Meanwhile, Harry Potter was having a bizarre day. He had been sitting in his room pouting over the lack of communication with his friends and Sirius. It reminded him far too much of his first summer after his first year at Hogwarts. Only this time he got the letters, they just didn't say anything. He was being left completely in the dark.
While he was moping, Dobby popped in and asked to bond with him. Which he thought was weird. He always thought Dobby wanted to be free. The little guy always seemed so happy. But here he was about twenty minutes later, watching Dobby bounce excitedly around the room fixing things and cleaning.
Aunt Petunia was going to have kittens. He couldn't wait.
"Dobby, are you sure this is what you want?" he asked for the tenth time.
"Dobby is being sure, Harry Potter, sir," the elf answered patiently.
"Okay," Harry said resigned. He just knew Hermione was going to kill him.
A loud pop was heard and Winky appeared. "Dobby," she squeaked, "I is being having a letter for Harry Potter."
"I'm Harry Potter," the teen said, looking at the female elf, trying to place her. She looked familiar, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.
"Oh, Harry Potter, sir, I is being having a letter from your godfather," she said, holding out the note.
"Thanks, um, Winky" Harry replied, taking the missive and opening it. His face broke out in a radiant smile as he read the words of his godfather. Sirius stated that he had been trying to write all summer, and that the people in his house had been taking and destroying his letters. The man explained what he had done that day, and what he planned to do in the near future. It was all a vague outline, but Harry couldn't wait to see the outcome.
Harry did fume a bit about how Sirius was being treated. He always thought Mrs. Weasley to be a kind woman. A bit bossy, yeah, but motherly. The way Sirius was describing her, she sounded downright mean. A bit like Aunt Petunia, only not as indulging to her children as his aunt was with Dudley.
He knew from talking to the Weasley children that Mrs. Weasley didn't put up with shenanigans. His aunt on the other hand let Dudley get away with murder. Still after reading this he was unsure of how much the Weasley kids had left out. Maybe, she did more than yell.
He couldn't believe what he was reading. Even he knew that you behaved in other people's houses. The Dursleys were the epitome of manners -when they were in other people's company. Not so much when it was just family, but bring in outsiders, and they were nothing but poise and grace. Or so they liked to think.
Still, if Mrs. Weasley was being mean to Sirius like that, after all the man had suffered, maybe he would have to rethink his opinion of her.
He was also upset that this Order of the Phoenix was taking letters that were meant for him, and if Sirius was right, the Drs. Granger. That was post tampering, and he was pretty sure it was illegal here in the UK. He did have to wonder if this was also against the law in the wizarding world. Something to look up.
He moved to his desk and started writing a letter back. He made sure to pour all his frustrations out, just like Sirius did. Now that they had house elves to ferry the notes, there was no reason not to keep in touch. He did ponder for a moment on whether or not to write his friends but decided not to, right yet. After all, Sirius wrote that they were following the orders of the Headmaster. He could forgive them, maybe, but for now, he'd let them sweat.
Hphphp
Later that night Dumbledore came to Grimmuald Place. It took him a minute to get through the wards, like he was being judged and found wanting, but not outright immoral. He shuddered at the thought that these wards found him less than pure. He had no idea why they would not think him as Leader of the Light. He did everything he did for the Greater Good of all, even if it toed the line of Grey magic sometimes. How could he be deemed anything but pure? Besides, they were on a house that full of dark magic, their judgement was skewed, he was sure.
The old man shrugged it off as something only a Dark family would feel and went into the house. He may not be the Secret Keeper anymore, and wasn't that a shocker, but all that had been told the secret still knew where the house was. He did wonder how Sirius had wrestled the charm away from him. He hoped the man was not delving in his family's magic. No good would come of that.
He stopped in the kitchen and noted everyone, but Sirius, was there. "Molly, my dear, perchance do you know where Sirius is?" he asked the fuming woman. She had Flooed him earlier and ranted at him for an hour after Sirius had his little talk. It had taken quite awhile to calm her down and let her know that he would handle it. He was just glad that he had been able to. Sometimes, when Molly got on a rant, nothing would help. She was really loyal to him though, so he did his best to accomplish his task on calming her down. It worked, eventually.
"He's in the study at the end of the hall. Probably, thinking of more ways to 'punish' me," she said, grumbling under her breath, snatching some of Arthur's socks to darn. She pushed the needle in so hard that it almost flew out the other side. Since she was no longer allowed to cook, she had to do something with her hands, but she was not getting far in her task, since she was not paying attention, to busy fuming over Sirius, so her seams would come out crooked, and she would have to restitch every other poke or so. Oh yeah, she was angry.
