And this is it. The final chapter. I've deliberately left the last bit like a cliffhanger, so I might write something to accompany the story. Enjoy.

Cat Burglar.

Harry looked around the simple house he had purchased, admitting he had chosen this new house extremely well. True, it might not be like the residence he had stayed in when he had been a ward of the Chinese magical world, and some of the furnishings might be simpler compared to what he had encountered, but he had time. A new house would take time for him to settle down in, and he had to admit the old fable of finding a house which you liked was true after all.

He had been looking for a place to reside properly for months and months, and he had been searching in several other countries and making arrangements to change his citizenship in both the magical and the muggle worlds, and as a result, he hadn't really had time to do anything but the simplest of burglaries.

Harry had been searching for a place to live in, and he had turned his attention abroad. Harry didn't want to live in Britain; just because he had roots there didn't mean he wanted anything to do with the country of his birth. He had already faced up to Mother Claudia, thanking her for what she had done for him, and he had even visited the magical world for a bit so he could see to the sale of some of the minor Potter properties to make some extra cash.

He didn't want to move to Magical or Muggle China either. Yeah, he had been educated in Asia, but he had always felt like an outsider there. In any case, he had wanted to make a fresh start. In the end, he had chosen Australia; he had some really nice memories there and he had spent more time there than he had in many other countries. It was nice in a way to finally say he had purchased a house of his own in Australia after deciding he preferred Australia to some of the other countries he had visited and resided in.

Harry stood up from the nice comfortable armchair he had purchased for the house, looking around the room. He hadn't gone in for anything extravagant even if he could afford it; unlike many of the celebrities in both worlds who threw their money carelessly away without thinking of the long term, Harry gone the opposite way. He had been raised in a fairly simple foster home even if Mother Claudia hadn't made life simple for him or anyone else and he had never experienced life in large houses or flats. No, he had wanted something smaller, low key. In any case, some burglars were very picky about who they chose, although some preferred to burgle anything they fancied, and he was no exception. As a result, he had chosen a fairly small house to live in.

For the time being Harry wasn't doing anything. He had no intention of committing any theft for a bit until he had gotten used to the geography of this part of Australia. At the same time, Harry was also thankful he had been snapped up as a citizen of Magical Australia. He still had yet to apply for a job, but that wasn't anything for him to worry himself about at the moment. In fact, he was torn between working in either world. He had the qualifications to work in both worlds, so it wouldn't be difficult.

In any case, he had worked in places in both worlds to gain experience, so he had that on his side. In the meantime, he would stay here, make this house into a nice home. He had plenty of time for both, looking for work in either world, planning and committing burglaries while at the same time finding contacts in this part of Australia.

Harry walked out of the room, and he slowly explored the house, mentally making a list of the things he knew he would need to make the place a home. He had already equipped it with basic furniture and he had gone out shopping to collect some food.

He was just making something for dinner when he received an owl. The bird swept through the open window, shocking him but the tired bird had just enough strength to drop a letter. Harry frowned in surprise; he hadn't seen an owl carrying a letter for a long time, a very long time. It took a moment for him to recall the last time where he had seen a country use owls to carry their post.

And then he had it. He remembered how Hogwarts had used them, but Harry had never seen any other magical country use it so the memory had been suppressed.

Harry put away his wand when he saw just how tired the owl was. He didn't recognise the breed, but he guessed the bird was a British variety. No wonder it was exhausted after flying across such a long distance.

Harry went to the fridge and he grabbed a handful of ham slices and he tore them up and placed them on a saucer. He grabbed another saucer and filled it with water before he took both to the owl. The bird gave a tired hoot of thanks and started eating and drinking.

Harry took a look at the letter, surprised. He had no idea who had sent it since he had no friends in magical Britain, or in Europe since owl post was more common there. In any case, he had not visited his home country for a long long time.

He ran his wand over the envelope, noting its thickness instantly, but he scanned for any kind of dangerous curse. Nothing. There was a mild tracking charm on it, but Harry disabled it quickly. He opened the letter and took a look at the writing.

"Dear Harry," he read clearly, "I have been trying to find you for a long time. I heard from the goblins who told me you had refused to attend Hogwarts following discovering Dumbledore's interference. I know how you feel, kiddo. Dumbledore messed things up with me as well. You see, I am your godfather."

