Home is where the heart is

Home is Where the Heart Is
Chapter Three - Padfoot's Return

Sirius Apparated in a narrow, dark alleyway somewhere in London.

Well, this is charming, he thought, observing the broken furniture and beer bottles. Sirius was obviously in a particularly busy area, because he could hear the bustle of thousands of people moving along the main street, and the humming of buses and cars in the background.

Muggle London. Gotta love it on a Saturday..... he thought, grinning.

Glancing around, Sirius checked that he was alone, and then pulled out Moony's wand. He had almost forgotten what it was like, to be able to cast spells, and do proper magic. The feeling of having a wand in his hand, after so long, almost made him giddy.

"Time to see if I remember my lessons," Sirius said out loud. Pointing a wand at himself, he muttered a string of latin words. Straight away, his blue eyes turned brown, his fair skin became tan, and his dark, shoulder length hair transformed into a platinum blonde crew-cut.

Sirius surveyed himself in a large piece of broken glass on the ground.

Not bad! Looks like McGonagall managed to drum some sense into me after all. Nice to see I haven't quite lost my touch.....

Suddenly, Sirius remembered that he was still wearing Remus' old robes. Walking around London like this would definatly draw unwanted attention. Time for a quick change. Once again, he pointed the wand at himself. There was a small pop, and the shabby robes were now a pair of loose jeans and a white polo shirt. Perfect.

Sticking the wand in one of his rather large pockets, Sirius strolled out of the alleyway, and into the very center of Muggle London, joining the masses of shoppers. Walking through London on a Saturday wasn't exactly a laughing matter. The streets were absolutely packed with people.

Little old ladies out for some grocery shopping, harassed-looking mothers trying to keep an eye on hyperactive children, teenagers giggling and pointing things out in shop windows - everybody and his dog seemed to be in the same area. It was a fine summer's day, and there was a faint smell of food on the breeze - the food vendors were practically on every street corner, yelling and waving appetising fast food at passer-by's.

Sirius struggled through the crowds, trying to remember the way to Diagon Alley. Before he went to visit Harry, Sirius thought it would be a good idea to get his godson a present. It would help ease the guilt he felt, over his lack of communication with Harry. Anyway - what teenage boy would say 'no' to a present? He certainly wouldn't have.

Finally, he found the right street - and there it was. The Leaky Cauldron, in all of its shabby glory, looking anything like a run-down, abandoned pub. Sirius suddenly felt very nervous. It had been over fourteen years since he had last entered that place.

What would it be like, to see things he hadn't laid eyes on for such a long time?

Fighting back his doubts, Sirius pushed open the door and stepped cautiously into the smoky, crowded pub. It hadn't changed a bit. There was still old Tom, the bartender, cheerfully talking to his customers, people chatting and sipping their butterbeer, and the occasional intimidated-looking muggle with a magical child. Carefully, Sirius made his way to the back door, and promptly came face to face with none other than Rubeus Hagrid.

Better put - stomach to face. Sirius was tall, but Hagrid towered over him. And he hadn't changed a bit, from Sirius' memory of him. Hagrid slapped him on the back (nearly knocking Sirius over) and said, "Sorry, lad! Din' see yeh there!" And with that, Hagrid went into the pub.

Hurriedly mumbling an apology, Sirius walked up to the brick portal to Diagon Alley, and stopped for a moment to regain his composure. Bumping into Hagrid unnerved him - would anyone see past his clever disguise?

Get a grip, he told himself sternly. Panicking won't do any good. Sirius pulled out the wand again, and tapped what he remembered to be the right brick. Yes - the archway was forming!

And then, he took his first step in fourteen years into Diagon Alley.

Sirius couldn't help but grin in delight - he suddenly understood what a muggle-born might feel like during their first visit here. Quality Quiddich Supplies.....aah, there was a firebolt in the window - quite a crowd of people there, too....Florish and Blotts....Eelops Owl Emporium.....Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.....the Apothecary......Olivanders......

Sirius could honestly say that he had missed Diagon Alley a lot, when he was in Azkaban.

Strolling down the cobbled street, weaving a path through the throngs of people, Sirius made his way towards Gringotts. He had already figured out earlier how he was going to get his money without drawing suspicion. Passing through the impressive front doors, Sirius went to speak to a goblin.

"I would like to make a withdrawal from vault 711, please," he said to the goblin, pulling out his key, which Dumbledore had sent him the other day. Sirius hadn't a clue over how the man had found it, but had refrained from asking questions.

