A Promise Worth Keeping

Chapter Twenty

Remus looked at the dog's body in stunned disbelief. Then he knelt down beside the still form, and felt its neck for a pulse point. After a moment, his questing fingers found a slight flutter. He drew a breath to speak, but before he could say anything Dumbledore's words came back to him. We seldom get the opportunity to correct our mistakes. Was this such an opportunity? He wasn't entirely sure, but he did know that it was better to take it and be wrong, than do nothing and never find out. So he said nothing, keeping his face perfectly neutral.

Nobody said anything for a moment; there was just the sound of Harry sniffling. Remus looked at him. The boy's anxious eyes were fixed on his face. "Is he really…?" Harry swallowed hard.

"Well I would never have expected that," commented Snape, ignoring the boy.

Footsteps sounded, running up the path. "What the hell's going on?" demanded Meredith, appearing between the stones, closely followed by Fairley and Steerforth. Then he saw the dog's body. "Oh bugger, is he dead?"

"It would seem so," Snape told him. "Hit by a spell from one of his own men moreover."

Remus flashed him an angry glance. "What are you talking about? He saved Harry's life."

"Well I don't know what you think you saw, Lupin, but I know what I saw."

Meredith looked interested. "What do you mean, 'saved the boy's life'?"

Harry was running across the circle and hadn't seen him." Remus nodded over to the unconscious form beside the flanker stone. "That's right, isn't it, Harry?"

Miserably, Harry nodded. Remus continued, "Black must have been following and saw Harry was going to get hit, because he threw himself directly in the path of the Blasting Curse the bastard flung at the boy."

"That's not what I saw," Snape said to nobody in particular.

"So what did you see, Professor Snape?" Meredith asked, folding his arms.

"I saw Black try to bring down the boy and miss," Snape told him. "It was a sheer accident that he was hit by the curse."

Meredith sighed. "Pity we'll never know the right of it then."

Steerforth broke in," Er, how do we know that's Black?"

"Good question. Lupin?" Meredith cocked an eyebrow at Remus.

"Oh er, right." He thought for a moment, then quickly muttered a Stunning Curse, just in case, before casting the shape-changing spell. As the man's shape appeared, Remus thought he certainly looked dead. Snape made a small sound of satisfaction, as if an old score were finally settled.

"How many are still unaccounted for?" Meredith asked.

"Two, I think," Remus responded. "Assuming there were five of them." He glanced at Harry. He was still on his knees, staring at Sirius' body. The boy looked as if he was on the brink of breaking apart completely. Right, time to give him something else to think about, and make sure he didn't touch the body. "Harry, were there five of them?" Remus asked him.

Harry blinked and looked up. After a moment he nodded.

"Do you know who's missing?" Remus held out his hand to help him up, wondering if the boy would reject the gesture, and he did. But after a moment he stood up by himself, and followed Remus, as he showed him the three wizards they had accounted for.

"Goyle isn't here. Or Malfoy," Harry told him.

Meredith snorted. "Probably hiding behind one of those stones and watching us."

"I very much doubt Malfoy's still here at all," Snape said. "In fact, I expect he's currently in the process of constructing a cast iron alibi."

Meredith fixed an interested eye on the Potions master. "You know him that well, do you?" he asked in a non-committal tone.

Snape blinked. "Well it's what any person with half a brain would do, Meredith, and Malfoy has never been thought of as stupid." He looked at the Auror with dislike and muttered, "Unlike some people."

Suddenly there was a shout from the path and several wizards came running towards them. "How typical," Snape commented, as the Aurors went over to speak to them. "The cavalry arrive just when it's all over."

Remus stared at him and couldn't resist a dig. "Dear me, Severus, making references to Muggle culture?" Before Snape could respond however, Remus had turned to Harry and said, "I think we had better get you back to Hogwarts, Harry."

Fear flickered across the boy's face. "What's wrong?" Remus asked, concerned. "There's nothing to worry about at Hogwarts. Not now."

