Home is where the heart is

Light. Warmth. That was all Harry could feel, as he floated on the edge of consciousness. He was comfortable, and there was a soft murmuring in the background. He tried to hear what was being said, but everything was too blurred, like a thick bubble surrounded him. Struggling to return to consciousness, Harry gradually opened his eyes.

He was lying on a bed in the hospital wing, his forehead bandaged, and him snuggled deep under the dazzling white covers. It was daylight, and sunshine poured through one of the large windows in the wing, which was open and let in the slight breeze.

Figures that I'd be in here in the first week of school, he thought dryly. I'd forgotten how clean this place is, too.

Carefully, Harry turned his head to the side, and saw none other than Sirius, his Godfather, dozing in a chair next to him. He was dressed in some patched, plain grey robes, and his hair was messy, as if it had been completely forgotten about in haste.

Sirius?! Is he mad? What's he doing here, in broad daylight?

Slowly, Harry turned his head to the other side, and noticed that besides Sirius and himself, the room was empty. Madam Pomfrey was nowhere to be seen. That was a surprise. Cautiously, Harry began to sit up. But as he did this, Sirius suddenly jerked awake.

"Harry - you're awake! I was so worried....." Sirius said, putting a hand on Harry's forehead. "You really gave Dumbledore a scare, passing out like that."

On closer inspection, Sirius had bags under his eyes from weariness, but his bright blue eyes were alert. "Are you feeling okay? What happened to you? The headmaster didn't have many details to give me." he asked in a rush, worry evident on his face.

Harry blinked. "I had another one of those dreams," he recalled, suddenly remembering. "It was so painful, and vivid, and......." Unable to go on, the full impact of his vision finally hit him. Sirius saw the fleeting look of dawning on Harry's face, and the darkened look in Harry's eyes.

"Don't worry about it," Sirius said quickly, tucking the covers around Harry securely. "We can talk about that later, you should rest."

But Harry wouldn't listen. "No - sorry for bothering everyone.....but what are you doing here? Anyone could just walk in and see you!" Harry demanded weakly, continuing to try to get out of bed. "It's not safe!"

Sirius pushed him back easily on to the pillows. "Don't even think of getting up." he said sternly. "You're weak, exhausted, and not in any condition to be walking around."

Harry, as much as he didn't want to admit it, knew that Sirius was right. He stopped trying to sit up, and gazed at his stubborn godfather. "How did you get here?"

Sirius smiled slightly. "I was already on my way to Hogwarts, and when I arrived, and heard that you had collapsed......well, I went straight to Dumbledore. He's closed off the hospital wing, so that nobody can enter. I won't be seen."

Harry closed his eyes. "How long have I been here?"

"Since last night. It's Saturday afternoon," Sirius told him. "Ron and Hermione were here for a while, but then Dumbledore asked them to leave. Remus is with Dumbledore at the moment."

"Remus is here too? With Dumbledore? Why?" Harry asked, completely confused.

"Because Dumbledore shooed him out. I think he knew that I wanted to watch over you alone......" Sirius grinned sheepishly. But then, his face became hard and serious.

"Harry - I came here as soon as I could, in....regards to you message," Sirius stared at him intently. "You were asked to join the Order by Dumbledore, correct?" There was a steely note in Sirius' voice, as he was clearly trying to hold back his obvious anger.

Harry fidgeted with the blankets. He knew what was coming. "Yeah....he did."

His godfather frowned heavily, stood up, and began to pace the room. "What was he thinking? You're just a boy - no offence - and you could get killed! Isn't it enough that Voldemort would do anything to get his hands on you? It's almost sentencing you to your death!" Sirius ranted. "I'll be damned if I let you get yourself killed! It's out of the question!"

Harry tried to cut in. "But Sirius-"

"No. Do you realise what you're dealing with? The potential danger you could be putting yourself in? It's too dangerous! You could die, you could get captured, you could be crippled for life-"

"Sirius, I-"

"I swore that I would protect you! I swore to James that if anything happened, I would look after you! How can I do that if you want to throw it all away? It's bad enough that me and Moony are members-"

"You and Remus are members too?" Harry spoke over him.

"Yes, we are. I know the kind of thing that members go through - it's a miracle that we lived through each day in the Dark Times! I don't want you experiencing the same thing at fifteen years old!" Sirius stopped ranting and pacing, and looked at Harry apologetically. "So much for trying to keep out the speeches.....I know you're tired and everything.....but don't you understand, Harry? If anything happened to you......." Here, Sirius trailed off, and Harry took the opportunity to talk.