The goblin shuffled through some paperwork, before frowning. "I'm afraid that is impossible. That vault belongs to Sirius Black - "

"Yes, and I am his cousin, Jacob Black," cut in Sirius smoothly. "When he was shipped off to Azkaban-" At this, Sirius attempted to look disgusted. "-I was given his key. His savings are of my property now."

The goblin still looked unconvinced, but called over another particularly sour-looking goblin. "Griphook will take you to the vault," he told Sirius. Griphook leered, but led Sirius over to a cart.

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After a wild cart ride, in which Sirius nearly lost his breakfast, they stopped in front of a very familiar vault almost hidden completely in the rock. The door was rusted and looked as if it hadn't been opened in many years. Which it hadn't.

"Vault 711. The key, please?" Griphook asked.

Sirius handed it over. The small goblin placed the key in the lock, and the doors swung open to reveal an extremely full alcove, with piles of wizarding gold stacked almost to the ceiling.

He had quite a lot of money, from when he had worked as an Auror for the Ministry. After all, he had been one of the best. Moving forward, Sirius grabbed a few handfuls of galleons and sickles, and put them into a small pouch. He turned to Griphook. "That's it."

Griphook allowed Sirius to get into the cart first, before hopping in himself. "Get going!" he growled at the dangerous cart, and with a jolt it began to zoom along at an extremely fast speed.

When Sirius emerged into the bright daylight from the gloomy depths of Gringotts, he breathed a deep sigh of relief. So far, so good. Now it was time to find Harry a present.

Wondering back down Diagon Alley, Sirius paused, and then went into Florish and Blotts. Perhaps Harry would like a book on quiddich? Sirius browsed along the bookshelves, until he came to a whole bookcase dedicated to the popular sport.

"Hmmm......'Advanced tips for Quiddich'.......'A Seeker's Handbook'.......'Flash of Gold - A Guide for Catching the Snitch'....." Sirius read aloud, as he scanned the titles.

"Excuse me, do you need any help?" a voice asked from behind him.

Sirius turned quickly, and nervously smiled at the assistant. "No thanks, I'm just browsing."

"Well, if you need any help, just ask."

"I will," said Sirius. The assistant grinned back, before hurrying over to help an old couple. Turning back to the shelves, Sirius frowned. That is, until his eyes fell on a decent-sized book sitting on a stool. "The Secrets of an Animagi," Sirius said aloud, picking it up. He started to flick through it. Basically, the book seemed to have all the information to becoming an animagi, how to prepare, qualifications, tips, guides, what it feels like to be an animal......

Aahhh.

This is perfect!, thought Sirius, somewhat gleefully. What better way for Harry to understand what his father and I went through to become animagi? And it's educational, so I'm setting an example at the same time.......

Sirius took the book over to the counter and paid for it (including a free gift wrapping), before leaving Florish and Blotts, the package under his arm. And to think that this might have never happened, if Harry and Hermione hadn't saved me, he thought. Indeed, he would be resigned to a fate worse than death - having no soul. Feeling slightly chilled, Sirius decided to grab some lunch before heading for Privet Drive.

Biting into a sausage roll, Sirius watched the gaggle of people that poured through the archway into Diagon Alley, from a convenient wooden bench.

Cranky old wizards arguing about the best quiddich team in the league, young couples out for a date, teenagers yelling and darting from shop to shop.....so much like the muggles, and yet so different. Sirius suddenly wished that Harry was here, so they could both laugh at the group of old men in a yelling match about quiddich.

He finished his sausage roll, brushed off the crumbs, and re-entered The Leaky Cauldron. Thankfully, there was no sign of Hagrid. Although Sirius knew that no one could see through his disguise, it didn't stop him feeling nervous. One slip-up and he'd be a dementor's dinner. Walking to the door, he took one last look at the timeless pub. He might never see it again.

But dwelling on such thoughts wouldn't change reality. Turning, Sirius took a deep breath, before Disapparating. It was time to see Harry.

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The problem with Apparating, Sirius thought gloomily, is that those damn muggles are practically everywhere.

Sirius had a reason to be slightly pissed off. He had been forced to Apparate in a garbage dumpster, to avoid detection. So not only was he covered in banana peelings - he also.....stank.

Luckily the book had been wrapped properly, or God-knows what it could have looked like by now.