Harry looked unconvinced, but he clearly didn't trust Remus enough to explain why he was frightened. Remus supposed given all that had just happened, it was hardly unexpected, but it hurt all the same. Well, there was one way to deal with that. He pulled out the Portkey he had brought with him, being careful not to touch it with his bare fingers, and explained what it did to the boy. Harry merely nodded in acceptance, but his eyes teared up again as he looked down at Sirius. Remus flicked a quick sideways glance at Snape to make sure he was listening and said gently, "We'll take Sirius with us, so you can say goodbye to him properly." He glanced at Meredith and the Auror shrugged in acquiescence.

Snape snorted and rolled his eyes, but Harry nodded, blinking back the tears. "What do I have to do?" he asked.

"Just touch the Portkey when I tell you, you don't need to grasp it, but make sure your skin doesn't make contact until I say." Remus told him and bent down to lift one of Sirius' hands. "Okay?" he glanced at Harry and the boy nodded. "Now!"

Immediately he felt the familiar tug in his stomach and seconds later they landed in a heap on the lawn before the front entrance of Hogwarts. Quickly Remus picked himself up and checked Sirius' pulse again. It took him a moment to find the faint flutter once more.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked, climbing to his feet.

"Checking his pulse," Remus replied, calmly.

Harry's eyes widened in astonishment and he said slowly, "But… you said…"

"That he was dead?" Remus shook his head. "No I didn't. Come on, we need to get him up to the hospital wing."

Harry looked as if he wasn't sure what was going on and Remus didn't really blame him. He quickly muttered, "Mobilicorpus!" and they set off up the steps into the castle.

As they went, he said to the boy, "I'm sorry I let you believe he was dead. If the Aurors had known he's still alive they would never have let me bring him here." Harry managed a smile, but he didn't say anything as they climbed the stairs to the first floor.

When they reached the landing, Dumbledore appeared from along the corridor. "Remus, what happened?"

Remus briefly explained, as they walked along to the hospital wing.

"I would agree that if Black saved Harry's life it would certainly merit further investigation," Dumbledore commented.

"Of course, Snape thinks I'm wrong, but when did he ever not think that?" Remus said with a slight smile. "I thought the time to look into it is now, not after Sirius is thrown to the Dementors."

"Quite," Dumbledore said.

Harry looked as if he wasn't sure quite what they were talking about. But he protested. "You can't send Sirius back to prison! You can't! He didn't do anything."

"Is that what he told you, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course not," Harry replied. "He thinks it was all his fault and it wasn't."

Remus and Dumbledore looked at one another. "How do you know that, Harry?" Remus asked.

"I don't see how it can be his fault. Not if it's not my fault Uncle Vernon got hurt."

"What's Vernon Dursley got to do with Sirius Black?" Remus asked in astonishment.

Harry looked at him as if he were an idiot. "Nothing. Why would Sirius know Uncle Vernon?"

Remus was about to ask another question, but they had arrived at the hospital wing by this time. Madam Pomfrey raised more than an eyebrow when they brought Sirius in. Remus thought he had never seen her look so surprised in his life. For a moment, he wondered if she was going to refuse to treat the injured man, but she glanced at the Headmaster, and what she saw in his face must have satisfied her, because she quickly became very efficient and ordered Remus to put Sirius on one of the beds. She took one look at Harry and allowed him to stay, although Remus was sure she had been about to ask him to leave.

"What happened to him?" the Matron asked in a neutral tone as she checked Sirius' pulse.

"Blasting Curse," Remus told her.

"Hmm. " She pulled up Sirius' eyelids and looked at his pupils. "He's been Stunned as well," she said.

"Oh that was me. I thought it would be safer if he didn't come round."

The matron looked at Remus. "That was sensible. We'll leave him under for now, I think. Let's see what damage the Blasting Curse has done."

When they had stripped the ragged clothes off the unconscious man, the full extent of his injuries could be seen. Noticing Harry's shocked expression, Madam Pomfrey said to him, "Don't worry, it's not as bad as it looks."

"Harry," the Headmaster said, as the boy seemed about to clutch Sirius' hand, "I think you'd better stand back, and let Madam Pomfrey do her job before she makes us all leave." His eyes twinkled.