"Look, Sirius. Dumbledore isn't going to send me out to battle or anything. He just wants me to help him. He knows that he can trust me, Sirius. Besides, don't you think the feeling is mutual? According to you, it's pretty dangerous out there, and you'll be right in the middle of it! I worry too, you know."

Sirius was about to answer him, when the hospital door opened, and Dumbledore walked in, followed closely by Remus. "Harry! Are you feeling better?" Remus asked, before Dumbledore could speak. He looked very worried.

"I'm feeling better than I was," Harry reassured him.

Dumbledore smiled at him. "You must rest for a day or so, Harry. It wouldn't be wise to start running around yet. And I am particularly interested in the dream you experienced..."

Sirius and Remus went to leave, but Dumbledore stopped them. "You should remain, I think,"

Sirius sat on the edge of the bed, while Remus sat in the chair beside him. Harry took a deep breath, and looked around at them, unsure at where to begin. Dumbledore, sensing his uncertainty, smiled in a reassuring manner. "Start at the earliest point that you can remember, Harry."

Harry awkwardly tried to figure out where his memory of last night left off and the dream began, and then he remembered the feeling of transportation, like flying. It was from there that everything he could think of - everything bad - had happened.

"It was dark, at first. But then I was suddenly in a big room - kind of a hall. It was really strange because the lights - torches, I think - were flickering. The Death Eaters were there, dressed in their normal black. But they weren't wearing their masks. They were standing in a circle around someone.....I couldn't see who it was. And.....Voldemort was there."

"He asked the person some questions, like oaths or something. And then Voldemort told him to roll up his sleeve, and he pressed his wand onto the forearm, and then there was a lot of pain...."

Harry halted at the memory, and watched Dumbledore mull over the new information. The aged man seemed to be in deep thought. Remus was looking similarly thoughtful. Finally, Dumbledore sighed. "What happened after that, Harry?"

Harry frowned. "Well, everything kind of went grey, and then I woke up, and got to your office as fast as I could, before I passed out. I don't think there's anything else," he said, putting a hand up to his scar, and feeling bandages instead. "But.....why is my head bandaged?"

"Your scar," Remus said, glancing at Dumbledore, "started to bleed heavily, when you collapsed. There wasn't a spell to stop it, either. We just had to wait until it stopped naturally."

Harry cautiously touched the spot where his scar normally appeared. It felt sore and achey. "I think it was just the fact that I was in contact with him," he thought out loud. "It's never bled before, not that I can remember. And I always have a bad headache afterwards."

Dumbledore nodded. "Aah. Well, I think that will be all for now. I daresay you must be feeling very tired. Try to rest now, as I'm afraid that I must borrow Sirius and Remus from you."

Harry tried to hide his disappointment. "Right. Will you come back soon?" he asked Sirius.

Sirius glanced at Dumbledore, who nodded again. "I'll be back in a while. And don't think we've finished our talk yet." Harry winced, as he saw the determination in Sirius' face. The argument was far from over. As Dumbledore, Sirius and Remus went to leave, Harry called out to him.

"Sir, what do you think it was that I saw?"

Dumbledore halted, and considered Harry for a moment. Then, he smiled sadly. "I have several theories, Harry. Each as possible as the next." Then, the old wizard exited, leaving Harry to collect his own jumbled thoughts.

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Dumbledore led Remus and Sirius out of the hospital wing, and down the hall. Sirius was looking around warily. "Headmaster, shouldn't I transform........?" he asked.

Dumbledore smiled and shook his head. "The students have been told that this area of the castle is to be cleaned thoroughly by Mr Filch. I haven't seen hide nor hair of a single student since school started down these corridors."

Sirius had to hand it to Dumbledore - he was smarter than he looked.

It was a fine day outside, so the majority of children were outside on the grounds, under the careful watch of several teachers. So nobody saw the two men accompanying Dumbledore to his office. Once they were inside, Dumbledore motioned for them to sit.

"It is time for me to explain about some of the current events." he said quietly. Remus sat, while Sirius took a standing position behind him. "I think it is best that I firstly explain why I asked Harry to join the Order of Phoenix."

Remus and Sirius exchanged looks, but kept silent.

"I first considered him a worthy member after the Triwizard Tournament. It was then that Harry lost the innocence he once possessed. He witnessed and experienced things that fully trained and qualified wizards might not have been able to endure. Since he has arrived at Hogwarts, Harry has shown nothing but loyalty towards myself and his friends."

