A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Sorry I didn't update for so long! I went to
England and Ireland for two weeks. I saw tons of HP filming sites it was
awesssommme! I saw where the filmed the Chamber, and the place where the
troll walked by, and Snapes classroom... all very cool... Well here you go,
hope you like it!
Sirius cleared his throat and scratched his head as he slowly began folding the letter back up into as many little squares as he could manage thinking for a moment that if one of the tables occupants managed to seize it, their reading it would at least be delayed by the dozens of folds. Suddenly Mrs. Weasley decided to speak.
"Sirius, did you decide to borrow Errol for something?" she said smiling kindly, ready to give him her full support of whatever it was he was doing. After a moment of thinking about what he should say, Sirius responded.
"Er- well, I ... erm..." Sirius trailed off and Mrs. Weasley kept smiling at him patiently and it bothered Sirius very much. Sirius was about to crack and tell the entire table about his days at Hermione's house when Lupin, who knew exactly what was going on in Sirius's head somehow, jumped to Sirius's defense and saved him from this awkward moment with a little forced help from Harry.
"It's odd that Errol decided to land on Sirius when Harry sent the letter. Didn't you Harry? Early this morning? I thought I'd heard you anyway..." Lupin stared at Harry and Harry glared back but suddenly took the hint and played a long as best as he could.
"Oh, yeah, of course.. right.. yeah, I.... wrote a.... letter," Harry said stumbling over his words but managed to convince the Weasley family. He was very confused and didn't know exactly what Lupin wanted him to say or do. Lupin nodded at Harry to say more. "I.... I erm, already wrote to Hermione because I needed to ask her some.... Stuff about..." Harry trailed off starting to feel very bemused with himself.
"Then why hasn't Sirius given you your letter?" Ron asked with a slight tone of disbelief in his voice.
"Oh, right. Here," Sirius said while handing Harry his letter two seats down from him. Harry took it and as he began to unfold the many folds Sirius had made, Sirius felt himself getting nervous and hoped that Harry would keep playing along even after he discovered Sirius's little secret. This certainly wasn't the way Sirius had hoped Harry would find out... Harry opened it all the way and Sirius watched Harry's face as it grew to look more and more surprised as he completed it. A moment later, as the entire table stared at Harry reading the letter and waiting for a response or explanation Harry folded the letter back up, put it in his pocket and looked around nodding slightly at everyone and Sirius could have sworn that Harry had given him a little eyebrow raise.
"Well, Hermione can come," Harry said quickly to Sirius's relief. The entire table seemed to breathe again and every single person sitting their seemed to have woken from some strange sort of coma or trance.
"So, you were that desperate for help on potions, were you Harry?" Ron said laughing.
"Yeah, well, at least she can come," Harry said clearing his throat and clearly trying to hold back laughter. "She didn't say when though, so you better write her, Ron," Harry said. Ron stood up from the table to carry out Harry's request and this seemed to draw all the others to begin clearing their places and exiting to get on with their day. Harry walked over to Sirius who had just stood up from his chair; and as Sirius slightly winced at him, Harry gave Sirius a small amused smile while shaking his head slightly and studying Sirius in disbelief.
"Well, Sirius," Harry said with a breath of laughter, "how about that walk?"
"You did, WHAT?" Harry said after Sirius's entire explanation of his three days with Hermione as Godfather and Godson, who more treated each other as close friends then anything else, walked down a trail past a shed at the Burrow's garden.
"You heard me," Sirius said. "I kissed her. Then we got in a fight about something, she liked it but 'just couldn't do it' for some reason and then I went to Remus's, heard about you, and came here... and... yeah," Sirius said. Harry could not stop shaking his head at Sirius in disbelief. This was pretty absurd and unexpected but for some reason it provided Harry with a sort of amusement.
"You kissed someone twenty years younger then you?" Sirius was about to jump to his own defense when Harry continued. "No, not only that but you kissed your Godson's best friend." Harry laughed again.
"It's not what you're thinking, though," Sirius said not being able to smile to himself remembering the incident in the forest.
"OH really?" Harry said. "Then what should I be thinking?" Harry turned to his Godfather as they stopped in their path. Sirius looked down at his godson and trying to keep a straight face his mouth suddenly spread into a handsome grin and Harry burst out laughing for the first time in months. "Ha! I knew it. You're a scoundrel, Sirius." Harry laughed outloud and they both turned to continue walking.
"I really felt something though, Harry. I didn't just kiss her for the fun of it. We really started to feel something for each other," Sirius spoke in defense. It was true. Harry didn't know how to respond to this so he changed the subject.
"So why were you walking through a forest?" Harry asked. Sirius knew he had to tell Harry about 'James' eventually so Sirius decided to act more like a father at this moment rather then a friend discussing girls as he was before.
