to be cruelly disappointed in the people I thought were my family - Weasley, Granger, Lupin... I won't forgive you!
- Let's talk about this tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll get a drink and you watch the memories.
In the time it took Harry to read, Sirius had managed to fetch a medium-sized Maelstrom and set it up in the middle of the room where they were sitting. Potter got up from the floor and, after a moment's hesitation, poured the memories of the Maelstrom into the bowl. He leaned over. The mist thickened into an inky drop and dissipated.
A small windowless room, with many cupboards full of scrolls and books. In the middle was a table, also covered in parchment. His father was hunched over a map, next to the table.
- Son, if you're watching these memories now, it means we're dead. Otherwise, I would have told you everything myself. You'll find this room in Godric's Hollow, hidden in the cellar of our house. It's all about dragons and the development of the gifts my ancestors and I have gathered over the centuries of our clan's existence. Mother wrote you a letter that you should have received and read by now. I want to show you something. Look closely and you will understand.
The picture fluttered and changed.
Harry was now in a light wood where his father was walking briskly through the bushes, and he hurried after him. After a few minutes, a meadow came into view where a red dragon was dozing. Forgetting for a moment that he was in a flashback, Potter Jr. jerked to the side, trying to hide. Then he came to his senses and stepped closer. Sensing the human approach, the dragon opened its yellow eye and looked around. When it saw James, it lifted its head and tilted it slightly. His father crouched on the lizard's knee and looked into his eyes:
- Hello, Yunsheng. I'm sorry it took you so long to come. My son was born, I could not leave Lily, not even for an hour. And now I have an heir! He'll be just like me, it seems. Just think, he'll be able to talk to you too! I'm so happy! When I held my son for the first time, his pupils changed for a second! It's a clear sign of heredity!
Dragon spread his wings, whirled around and stared intently into his father's eyes, snorting. He grinned:
- You were right, my friend. I think he can do it too.
Once again, everything dissipated.
The next scene was in the living room, where Lily was fiddling with the black-haired baby, while the big black dog scampered around the sofa, barking merrily.
- Sirius, calm down! You make my eyes water! - Lily smiled tiredly. - Stop jumping around and hold Harry while I get him some water, he's thirsty.
The dog turned at full speed towards the cheerful Sirius Black. He picked up the little one and started to throw him up. Lily came in and Harry sat down on the carpet in front of the sofa. Lizard figurines were scattered across it. The little girl reached for one of them and suddenly it hissed and burst into flames. Harry Senior froze in horror. And his little replica hummed happily and grabbed the fire-breathing dragon by the tail! Then the child hissed and the figure folded its wings.
The picture changed again.
Again the familiar vault and the father sitting at the table. Lily was standing beside him, her hands on his shoulders.
- James, are you sure that only Harry can get there?
- Yes, Lily, I've checked a thousand times while putting up extra shields. Before we hide from Voldemort, we'll write a letter telling him where we are. The important thing is that once Harry gets his inheritance, he develops it and doesn't abandon it like I did. The Place of the Force has a very high concentration of magic, and our son won't be able to withstand it, even with the adjustments for protection and shielding artefacts. That's why it's important for him to reach his full potential.
And the scene dissipated.
- Harry, I hope you can make the most of the gifts that are awakening within you. It may help you in all things, for dragons are the strongest of magical creatures. And remember, son, your mother and I are proud of you and love you, whatever you become and whatever path you take.
Gradually, everything fell into darkness.
Harry was thrown back into the room. He collapsed to the floor, clutching his knees in a lump. Sirius managed to make his way up to the room and sat down beside him, sipping quietly from his old stash of firewhiskey. Each of them had something to think about.
****
Dawn greeted the house in Piazza Grimmaud, cheerfully peering into each room with a ray of sunlight. In one, a man and a teenager slept soundly on the floor in front of the fireplace. The beam shone defiantly into his eyes, growing wider and wider. Finally, the young man moved and rubbed his stiff neck, squinting his eyes. He had to spend a long time in the bath before he returned to the kitchen, where the elves were bickering after an hour or so of silent chatter. After sending Dobby off to wake Sirius, Potter chewed sullenly on his sandwich.
"I need to talk to the godfather. Show him his father's memories. And decide what we're going to do next. I think we should visit the house that Dad talked about..." the boy mused.
The stairs creaked. Sirius Black, already shaved and coiffed, came down, grabbed a piece of bacon from his plate and announced:
- Now that you've accepted the legacy, let's go to the house in Godric's Hollow and get the scrolls and books from there. The Black Library is quite a collection," Sirius said with a hoarse laugh. - He chuckled. "It has all the Dark Arts and Defence Against the Dark Powers. The blacks were good at that.
