Dear Harry,

How's your summer been so far? How are things between your In-laws and Sirius? From the way you speak of them, i feel like they wouldn't be very receptive of the shaggy ruffian; especially if that story about tearing up your Aunt's house on her wedding day is true, Grandfather says it is but I haven't the foggiest how he would know.

I know it's only been a few days since we last saw each other, but it feels odd to not speak with you every day; I miss the time we spent under the tree, just huddled together and enjoying the day and each others company. Hopefully we'll be able to see each other soon, I've tried to convince Grandfather to at least let us visit, but he's more focused on my training then anything else at the moment.

That's another thing, the training, Harry it is amazing what my grandfather knows, the techniques, spells, and knowledge that he's collected over the years is astounding; there's a lot of things that I can barely wrap my head around. Hopefully you'll get to see what I mean the next time you meet him..

I really do hope you're having a good Summer love, and I sincerely hope we'll get to see each other again soon.

With all my Love,

Daphne Greengrass

Harry reread the last couple of lines with a smile on his face, currently he was sitting in his room, now magically expanded to accommodate both himself and Sirius, alternating between doing his homework and checking the letter again.

"And what has you all dreamy eyed?" Sirius asked, making Harry jump slightly as he looked over to the door, where his godfather stood, leaning against the frame with a smirk, "a letter? I wonder from whom?"

Harry rolled his eyes and folded the letter up, "you know who it's from." Harry said as Sirius walked over to his bed and sat down.

"That I do, but I wonder what she wrote you to make you all happy...is she sex messaging you?"

"Ew Sirius-"

"I'm just kidding Pup." Sirius laughed, nudging him with his booted foot, "but seriously, what did she write you?"

"Typical stuff, asked me how my summer was going, asked me how you were doing…"

"Well I'm doing great," Sirius said conversationally, "my therapy sessions are going well, i'm getting fit as a fiddle once more and-YOINK!" he cackled as he pulled the letter out of Harry's hand and quickly jumped to his feet, reading it while Harry tried to get it back.

"Come on! Sirius hand me back my letter!"

"Awww, 'with all my love' so precious you two are!" Sirius fake swooned, falling onto his bed.

Harry snatched the letter back and huffed, carefully folding it up and putting it in his pocket.

"All teasing aside,' Sirius said, his voice gaining an edge of seriousness, "she really is a wonderful girl for you, I can tell it's real love between you two."

"Thanks." Harry said, giving his godfather a smile, "were...were you ever in love?"

"Was I ever in love? Was I?" he seemed to ask himself, looking lost for a few seconds, before shaking his head, "Nope, can't say that I have, not what you're experiencing at least, I've felt family love before, your Father and Remus are both like my brothers and Lily?" he chuckled, "lily was like a sister to me, an annoying little sister who wouldn't let us get away with anything." he chuckled slightly, "There was this one time in first year where me, Remus, and James were trying to sneak down to the kitchens, which normally isn't against the rules, but it was the middle of the night, so naturally we were sneaking around under James's cloak, and we were passing the Library, where lo and behold Lily was speaking with professor McGonagall, apparently she had fallen asleep in the library and Minnie found her and woke her up, they were just talking about her class when I slipped and my leg went out from under the cloak. Lily saw and hr eyes widened in surprise, of course that caught McGonagall's attention." Sirius laughed, "oh you should have seen how hard your mother worked to keep McGonagall from being too suspicious, stuttering and asking questions about homework and the way the wizarding world worked, and ended it by asking about her...ah...moon period."

"Oh no," Harry groaned.

"Oh yes," Sirius chortled, "Poor minnie was so flustered! Told her that they 'really must be getting back to the common room' and she began ushering Lily away, of course, by this time we figured sneaking into the kitchen was ruined, so we followed, snuck into the common room just before the door closed, we waited out Minnie who was checking the room for...something, i'm not sure what...huh...anyways once she left, imagine our surprise when James's invisibility cloak just flies off our heads! We turn around and there's Lily, the perfect picture of incandescent rage."

Harry started laughing as Sirius continued, a bright smile on his face, "oh she was angry, she was calling us every name in the book, ripping all of us a new one! No one was spared, even Remus was cowed...and then she calmed down, breathing heavily as she glared at your father...and I spoke up, 'so' i said, making her turn her glare to me, and I stared her dead in the eye and said, 'you need help with your moon period?"