Remus frowned. "But surely that isn't the only reason you asked him?"

Dumbledore sighed. "No. I have taught at Hogwarts for a good sixty years or so, and never have I ever met, except for Tom Riddle, a wizard with so much potential. It may be unbelievable, but if Harry wanted to, he could probably release a magnitude of power so great that it could wipe out Hogwarts and the surrounding country-side, without breaking into a sweat."

This announcement left Sirius gaping in shock. Harry possessed that much magic? Harry?! Sirius knew that his godson was very different from other fifteen year olds, but he had never heard of anyone - not even Voldemort himself - with that much power.

"Then again, he could only do this if every particle of his being was focused, and he had absolutely no doubts and nothing to lose......." Dumbledore continued, oblivious to the incredulous looks on both of the younger men's faces.

Remus felt similarly shocked. "Harry has powers like that?" he stammered. Dumbledore nodded slowly. "Yes, he does. Of course, Harry has no idea. And that kind of power would never be able to be used unless in extreme situations. Only if Harry wills it enough. And not necessarily in an explosion of any kind. He could direct it into any form he wishes."

They sat there in the office, silent, each person lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly, Sirius spoke up. "Why.....or how does Harry have this? Was he born with it? Is it genetic?"

Dumbledore paused to consider this question.

"As you know, both Lily and James were quite powerful in their own right. Even as a baby, Harry was destined to be a good wizard. But after his first encounter with Voldemort, a great deal of the Dark Lord's power became part of him - hence the ability to speak parselmouth. Together, both amounts of power merged, and created a magical force in him that exceeded any magical talent ever found in a person before. Not even in myself."

Then, the old headmaster chuckled. "Even though Harry couldn't use his magic directly, it found ways to break free of him, when he was younger. I believe there was an interesting incident between Harry and his cousin, involving a boa constrictor and some missing glass...."

Sirius and Remus grinned at each other. Harry had mentioned something about setting a snake on Dudley by accident, after the glass in the zoo had 'mysteriously' disappeared.

"But back to my original subject - besides all that power, Harry can see some of Voldemort's movements and plans, which is an enormous advantage to us. And lastly, there is his determination. If there is one thing I value most, it is Harry's spirit. He will not be defeated easily, and Voldemort knows this. That is most likely why he wants to kill him."

Sirius still didn't like it one bit. "But Dumbledore, he's just a boy! It's obvious that he'll never have a normal childhood, but why make things harder for him?"

Dumbledore's bright eyes clouded slightly. "I am not forcing him to do anything, Sirius. It is his decision, and his decision only. I am offering him the opportunity to join. If he does accept, I will do everything in my power to protect him." The closed expression on his face told Sirius that the topic was closed. But Dumbledore wasn't finished speaking.

"You have both agreed to rejoin the Order?"

Remus nodded, and Sirius grunted in reply.

"Good. The first meeting will be held in the staff room Sunday evening. The other members have already been informed of the current circumstances. Which means they know of your innocence, Sirius. You won't have to worry about them trying to curse you across a room." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled behind his half-moon spectacles. Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Really? I thought everybody always did that to me on sight when I entered a room anyway?" he commented dryly. "Before I went to Azkaban......"

Remus laughed. "Too true. People haven't forgotten your tendency to play pranks on unsuspecting victims," he told Sirius. "I've said it before and I'll say it again - old habits die hard."

"Shut up."

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Well, this is all very fascinating, but I must address you on a matter that will be quite....unsettling.....for you both." Instantly, the grins on Sirius' and Remus' faces disappeared. They looked at each other warily. What surprise did he have in store for them now?

Albus Dumbledore observed the expressions in both men's faces and sighed inwardly. It saddened him that he had to be the one to tell them this, but someone had to.

"Remus.......I believe that you encountered a Miss Danielle Rivendale during a trip to Diagon Alley?" Dumbledore said, watching Sirius and Remus intently.

Remus went slightly pale, while the look that Sirius wore darkened. "I....yes. She was there." Remus admitted, the conflicting emotions showing on his face.

"I can imagine that you have both been wondering why she is in England at the moment."

Sirius scowled. "No shit."

Dumbledore chose to ignore this expression. "Danielle has spent the last seven or so years of her life living in Japan, working with the magical community there. Before that, she was in Australia."