Reluctantly, Harry stepped away from the bed as Madam Pomfrey set to work, but his eyes stayed firmly fixed on his godfather's face. Remus tried to distract him. "Harry, what did you mean just now when you said that Sirius was like your Uncle?"

"I never said that!" Harry looked appalled at the suggestion.

Remus tried to clarify, "Er, you said something like it not being Sirius' fault and it was like you and Uncle Vernon."

Comprehension flashed across the boy's face and he looked down, shuffling his feet. "I was really upset… about what I did to Uncle Vernon," he looked up suddenly and assured them, "but I didn't mean to do it, really." He looked back down again. "Sirius said that, because I didn't mean to do it, I wasn't responsible, that I couldn't help it. He said things like that happen to magical children all the time." He looked back up again, twisting his hands. "Do they really?"

Dumbledore smiled at him. "Yes, Harry, Sirius was right; they do. Go on."

Harry shuffled his feet again and looked down. "Well, Sirius is always really sad - about what happened to my mum and dad - he tries to hide it, but he is."

"Because he betrayed them?" Remus asked, struggling to keep his tone neutral.

"No!" Harry angrily glared at Remus. "Because everyone thinks he did." The anger was replaced by puzzlement, "But he still thinks he was responsible."

Dumbledore looked serious. "Let me make sure I have this right, Harry. Sirius told you that he didn't betray your parents, but that it was his fault they died?"

Harry scrunched up his face. "Yes, but there was something else that everyone thought he had done that he didn't do, but I didn't really understand it."

"That's all right, Harry. It's complicated for anyone to understand," Remus said. "I still don't understand the connection with Uncle Vernon, though."

Harry gave an exasperated sigh. "I told Sirius that if I didn't mean to hurt Uncle Vernon and it wasn't my fault then, if he didn't betray my mum and dad, then it couldn't be his fault they died either."

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "A logical conclusion. What did he say?"

Harry looked sulky and muttered, "He said it was different, but I still don't see how."

"I'm sure we'll get him to explain, as I see Madam Pomfrey has nearly finished." Dumbledore gestured over to the other side of the ward where the Matron was turning Sirius on his side and covering him up.

Harry was beside the bed in an instant and Remus and Dumbledore slowly followed. As they walked over, Remus murmured, "He certainly seems to have behaved as if he cared about Harry, and found just the right thing to say to him moreover."

"Yes he does, doesn't he?" Dumbledore responded. "Why don't we watch how he behaves now, hmm?"

Remus smiled. "Without letting him see us? Of course."

Madam Pomfrey looked up at them, saying, "Well, I can't do anything about the malnutrition, only time and some decent food will take care of that. But as for the rest, he should be all right in a few days. The broken collarbone and the broken arm will be all right by the morning, it's the internal damage that will take longer to heal. Blasting Curses are nasty things."

"He's going to be all right? He's not going to die?" Harry asked anxiously.

"Yes and not immediately, no," the Matron responded, answering his questions in turn.

"Is it all right to bring him round, Poppy?" Dumbledore asked, "Because there are some things we need to clear up."

Madam Pomfrey sniffed disapprovingly, "It would be better if he had some rest, but you will do as you wish, Albus, you always do." As she flicked her wand, Dumbledore lightly touched Remus on the arm, and motioned him to stand back, out of Sirius' immediate line of sight. "Ennervate!" she said, and drew back out of sight herself.

---

Slowly Sirius became aware of his surroundings. To his surprise, he seemed to be lying in a bed and felt warm and comfortable, if somewhat battered. But the realisation brought no solace, as he knew it must mean he'd been captured. Instead a thrill of fear and horror ran through him as he remembered they weren't just going to send him back to Azkaban, they were going to throw him to the Dementors. He swallowed hard and opened his eyes. A blurred shape that resolved itself into Harry, took an anxious step towards him. Pushing his own fears to the back of his mind, he asked, in a soft thread of a voice that he quite failed to keep the worry out of, "Harry? Are you all right?" And he stretched out his good arm towards the boy.

Harry clutched Sirius' thin hand in his own, blinking hard as he did so. "I thought you were dead," he said, his face starting to crumple.