Harry busted out laughing again as Sirius joined him.

"Oh she hexed me until I was purple." He chortled."and thus began a long, beautiful friendship that usually left us hexed."

"And all of it was deserved, wasn't it?"

"For the most part, there's a couple times where I ended up with transfigured clothes in the middle of the great hall that i'm fairly certain wasn't deserved...but my legs did look amazing in those heels."

Harry chuckled and leaned back, "So you were all friends since first year?"

"For the most part," he said with a shrug, "Lily was more of an acquaintance with me and Remus, and, to be frank, she hated your father.'

"Really?"

"Oh yeah, she hated how he acted, which, to be fair, wasn't very good; he saw himself as God's gift to the world. He cared more about having fun then getting good marks...which he still got good marks but I digress. He was also very unforgiving with his pranks, no one was safe except for us Marauders and Lily, and that was only because Lily had retaliated to one of his pranks so well that it left your father physically scared of her for four years."

Harry stared at his godfather in shock, "so...how did they...end up together?"

"Well, for one, after our fifth year, your father began to mellow out, stopped acting like such a prat, apologize to some of the people he hurt with his pranks, and started getting a little more serious with his studies." he sighed, "but I think the biggest thing that got her on his side was that he tried to patch things up with Snivellus."

"With Snape!?"

"Yeah, Snivellus and Lily had been best friends until fourth year, then began drifting apart, he was hanging out with the likes of Avery and Mulciber;Jr Death eaters if I ever saw one, and your mother was a part of a group they very much wanted dead, it drove a wedge between the two that anyone could see...then in fifth year, they had a big falling out, which, admittedly, was our fault...then in Sixth year I did something that probably should have gotten me expelled." he leaned back, "Moony is the reason the stories of hauntings at the shrieking shack became so popular, it was where he transformed while at school, and one night, during the full moon, Snivellus saw Madam Pomfrey moving remus towards the whomping willow, where a secret tunnel is to the shrieking shack, so Snivellus follows and was cursing his luck when I caught up with him." Sirius sighed, "I may...have told him how to access the tunnel."

"Padfoot you didn't…"

"I did...I was tired of him trying to get us in trouble, tired of him trying to get us expelled, I thought a little scare would get him to back off, I didn't know that he was still in the tunnel, just beyond the wards…if it weren't for your father, little snivy wouldn't have survived the night." he sighed, "I wasn't proud of what I had done, and I definitely didn't think my actions through. After I was almost expelled, James kicked my ass something fierce, we didn't speak for almost three months, and not for lack of trying on my part." he shook his head, "my only friend during that time, surprisingly, was Lily, even after what I did, and even after she found out what I tried to do to Severus, she stood by me."

"And it drove James crazy."

Both looked up to where Remus Lupin was leaning against the door frame, "he was extremely jealous that you and her had become such good friends." he continued on, "in fact he wanted to apologise for punching you the very next day, then saw you and Lily chopping it up in the Library and went to sulk."

"And you didn't tell us this because…?"

"Because watching you two awkwardly dance around each other was hilarious, also I may have still been pissed about the whole 'almost revealing my secret' thing."

"Huh…" sirius laughed, "so for three months, the only reason we were at odds was because James was jealous, I thought he still loathed Lily at that point?"

"I don't think he ever truly loathed her, just didn't know how to speak with her."

"Useless that one was." Sirius drawled, jumping up, "so, moony, what brought you by?"

"Well, I spoke with Hagrid, and managed to track down something you've been looking for." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small set of keys, holding them in the air with a smirk.

"NO!" Sirius exclaimed, running over and snatching the keys away, "he really did have it this entire time?"

"And kept it in good condition too," Remus took a step back as Sirius took off down the stairs' ignoring Vernons stuttering.

"What is it?" Harry asked as he stood up.

Remus smiled, "it's the one thing Sirius loves in this world more than you, his motorcycle...and the ministry saw fit to let Hagrid present one of Sirius's...stipulations."

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Dear Daphne

My summer has been about as normal as I've ever remembered it being, which is very weird for me. Sirius is getting along with my relatives about as well as you would think. He changes into his Grimm form for the sole purpose of getting dog hair on aunt petunia's couch.

You're right, as usual, it is weird to not be able to see you every day, sometimes I find myself standing to look for you, only to remember that we are nowhere near each other. I know I could probably convince Sirius to take me to see you, he's looking for any excuse to fly his motorcycle.

