Imperio

Chapter Three: Hundreds

Grimmauld Place was shrouded in the murky light of dawn when Harry dragged his eyes open. It took him a moment to figure out where he was. It didn't help that everything around was a shapeless blob. He sat up slowly, his hand stretching out automatically to feel for his glasses on the table beside the couch.

"Here," Sirius' soft voice interrupted the search; spectacles were pressed into Harry's palm.

Harry blinked as he shoved the glasses over his nose. Sirius was sitting on the low stool in front of the couch.

"How long was I asleep?" He couldn't even remember falling asleep. And his head felt muzzy, like he was half-dreaming.

"Not quite an hour."

Glancing at the door, Harry asked, "Nothing?"

"Not yet."

Harry blew out a breath. "Should it be taking so long?"

"They'll contact us as soon as they can," Sirius assured him; he reached out to pat Harry's knee. "Try not to fret."

Harry sighed and slid his fingers under his eyes, giving them a quick rub. "I feel sort of funny..."

Sirius frowned as he leaned forward. "How do you mean?"

"Dunno, like I'm..." Harry's heart skipped a beat and he closed his eyes, his mind seeking the deep waters in the farthest reaches of his mind. But they were undisturbed. The vast ocean quiet and peaceful.

And whole.

"Harry?"

Sirius' anxious voice brought him slowly out again. "Sorry," he said as he blinked his way back to his godfather. "I feel fuzzy... just like when I was skipping between the realities. They're still intact though," Harry rushed to add as his godfather straightened in alarm.

Sirius didn't look particularly buoyed by that. He studied Harry's face for a moment and finally sighed. "Molly put a Calming Draught in your tea earlier. That might be why you feel a bit off."

"Why did she do that?"

"I've no idea. She thought you needed one, I suppose." Sirius rested the back of his fingers against Harry's cheek. "Feel all right, otherwise?"

Harry squinted at his godfather. "Yeah..."

"Oy, don't look at me like that," Sirius told him with facetiously wide eyes. "I had no idea she put it in."

Harry made a face. "I'm not hysterical."

"That's exactly what I said!"

Unbidden, a smile rose to Harry's lips at his godfather's indignant exclamation; it was whisked away in the next instant. With its distinctive creak, the front door opened. Sirius stiffened and as if in slow motion, he stood. Harry stared at the inky form as it slipped through the crack. The door closed softly behind.

And then the tall shadow was moving toward them.

Snape's pale face was finally illuminated by the room's single glowing lamp. One of his cheeks was sporting a dull purple bruise and his face was absolutely expressionless. Harry's heart immediately began to hammer in his chest. Sirius gripped his hand and pulled him up.

"Pettigrew has been apprehended."

Silence. Absolute silence.

Snape continued on without emotion, "We found him at my home, along with several other Death Eaters. Lupin and Tonks have taken him to the Ministry."

Sirius' grip was nearing painful, but neither he nor Harry said a word.

"They will contact you-"

A silvery wolf sailed through the wall. It settled on its haunches in front of Sirius. Remus' voice, full of excitement filled the room, "Peter is in custody! He's under guard and both Kingsley and Fudge are en route. Tonks notified the Prophet and a reporter is already here. As soon as we know anything further, we'll contact you."

The silver wolf faded, the vapor spreading until it disappeared. Harry and Sirius were once more staring at Snape.

"He was..." Sirius cleared his throat; his hand was shaking in Harry's. "There were other Death Eaters?"

Snape's tiny smile was the self-deprecating sort. "They have been using it as a base of operations. There were only two others; all of them sleeping. Pettigrew's capture was relatively simple."

"He was still under the curse then?" Harry asked when Sirius only stared at Snape.

"He was," Snape answered with a stiff nod. "I ordered him to cease his struggles. Tonks and Lupin cast several charms; to tie him and to prevent him from reverting back to his Animagus form. And I altered his memory, just as planned. He will not remember the circumstances of his capture."

"Did he hit you?" Harry blurted before he could stop himself. Snape's brows signaled his confusion. "Your cheek..."

Snape's fingers went to the dark bruise; he grimaced. "He kicked me before he was completely subdued."

"Accio Bruise Salve," Sirius called quietly and a squat jar flew from the kitchen--the same one that Sirius had used to treat Harry's Snape-inflicted bruise barely a week ago. Sirius handed the salve to the professor, who hesitated before he took it.

None of them moved, not even Snape to apply the salve. Sirius cleared his throat again and extended his empty hand toward Snape. "Thank you..."

The professor eyed the proffered hand. "I had very little to do with the outcome."

Sirius shook his head. "Your willingness made it possible," he said, his voice still shaky. "So, thank you."

His entire body stiff, Snape finally accepted the gesture. He released Sirius almost immediately and switched his gaze to Harry. "Since it is unlikely that you will lose your godfather now, I trust you will have no need for any foolish risks?"

Harry could only shake his head; his mouth was dry.

"Then we will resume training in the morning." A curt nod. With the salve gripped in a white-knuckled hand, Snape pivoted and with a solid click of the library door, he was once again ensconced in his self-proclaimed bedroom.

Harry swallowed several times. "Do you think he's right?"