Harry gasped as he realised who had sent the letter. Sirius Black. He remembered hearing the story. It had happened shortly after Voldemort and his Horcruxes had been drained of their magic, the Ministry had mobilised when they discovered the Death Eaters had all lost their magic, and the revelation of both Sirius having his magic, and the existence of Peter Pettigrew, who was considered to be a martyr to the light had resulted in a monumental mess of epic proportions. Not only were the Ministry guilty of sending a man who was innocent to Azkaban prison for a decade where he suffered continually because of the Dementors who resided there, he had not even been given a trial.

What made it worse was Sirius Black was Harry's godfather.

At the time Harry had been adjusting to life in the magical world, and truthfully after spending so many years of his life alone without anyone with him, Harry had decided to focus on his studies since he had no idea what type of life Sirius Black would give him. Harry had often wondered about the man, knowing the goblins were sending his results and even pictures of him growing up in another part of the world, but he had never actually gotten in touch with him.

He shook his head and focused on the letter.

"I am sorry, so sorry I let you down. I let my desire for revenge against Pettigrew cloud my judgement. That mistake robbed us both, although Dumbledore and the Ministry did their own fair share to make things worse. I have been hoping you would get in touch after you had left Britain. I don't know if you want nothing to do with me, I mean we don't even know each other. But it would be great to see you. Christmas is fast coming up. I hope you are well, and that you reply soon.

Sirius Black."

Harry closed his eyes, feeling guilty for having ignored Blacks' existence for so long. But one of the reasons he had was because he had learnt of Black's story. How in the name of god could a godfather be so careless he went off after the man who'd betrayed his friends instead of taking care of his own godson?

But truthfully you could not change history, and personally, while time travel was possible, Harry knew he wouldn't have wanted anything changed. Not one line of his history.

Why?

Being a burglar had opened doors for him. It had sharpened his mind, made him wise up to Dumbledore's manipulations and it had given him the means of being educated elsewhere, while at the same time it had made it possible for Voldemort to die. At the same time, Harry had forgotten his godfather. Why? Harry had answered that question to himself and to the headmaster of the school in China who had asked him in a quiet conference about why he was avoiding the letters to go back to Britain - they were basically invitations sent on Sirius' behalf and written by the man himself - for some do or other.

Harry had said, "The man left me to go after revenge on his own, but at the same time I don't know where I stand with him."

But he had failed to admit something else as well. He was afraid, afraid of what he would face.

Harry looked down at the letter. Maybe it was time to change that.

XXX

White Christmases were becoming a rarity in Britain, but they never lost their magical beauty. Everyone inside the house was laughing as they celebrated Christmas. Sirius barely heard them, although he had done his best to be the life and soul of the party, and yet he felt the weight on his shoulders.

Once the main celebrations were over, Sirius had retreated to himself.

"Sirius?" Andromeda found her cousin looking morosely out of the window looking out into the back garden of the house Andromeda and Ted lived in.

Sirius ignored her although he knew she was there. "He didn't come," he whispered.

Andromeda sighed and looked down, mentally kicking herself for being so thick. "Did you get a letter back?'

Sirius shook his head. "No."

Andromeda sighed again. "Oh, Sirius."

"It's my fault. Why, why didn't I do the right thing? Why did I run after Pettigrew?" Sirius' voice rose to a wail.

Andromeda waved him back to silence. He would disturb the other guests, and she didn't want that. "We've been over this," she told him, reminding him of the exhausting talks they'd had time and time again. "It wasn't your fault."

"But it was, Andy," Sirius looked down.

Meanwhile, in another part of the house, Andromeda's daughter Nymphadora, who preferred to go by her surname, was looking around for her mother and her cousin when the door went.

She frowned, puzzled. She wasn't expecting anyone, and even if they were they would have come by floo, not by the door. Tonks slipped her wand out of her holster cautiously which was an ingrained habit. She walked to the door, seeing the silhouette of something through the white translucent curtain. She opened the door and gasped when she saw who it was.

Andromeda had managed to bring Sirius back to the party, and he was smiling again, but only those who knew him and were only a quarter drunk could see he was no longer in the mood for the party.

The sudden bang from a noisemaker spell made the guests jump and whip out their wands, but they found Tonks standing there with her wand out.

"What's going on, Nymphadora?" Andy demanded, her hand over her heart as she tried to get over her shock.

But Tonks was smiling too brightly to be put off by the use of her first name. "There's someone here," she grinned and she went rushing out and she came back within seconds, bringing in a tall, dark-haired man.

Sirius gasped. The resemblance to James Potter, the friend he had lost years ago was overwhelming. "H-Harry?"

Harry Potter smiled. "Hello, Sirius."