You'll never guess what the Ministry gave Sirius, other then his job back; they took his request for a puppy seriously. Hagrid delivered her alongside his motorcycle, Marcella is a four month old German Shepherd Puppy, pure white. I've never seen Sirius so happy. He just sat there and cuddled with the pup for about three hours on Uncle Vernon's recliner, and then another four hours on the couch after Uncle Vernon finally got him to move. He's talking about training her as an Auror Dog, but I don't even know how they would go about training her.

Speaking of training, I would love to find out more about what your Grandfather knows, do you think he'd be willing to train me as well? Or is it a kind of training that is only available for your house? Sirius and Remus have been explaining the houses more in depth, and said that sometimes there's training in some of the more ancient houses that are reserved specifically for family.

That's another thing, did you know I'm technically a lord? According to Sirius, my great-grandfather Charlus Potter was given a lordship from the monarch at that time, and the title was passed down from father to son for the last few generations. But it doesn't really change anything. Apparently it's only used for 'official documentation' With Gringotts, and could very well be used in social circles if I don't mind sounding like a stuck up ponce.

I hope your summer has been good so far, and I also hope that we will be able to see each other very soon.

Lovingly yours,

Harry Potter (i'm not signing it Lord, no matter what Sirius says)

Daphne giggled as she read the last passage of Harry's letter, "Lord Potter," she mused, "it has a nice ring to it."

"What has a nice ring to it?" Astoria asked as she walked into the family straight for where Daphne was sitting in the window, absentmindedly petting Hedwig and looking at Harry's letter.

"Nothing concerning you." Daphne said with a smile, slowly folding the letter up and putting it in her pocket.

"And everything concerning Mr. Potter?" she asked innocently.

Daphne smiled slightly, "perhaps." she said, looking at the letter in her sisters hand, "who are you writing?"

"I...am writing...Su, she wanted to talk about the novel I leant her." Astoria said haltingly, not looking at her sister as she went towards a large barn owl, who dutifully lifted his leg to attach the note.

Daphne raised an eyebrow, "oh really?"

"Y-yeah, really." Astoria said absentmindedly as the owl took off, flying straight out of the window.

"What's the name of the novel?"

Astoria paused, "uh...well...I…"

"Writing to Su Li huh?"

"Yes! Now if you excuse me I have homework to do!" Astoria turned around and left with a flustered huff, making Daphne laugh quietly, before moving to follow her out, "you can stay here for the day Hedwig, I'll write Harry tonight."

Hedwig gave a hoot and flew deeper into the Owlery as Daphne walked out, heading straight for her grandfather's study.

"Ah, Daphne," her grandfather said as she walked into the room, "I was about to go look for you, how are you today?"

"I'm good," she said with a slight smile, "Harry wrote me today."

"Is he doing well?" He asked.

"Exceedingly."

Her grandfather nodded, "I know you've been wanting to visit him, But your training takes precedence."

"I understand Grandda."

"That being said, I want you to focus on the medical journals today, pay close attention to you Grandmothers notes, they're much easier to understand then the long winded Tomes of our ancestors."

"Yes grandda...um...I wanted to ask if Harry could possibly visit sometime this summer? He's shown an interest in wanting to be taught by you..

"

Cyrus smiled, "well I have no qualms about it, provided he understands that I only take the best."

Daphne smiled, "I'll let him know tonight in my letter...thank you grandda."

He laughed, "don't think he'll be thanking me once he gets a look at the training we have to do...don't worry about sending him a letter, I will be sending one to him. Just focus on training."

"Yes Grandda."

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A week later.

Sirius Black looked up at Greengrass Manor as he disapparated in front of it with Harry, Marcella was in his hand, squirming from the discomfort of apparating.

excitement and fear coursed through him, a result of being so close to his old training grounds. excitement because the three story multi-building house had been the source of thousands of fond memories for himself and James.

Fear because this was where Cyrus Greengrass had trained him.

"So this is where Daphne lives." Harry said beside him, shaking him from his thoughts, "it's...big."

Sirius chuckled, "don't be too surprised, Potter Manor was even larger than this!"

"I have a Manor?"