- Sirius, my father told me in his memoirs that the Potter vault in Godric's Hollow was built for me, with stacks of books about my heritage. Why don't we have a look and see if we can move them here?
- We will. But first, let's get cleaned up! Oh, and a visit to the goblins.
About an hour later, two neatly dressed men stood at the Potter family lawyer's desk in Gringotts.
- Could we speak to Gripphook, the Potter family lawyer?
- You can. Identify yourself.
- Harry James Potter.
- Sirius Orion Black.
The goblin mimicked the appearance of a smile:
- Come with me. I'll invite Gripphoek in.
The room they were led into was chic. The walls were upholstered in navy blue velvet, the table and chairs were gilded, and there were paintings by famous Muggle artists on the walls. At the table sat a goblin that looked very old. His grey hair hung in wisps from his ears, and his clothes were perfectly tailored and decorated with gold buttons. He smiled wickedly and showed sharp fangs:
- Sit down, gentlemen, what can I do for you?
- I, Harry James Potter, wish to enquire about the state of my inherited vaults and also to order a blood test for ancestral gifts.
- I, Sirius Orion Black, magical guardian under the Potter family will, escort the heir to the Potter family.
- I need confirmation. A drop of your blood, here. The goblin slid a blank piece of parchment and a beautiful silver dagger. - I promise not to use your blood against you.
Harry looked at his godfather. He nodded encouragingly. Potter made an incision in his hand and dripped blood onto the parchment. Lines immediately began to appear on it:
"Harry James Potter, pureblood.
Father: James Carlus Potter, pureblood.
Mother: Lillian Rose Evans, foundling.
Godfather: Sirius Orion Black, Thoroughbred.
Godmother: None.
Magic Guardian: Sirius Orion Black, pureblood.
Abilities:
- Dragon partnership - undeveloped;
- Battle magic - poorly developed;
- Defensive artefacts - active;
- Fire and Air Magic - partially active;
- Parseltongue - active
Sirius glanced over Harry's shoulder and whistled softly. Griphook picked up the sheet:
- Not bad, not bad at all! Battle magic is all right!
- Why? - Potter didn't think he was capable of battle magic at all.
Black sighed and began to explain:
- Battle magic requires a lot of spells and a lot of magical potential to fight your opponent for a long time. It's the same with artefacts. The more power you put into an artefact, the more powerful it will be. And as for fire and air magic - not everyone can master at least one element, and you have two. That's because you're a Dragonlord.
- Okay, I get it. Can I check my account status now? - Harry was a little shocked at the list of new abilities, but he hadn't forgotten why he had come here.
- Of course, Mr Potter, please wait a moment!
After the allotted time had elapsed, a swollen folder floated into the office and landed on the edge of the desk next to Harry.
- There you are! - The goblin waved a clawed hand towards a low table.
The men moved over and began to examine the documents. It turned out that the first safe, accessible to any head of the Potter clan, contained some three hundred thousand galleons, while the second and third contained an astronomical amount of gold coins. The money was put into circulation and has never been spent by anyone in the last five centuries. Goblins know their business! Harry's breath was taken away. Now he would never have to depend on anyone again.
- Tell me, dear Griphook, who else has access to the vaults before I come of age?
- The first, like the student vault, is also accessible to the magical guardian, in accordance with your parents' wishes. The second and third vaults are accessible only to you.
The boy fell silent, pondering what he had heard. Sirius sat down beside Harry again and began to look through the papers:
- A house in Godric's Hollow, a hundred thousand acres of land off the coast of Chapala Lagoon in Mexico, a manor house there. Not much...
Potter furrowed his brow, looked at the parchments his godfather was showing him and turned back to the goblin:
- May I order a purse from you, preferably with two compartments for Muggle money and galleons?
- On your way out, of course, you will have a purse tied to your vaults. It cannot be lost or stolen. All you have to do is spill your own blood on it. How much would you like to start with?
- One hundred galleons and five hundred pounds.
- Will do.
Harry went through the papers. After the real estate came the reports on artefacts and potions.
"The Tear of Truth is an artefact in the form of a pure water diamond set in platinum. Wearing it forces those around you to speak only the truth.
The Dragon's Eye is a ring in the shape of a dragon encircling an emerald. It is worn only by those who have mastered the Legacy of the Rod. It has the power to subdue reptiles - from snakes and lizards to fire salamanders and dragons.