Grunting in pain at the effort, Sirius managed to haul himself up into a sitting position. He reached forwards and pulled the boy into a hug where Harry dissolved into tears. "I was so scared, I didn't know what to do…"

Feeling completely heart-wrung, and blinking back tears of his own, Sirius hugged Harry tightly, murmuring, "Hey, it's all right, you're okay, you're safe now." He waited until the storm had passed and then eased the boy backwards so he could look at him.

His anxious eyes took in the telltale signs of strain on the boy's face. Not good. So he continued, "Harry, you're one of the bravest people I know, I'm so proud of you; your mum and dad would have been proud of you too."

Harry looked surprised. "Really?" He scrunched up his face in thought, then shook his head. "I don't think I can be very brave, you know. You didn't see me in the woods. I was so scared I nearly wet myself."

Sirius couldn't help smiling. "But you didn't?"

"Well no, of course not! I'm not a baby!" Harry's indignant expression almost made Sirius laugh.

"Want a bet that most boys your age would've wet themselves if they'd been through half of what's happened to you?" Sirius smiled and then he paused and swallowed hard. This was going to be difficult. "Harry… you know, sometimes we have to go on being brave…"

Harry's eyes widened fearfully. "What do you mean? We got away from Malfoy! I can come and live with you can't I?" Panic started to grow in his voice. "Can't I? Sirius?"

Sirius swallowed again and shook his head. "I'm sorry. They're going to take me back to Azkaban, and they'll make sure I can't escape again."

"They'll stop you changing into the dog?"

"Not just that. There's… other things they'll do to me." Despite himself he couldn't stop his voice cracking.

Harry looked bewildered. "But you'll tell them you didn't do it!"

Sirius sighed. "Harry I did, and they didn't believe me," he began and then shook his head. "But that doesn't matter now." He refused to be sidetracked and tried again. "You know, sometimes we can't have everything we want and sometimes things don't work out quite how we want them to, that's what I meant about being brave."

"But I thought everything was going to be all right!" Tears were streaming down the boy's face again.

"I know… I know, so did I for a while." Sirius hugged the boy once more, ignoring the tears that had begun to trickle down his own face. "Look, they're probably going to come for me soon, I just want you to know that I love you very much."

"I love you too," Harry mumbled into Sirius' chest, in a voice that broke his heart, "I don't want you to go."

Suddenly, a voice Sirius instantly recognised as belonging to Madam Pomfrey snapped, from behind him, "Really Albus! Will you let go of my arm!"

Immediately he whirled round, and saw not only Madam Pomfrey but also Dumbledore and Remus standing on the other side of the ward. He felt the blood drain from his face and he clutched his good arm protectively round Harry, adrenaline screaming at him to run.

"Look at the mess you've made of the bed, Mr Black!" Madam Pomfrey stepped forwards glaring at him, her eyes overly bright. She straightened the covers with a ferocious flick of her wand and handed Harry a handkerchief. "Now blow your nose, Harry."

"Poppy, we still need to clear some things up. Perhaps you could give us fifteen minutes?" Dumbledore almost sounded apologetic.

The matron looked extremely disapproving. "An absolute maximum of fifteen minutes, Albus. They both need to get some sleep." She turned and stalked down the ward to her office, carefully closing the door behind her.

As she left, Sirius' eyes flicked to Remus, standing beside the Headmaster. Unsurprisingly, his expression was carefully blank and completely unreadable. Sirius said nothing, waiting for them to say something. He felt Harry shaking, and could see when he looked at him that the previous anxiety had turned to fear. He gave an irritated glance at the two men. Couldn't they see the strain the boy was under? But they weren't looking at Harry; they were looking at him.

Nobody said anything for a long moment, then Dumbledore asked, "Perhaps you could tell us, Sirius just how exactly you came to be in the woods with Lucius Malfoy and his men?"

Beside the Headmaster, Remus folded his arms, and one of his eyebrows twitched, as if to say, let's see if you tell him the same story you told me.

Sirius ran his other hand through his hair, ignoring the discomfort as he raised his arm. "We were leaving the cottage," he began, glancing at Harry.

The other two wizards listened in silence as he told them how Malfoy had woken him up and then they questioned him minutely about the train of events. Sirius began to sweat.

