Ultimate Gift of Friendship

Chapter One

Harry got out of Sirius' car and looked around for the first time at the clearing that held his new home. It filled him with a vague sense of familiarity. A two story wooden cabin sat in the center of a ring of trees, a small garden of herbs pushing out its first signs of life by the front door meandered around the side of the house. Harry followed the soft earth path reading the signs on sticks that marked what each would eventually be. 'Hemlock, Wolfsbane, Glass Slippers'. Harry knelt next to this last one to make sure he'd read correctly. Absently he scanned the grounds wondering if this were a type of plant or if he should be expecting a fair maiden to come looking for these later. It was then Harry realized when he had been here before. Around the side of the house was the shack Genevieve had brought him to straight from Diagon Alley.

"Are you alright Harry?" A low and sturdy voice startled him out of his thoughts. Harry looked up in time to see the concern in his god-father's face be replaced with the boundless enthusiasm he had exuded ever since picking Harry up from Kings Cross that afternoon.

"Never better!" Harry replied with complete honesty.

"Come on inside then. I've got all your things in your room." 'My own room' Harry was caught up in the wonder of it all. Ever since he could remember he'd never had a room he could call his own. At the Dursley's the rooms he had stayed in, both the cupboard under the stairs and the smallest bedroom were the Dursley's and they never let him forget it. Harry never felt like he belonged there or that anything there belonged to him. But here, amid the peaceful trees and surrounded by friends Harry felt like a perfect fit.

"Be right there," Harry called while standing up, dusting his knees and following inside.

Harry had long since learned that, in the wizard world, appearances could be deceiving but it still amazed him to no end when the unexpected happened. The cabin seemed plain and small on the outside but the inside was spaciously comfortable. The entry way opened into a sprawling kitchen which gleamed with 'newness'. New pots and pans hung from hooks by the stove, next to a never-been-used spice rack in which Harry noticed quite a few additions that would not be found in its Muggle counterpart.