The Fire Tooth is a milky crystal on a golden chain. A powerful artefact that protects against fire of any origin, be it dragon breath or forest fire.
The Eye of Gwendalhar is a unique artefact designed to protect an ancestral estate. It creates a dome in the form of a pearly shield that repels all enchantments.
Potion of Thirst is a substance that allows you to live without water for forty days. It is one of the conditional potions.
Zeinver's Mixture is a potion that calms dragons. The dose is three drops.
Felix Felicis Potion. The composition is..."
Harry decided to take the Tear of Truth and a folder containing the contents of the second and third vaults, as well as a copy of the accounting file for all the unaccounted for years. A few hours later, Black and Potter left the bank, satisfied with their conversation.
They apparated home to Grimmauld, had a quick bite to eat, and decided to pick up the books and scrolls mentioned in the parents' letter.
****
In Godric's Hollow, all the streets were covered with fluffy snow. Black and Potter apparated straight into the village. A statue of a man with round glasses and a woman with a baby in her arms appeared in front of them. Sirius walked on and Harry stopped and stared at his parents for a few moments. Sometimes it looked like a simple obelisk. Apparently only wizards could see the statue.
Turning to the left, a bleak picture opened up before his eyes. A large two-storey house with a collapsed roof. The snow had already blanketed much of the area, but the traces of the blast curse were still clearly visible. The right side of the house had survived, but time had taken its toll. The windows were cracked in places, and a twisted frame was practically falling out of the opening. It was a terrible sight. Sirius took out his wand and began to check the house for charms. Harry circled and looked around. A small door led into the house on the garden side, the walls and windows were intact. Harry took a chance and grabbed the handle to enter. But as soon as he touched the door, a wave hit the house and there was a loud bang somewhere inside. Magic covered Harry and the house woke up as if from a long sleep. Sirius was there immediately. They both came in, wands in hand, expecting something.
- Lumos!
- Lumos!
Black went to the first floor and looked around, while Harry decided to walk around the first floor. The living room was empty. Above the fireplace, on a shelf, were toy dragons from his mother's memories. After lighting the fire and finding nothing much to see, Harry went up to the godfather. He was standing in the middle of the nursery, staring at a black stain on the floor. From the look on his face, he was overwhelmed by old memories. Potter grabbed his shoulder and turned him towards the door.
- Let's get out of here.
Sirius waved his wand at the doors, sealing them tightly:
- No one else gets in here.
Downstairs, Harry moved the sofa from the window to the fireplace. He and his godfather sat down and were silent for a long time. Finally, Sirius said huskily:
- 'Let's find the vault and get out of here. I feel terrible.
Potter nodded:
- Where to start. There's supposed to be a vault here.
The two of them began to check all the walls, but they couldn't find even a hint of a door. In his heart, Harry wanted to flick all the dragons off the mantelpiece. But as soon as he touched the closest one, it flashed red and came to life. At the same time, a door appeared in the wall next to the fireplace.
- Oh, what a trick, Sohatty! More magic than even I could do! - Sirius chuckled and grabbed the door. It flashed blue, but didn't open. The godfather slapped his forehead. - Harry, I'd forgotten. The door would only open with a drop of your blood.
Potter scanned the room for a sharp object, but there was none in sight. So he took out his wand and conjured up a splinter of wood, transforming it into a small knife. With a slash of his finger, he grasped the handle and pushed the door open. With a slight creaking of the long unlubricated hinges, the wings swung open.
The small room was exactly as Harry had seen it in his father's memories. There were also small shelves of stasis charms. There, Black found vials of blood, several dozen eggs and ingredients that appeared to have been taken from dragons.
Sirius quickly conjured two boxes. In one, he placed all the scrolls and books with a few strokes of his wand. Into the second box, he deftly placed everything under stasis, without disturbing the preservation charms. Expertly shrinking the boxes, Sirius placed them in his pocket. Then he looked at Harry. He was standing in the middle of the room, watching his godfather's manipulations with interest:
- Well, what now?
- If you want, we can stay here for a while.
The boy shook his head:
- No. It's too uncomfortable here.
He headed for the exit.
Sirius frowned more and more as he left the house. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but didn't dare. A few strokes of his wand and the house was surrounded by powerful Muggle repelling spells, a protective dome and a few illusions.
****
By the time they were drinking strong, fragrant coffee in Black's kitchen, he couldn't stand it any more:
- Harry, I've got something to tell you. There are no Fidelius Charms on the house in Godric's Hollow, not even the faintest.