"Thank you, Molly. I will endeavor to make him return the wards to me. I am sure that he is merely venting some frustration on his lack of use for the Order. Don't trouble yourself any further," he said, his eyes twinkling like they always did when he felt he was right.
Molly gave a curt nod and went back to her sewing. The kids started whispering about what might be said between Sirius and Albus, until Molly glared them into silence.
Albus, with his colorful and tacky robes of orange and green, followed Molly's directions and soon came to his destination. He flowed into the room Sirius was in and settled on a chair. He smoothed out his long white beard, so it sat perfectly down his front. Then he laced his fingers across his stomach, like he was the old grandfather he pretended to be. Since he never had children, the man really didn't understand what a grandfather was, though he like to think he did. He then looked expectantly at Sirius, like the man was a toddler caught stealing biscuits, and that with just that look alone, he should confess.
Sirius snorted at the way the man acted. He picked up his glass, raised it in salute at the old man and drank. Putting the glass down, he nodded. "Dumbledore," he said curtly.
"Sirius," the man replied, running his hand down his beard. "Can you tell me why you have relieved me of being the Secret Keeper for this house?" he asked, looking perplexed, like he didn't understand why the man in front of him would not think him worthy of holding the wards.
"Sure," the dogman said with a shrug. "It's my house. Only I should be able to invite people to come to it." He said it with such an air that one would think he was talking to a child who should have known the answer. He inwardly smirked at the look of shock on the old man's face.
"Whatever do you mean? No one is here that I do not approve of," Albus said, furrowing his brow as if trying to work a difficult puzzle.
"Yes, you approve of," Sirius said, sipping his brandy, then twirling the liquid around in the glass, watching the amber liquid make small waves. It was a bit calming to him. He then pulled his gaze away and gave a firm look to the old man sitting across from him. "Look, I offered this house as a meeting place, not a safe house. You moved people in without my consent or even asking me. You just showed up with them and said they were staying. I'm a bit peeved about that," he answered with a bite in his tone.
"Surely you could see that they needed…" the old man started, only to be interrupted. He didn't even acknowledge the fact that the younger man was angry, only that he wasn't doing what Dumbledore thought he should be. This was uncharted territory for him; everyone listened to him. Well, not the likes of Malfoy, but those on the light side of magic did.
"That's not the bloody point. You didn't ask," Sirius snapped, making Albus' head snap up a bit, as if startling him from his thought. Sirius showed just how mad he was by slamming his glass on the table, making the brandy spill everywhere.
"Come now…"
"No! Albus, get it through your head you are not Merlin, or any deity known to wizards. It is common courtesy to ask a person if he minded having houseguests. By bringing everyone here, you denied my right to veto who could stay. Since she arrived, I've had to listen to that harpy go on and on about what a horrible person I am," Sirius seethed, gritting his teeth, and then taking a deep breath to try and calm down. He needed to stay rational right now. Dumbledore was a master manipulator. If he let his anger control him, he would fall for some subtle influence, and that was the last thing he wanted. There was no way he was going to let Albus guilt trip him into giving up control.
"Now, Sirius, there is no need to be so upset. I was merely making sure that your godson's friends were safe," the old man placated with a calming gesture of his hands, ignoring the accusations. "It behooves you, as Harry's godfather, to protect the people he cares about."
"Don't pull that with me. These people are not my responsibility," Sirius stated firmly with a sharp slash of his hand. Then he took another breath and changed the subject. "And what of Harry, why is he not here?" he demanded.
"Harry is safe where he is. There is no place safer for him than his aunt's house," Dumbledore answered in his best grandfather voice. "Will you return the wards to me?" the old man changed the subject back to the original content.
Sirius scoffed, "No."
"Why ever not?"
"Read my lips, Albus, this is not your house."
"I need to be able to invite others in. What if someone joins the Order that you don't know?" Albus inquired a bit forcefully, as if trying to get his way but showing how powerful he was.
"Then you are out of luck until you introduce them, aren't you," came the bland reply.
"Sirius, my boy, you are being unreasonable," Dumbledore said, looking over his half-moon glasses as if chastising an unruly child.
"See, that right there is why you do not have control of this house," the younger man said, pointing and accusing finger at the elder. "It is the main reason I took the wards from your control. You seem to think that you must oversee everything, and that anyone who defies you in just being a child. I am not a child, Albus. I am a grown man that you have trapped in this house. Bound by duty and circumstance."
Dumbledore sighed, and stroked his beard. He looked at the man in front of him and seem to be working out a puzzle. Then he shook his head and changed the subject. "Did you really have to threaten Molly?"