Climbing out of the dumpster, Sirius attempted to rid himself of the stink, but nothing would work. It was then that he bothered to notice his surroundings. Luckily the dumpster was located around the back of a warehouse.....or he would be facing awkward questions from muggle police....

Removing a banana peel from his hair, Sirius suddenly remembered that he was still transfigured. Inwardly he grinned, imagining the look on Harry's face when he realised his godfather was on his doorstep with a blonde crew cut. That is, if Sirius managed to get to Privet Drive in one piece.

Shaking his head, Sirius noted the street he was in. Hmm. Not far from the Dursley's. It was a good thing he remembered the layout of the roads from his last 'visit'. Of course, that time he had succeeded in scaring the daylights out of his godson. Not intentionally, of course......

After walking for about ten minutes, Sirius entered Privet Drive. And what a boring place it is, too. thought Sirius, in disgust. Each house looked identical to its neighbours - nothing remotely interesting at all. Now, if I lived here, I'd sprice the place up a bit......

Halting, Sirius stared up at the Dursley's completely Muggle-ish house. To think Harry had to live here for ten whole years. He suddenly felt grateful for the fun childhood he himself had enjoyed. Smiling grimly, he walked right up to the front door and rang the doorbell.

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Harry was upstairs in his room, trying to write the essay for History of Magic, when the doorbell rang. Wonder who that could be? thought Harry, distracted. The essay was not exactly working out........basically, he couldn't write anything that made sense. Geez....where's Hermione when you need her? Downstairs, he heard Aunt Petunia say, "Coming!", and then the sound of the front door opening. There was silence. A muttered conversation. And then, an unholy shriek.

Startled, Harry rolled off his bed and landed painfully on the floor. What on earth......?

Cautiously, Harry crept down the stairs. There was a strange man at the door, with a very odd-looking crew cut, and covered in dirty brown stains. He looked quite intimidating. Aunt Petunia was huddled up against the wall, whimpering. It was then that Dudley poked his head into the hallway. This scene obviously baffled him as much as Harry, because he just stood there and stared at the stranger. Then, the man at the door looked up. Harry had arrived at the bottom of the stairs and was just about to ask who he was, when the man's face broke into a wide grin.

"Harry!"

And with that, the complete stranger strode into the hallway and gathered Harry into a bear hug. As you can imagine, this caused Harry even more confusion. "Er, excuse me, but, uh, who....?"

The man laughed, and ruffled Harry's hair. "What, you don't recognise your own godfather?"

"Sirius.......?!"

The man claiming to be Sirius pulled out a wand(!) and waved it over himself. Instantly, his godfather stood in his place. "Whoa." was the best comment Harry could think of.

Aunt Petunia was mouthing wordlessly in terror, staring at Sirius. Then, suddenly, she got a grip on herself, and darted past Sirius.

"DUDLEY! RUN!" she screamed.

Dudley obeyed, shoving past Sirius and almost knocking him over. After all, Dudley was massive. The door slammed behind them, and Sirius turned back to Harry, looking rueful.

"I suppose I shouldn't have done that," he said, running his fingers through his now-filthy hair.

"Nah. You've made my day," grinned Harry.

They stood there for a few moments, before Harry went red. "Er, would you like a cup of tea then?" he asked awkwardly. Sirius couldn't help but snicker. "Er, would you like a cup of tea?" he mimicked, in a very posh voice. "My God, Harry, you sound like a carbon copy of Remus...."

Harry rolled his eyes, before smiling sheepishly up at the much taller man. "It's not like I'm used to having visitors, Sirius. Anyway-" Harry grabbed Sirius' arm and steered him into the living room. "-you look like a wreck. And.....what's that smell?" he finished, wrinkling his nose in distaste.

At this, Sirius looked slightly put out. "I haven't seen you in about a month, and all you can say is 'what's that smell'?" Harry just stared at him unblinkingly. There was a silence for a moment, before Sirius sighed. "How are you, Harry? Eating right? Getting enough sleep? Doing your homework?" he asked, fixing Harry under an intense gaze.

Harry felt a slight stab of irritation. Why was it that everybody kept on worrying about him? But then he noted the worry lines around Sirius' face and the anxious expression he wore. Harry realised that Sirius had truly been concerned for his well being. He certainly looked worried enough. Harry bit down his grimace of annoyance and smiled brightly.