Surprisingly this kitchen featured a few Muggle amenities including a refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher.

~~~~~~

A hall leading off the kitchen deeper into the house was glaringly white and still smelled of fresh paint. The first door to the right stood open and Harry instantly recognized his trunk at the end of the bed. Next to it was a desk and dresser of matching cherry wood. Scattered around were boxes labeled in fancy calligraphy 'James Potter age 15-20'.

Harry suddenly realized that Sirius was watching him from the door anxiously awaiting a verdict. "This is fantastic!" Harry exclaimed causing Sirius' mouth to crack into a wide smile and eventually a laugh.

"Come on; let's explore the rest of the house." The two ran though the house while Sirius pointed out functions for each room. "My study....the Library." Which Harry noticed would make Hermione drool as it held stacks of books. The higher ones were only accessible with a ladder that rolled along the walls. "Bath Room." The bath room was very similar to the prefect's bathroom at Hogwarts. The tub was large enough to rival some indoor swimming pools, complete with multiple faucets and diving board. Although Harry hoped no ghosts would make their appearance while he bathed.

They moved on to several other rooms, including some secreted behind pillars and portraits before finding themselves in the kitchen again - though Harry was unclear how as they had not retraced any of their steps.

Harry sat at the table feeling the beginning of hunger pangs while Sirius searched the cabinets. Once opened Harry noticed most of them were bare and couldn't repress the Old Mother Hubbard nursery rhyme from his thoughts, the irony of the dog going through the cupboards instead not lost on him.

"When Genevieve gets back from Colorado she promised to help us get a bit better settled," Sirius said, shaking his head, finding another cupboard with no food. "She was only planning to be there a few days. In the mean time she left me with some recipes that, according to her, only a real dunce in the kitchen couldn't manage." He rifled through some pieces of parchment with the recipes then tossed them into an empty drawer. "So, I picked up some frozen pizzas that shouldn't take too long." Harry and Sirius laughed while they figured out the microwave and started dinner.

"You really like her don't you Sirius?" Harry inquired while they waited. Sirius blushed for the first time Harry had ever seen and knew he was right.

"Genevieve and I have known each other since we were kids. We've always been good friends." Sirius tried to avoid the question but knew by the smile in Harry's eyes that he hadn't. "She really wanted to be here when we talked to you about that...but," Sirius hesitated a moment before diving into the topic head on, though with some difficulty in choosing words. "Right now we are just friends, and would be happy to remain so if our having a closer relationship would make you feel uncomfortable in any way. I guess if you don't want us to you'd better speak now or forever hold your peace."

"As in you're thinking of getting married? I think that's great! Don't let me stand in the way. Morgain said you two deserved some happiness in your lives."

"Hold on for just a second. We haven't gone so far as to discuss marriage, just dating, getting to know each other again. I mean it has been sixteen years and we've both been through a lot and changed." Sirius backpedaled quickly but was at the same time grateful for Harry's approval. "I haven't had a lot of experience with teenagers since I was one, and I'm sure we'll both make some mistakes while we figure out this whole thing. But I want you to know that you are my first priority around here, understand?"

"Understood." Harry replied with a smile. They were both unsure how to proceed after a touching moment, but were saved as the microwave beeped letting them know the pizza was done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While hungrily working on his third slice of pepperoni and sausage a large falcon swooped into the room and landed on the table next to Sirius. It appeared a bit battered and hungry and picked the rest of the pizza clean of meat in short order. Sirius untied a small note attached to its leg and gave it some water before it left through a small round owl door above the kitchen window.

Sirius unrolled the tiny scroll before it fell from his now trembling hands. Harry snatched it up from the table and with one glance understood such a reaction. In small and shaky hand was written. "We were attacked. Come quickly to 1602 E. Waterfall St. Boulder Colorado."

"Colorado, but that's where ~" Harry didn't need to finish this statement as they were both painfully aware that was where Genevieve and Elden had gone. Sirius shook off the shock and then rose quickly from the table.

"Pack a bag, we've got to go." Sirius strode out of the kitchen toward the bedrooms with Harry close at his heels. "Oh, and don't forget your invisibility cloak" he called behind him before he disappeared into the master bedroom half way down the hall.

Harry flung open his trunk and pulled out his book bag. Most of his clothes were still folded so he only had to transfer a few of them into the bag. He dug through to the bottom, throwing clothes and even his beloved firebolt onto the floor in his haste until he reached where he kept the Invisibility cloak that had once been his fathers.

A moment later Sirius knocked on the door frame. "You ready?"

"Just about." Harry glanced from the bag to his trunk and grabbed an old dingy sock of Uncle Vernon's that now held the pocket sneak-o-scope Ron had bought him in Egypt.

"Wait. The Weasley's are coming by tomorrow morning. Shouldn't we tell them where we are going?" Harry thought briefly of contacting Hermione as well but she was going to be on holiday with her parents all summer and he wasn't sure where.

"Good thinking, can I borrow Hedwig?"

Harry nodded while Sirius scribbled a note and attached it to Hedwig's leg. "It'll take us a while to get to Diagon Alley because I haven't registered our fireplace on the floo network yet, so we'd better start now." Sirius was half way down the driveway before Harry remembered how he'd gotten here last year.

"Not if we take a short cut." Sirius rounded on Harry confused but curious. Now it was Harry's turn to lead straight to the largest oak tree of the enclosing through which he and Sirius Black were instantly transported to Diagon Alley.