"All she has to do is respect that this is my house and that I am a grown man, just like you, and no harm will come to her. It is not my fault she's pigheaded," he said, once again shrugging his shoulder. He leaned back into his chair and picked up his half-empty glass, once more swirling the alcohol.
"I will speak with her," Dumbledore promised with a small smile.
Sirius just snorted.
"Severus tells me he cannot enter." Albus went on. "Did you remove him from the wards maliciously? I thought better of you, young man," he reprimanded, once again as if Sirius was his student. He jerked a bit when the wards warned him with a small shock. He looked at the man across from him again in a chastising way. "Was that necessary?" he asked.
"Don't speak to me like that, dammit. Then the wards won't shock you," the dogman snarled as he leaned forward angrily. "I didn't kick Snivellus out, the wards are what is stopping him. He must have ill intent towards me or someone in the house. Mundungus can't come in either. It is their own ill intent keeping them at bay, yet here you are reprimanding me for wanting people out of my house that want to hurt me. What is your game, Albus?" he asked, eyes narrowed. He rested back into his chair, keeping a sharp eye on the Headmaster's face, waiting for the demands to start.
"I assure you, my boy, I am not playing games," the old man assured him. Then his eyes lost their twinkle. "You need to let them in, Sirius, I need them in the Order. I cannot do without Severus. He must be able to attend," the demands came.
"Then tell him to quit acting like a spoiled child and wanting my death over something that happened years ago. I have paid for my crimes. Tell your pet Death Eater to get over it already. And when he tells you I tried to kill him, you can remind the slimy bastard that he knew exactly what was under the Willow and no one made him go there," Sirius said as he rose from his chair and headed for the door.
"Now, Sirius, I was there, I know you wanted to harm poor Severus," Albus stated, looking over his half-moon glasses.
"Then you should have expelled me. You didn't, so therefore I can only conclude that you didn't then, so that you can try to guilt me now. That must have been your plan all along. Keep something over my head for when you needed to control me. Well, it's not going to work. I have zero guilt over what happened then. Like I said, no one made him go after a werewolf," Sirius said, standing up and heading for the door. "I'm done talking to you until you can treat me like an adult." And with that he left the old man to mull over what they talked about.
Albus sat in that chair for a very long time. He fretted over the fact that one of his Order members was not doing what was need for the full function of the Order. He needed to be the one in charge. It was his vigilante group. He was the leader. If he lost control of Sirius, others might follow.
After sitting in thought for a long while, he finally sighed, levered himself up and left the house. This was going to take more than he could plan in one night.
Hphphp
Sirius and Harry wrote every day, via the elves. Harry informed him that he did bond with Dobby and that he was happy that Sirius took the initiative to write. The boy's letters were long and rambling. He was letting out all his frustrations and fears. Sirius would read them all and then reply what he thought might help his godson. The boy would write that he was still very angry with his friends, and Dumbledore. Sirius didn't blame him.
The moment that Harry wrote that the Dementors had come and that Dobby had rescued him and Dudley by popping them home, Sirius left the house to go and get his godson. He didn't wait to ask Dumbledore. He didn't tell anyone where he was going. He just left. He went straight up to the attic and tried to think of a place to Apparate. He remembered, when he was Padfoot, an alley near where he saw Harry catch the Knight Bus. With that thought in mind, he disappeared.
Sneaking to #4 Privet Dr in the middle of the night was exhilarating. It had been too long that he had been cooped up in Grimmuald Place and it was fun to be out doing something.
He found Harry's house from the number, since all the houses looked alike, and he climbed the medium sized tree in the side yard. Getting up as far up as he could, he looked for the window that looked like it had been barred. Seeing the holes in the walls by the small window on the first floor at towards the back of the house, he rapped on the glass with a stick, hoping he had the right room. He didn't know what he'd do if it was Harry's cousin, or worse his uncle. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Harry's unruly hair as the boy stuck his head out of the window.
"Sirius," the boy harshly whispered, looking frantically around, like the Aurors would pop up any moment, "what are you doing here? You could get caught." A worried frown etched his face as he took in the sight of his godfather. The man looked better than Harry had ever seen him. His face had filled out and his hair was clean and healthy looking. He was dressed in robes, which Harry thought was out of place, but they were nice robes, and very upper crust looking.
"I came to spring you from this joint," his godfather replied, taking in his godson's appearance. Harry didn't look good. He had lines on his face as if he had been stressed out for ages. His unruly hair was lank and stringy. His face was gaunt and pale. Sirius was more determined to get the boy out of this house and help him in any way he could. "Get your stuff and we'll leave here. No, wait, have Dobby pack it for you, he can bring it later. Grab only what you value most. It'll be quicker."