"I'm fine - really," he said, when Sirius still looked worried. "The Dursleys don't bother me much - they're too afraid that you'll turn them into chickens or something if I ask." Harry suddenly laughed. "The expression on Aunt Petunia's face was priceless......too bad you didn't hex them while you had the chance......."

"Well, I wanted to, but Moony warned me that Dumbledore would do his block if I tried anything......as it is, I shouldn't really be here." Sirius stretched, and then collapsed, in a rather undignified fashion, into an armchair.

Harry suddenly felt worried. The Ministry of Magic would know if any magic was performed here - no doubt they were keeping special tabs on him since the Tournament. "Sirius," he said quietly. "You're in danger if you stay here too long. This place is probably watched by the Ministry. Besides, I'm sure Aunt Petunia has gone to the police."

Sirius looked at him, and his deep blue eyes saddened. "I'm so sorry, Harry....."

Harry was surprised. "For what?"

"For everything........for not preventing what happened last year," Sirius said sadly. He looked so downcast and old, that Harry immediately felt guilty.

"It's not your fault. Don't ever think that, Padfoot." Sirius smiled slightly at the mention of his nickname. Then, Sirius hit himself in the head as he remembered the package.

"Harry, I totally forgot to give you this," and he pulled out a wrapped present from one of his very big pockets. "Think of it as an early birthday gift."

His godson stared at the present Sirius held out to him, before grinning, and carefully took the gift. "Sirius, you really shouldn't have gotte......wow," Harry trailed off, after he ripped open the wrapping, and gaped at the title. Eagerly, he opened the front page, and on the inside of the cover, he saw an inscribing in Sirius' messy handwriting.

To my godson, I hope this book can help you understand and relate to your father and I, when we were in school, and explain about the choices we made. Try not to get into trouble......well, not too much trouble, anyway.......

Love, Sirius.

Harry looked up to see Sirius watching him hopefully. His face broke into a delighted smile, and then he hurled himself at his godfather. "Thank you so much, Sirius! This is the best present ever! Well, except for the firebolt........" Sirius looked very pleased at Harry's reaction, and cautiously hugged him back. Then, Sirius gained a steely glint in his eyes.

"Right. I'm taking you out of here," he announced, as though commenting on the weather.

Harry was bewildered. "But - but - the Ministry - Dumbledore -"

"-will understand perfectly. As for the Ministry.....well, we'll have to deal with that later. But there is no way I'm leaving you here to rot for the rest of the holidays." Sirius declared, in a tone that clearly said no arguing. "Besides, you don't want to stay here, do you?"

Harry couldn't argue with that.

Sirius winked at him, and stood up. "Well, let's get your trunk packed, and we'll be off, then."

Harry turned and led Sirius up the stairs into the room he was currently occupying. Sirius looked scandalised. "This is where you sleep?" he said, staring at the shelves laden with Dudley's old, broken toys and gadgets.

"Yep."

"My god. When was the last time you cleaned it?"

"Sirius!"

"Sorry, sorry. Parental mode kicking in."

While Harry began to stuff his schoolbooks into his trunk, Sirius picked up the History of Magic essay still laying on the bed. Scanning through it, he frowned.

"Harry-"

"I know, I know. It's a bunch of babbling so far - I can't seem to concentrate on such a boring subject. Especially since Professor Binns-"

"-is the most boring teacher ever. It was exactly the same before he died. Harry, I've been there, trust me. Look, I'll give you a hand with it later, if you want." said Sirius, looking a little unsure of himself. Harry grinned.

"That'd be great. Well, I'm done."

Sirius pointed his wand at the trunk and muttered a few words Harry didn't catch. Immediately, the trunk shrunk to the size of a matchbox. "That's convenient," commented Harry.

His godfather gave a lopsided smile. "I try." And with that, he picked up the now-tiny trunk and put it inside one of those amazing pockets. "Did you put the book in your trunk?"

Harry nodded.

"Well, lets go. Hold onto my arm," Sirius said. "We're going to Apparate." Harry was stunned.

"But I don't know-"

"Relax. You hold onto me, and I'll transport both of us. Just hold on tight," Sirius warned. Harry grabbed one of Sirius' arms and held on. Suddenly, the world blacked out for a moment, and Harry blinked. They were no longer in Harry's bedroom at Privet Drive.

They were standing outside an old cottage with a tangled, messy garden, and climbing ivy covering the water pipes. It looked quite comfortable. Sirius turned and mock-bowed to Harry.

"Welcome to the current residence of Moony and Padfoot."

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