Sirius gave up on self-control. "Why is she alive, Dumbledore? Aurors went to her house, it was burnt to the ground! And, to boot, on the night that Lily and James were murdered! Nobody ever found her body or heard of her again, and all of a sudden she appears, fourteen years later, strolling through Diagon Alley? What's going on?" he almost yelled, glaring at the old wizard.

However, Dumbledore just sat there calmly. "Danielle was not murdered, nor did she just 'disappear'. From what she has told me, her reasons for leaving are her own business. And she certainly had nothing to do with the Potter's deaths."

"If that's so, why hasn't she come back before now? Why did she stay overseas for all this time - and.........you've talked with her?" Remus exclaimed, standing up.

"Yes, I have. In fact, she is the new Defense Against the Dark Art's teacher this year. I thought Danielle was an excellent choice." Dumbledore told them.

Sirius froze. "What did you say?"

"Danielle is the new DADA professor." Dumbledore repeated. "Right now she is here at Hogwarts, teaching." There was a shocked silence, as the two Marauders struggled to get a grip on the information they had just been given. Sirius stared at Dumbledore, thunderstruck.

"She-she's here? Now?"

"Yes. But I'm afraid that I cannot allow you to question her today. Tomorrow it will be possible to......discuss the events of the past. It is best to leave it for another day."

Remus put a hand on Sirius' shoulder - the dark-haired man was about to protest Dumbledore's decision, but he gave in, and reluctantly let it go. "Fine. Does she know that we're here?"

"No, I haven't spoken to her yet, except to reassure the staff that Harry was alright."

Sirius looked up sharply. "Has she.......taken any special interest in Harry?"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Harry is her student, Sirius. Danielle takes an interest in every student she teaches." he said shrewdly. Both he and Sirius knew that he was not answering the question that Sirius was really asking.

"I am not in the mood to play word-games, Albus."

The old headmaster grimaced slightly. "To answer your real question - no. Danielle has not approached Harry directly yet. Well, except to give him a talk about daydreaming in her class, I believe......."

Here, Remus snorted. "I'll bet that brought back memories."

Sirius was quiet for a moment, before his shoulders slumped. "Headmaster, I think I should go back to Harry now." he mumbled. Dumbledore eyed him apprehensively, before nodding his consent. Remus also rose from his chair. "If it's alright with you, Albus, I think I'll accompany Sirius to the hospital wing too. To check up on Harry."

"I will come by later to check up on you," Dumbledore commented, as he walked to the door with the two men. "I'm sure you all have plenty to talk about, but please do not disturb Harry with any more arguments about the Order of Phoenix. It is a decision that he must make alone."

Remus and Sirius then left the office. Dumbledore watched after them sadly. No doubt it would take a while for the shocks to sink in.......those men had been through hell and back, only to have another part of their past come back and haunt them.

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Late that night, while Harry slept, Sirius sat by the large window at the back of the room, thinking. It had begun to rain gently, the soft pitter-patter of the rain the only sound to be heard, besides Harry's quiet breathing. Sirius watched the water droplets trickle down the window, mesmerised.

Images.....memories flashed in his minds eye. Memories of good times, when he had been innocent and carefree, full of life. To look at him now, compared to then.....it was like he was a different person. Azkaban does that to people, he thought mutely, staring out at the rain.

I stayed sane, but how much have I really changed?

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Sirius, 1st year

Sirius waited in line, nervous, as the school hat sung its song. Weird, how a hat could think up such a good poem......although he doubted that a hat had the opportunity to do much else. All around him, Sirius could see the excited and apprehensive expressions of the other first years. Some looked ready to be sick.

The hat finished its song, and the young, stern Professor McGonagall came forward with a roll of parchment that listed all the names in alphabetical order. Sirius knew that he would be one of the first - it was both a good and a bad thing, to have a surname that started with 'b'.

"Anston, Adrianna." A girl with brown pigtails sat on the stool, quaking, as the hat was placed on her head. Nothing happened for a moment, before the brim of the hat widened, and it yelled out one word. "HUFFLEPUFF!"

One of the four tables crowded with students burst into applause; The girl looked enormously relieved, and hopped off the stool to join her new house. And so it continued.

"Appleby, Burke." A burly, blonde-haired boy went forward and sat on the stool. The hat took a bit longer this time, but then it shouted - "RAVENCLAW!"

Another table clapped madly, and the boy went over to take his place with the Ravenclaws.

"Baergin, David." The boy standing in front of Sirius slowly made his way over to the stool and shoved the sorting hat on his head. Almost instantly, the hat yelled out - "SLYTHERIN!"