"You said something earlier about a ritual," Remus asked. "What was the ritual?"

Sirius swallowed convulsively. "He said…" His voice cracked and he tried again, "He said if I didn't do it, he would summon a Dementor to give me the Kiss in front of Harry and then do it himself anyway."

"What was the ritual?" Remus repeated, his voice hardening.

Oh God. Sirius desperately did not want to say the words, to admit he had been prepared to kill the boy, but he could see Dumbledore and Remus would be satisfied with nothing less, so he said with a sigh, "He wanted me to cut Harry's throat." Harry twitched nervously in his grasp, but he didn't say anything. Sirius risked a quick glance at him, but the boy was looking at the floor.

Remus's eyes narrowed, but his voice was calm and unemotional. "And what did you do?"

"I agreed to do it," Sirius responded flatly, but he was blinking back tears as he said the words. "I didn't see anything else I could do. I thought there might be a chance I could get us away."

Remus's expression didn't change as he glanced at Dumbledore. "Did Malfoy explain why he wanted you to do this?" the Headmaster asked.

"He…" Sirius' voice cracked again. "He said filicide was very powerful even if it was symbolic."

"Really?" Although the tone was neutral, Sirius noticed a flash of interest in the old wizard's eyes. "He is of course, quite right."

Dumbledore said something to Remus in a low voice, that Sirius couldn't quite catch, then Remus asked, "Harry told us earlier that while you claim you didn't betray the Potters, you were responsible for their deaths. Perhaps you could explain that?"

Sirius felt a lump in his chest, painful almost past bearing. "Of course it was my fault. If it hadn't been for me -"

He blinked as Harry punched him in the chest saying angrily, "Will you stop saying that! Why are you always saying that?"

"Because it's true." He felt as if the lump in his chest was going to burst.

Tears started to trickle down Harry's face. "But you said it wasn't my fault Uncle Vernon got hurt, because I didn't know about magic and I didn't mean it to happen. I don't understand… If you didn't mean my mum and dad to die how is it your fault they did?"

"Because if I had been the Secret Keeper like I said I would be, they'd still be alive!" Sirius put his head in his hands.

"You cannot know that," Dumbledore's voice said, a moment later.

Sirius looked up. "They'd have lived for longer than they did!" he spat back at the Headmaster. "If I hadn't been so bloody clever and suggested they use the Rat, they'd have stood a chance."

Dumbledore looked at him, his blue eyes, piercing. "Pettigrew," he said. "Why did you suggest he change places with you?" Sirius told him and explained what he had found when he returned to Godric's Hollow that Halloween night. "And so you killed him?"

"He's not dead!" Sirius snarled and almost laughed at the surprise that flashed over both Remus and Dumbledore's features. So he went on to explain how he had been set up. "I'll take as much Veritaserum as you like," he finished; desperate to somehow make them believe.

"The Ministry tell us that you are resistant to Veritaserum," Dumbledore told him.

"No I'm not! Is that what they've been saying?" He shook his head in disbelief but, with difficulty, swallowed the anger and bitterness he felt; it wouldn't help. "They just didn't ask the right questions!"

"It has long been known that Veritaserum does have its limitations," the Headmaster remarked, "Ask the wrong questions and it's useless."

Madam Pomfrey opened the door of her office and marched towards them. Dumbledore glanced at her and said, "Well, I think we are finished here for the night. Harry, would you come with me please?"

"Oh no, you don't Albus Dumbledore," snapped the matron. "Harry is completely exhausted, he needs to sleep."

At the mention of leaving, Sirius had felt Harry shudder and the boy said, "I don't want to go."

For once, Dumbledore appeared to recognise a stronger will in Madam Pomfrey, as he said with a shrug, "Well then, we'll speak further tomorrow, Harry. And Sirius?" Sirius steeled himself for the Headmaster's next words.

"Yes?" he croaked, expecting to be told when the Aurors were coming.

"I shouldn't worry, you're not in any imminent danger of being dragged back to Azkaban or worse."

"I'm not?" He blinked in surprise.

Dumbledore looked amused. "Not at the moment, no. Now get some rest."

