The day after they began their work on the old Grimmauld Place was when the real transformation started. The first big job they had to tackle was the portrait of Sirius's mom, Walburga Black. She was none too pleased with the changes they were making, especially Harry's request to Kreacher to properly bury the severed heads of house elves that had been hung on the walls and remove the dark curses she had scattered throughout the house. But nobody paid much attention to her complaints.
Kreacher, the house elf, was able to quickly and quietly take down her portrait and put it away in the family vault, which made everyone feel a bit better. It was a big change for Kreacher, who had become much more loyal to Sirius after they fulfilled Regulus Black's last request. He took on his cleaning duties with more energy than before, which was quite the turnaround from the grumpy, cursing elf they were all used to.
The house itself was in pretty bad shape after being left alone for so long. It had become home to all sorts of pests and was full of old curses that needed to be dealt with. Cleaning it all out meant getting rid of these problems and sorting through a bunch of old, broken things. Some items that were still good were put away in a vault at Gringotts for safekeeping.
The cleanup was mostly Kreacher's job, but Sirius, Harry, and Mira helped out where they could. They weren't in a rush, taking their time to make sure they did everything right and got rid of all the dark magic hiding in the house.
During this time, the house began to feel different. It was slowly turning back into a home, a place that was safe and welcoming instead of dark and scary. This was a big step for Sirius, turning a place with so many bad memories into something new.
Over the next few weeks, everyone noticed a significant change in Sirius. After the Horcrux was destroyed and its power absorbed, Sirius seemed to have grown in confidence and strength. This new version of Sirius was more capable and determined, showing a remarkable improvement in his duties as an Auror. Tasks that used to be challenging for him now appeared to be much simpler, and he handled them with a newfound ease.
Harry was very happy to see this change in Sirius. The current Sirius was miles better than the Sirius Black in the books who while unhappy about being locked up in Grimmauld Place and Harry being placed at Dursleys, still listened to the orders of Dumbledore.
Amidst these developments, Sirius decided it was time for Harry to meet the special someone in his life—a secret he had managed to keep from Harry until now.
With this in mind, Sirius got to work, making sure the living room of Grimmauld Place was tidy and welcoming for the visit. The importance of this meeting was clear, and Sirius wanted everything to be just right for when Harry met this significant person in his life.
On this day, Harry found himself on one of the plush, new sofas that had replaced the old, worn-out ones in Grimmauld Place. The room had taken on a cozy feel, a testament to Sirius's efforts to make the house feel more like a home.
Moments later, Sirius came into the room, but he wasn't alone. With him was a woman whose mere presence seemed to fill the space with an air of authority and respect. She had short, neatly styled grey hair, and though Harry had expected the iconic monocle often mentioned alongside her name in the Daily Prophet, it was absent today.
This was none other than Amelia Bones, a well-known person in the Ministry of Magic. Amelia Bones was known for her rapid ascent through the Ministry's ranks, respected and admired by many for her integrity and skill. It was well-known that she had climbed from a clerical position to become the Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, an impressive feat, especially considering she had not started her career as an Auror.
"Harry, I'd like you to meet Amelia Bones," Sirius introduced her with evident pride. "She works with me at the department and is a very close friend."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bones. Sirius has often mentioned great things about his special someone. I must admit, I was skeptical, but it appears he wasn't exaggerating," Harry said, extending a handshake, his tone laden with respect.
"Please, call me Amelia," she responded, returning Harry's handshake with a firm grip. "And the pleasure is all mine, Harry. Sirius's determination to find you had been taking a toll on his health. I'm just glad to see his efforts come to fruition."
Harry thanked her for helping Sirius during that time and then couldn't help but ask "I'm really curious, how did the two of you end up together? Sirius, while many things, seems quite the mismatch for someone exceptional like you."
Amelia chuckled at this, but Sirius, ready to defend his charm, interjected, "Hey now, I'm not without my own merits. Top Auror, heir to the Black family... I'll have you know many witches at the ministry are quite taken with me."
However, Amelia's amused glance cut his boasting short, leading Sirius to trail off, much to Harry's amusement. It was clear to him that despite their differences, Sirius and Amelia shared a genuine connection.
As they all made themselves comfortable, the conversation turned to stories of Amelia's Hogwarts years and her encounters with a younger, troublemaking Sirius. Harry was drawn to Amelia's strength, her unwavering kindness, and her deep-seated sense of justice, so much so that she even expressed a willingness to hold Dumbledore accountable for past mistakes.
Harry reassured her that he had moved on, valuing the lessons learned more than dwelling on the past. He also did not want Amelia to jeopardize her growing career at the ministry by going after Dumbledore.
As Amelia prepared to leave, she warmly invited Harry and Sirius to come to Bones Manor. She mentioned that Harry could meet her niece, Susan, who was close to his age. Harry was immediately interested, looking forward to meeting someone from his brother Charles's peer group and a character he had read about in his previous life's books and fanfictions.
Throughout their conversation, Harry's admiration for Amelia had deepened. She wasn't just a high-ranking official at the Ministry; she was a person who stood firmly for what was right, fighting against injustices wherever she found them. Amelia shared stories of her battles, both within the Ministry and outside, showcasing her dedication not only to her duty but to the greater good.
Harry realized just how well Sirius had chosen his company. Amelia Bones was a powerful witch, certainly, but more importantly, she was a person of great integrity and kindness. Knowing Sirius had someone like Amelia in his life eased any concerns Harry might have had about his godfather's future. With Amelia by his side, Harry was confident that Sirius would be in good hands, capable of facing whatever came their way with strength and wisdom.