Animagus

Harry was vaguely excited, of course, to be finally showing Sirius his Animagus form. He had been waiting quite some time to finally meet the wizard in person, as he had refused to tell him in letters what his own form was. However, something deep inside of him was somewhat wary of finally revealing himself to the Animagi. He knew what Sirius expected, knew what Sirius wanted, and Harry would have to finally prove him wrong.

He took a deep breath and walked into the room, greeting his godfather with a hug.

"So, let's see it, Harry! I've been waiting." So much left unsaid...

"Erm, okay, Sirius." He changes.

Into his other form. A smallish lion. But then, that's only to be expected; Harry's only 17, and still a bit scrawny. This lion will be truly frightening when it is fully grown.

Harry searches Sirius's face, hoping against hope to find the reaction he desires. He doesn't. Many emotions flirt across his godfather's face in a matter of seconds. Disappointment, a hint of betrayal, sadness. Then Sirius realises what he's thinking, and the mask falls into place. He smiles, and reaches forward to pat the leonine Harry on the head.

"Well done, Harry. Your parents would be proud of you. I'm proud of you. You're so much like James, learning how to be an Animagi so young." Unspoken: but you're not James. You're not Prongs. You were supposed to be Prongs, and we were supposed to just pick up where we left off.

Harry transforms back and sighs. Azkaban harmed Sirius more than anyone lets on.

"I'm not him, Sirius. My form was never going to be Prongs. I'm sorry, old friend, but I'm not my father. "

The pain in Sirius's eyes is heartbreaking. Not at the revelation, no, he's already told himself that again and again. Sirius is smart. He knows Harry isn't James on an intellectual level; it's only on a mental level that he doesn't grasp the concept. Sirius is pained because he didn't know Harry knew.

Part of Harry, a very small, childish part, is glad. He wants Sirius to feel pain, all of the pain he's forced Harry to feel over the years, trying to fill his father's impossibly big shoes. Trying to be someone he never could be, all while he was also trying to be forty other people for everyone else. Harry wanted Sirius to feel pain because Sirius knew! Sirius knew how awful it was to try to live up to people's expectations, to be expected to fill your parent's shoes, and Sirius had just dropped Harry into James's shoes anyway.

Then Harry got a hold of himself. No matter how much Harry had lost in his life, Sirius had lost more. Harry had had parents who loved him, and he could always call on that. Harry had friends, and his friends had almost, at least, always believed in him. And his friends were all alive and all loyal to him and his cause.

And Harry, impugned though he was in the press, had not spent twelve years in Azkaban for a crime he hadn't committed.

So overall, Sirius had really suffered enough. Harry was really being childish.

He walked over and embraced his godfather. "It's all right," he whispered.

Sirius angrily wiped away a tear. "No, it's not."

"But it will be."