---

Remus walked with Dumbledore along the corridor towards the Headmaster's office. "Is it safe to leave them like that?" he asked.

"The hospital wing is warded, and Poppy will make sure they both stay asleep until morning," Dumbledore told him. "Why, don't you believe him?"

"If he was acting when he thought he was speaking to Harry alone, then he's been practising. He was good, but he was never that good. He certainly convinced me." Remus smiled bleakly. "And persuading Lily and James to use another Secret Keeper while setting himself up as a decoy is a completely typical thing for him to have done," he sighed, shaking his head. He stopped as they came to the gargoyle. "He told me pretty much the same before, but I didn't believe him then. I hadn't seen him save Harry's life. I can't see why he would do that if he were not telling the truth about everything. Simply saying he's insane doesn't wash. He didn't sound insane just now, distraught certainly, but not insane."

"Unfortunately without Pettigrew one can always think of alternative explanations for his behaviour. Of course if he is still alive it certainly explains a few things."

"What things?"

"Things such as the fact that while he was in Azkaban, Mr Black made constant references to revenging himself upon someone he referred to as 'the Rat', whom he clearly considered to be alive. As soon as you told me Pettigrew was an Animagus, I began to wonder."

"Although I hardly think the ramblings of someone incarcerated in Azkaban would convince anybody of anything," Remus commented with a sigh.

"Perhaps not, but taken as part of a body of evidence…"

Remus acknowledged this was true and then said, "Harry clearly believes every word Sirius says."

"Harry, although he may not know it, is rather desperately looking for an adult to trust, a parent." Dumbledore commented.

They walked into the office to find Snape standing impatiently by the fire. "I trust we haven't kept you waiting long, Severus?" Dumbledore said.

Snape sniffed. "Not really," he said ungraciously. "Meredith is off to report to Fudge, so you may have that pleasure before long."

"I take it there was no sign of Lucius Malfoy?"

"Of course not, or the other one, Goyle. The Aurors took Macnair and Crabbe for questioning, I put Avery's body in the dungeons, in case you wanted a post mortem carried out."

"That was thoughtful of you, Severus." Dumbledore told him.

Snape sniffed again, dismissing the compliment. "Was the boy able to tell you anything about what Malfoy and Black were trying to do?"

"It would appear that Malfoy was attempting to enhance the power of the boy's blood by invoking some form of symbolic filicide by inducing Sirius Black to kill him."

"Because he's the boy's godfather?" Snape frowned. "That wouldn't work," he said a note of finality in his voice.

"It wouldn't? Why not?" Remus asked. He glanced at Dumbledore, but the Headmaster's eyes were twinkling as he popped a sherbet lemon into his mouth.

Snape looked at him scornfully. "In that type of blood magic where the wizard is attempting to mimic the effect of a blood relationship symbolically, it only works if the symbolic relationship is real, on both sides."

"You mean," asked Remus, feeling a surge of excitement, "the parental relationship has to really exist and not just exist on paper, say?"

"Isn't that what I just said? I would have thought Malfoy would have known that."

"How do you know he did not?" Dumbledore asked.

"But that would mean that Black wasn't faking." Snape narrowed his eyes.

"Yes it does, doesn't it?" Dumbledore twinkled at him.

Snape snorted. "I can't see that it matters now though, he's dead after all…" he trailed off, eyes flicking between Remus and Dumbledore. "You bastard, Lupin," he said then.

Remus resisted the urge to gloat.

---

The following morning after breakfast, Harry went with Remus up to Dumbledore's office. He had been reluctant to go with Remus at first, and while he could see that Sirius was equally loath to let him go, he went when his godfather assured him that he would be all right with Remus.

Dumbledore wasn't alone. Snape stood beside the fire, a sneer plastered across his face, while a fussy looking man paced up and down.

"This is quite unbelievable, Dumbledore. I'm as glad as anyone that Harry - ah, there you are, m'boy." As the fussy man addressed Harry, his tone changed to an insincere joviality.

When Dumbledore introduced Harry to the man, as Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, for a horrible moment, Harry wondered if he was going to pat him on the head. Fortunately however, once the introductions were over, the Minister proceeded to ignore him and talked about him as if he wasn't there, which was fine by Harry. He felt Remus put a warning hand on his shoulder, motioning him not to say anything.