"Not anymore you don't, was destroyed in the last war." Sirius sighed, absentmindedly petting Marcella, "Uncle Demetrius always said he'd go out with a bang…" he looked at Harry again and smiled at the pale faced teen, "don't worry, he only hurt Death Eaters, now come along! We have an old Codger to meet."

The two stepped into the manor, with Harry looking around the white marble halls in amazement.

Sirius was less than impressed.

"Where's the butler? Shouldn't there be butlers in manors this big?tall. Bald, possibly with a moustache, I bet his names Walter, or alfredo. OH! I bet his names wilson!"

Harry grinned at that "is it that important to you that they have a butler?'

"Of course! They're very interesting people you know! Always have back stories and 'super secret training' that no ones ever taught before-"

"If it was never taught before then how did someone learn it?"

Sirius grinned as he looked to the stairs where Cyrus was walking down, dressed in a simple tunic and trousers, a leather belt fastened around his waist, "Cyrus Greengrass!" He exclaimed, "you've gotten taller!"

"And you've gotten more mangy you mutt." Cyrus chuckled walking down the stairs and running a hand through Marcellas hair, "they're all ready in the chamber, fighting over sponsorship."

Sirius snorted at that, "obviously I'll be sponsoring my godson." He said with an eye roll.

"Well then you better go and throw your lot in." Cyrus rumbled in amusement, "I'll be along shortly, first I'd like to talk with young Harry here."

Sirius hesitated, then nodded, "of course." He patted Harry's shoulder, "see you in a bit cub." He said with a smile before walking down the hall.

Cyrus watched him go, then slowly turned and began walking down a separate hall. "Walk with me." He said, and Harry quickly fell into step beside him, "I hope you understand that I do not extend invitations to train under me very often. The last group I trained was your father and godfather, and just as I told them I will tell you now, I only accept the best from my student; in all aspects of their lives, I expect them to excel. In training, school, extracurriculars; I will not allow slacking of any kind, and if anything becomes a distraction, I will not hesitate to remove it. Do you understand Mr. Potter."

"Yes sir, I understand." Harry said dutifully.

Cyrus smiled at him, "daphne is currently in the garden, straight through those doors just in front of us, leisure reading If I had to guess. Why don't you go and speak with her while I check in on your godfather and the others. I'll fetch you when I need you."

Yes sir...um sir, what's this sponsorship about? And who are the others?"

Cyrus gave him a pat on the back, "all in good time my boy, now off with you." With that Cyrus turned a corner and disappeared down a separate corridor.

Harry watched him retreat, then walked towards the double doors, as quietly as he could he opened them up. They lead into an indoor garden, encased in a solid dome of glass, plants-both magical and mundane- were planted in plots sectioned off by concrete curbs, and sitting under an apple tree, not too far from the entrance, sat Daphne, her hair was free of any kind of braid, and she was dressed in a very nice blue summer dress, in her hands she held a slim book which she was completely engrossed in it. Harry smiled and stepped into the garden, almost instantly Daphne looked up. "Harry!" She exclaimed jumping to her feet and running to him, he caught her in his arms and spun her around as they locked lips.

"I didn't know you were going to be here so soon." She whispered as they broke their kiss.

"You know me." He said with a soft smile, "I can't bear to be away from you for long."

The two slowly separated, though their hands stayed intertwined as they began to walk around the garden.

"I take it Granda will begin your training today?" Daphne asked him as they neared a small pond.

"I think so...he keeps talking about about sponsorship and 'others' but won't explain it any further."

Daphne smiled at that, "you'll find out soon." she said softly. Gently guiding him to sit down underneath a shady tree.

"You know what all this is about too?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow as he settled beside her and wrapped his right arm around her.

"Of course, Granda has been training me since the first day we came home. And before you ask, no I won't tell you what is going on," she laughed when he pouted, "you'll find out soon, but for now, lets relax and enjoy each others company."

Harry sighed, then kissed her forehead, "sounds like a plan." he said, flashing her a smile.

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Sirius watched the two from an unseen balcony, a soft smile on his face. In his arms, Marcella was dosing, as all dogs do when comfortable.

"I haven't seen her this happy in a while…"

Sirius looked back to where Cyrus was slowly walking in, hands in his pockets, "since her mother left, she's been closed off...cold...only ever showing glimpses of warmth to me or her sister...but it seems young Mr. Potter is drawing her out...back to the girl she once was."