Harry ducked back into his room and Sirius waited. Soon enough, the boy reappeared, a satchel on his back. "Dobby, hide and wait for my call," he ordered softly towards his room as he flung one leg over the sill. "If the Dursleys see you, just pop away. I'll call you as soon as I can."
"Come on. Quickly now," the fugitive said quietly, making a come-along motion.
"Alright, hold your horses," Harry said as he straddled the windowsill. He swung his other leg over and braced himself on the sill. Then he jumped to the tree and made his way to Sirius.
"Great job, Harry," the man praised, making Harry blush with pride.
Not many people in Harry's young life had praised him. Mostly Hermione, even she didn't do it often. "What now?" the boy asked, forcing the blush away. He didn't want to come off as immature.
"Down the tree, and to that alley a few blocks down," his godfather said, pointing to the dark alley a few streets away. "We have to get away from your house. Don't want the Aurors showing up when I Disapparate. Come on, quickly now."
The two shimmied down the tree and ran off down the street, going over a few blocks to the secluded alley.
"I'm going to Apparate us to my house. Here read this, and remember it," Sirius said, giving him a piece of paper with the secret. Harry read the note, with light from the streetlamp, and then tried to pocket it, but Sirius shook his head and snatched it away. "I need to hold on to it. If you lose it, anyone can get into my house," he explained, pocketing the slip of paper.
"Oh," the teen said, nodding in understanding, but with a confused look on his face.
"I'll explain later. Hold on tight," Sirius said, holding out his arm for Harry to grab. "Take a deep breath and hold it, it'll make it easier."
Harry took the arm and inhaled deeply, holding it, and nodded his readiness. With a twist, the two were gone. They reappeared again in a dingy room. Harry stumbled a bit and groaned at the turning of his stomach. He shook his head, grabbed his belly and righted his feet. Then he took a good look around. It looked like an attic to Harry. "Where are we?" he asked, noting all the trunks laying around.
"My house. Don't touch anything, it might bite. I've had the house elves put all the Dark stuff up here, until I can get it the DoM," Sirius explained as he headed for the door, Harry following behind. "They were putting them in my room, but this place is riddled with Dark objects, so I made them move it all here. No one is allowed in but family," he added, making Harry puff up at the thought that he was family.
"What's the DoM?" the teen asked, gripping on to his satchel. He straightened up at the thought of Sirius considering him family. It had a nice warm feeling.
"The Department of Mysteries," came the answer. "They research magic stuff, mostly. I think they even have a room dedicated to the 'magic of love'," he added with a shrug.
As Harry walked through the house, he couldn't help but notice how clean it was. The wooden floor shined, and the windows were clear as day, though it was night. The wallpaper was bright and looked brand new. The light fixtures were twinkling in the gas lights. All in all, it was a nice place. He wondered why Sirius hated it so much. He'd live here.
The walked a few floors down and were headed to the room that Harry was going to stay in. they were almost there when…
"Where have you been, Sirius?" came the shrill voice of Mrs. Weasley. "You know Dumbledore told you not to leave," she snapped at the man. "Oh, Hello, Harry dear. I didn't see you there. Why are you here? You should be with your relatives." She tilted her head in inquiry.
"Sirius came to get me after Dementors tried to suck the soul out of me," was the indifferent reply. He was still miffed at her for keeping Sirius from writing him.
"Oh, don't be silly, dear. Why would there be Dementors in your neighborhood? It's muggle," she scolded with a wave of her hand.
"I'm not lying. There were Dementors near my house. Dudley and I almost died," Harry stated loudly, dropping his satchel on the floor and facing the woman who kept saying he was like family. "Sirius believes me," he added defiantly.
"Sirius is just an overgrown child," she snapped, and then jumped when the wards stung her again. "Do you see how cruel he is? Making his wards punish me for stating fact." The stinging just confirmed to her that Sirius was being childish. The more she received warnings, the more her convictions told her that she was right.
"I think you're being rude," the teen said boldly. "It's his house, why are you insulting him?" he asked as if it were obvious.
"That's quite enough cheek from you, young man. Since you are here, I will show you where you are sleeping and then you can stay there and think about how rude you just were." She went to grab his satchel, but Harry snatched it up and backed away.
"Sirius will take me," he said, standing next to said man. Who was glaring for all he was worth.
"You are not supposed to be here right now. There were plans to come and get you later. You two just wait until Albus finds out. You're supposed to stay with your relatives, not galivanting off with your godfather," she said, stepping towards Harry again, but he ducked out of the way and stood behind Sirius.