On the other side of the tree Sirius allowed himself a moment to marvel at Genevieve's portal and Harry's knowledge of it before turning left and power walking toward Trans World Apparators; Purveyors of Portkeys Int.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The inside of this shop was immense and Harry imagined it was similar to a Muggle travel agents office, had he ever seen one. The walls were covered with pictures of far off and exotic places. Beaches at sunset, rain forests retreats, people riding horseback on mountain trails, while others skied on lakes or snorkeled among coral reefs surrounded by fish to only name a few. Some of the posters moved but the majority were Muggle made and therefore stationary. Just as well, Harry thought to himself, otherwise it could get very distracting, while in one of the few wizard posters a snowboarder did a triple loop off a ramp but missed the landing sending him into a snow bank.

There was a witch ahead of them in line apparently going to Hawaii already dressed in a swimsuit and shorts. She was lead down the hall to the left of the travel agents desk anxious to start her trip, and a moment later the wizard tending the desk returned. Harry noticed he was a muscular man with deeply tanned skin whose hair was bleached from over exposure to the sun. His eyes and teeth looked too white and when he smiled the lines around his eyes creased so deeply they looked painful. The plaque on the desk said the wizard's name was 'Phil Phulovit'.

Sirius stepped forward giving Phil the address while Harry continued to examine the room. His attention was only diverted from the colorful fish poster when Phil's booming voice addressed him.

"What's your name my boy," Phil asked flashing a smile reminiscent of those on the cover of Gilderoy Lockhart's books.

"Harry Potter." The man's face would have paled had it the ability.

"Is this some sort of joke? I get it, the ministry is testing us. Well that is very clever indeed. Like I would ever let Sirius Black take Harry Potter out of the country. I don't care what they say about him being innocent, who can trust a shape shifting creature. You would think the ministry would test my establishment with something more subtle, and find someone more believable to play the part of the Potter boy rather than this wisp of a little pansy." Phil ranted on for a few more minutes while Sirius' neck grew red in anger. He was taking very deep breaths to prevent himself from punching Phil in the nose. Just as the agent was finishing his rave with "leave and don't waste any more of my time," Harry took action.

"Mr. Phulovit. I am indeed Harry Potter!" For the first time in his life Harry was going to play his fame card and see how far it could get him, hopefully as far as Colorado. He pulled back his bangs to reveal the lightning shaped scar and fixed him with his most determined stare. Phil nearly fell off his chair. "This is Sirius Black, my god-father. Not that it is any of your business but I am most safe in his company and he is innocent. Now about that portkey."

Phil opened his mouth several times, only to close it afterward having found nothing to say making him look like a giant orange fish. Sirius' response was similar except for the smile plastered on his face and the pride in his eyes at Harry's bold actions. "Well?" Harry pressured.

"Wouldn't you two rather go to the Bahamas or maybe California? Colorado is best known for it's skiing in the winter." Harry raised an eyebrow at Phil's sudden subject change.

"We're going to this address and we want to go there now." Phil's resolve dissolved and he led them down the hall to the left.

"That was impressive," Sirius whispered in Harry's ear. Harry just shrugged his shoulders in response feeling a bit guilty for using the fame he so often begrudged.

Phil led them into a small bright room. In the center on a white pedestal was a miniature wooden box. Behind it a petite witch sat cross legged on a pillow, her eyes were closed and her hands were relaxed into her lap obviously meditating. Phil nearly shoved them in then slammed the door shut. The noise popped the witch's bright blue eyes open and she smiled kindly at them.

"Have you ever used a portkey before?" Her voice was soft and sweet when she asked.

"Yes," Harry and Sirius answered together.

"Fantastic." The witch stood up, drew her wand and approached the pedestal. She was very short and reminded Harry of Professor Flitwick as she stepped up on a stool to look into the box. She looked around for a moment then smiled at them both. "I don't know what you did to rattle Phil but I thank you for it. It seems he's forgotten to fill out your paper work. It's as good an excuse as any to keep him off the beach this week. So where are you going?"

Sirius pulled out the paper with the address on it. She stared at it for a moment, the shook her head while clucking her tongue.

"This must be some party you're going to Mr...."

"Black," he hesitated for a moment before adding, "Sirius Black."

"Sirius Black. The Sirius Black. I never thought the chance to meet you would just fall into my lap. My, this is a pleasure and explains why Phil was rude and I apologize profusely. We followed every moment of the trial for that poor creature. Phil was sure she was Dark, but my niece goes to Hogwarts and told me about some sort of dance in the Great Hall and the good work she does for ghosts, well I've would love to meet her. I don't suppose..."

"She is why we need to go and quickly. I don't wish to be rude but this is urgent." Sirius interrupted her.

"I'm sorry. Assuming you wish to leave right now, when would you like to return?" Sirius hadn't thought of how long they would need to be there, which confusion was evident on his face. "If you don't want to have set plans I can set a touch activated portkey." She offered.

"Perfect."

At this point the witch drew a fine powder out of a pouch tied to her robes and sprinkled it in the box while repeating a short Latin incantation. The only part of it Sirius and Harry readily understood was the address they had given her. At the end of five minutes the contents in the box glowed red then yellow then green before fading.

"Because it is difficult to coordinate two people touching an object at the same time I included a standard ten second delay before it is activated." She hoped off her stool and stood against the wall while indicating they should approach the box.

Harry concealed his surprise when he saw that the only thing in the box was a shoelace until he remembered that portkeys were often made of inconspicuous objects. Just as Harry reached for the shoelace Sirius caught his hand then turned toward the witch.

"Why did you think we were going to a party?"

"I've sent nearly twenty wizards to that address or near it in the last week, so I figured it was a gathering of some sort." The little witch replied. Sirius fixed Harry with a purposeful gaze and they each drew their wands in preparation of what they might meet on the other side before grasping the shoelace.