Sirius smiled at that, "for such a hot headed kid, he's got a very gentle, nurturing nature…" sirius commented.

"Indeed...but he has fire when needed, which speaks well." Cyrus leaned against the balcony railing, "I never got to ask you...how are you Sirius? I mean truly, none of that 'I'm fine' bullshit you used to fall back on when you were younger.

"Oh I'm great." Sirius said with a grin, "I've never felt better…" he trailed off as his smile disappeared, "at least I dont think I have...my minds...my memory...its spotty...I remember important things, how to tune up my bike, the right way to cast a cleaning spell, I remember the important people like Moony, Harry, Marcella,Daphne, you...but...sometimes I fall out...lose focus...forget what year it is...just the other day I could've sworn it was my sixth year...summer break, when you loaned us Greengrass estate in france… prongs and Lily were finally becoming tentative friends...Remus was off having a debate with this one blonde french woman who I was sure was a Veela...wormtail stuck in our room because he was sick...and me...I was...with someone...she was like a cold winter day...cold yet beautiful...but for the life of me I can't remember who she is...anyways I could've sworn i was back there, and I burst into James's room giddy, because we were going to play quidditch with some local boys...and before I could reach the bed my mind snapped back...and all I saw was Harry, sleeping soundly on his own bed in the middle of the night…" he shook his head, "I don't even remember why I'm out here, i know where i am, why I came...but shouldn't I be in some kind of meeting?"

Cyrus smiled sadly, "we had to send you out because you were threatening to fight shafiq."

"Did I? Sounds like something I'd do…" he shrugged, "he probably deserved it."

Cyrus laughed, "that he did...Sirius, perhaps we should think about putting you back in the ward, for a couple more weeks-"

"No." Sirius said firmly, "it'll do nothing but depress me, I'm fine I just...need time to adjust, to remember that it's not a dream...but truly life…" he looked down at the snoozing Marcella, "that this isn't some occasional dream the dementors would let us have before ripping it away…"

Cyrus sighed tiredly, "I'm sorry, lad, for not coming to your aid sooner...I was a wreck when that war ended...and by the time I could pull my head out of my ass three years had gone by and no one wanted to bring up the past…"

Sirius smiled ruefully, "I doubt they would have done anything if you had tried sooner, Crouch didn't like how I was moving up in the ranks. My being a Death Eater was the saving grace he needed to keep his position for a few more years."

"Indeed it was." He said gravely, "a few months traded for 12 years…"

"I like to think he got the worse end of the deal actually…" sirius said conversationally, "I spent twelve years knowing I was innocent, he spent twelve years realizing he was just as guilty as his son."

Cyrus nodded solemnly, "the council has decided that you will sponsor your godson, and have appointed me overseeing trainer for both him and you," he patted his shoulder, slowly turning to walk out, "time for you to get back into true shape."

"Yippee for me." Sirius said cheerfully, going to follow him out, only to stop when the old man did.

"Oh and Sirius," the old man stated, looking back at the ex-convict with a familiar twinkle in his eye, "I do believe 'Elladora' was the name you were looking for when you were speaking of France."

Sirius blinked, his mind bringing forth the memory of a raven haired, blue eyed woman smiling warmly at him, "I do believe you're right…" he said softly.

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Harry followed Cyrus and Sirius towards a large oak door, a few meters behind them, Daphne waited on her own

"I'm not allowed in there right now love, good luck. And I'll see you after."

"Harry," cyrus began as they stopped in front of the heavy doors, "before we go in I must ask that you take an oath to never reveal what is learned here, unless expressly told by myself or someone on the council."

Harry resisted the urge to ask 'what council?' And instead asked, "and if I refuse?"

"Then you won't enter, I will still teach you but whole branches of magic will be forever barred from you."

Harry hesitated then nodded, "I swear."

"Swear on your magic pup." Sirius told him softly.

"I...I swear on my magic." Harry said carefully

Cyrus smiled and waved a hand, making the doors swing open slowly, revealing a circular black marble chamber with a circular white marble table in the middle. Seated around it were over a dozen wizards, most dressed in the same simple manner as Cyrus. While others wore ministry robes of different departments. Only Sirius was in muggle clothes, making him stick out as he took a seat at the table. Hanging over the table was a blue standard with an intricate black Rune upon it.

"Welcome, Harry Potter." Cyrus began as he too sat at the table, "to the Order of the Rune Knights."