Smiling, David Baergin sat at the Slytherin table. Sirius thought they looked like a nasty lot, with their cold eyes and twisted smiles. He prayed that he wouldn't be put there.

Then, it was his go. "Black, Sirius."

Swallowing, Sirius walked over to the stool and eyed the hat like it was a dragon in disguise. Bracing himself, he sat down and put the ragged and patched old hat on his head.

Aaah...........another Black, Sirius heard a voice chuckle in his head. You're every bit like your father......except that you seem to have a more stubborn streak. Now where should I put you?

Anywhere except Slytherin or Hufflepuff, Mr Hat. Sirius told the sorting hat promptly, remembering all of the stories that his father had darkly told him about that house.

Anywhere except Slytherin or Hufflepuff, eh? You're neither power-hungry nor gentle-minded. You wouldn't be a good Ravenclaw - too lazy with academic work. With your pride and loyalty, the only place for you to go is GRYFFINDOR!

The last word was shouted to the whole hall, and the table on the far left erupted into cheers. Grinning, Sirius got off the stool and joined the Gryffindor table. Now that he was sorted, Sirius could watch the rest of the sorting with a feeling of ease. The worst was over.

As the list progressed, quite a few students were sorted into Gryffindor. A redhead with bright green eyes caught his attention - she looked like someone fun to tease. Another pair of girls were also sorted into Gryffindor early on - Sirius took little interest in them. When the list reached 'L', a pale boy with light brown hair became a Gryffindor and sat down beside Sirius. He looked quite sick and Sirius decided that maybe he shouldn't sit so close, in case the boy was going to throw up.

When it came to the 'P's, two boys were made Gryffindors. One was a short, chubby boy that seemed to stutter a lot, and the other had messy hair that stuck up at the back, and glasses. He sat opposite Sirius and gave him a friendly grin. "Hi! I'm starving, aren't you?" Sirius grinned back, and instantly knew that he was going to like this boy.

When the 'R's were called, one girl was sorted into Gryffindor. She was painfully short - so short that she could barely get on top of the stool. Sirius smothered a laugh, as the hat completely covered her whole head. When she joined the table, there was only one spot to sit - right next to Sirius. She sat down, and stared at her plate. He dismissed her quickly - she didn't seem very interesting, just quiet. Sirius was not a quiet person.

The sorting finally ended, and Professor Dumbledore stood up and beamed at the hall. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! A few short term notices before we begin the feast - the Forbidden forest is, as its name suggests, forbidden to all students. No magic is to be used in the corridors, and night-time wondering is certainly not allowed. This is mainly for the benefit of our 1st years, although a few of our older students would do well to remember these rules too."

There were a few guilty faces along the Gryffindor table.

"Now, let us begin the feast! Jiminy Crickets!" Mountains of food suddenly appeared across all 4 tables, and everyone heartily dug in.

"Good food, eh?" The black-haired boy with glassed commented to Sirius through a mouth full of potato. "Wish the meals at my house were this good."

Sirius nodded enthusiastically, chewing on some steak. "What's your name? I'm Sirius Black."

"James Potter. Gryffindor seems pretty good compared to Slytherin. Wouldn't be in that house if you paid me." James wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Slimy, cheating prats - the whole lot of them. Never trust a Slytherin."

Sirius nodded in agreement, and turned to the boy with the light brown hair - Ronald? Raoul? The boy was picking at his food, and kept his eyes lowered on his plate. "Hey, my name's Sirius, what's yours?"

The boy raised his head and regarded Sirius for a moment, before answering. "Remus Lupin."

"Nice to meet you Remus. I guess we'll all be sharing a dorm, somewhere. May as well get acquainted." said Sirius cheerfully, taking a swig of his pumpkin juice. It tasted a bit funny, being his first try of the stuff. His parents didn't buy pumpkin juice, saying that they had long lost their liking for it.

The chubby boy a few seats down suddenly piped up. "My name's Peter. Peter Pettigrew. Are any of you Muggle-born?"

"I'm a Pureblood," James told him. "Not that it really matters."

"Both my parents are Muggleborn, but they're wizards," Sirius volunteered. "I guess that makes me.....half-half. The stories they had to make up because of all the accidents I caused as a baby were pretty inventive, I can tell you."

The people who were listening to the conversation grinned at this. Remus smiled for the first time since Sirius had set eyes on him. "My parents got the shock of their life when I received my letter," he explained to Sirius and James. "I'm Muggleborn."