Fudge continued, "As I was saying, I'm as glad as anyone that Harry is safe, but really, Dumbledore these accusations against Lucius Malfoy are quite ridiculous."

"Why is that, Cornelius?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

"He can't possibly have been gallivanting around in a wood thirty miles from here last night as you say, Albus, because I was attending a reception at his house last night, with Mrs Fudge, and he was there."

"Were you indeed?"

Fudge appeared nettled and an angry flush started to spread across his face. "Yes I was, and my only suggestion is that the boy has been confounded, because nobody else seems to have seen Lucius in the wood."

"You don't find it strange that Malfoy's associates were picked up at the stone circle?"

"Former associates, Albus. Lucius assures me that he hasn't seen these men for nearly ten years, he found the memories of his time under the Imperius Curse very difficult to deal with and didn't want to see them again. Anyway you're the one that's always going on about second chances."

"You have spoken to Malfoy already this morning then?"

Fudge looked annoyed. "Naturally. As soon as I had heard the serious nature of the accusations against him, I felt it important to give him the chance to defend himself. At least we don't have to worry about Sirius Black any more."

Snape snorted and Dumbledore flashed him an irritated glance, before replying, "You are correct in that, Cornelius."

"I gather your man, Lupin, brought his body back here. Would it be possible to see it, to satisfy myself that we have one problem less?"

"Of course," responded Dumbledore. Although he was expecting it, Harry still jumped. Remus had warned him not to say anything or let on that he knew Sirius was in the hospital wing. "The body is in the dungeons."

Fudge insisted they all went down. "We should get a photographer up from the Prophet, Albus. Make sure everyone knows."

"An excellent idea, Cornelius," Dumbledore told him, and turned and winked at Harry. Harry gave a slight grin back.

The body in the dungeon certainly looked like Sirius, Harry thought. Fudge seemed quite happy that it was. In fact he looked delighted. As they walked back up to the ground floor he commented, "You must be satisfied with the way this has turned out, Albus." He turned round and looked at Harry, "So, it's back to your Aunt and Uncle now for you, eh Harry?"

Harry froze in horror. No! There was no way he was going back to the Dursleys. Not now. Before Remus could grab hold of him, he jerked himself out of the man's grasp and ran up the stairs ahead, desperately making for the one person he felt safe with.

As he reached the top of the stairs he heard Fudge comment, "Are you sure he's all right, Dumbledore? St Mungos would be glad to have him you know."

Harry sped up the main stairs, but running along the corridor he could hear footsteps pounding up them after him. He saw the doors of the hospital wing ahead of him and crashed through them. Sirius was sitting on his bed staring out of the window, but looked round as Harry charged towards him then flung himself into his godfather's arms. He huddled there shaking, as Sirius said, sounding extremely worried, "Harry, calm down and tell me what's the matter."

Harry heard someone else come into the ward as he gulped, "They're still going to make me go back to the Dursley's, Sirius."

"What!"

"Please don't let them, Sirius, please," Harry begged.

"You'd better have a damn good explanation for this, Remus!" Sirius snapped. As he spoke, Harry looked round, full of apprehension.

Remus was standing by the door. He sighed heavily and said, "If Cornelius Fudge chooses to assume that Harry is going back to his Aunt and Uncle he is welcome to do so."

Looking up at him, Harry could see Sirius' eyes narrow in suspicion, "Don't be so evasive, Remus. What exactly do you mean?"

"He means, that we are allowing the Minister to believe that Harry is going back to the Dursleys," said Dumbledore, following Remus into the ward.

Still looking suspicious, Sirius asked, "But he's not?"

"It would be the safest place for him, certainly," the Headmaster began.

Harry begged to differ, so it appeared did Sirius as he broke in, "I think we'll need to disagree on that one, Dumbledore."

"If not necessarily the best," Dumbledore concluded serenely.

"And where would that be then?" Sirius demanded. His grip on Harry's shoulder was so tight it almost hurt.