"Okay, Harry, this is the most important part," Sirius said, stopping to turn to his Godson. Harry narrowed his eyebrows at Sirius. What could he be talking about? Harry thought. Suddenly Sirius broke out in the story of the stag and how Hermione called him James and how he took Hermione's picture of Harry and how he was unlike any normal deer. Harry froze and Sirius watched him concernedly. Harry didn't know what to think. How could it possibly be his father? James Potter was dead. Voldermort had killed him. It didn't get anymore 'gone' then that. But this stag seemed to have all the traits of the patronous Harry had conjured and Sirius seemed to be as bewildered as Harry felt. If it was his Dad...
"Harry, are you okay?" Harry was thinking hard and couldn't be interrupted when finally he spoke back.
"Sirius, you watched James turn into a stag loads of times back when you went to Hogwarts right?" Harry asked. Sirius seemed to know what Harry was getting at immediately.
"Yes, yes, I'm not exactly sure if I have a picture though. I mean, we didn't become Annimagi to pose for each other..." Sirius trailed off and Harry nodded.
"Check though. Check in Remus's house, check in your bags and jackets and--" Harry stopped abruptly when he noticed a look of surprise on Sirius's face. "What is it?" Harry asked.
"Harry I've just remembered! Remus took one of Your father and I when we first became annimagi and we can compare his picture to the stag at Hermione's. We can look for any differences and if we don't find any then we have to do some further research but..."
"Where is it?"
"Where's what?"
"The picture," Harry said. Sirius thought for a moment and then pulled off his shoe and pulled out an old photograph which had practically been warn into the shoe to look like it was almost made in there.
"It's been there ever since we graduated," Sirius said quietly while opening it up. "I just remembered." Harry peered over at the black dog and the stag standing next to each other. The furry black dog barked at the camera and the stag just stared at it solemnly only moving its head around every few moments.
"We'll have to go to Hermione's soon. I need to see this stag."
The rest of the day went on as usual. In the afternoon Harry, Ron, and Sirius challenged Ginny and the twins to a game of quidditch out in the backyard and at sunset Hermione arrived in the fireplace with a suitcase, beautiful as ever to Sirius's eyes. Their eyes met the moment he looked at her and were still locked even as Mrs. Weasley attacked her in a huge hug.
"Hermione, dear, it's so wonderful to see you," Mrs. Weasley said in a kind, motherly way.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said hugging her back.
"Ron! Get in here now!" Ron sprinted into the room and halted when he saw Hermione.
"Hey Hermione. Glad you could come. How's your summer been?" Ron asked shifting his weight to the opposite foot every so often.
"Fantastic," Hermione said, glancing at Sirius quick enough for Ron not to notice. "yours?"
"Oh, s'been great. Harry's here too," Ron said waving an arm at his best friend.
"And Hermione..." Mrs. Weasley said as though she had a big surprise to share. "Guess whose here... you'll never believe your eyes..." suddenly Mrs. Weasley made a huge gesture with her arms towards Sirius and Sirius gave Hermione a tiny smile and winked at her. Lupin smiled amusedly at their roleplay and Hermione had to push back a laugh along with Harry.
"Oh... oh my... I..." Hermione said a look of exaggerated astonishment coming over her face. "Sirius!! YOUR ALIVE!!" Hermione made an odd squealing sound which startled Sirius and even Mrs. Weasley was a bit surprised when Hermione leaped on Sirius embracing him in a huge hug, her arms nearly rapping around his neck three times. Harry nearly burst out laughing at the look on Sirius's face but forced himself to push it back. "HOW is it POSSIBLE?" Hermione cried finally letting him go and staring into his face smiling slightly in a mischievous way.
"The veil has some sort of magic that saved me," Sirius said with no sound of excitement although his face was lit up completely. Sirius could see through the corner of his eye that Ron didn't quite like the chemistry he was observing between Sirius and Hermione.
"Hermione, come on I have to show you where your room with Ginny is," Ron said taking Hermione's arm and pulling her away from Sirius. Hermione giggled.
"Ron, I've been to your house about a million times. I can assure you I KNOW where Ginny's room is." Hermione said tilting her head at Ron. Ron smirked at her and then added, "well, Harry and I need help with Potions homework." Hermione sighed at him.
"Honestly Ron, are you EVER going to attempt to homework on your own?" Hermione said raising her eyebrows at him snobbily. Ron shrugged at her comment.
"I don't know. But I do know that you're going to help me sooner or later so you might as well do it now." Before Hermione had a chance to defend herself Harry jumped in to prevent any further conflict between the two Harry gestured for them both to go upstairs. Before Hermione followed her two best friends she turned around to look at Sirius only to find that he had been looking at her as well. She smiled at him and he continued to hold her with his eyes as she continued back upstairs. Sirius prayed that he'd be able to keep his hands off her in the Weasley household. It wouldn't be easy...