"Oh good!" Peter said in relief, piling more food onto his rather full plate. "I thought I was the only one! It's incredible, really, all this magic stuff!"

"You haven't seen anything yet - just wait until tomorrow. I've heard that our classes are wicked," James grinned. "My dad told me all about them. Transfiguration sounds really good to me.....and I can't wait until the flying lessons!"

Sirius nodded enthusiastically, and looked up and down the table. The girls further up that had just been sorted were giggling and chatting happily. It was then that he noticed that the girl sitting on his other side had barely touched her food, and had remained silent the whole time.

"Hi. I'm Sirius, what's your name?" he asked her nicely. She didn't reply or even acknowledge his presence. He tried again. "I said, what's your name?" Sirius stared at her again. No response. Now he was annoyed.

"Hello? Do you speak English? Yoo hoo?" Sirius waved a hand in front of her face, while James was sniggering. Slowly, the girl raised her head and stared Sirius in the eyes. It was distracting, as one was green, the other, hazel. And they were both focused on him intently, with a look that he couldn't place.

"My name is Danielle. And yes, I do speak English, you ignorant twit." she said quietly, but in a clear voice.

Sirius turned red and ignored James, who was laughing. Remus was also giggling, and Peter was chuckling heartily. He glared at her. "Alright, alright. Y'don't have to to get nasty. You could have answered straight away, instead of waiting all day about it! And....hey! Who are you calling an ignorant twit?!"

Danielle's expression didn't change. "I don't have to talk if I don't want to," she said in the same quiet voice. "And I called you an ignorant twit, in case you were too deaf to hear." Sirius found himself completely unnerved by her mis-matched eyes. They both glared at each other for a few moments, until Sirius shrugged and turned away, inwardly fuming.

"Fine, whatever. With a personality like that, I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends," he said sarcastically. "Just trying to be friendly." Was his parting shot, before he turned his back on her, as best as he could while sitting down, and began talking animatedly with the other first year boys, mainly James and Remus.

Danielle went back to picking at her food, and ignored them for the rest of the feast, not bothering to join in on any of the conversations around her. When it was time, and Dumbledore dismissed them, everyone went to their common rooms.

When the first year girls were being shown the staircase to their dormitory, Sirius suddenly had an idea. "Watch this," he whispered to James. That girl - what was her name again? Danielle? - needed to be put in her place. She'd soon learn not to mess with him.

Sirius reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle filled with something slimy and green - one of the many odd'n'ends that he carried around with him, when he felt the urge to cause some trouble. The contents were actually a mild wart-growing potion, where if the skin had the slightest contact with the liquid, the unfortunate person would have to endure incurable warts for three days. It was the sort of thing that Sirius could always find in the storeroom at home.

He tiptoed behind Danielle and went to dunk the whole lot down the back of her robes, when she suddenly swung around, grabbed the front of his robes, and punched him square in the gut.

He let out a loud oof and flew backwards, the bottle emptying all over him so that his robes, hands, and most of his face were covered in the green goo.

All of the first years gasped, and Danielle walked over to where Sirius was sprawled on his back. She glared down at him. "You'll have to be a lot faster and smarter than that to get me," she said calmly, bending down to look him in the face. He, unable to speak due to the warts that were beginning to appear all over his cheeks, spluttered angrily.

And with that, Danielle straightened, turned her back on him and headed up the staircase, followed closely by the redheaded girl, Lily. She left behind a completely stunned common room, a group of awestruck boys.

And a pissed off eleven year old with a painful gut, and a bad case of warts to attend to.

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"Sirius?" A voice asked gently. He shook himself out of his thoughts and looked up to see Remus standing there. "Thinking?" Remus said kindly, sitting beside him.

"Remembering." Sirius muttered, gazing out the window. Neither spoke for a while, before Sirius rubbed his eyes tiredly. How long had it been since he had last slept?

The other man must have noticed his weariness, because he frowned and grabbed Sirius' arm. "You need some sleep, Padfoot. Go to bed - we can figure out this mess tomorrow." He began to steer Sirius out of the room and down the hall, and stopped at a large painting of a lion.

Remus gave the password and the painting opened to reveal a large living room. He half-dragged Sirius through and pushed him into a neat bedroom. "Sleep." Remus said firmly, before closing the door on Sirius.

Sirius sunk onto the bed and flopped onto his back. He was so tired.......

Quickly, Sirius fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

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