Dumbledore ignored the question. Instead he said, "What is important to understand is the nature of the protection Harry has been under for the last nine years." Harry didn't really understand the Headmaster's explanation but it involved his mum and ancient magic that somehow protected him.

"But you see, the protection the Dursleys provide while strong, is passive, unwilling even, it would appear. Now it seems, there is an alternative that provides similar protection that while not as strong, is both active and willing." Dumbledore concluded.

Harry wasn't sure what he meant at all, neither it seemed were Remus and Sirius. Dumbledore smiled at them. "Lucius Malfoy, as I have often remarked, is a very clever man. He is well aware of the power of the parental bond even when it is symbolic, which is why he chose to invoke it."

Comprehension flickered across Sirius' face. Finally, he looked as if he was allowing himself to hope.

Dumbledore continued, "There is no blood relationship between you, and yet you very clearly share a parental bond."

Harry wasn't sure he understood. "What, you mean I treat Sirius like my dad?"

Dumbledore nodded. "And he treats you like his son, Harry, to the extent that he is willing to give his life for you; as he demonstrated last night. Never underestimate the power of that."

"Does this mean you believe me then, about everything else, about what happened to James and Lily?" The hope on Sirius' face now was almost painful to see, Harry thought.

"Meredith informed me earlier that Crabbe and Macnair had confirmed your story about the filicide ritual, which makes sense. Your story about not having been the Secret Keeper also makes sense. Your claim that Pettigrew is still alive fits in with other evidence and makes sense. So yes, for what it's worth, I believe you."

"I think he means you can stay with me, Harry." Sirius told him. Harry was unable to stop himself grinning from ear to ear at his godfather, like a complete idiot. But then Sirius was doing exactly the same back to him, so he didn't think it really mattered.

After a moment, Dumbledore cleared his throat and they looked round at him. The Headmaster's eyes were twinkling in amusement. Then he grew more serious as he said, "However, without Pettigrew there can never be absolute confirmation of your story."

"What do you mean without Pettigrew?" Sirius was beginning to look suspicious again.

"Exactly that. I might believe you, Remus might believe you, even Severus might believe you, or he will eventually, but without Pettigrew, the world will not believe you. After all, we cannot force others to see the truth. That is why the world now believes you to be dead."

"What!" Sirius' eyes blazed, and the colour drained from his face.

"It is safest for you, Sirius. Nobody is now looking for you; you are not in danger of being dragged off to the Dementors. Until we find Pettigrew, if you're going to be able to look after Harry, it is the only way."

An unhappy expression crossed Sirius' face. "I thought, my name would be cleared," he said. For a horrible moment, Harry thought Sirius was going to say that was what mattered more than anything to him, but then his godfather looked down at him and smiled, "But if it's the only way I get to look after Harry, then…"

"It is," the Headmaster assured him. "Now, we will sort out precisely where you are going to live over the next few days, but in the meantime I suspect you want to talk to Remus."

When Dumbledore had left, Sirius glanced down at Harry again before looking at Remus who was still standing by the door. Gingerly he stood up and began to walk towards him. Harry thought his godfather looked almost shamefaced. "Moony, I -"

Remus stepped towards him. "You thought I was the spy, Padfoot?"

Sirius nodded, "I'm sorry."

"So am I," Remus put his arms round him and hugged him fiercely. Sirius returned the hug equally fiercely and Harry could see they were both blinking hard. When they stood back from one another, Harry thought they both looked rather embarrassed.

Remus continued, "I'm sorry for thinking you were the spy and for everything else."

Sirius gave a sad smile. "I always thought if I could only talk to you, you'd understand."

Remus gave an equally sad smile, "And I always wanted to ask you why you had done it - I never understood why. It just didn't make any sense."

Then, before they became completely maudlin, Madam Pomfrey came out of her office, clucking in irritation, "You're not going to take Harry away again are you Remus?" she indicated Sirius and continued, "I couldn't bear it the last time. He's like a mother hen that's lost her only chick."

As she said this, Harry dissolved into fits of helpless giggles, fuelled by the outraged expression on his godfather's face. Then, as Remus's lips twitched, Sirius took refuge in an offended dignity, which was only spoilt by the telltale twitch in his own lips.

The End