Sirius cleared his throat and scratched his head as he slowly began folding the letter back up into as many little squares as he could manage thinking for a moment that if one of the tables occupants managed to seize it, their reading it would at least be delayed by the dozens of folds. Suddenly Mrs. Weasley decided to speak.
"Sirius, did you decide to borrow Errol for something?" she said smiling kindly, ready to give him her full support of whatever it was he was doing. After a moment of thinking about what he should say, Sirius responded.
"Er- well, I ... erm..." Sirius trailed off and Mrs. Weasley kept smiling at him patiently and it bothered Sirius very much. Sirius was about to crack and tell the entire table about his days at Hermione's house when Lupin, who knew exactly what was going on in Sirius's head somehow, jumped to Sirius's defense and saved him from this awkward moment with a little forced help from Harry.
"It's odd that Errol decided to land on Sirius when Harry sent the letter. Didn't you Harry? Early this morning? I thought I'd heard you anyway..." Lupin stared at Harry and Harry glared back but suddenly took the hint and played a long as best as he could.
"Oh, yeah, of course.. right.. yeah, I.... wrote a.... letter," Harry said stumbling over his words but managed to convince the Weasley family. He was very confused and didn't know exactly what Lupin wanted him to say or do. Lupin nodded at Harry to say more. "I.... I erm, already wrote to Hermione because I needed to ask her some.... Stuff about..." Harry trailed off starting to feel very bemused with himself.
"Then why hasn't Sirius given you your letter?" Ron asked with a slight tone of disbelief in his voice.
"Oh, right. Here," Sirius said while handing Harry his letter two seats down from him. Harry took it and as he began to unfold the many folds Sirius had made, Sirius felt himself getting nervous and hoped that Harry would keep playing along even after he discovered Sirius's little secret. This certainly wasn't the way Sirius had hoped Harry would find out... Harry opened it all the way and Sirius watched Harry's face as it grew to look more and more surprised as he completed it. A moment later, as the entire table stared at Harry reading the letter and waiting for a response or explanation Harry folded the letter back up, put it in his pocket and looked around nodding slightly at everyone and Sirius could have sworn that Harry had given him a little eyebrow raise.
"Well, Hermione can come," Harry said quickly to Sirius's relief. The entire table seemed to breathe again and every single person sitting their seemed to have woken from some strange sort of coma or trance.
"So, you were that desperate for help on potions, were you Harry?" Ron said laughing.
"Yeah, well, at least she can come," Harry said clearing his throat and clearly trying to hold back laughter. "She didn't say when though, so you better write her, Ron," Harry said. Ron stood up from the table to carry out Harry's request and this seemed to draw all the others to begin clearing their places and exiting to get on with their day. Harry walked over to Sirius who had just stood up from his chair; and as Sirius slightly winced at him, Harry gave Sirius a small amused smile while shaking his head slightly and studying Sirius in disbelief.
"Well, Sirius," Harry said with a breath of laughter, "how about that walk?"
"You did, WHAT?" Harry said after Sirius's entire explanation of his three days with Hermione as Godfather and Godson, who more treated each other as close friends then anything else, walked down a trail past a shed at the Burrow's garden.
"You heard me," Sirius said. "I kissed her. Then we got in a fight about something, she liked it but 'just couldn't do it' for some reason and then I went to Remus's, heard about you, and came here... and... yeah," Sirius said. Harry could not stop shaking his head at Sirius in disbelief. This was pretty absurd and unexpected but for some reason it provided Harry with a sort of amusement.
"You kissed someone twenty years younger then you?" Sirius was about to jump to his own defense when Harry continued. "No, not only that but you kissed your Godson's best friend." Harry laughed again.
"It's not what you're thinking, though," Sirius said not being able to smile to himself remembering the incident in the forest.
"OH really?" Harry said. "Then what should I be thinking?" Harry turned to his Godfather as they stopped in their path. Sirius looked down at his godson and trying to keep a straight face his mouth suddenly spread into a handsome grin and Harry burst out laughing for the first time in months. "Ha! I knew it. You're a scoundrel, Sirius." Harry laughed outloud and they both turned to continue walking.
"I really felt something though, Harry. I didn't just kiss her for the fun of it. We really started to feel something for each other," Sirius spoke in defense. It was true. Harry didn't know how to respond to this so he changed the subject.
"So why were you walking through a forest?" Harry asked. Sirius knew he had to tell Harry about 'James' eventually so Sirius decided to act more like a father at this moment rather then a friend discussing girls as he was before.