"He's here now, and with my permission. I am his godfather; I do have a say. I'll take him to his room, Molly. You don't know where it is," Sirius reminded her as he placed a hand on Harry's arm to guide him around the irritating woman.
Molly had had enough. This man was undermining everything she said or did. No more, he was going to listen to her, or by Merlin, she was going to act. "Now you listen to me, Sirius Orion Black, Harry will sleep where I tell him too! He is not your son!" she yelled as she stood in their way.
"Nor is he yours," was the rebuttal.
"You listen to me…" was as far as she got, when Sirius rounded on her, the fire in his grey eyes made her step back a few paces.
"I'm sorry, who do you think you are speaking to?" he asked, leaning into her space. Then he looked at Harry and just knew the fighting would never stop. He made a decision. "That's it. I've had it. I can handle your griping at me. But I'll be damned if you are going to order Harry around. Get it through you… never mind, you haven't listened so far, and I'm sure you won't now. Just get out. Until you can behave, get the hell out of my house," the irate man said, calling upon the wards to evict the woman.
"You…" she started, then the wards picked her up and dragged her through the house, down the stairs and out the door. Her voice was heard screaming all through the house. She was calling for Arthur to come and rescue her. At the same time, she was threatening to tell Dumbledore that Sirius had gone too far.
"That has got to be the most stubborn woman I've ever met. And I knew your mother," the tired man sighed as he led Harry to his room.
"What just happened?" the teen asked, following his godfather, not sure how to take that bit of information about his mum, but planned to ask later.
"I've warned her repeatedly this last week, that she needed to curb her tongue. However, she's just too prideful and stubborn. Don't worry, I'll have Arthur talk to her… again. Maybe. Though I'm sure that won't help, it hasn't so far," he said while shaking his head. He went further down the hall and then opened the door to Regulus' old room. If he did let her back in, he might just make good his threat to keep her in her room. Damn prideful woman.
The room was clean as a whistle, and green. Lots and lots of green. A double bed was positioned in the middle of the far wall. A large dresser was to the right side, and a wardrobe next to it, both were deep shades of brown, that matched the lighter shade of the brown wall. The bedcurtains, rugs, and other hangings were various shades green. All in all, it looked like a forest at night.
"Reggie was Slytherin. I would've changed the colors, but I figured you might want to pick what you like," Sirius explained, nodding for Harry to put his bag on the bed.
"It's okay, I kinda like this color. Dobby!" Harry called as he put his satchel down.
"Master is calling Dobby?" the little guy asked as he popped in.
"Yeah, can you get my trunk and other things from the Dursleys?" he asked.
"Dobby can," Dobby stated and then popped away.
"How come Dobby didn't need to read your paper?" Harry asked as he took out his Cloak and photo album and placed them on the bed.
"You're his master, he can go where you are," Sirius explained with a shrug. "The only reason he could come earlier, when I was looking for free elves, was because I asked magic to bring them. Once the ones I didn't choose left, they forgot where here was."
"Oh, okay. I guess that makes sense."
"This summer, I'm going to get you caught up on everything you should've been taught growing up. All that stuff you need to know about your family and money. Everything. You may not be a Lord, but you're pretty high up there. Not to mention, you're my heir, unless I somehow have children out there that I don't know about. I was wondering if you'd like to be adopted by magic. It would make you related to me. That way if I die, no one could take your inheritance from you," he asked, peering at Harry's face, judging his reaction.
"Yeah, I think I'd like that. Then maybe Dumbledore won't send me back there," Harry said, smiling at the man who was offering him a good place to live. Sure, he didn't really know him, but the letters they had been sending each other all week made it seem like this man, at least, had his wellbeing in mind.
"Yeah, that's great!" Sirius said, giving the boy a hug. "That way even if I did have bastards out there, you'd still be my heir."
"That would be weird," commented Harry as he broke away from the hug and tried to arrange his things to hide his embarrassment.
"Not so much. I was a lady's man after all," the proud man stated, puffing out his chest.
"Not something to be proud of, Padfoot," the teen stated with a grimace. To his way of thinking girls were to be worshipped, not used. He could hear Hermione's rant in his head over that statement.
"Hey, it was all consensual," the man protested.
"Whatever," Harry said, not wanting to argue. He closed the drawer on the last of his clothes and turned around to look at his godfather.
"Come on, let's go downstairs and get this over with. Try not to fight with your friends too loudly. I've just got it nice and peaceful here, what with Molly gone, and I don't what to have the wards throw anyone else out because of teenage emotions," Sirius said as he waved towards the door, and started walking out of the room.
"Fine, but I will let them know what I think of their attitude," Harry said, following behind.
"You do that," Sirius agreed and the two walked towards what was sure to be a big fight.