"Okay, Harry, this is the most important part," Sirius said, stopping to turn to his Godson. Harry narrowed his eyebrows at Sirius. What could he be talking about? Harry thought. Suddenly Sirius broke out in the story of the stag and how Hermione called him James and how he took Hermione's picture of Harry and how he was unlike any normal deer. Harry froze and Sirius watched him concernedly. Harry didn't know what to think. How could it possibly be his father? James Potter was dead. Voldermort had killed him. It didn't get anymore 'gone' then that. But this stag seemed to have all the traits of the patronous Harry had conjured and Sirius seemed to be as bewildered as Harry felt. If it was his Dad...
"Harry, are you okay?" Harry was thinking hard and couldn't be interrupted when finally he spoke back.
"Sirius, you watched James turn into a stag loads of times back when you went to Hogwarts right?" Harry asked. Sirius seemed to know what Harry was getting at immediately.
"Yes, yes, I'm not exactly sure if I have a picture though. I mean, we didn't become Annimagi to pose for each other..." Sirius trailed off and Harry nodded.
"Check though. Check in Remus's house, check in your bags and jackets and--" Harry stopped abruptly when he noticed a look of surprise on Sirius's face. "What is it?" Harry asked.
"Harry I've just remembered! Remus took one of Your father and I when we first became annimagi and we can compare his picture to the stag at Hermione's. We can look for any differences and if we don't find any then we have to do some further research but..."
"Where is it?"
"Where's what?"
"The picture," Harry said. Sirius thought for a moment and then pulled off his shoe and pulled out an old photograph which had practically been warn into the shoe to look like it was almost made in there.
"It's been there ever since we graduated," Sirius said quietly while opening it up. "I just remembered." Harry peered over at the black dog and the stag standing next to each other. The furry black dog barked at the camera and the stag just stared at it solemnly only moving its head around every few moments.
"We'll have to go to Hermione's soon. I need to see this stag."
The rest of the day went on as usual. In the afternoon Harry, Ron, and Sirius challenged Ginny and the twins to a game of quidditch out in the backyard and at sunset Hermione arrived in the fireplace with a suitcase, beautiful as ever to Sirius's eyes. Their eyes met the moment he looked at her and were still locked even as Mrs. Weasley attacked her in a huge hug.
"Hermione, dear, it's so wonderful to see you," Mrs. Weasley said in a kind, motherly way.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said hugging her back.
"Ron! Get in here now!" Ron sprinted into the room and halted when he saw Hermione.
"Hey Hermione. Glad you could come. How's your summer been?" Ron asked shifting his weight to the opposite foot every so often.
"Fantastic," Hermione said, glancing at Sirius quick enough for Ron not to notice. "yours?"
"Oh, s'been great. Harry's here too," Ron said waving an arm at his best friend.
"And Hermione..." Mrs. Weasley said as though she had a big surprise to share. "Guess whose here... you'll never believe your eyes..." suddenly Mrs. Weasley made a huge gesture with her arms towards Sirius and Sirius gave Hermione a tiny smile and winked at her. Lupin smiled amusedly at their roleplay and Hermione had to push back a laugh along with Harry.
"Oh... oh my... I..." Hermione said a look of exaggerated astonishment coming over her face. "Sirius!! YOUR ALIVE!!" Hermione made an odd squealing sound which startled Sirius and even Mrs. Weasley was a bit surprised when Hermione leaped on Sirius embracing him in a huge hug, her arms nearly rapping around his neck three times. Harry nearly burst out laughing at the look on Sirius's face but forced himself to push it back. "HOW is it POSSIBLE?" Hermione cried finally letting him go and staring into his face smiling slightly in a mischievous way.
"The veil has some sort of magic that saved me," Sirius said with no sound of excitement although his face was lit up completely. Sirius could see through the corner of his eye that Ron didn't quite like the chemistry he was observing between Sirius and Hermione.
"Hermione, come on I have to show you where your room with Ginny is," Ron said taking Hermione's arm and pulling her away from Sirius. Hermione giggled.
"Ron, I've been to your house about a million times. I can assure you I KNOW where Ginny's room is." Hermione said tilting her head at Ron. Ron smirked at her and then added, "well, Harry and I need help with Potions homework." Hermione sighed at him.
"Honestly Ron, are you EVER going to attempt to homework on your own?" Hermione said raising her eyebrows at him snobbily. Ron shrugged at her comment.
"I don't know. But I do know that you're going to help me sooner or later so you might as well do it now." Before Hermione had a chance to defend herself Harry jumped in to prevent any further conflict between the two Harry gestured for them both to go upstairs. Before Hermione followed her two best friends she turned around to look at Sirius only to find that he had been looking at her as well. She smiled at him and he continued to hold her with his eyes as she continued back upstairs. Sirius prayed that he'd be able to keep his hands off her in the Weasley household. It wouldn't be easy...