"No matter what happens, you aren't going to lose me," Sirius said quietly. The statement caused a mild panic in Harry's chest but Sirius' soft smile lessened it. "I do think it's very likely that they will charge Peter with the murders they convicted me of. It will be rather difficult to explain away the reappearance of a man who was supposed to have been killed fifteen years ago."

But no matter how certain Sirius sounded, he looked no less anxious than Harry felt. Which made it rather difficult to believe him. Sirius squeezed his shoulder but even that didn't make Harry feel any better.

"Are you hungry?"

Harry shook his head; he didn't think he could even stomach a glass of water. Sirius pushed the hair out of his face, his eyes glancing round the empty room.

"It will probably be several hours before we hear any news..."

Harry studied the dark circles under his godfather's eyes. "You should sleep."

Sirius' lips quirked. "So should you." At Harry's small smile, Sirius hooked an arm around his neck and pulled him close. "Oy," he muttered into Harry's hair, "if I didn't think Voldemort would kill us both, I'd take you for a jog round the square; I'm about to jump right out of my skin."

The admission somehow broke through the heavy weight in Harry's chest. He let his head lean against his godfather's shoulder and as they stood there in the dim light, he realized how very tired he was.

--

Ginny was the first to come downstairs, when the sun was just dusting the sky orange. Sirius noticed her out of the corner of his eye as Harry fended off a jet of pink light from his wand. Dueling was as close as they could come to jogging at the moment.

Harry yelped as the pink magic grazed his arm. Sirius immediately lowered his wand. "That shouldn't have hurt," he said as he closed the space between them.

"Didn't," Harry said, panting slightly. "Startled me."

"You're certain?"

Harry nodded and Sirius stepped back, not wanting to hover. Harry noticed Ginny then; she was smiling between them. Harry cocked his head, obviously not understanding her expression.

"Dueling at dawn?" she asked, her smile a bit more mischievous now.

"Just staying busy," Sirius explained, trying to keep the smirk out of his voice as he pocketed his wand. Ginny nodded, her features sobering.

"Ron and I listened to the entire conversation in the kitchen." She shrugged when Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Extendable ears."

"Ah." Sirius glanced at Harry, expecting him to announce their bit of news, but his godson had his lips pressed together, that line of worry marring his forehead once more. "Peter is in custody," Sirius explained. "We're awaiting further news."

Ginny's dark eyes widened and she clasped her hands together as a huge smile lit her face. "They found him?"

Sirius related the story to her, and then again a moment later when Arthur and Molly came down the stairs--Arthur dressed for a day at the office. As soon as Sirius finished, Arthur kissed his wife's cheek and then left through the Floo without even a cup of a coffee, much to Molly's distress.

Ron came down next, grumbling about all them being loud enough to wake the dead.

"They'll have to acquit you," he said though once the story had been repeated for the third time, his voice full of sleep-soaked confidence. Ginny, who by then had noticed Harry's reticence, nudged her brother none too gently in the ribs. He glowered at her.

"It's not even six thirty," he groused and went blearily into the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley prodded Ginny after him.

"Harry dear," she said quietly after her reluctant daughter had been waved into the kitchen, "wouldn't you like some breakfast?"

Harry didn't answer; he didn't even appear to have heard her. He was staring out the window; watching the night turn into day. Searching for another silver wolf. He was gripping his wand, his jaw set at a tense angle.

"Give us a few moments," Sirius told Molly, but she ignored him.

"You need to eat, Harry," she said as she approached. She touched his arm and Harry started, jerking back a little. Molly's eyebrows drew together but she collected herself quickly and produced a gentle smile. "You'll make yourself ill."

"I'm not hungry," he said, not exactly snapping, though there was definite impatience in his tone. He pocketed his wand and turned away from her.

"I know you're worried," Molly went on, her voice oddly cajoling and firm at the same time, something Sirius didn't think he could have managed. "But you need to eat and then maybe a Sleeping Draught to help you sleep. You're exhausted-"

"No."

Molly closed her mouth slowly at the sharp word.

"I don't need a Sleeping Draught," Harry told her, his voice very prickly; he narrowed his green eyes. "I didn't need that Calming Draught either. Because I am not hysterical. I'm worried; Sirius' freedom is at stake," he reminded her. "I don't want to eat. And I'm not going to sleep until we hear from Remus and Tonks."

Sirius wouldn't have been surprised if Harry had added a 'so there' at the end of the short rant, but his godson just glared at Molly, silently daring her to argue with him.

Mrs. Weasley worried her lip but eventually sighed and with drooping shoulders she went into the kitchen. Harry clenched his jaw, turned sharply and began to pace.

Sirius watched him through two turns and then interrupted with a quiet, "Harry."

Harry stopped, but he shook his head before Sirius could even speak. "I'm not hungry," he insisted.

"Neither am I," Sirius said, smiling a little. He patted the stool where he'd sat while he'd watched over Harry earlier. "Come sit."

Harry's fingers eased out of their fists and silently did as Sirius asked. Sirius leaned forward and grasped his godson's knees, anchoring both of them. "There's very little reason to believe I won't be acquitted now--"

"But we don't know--"

"No, we don't know for certain, but Kingsley is there and he knows I'm innocent. Tonks as well. And as soon as they see Peter's memories--or administer Veritaserum, they'll know. There isn't any way for him to hide from them."

"But they didn't do any of those things when they arrested you," Harry pressed and Sirius wished he knew exactly what to say to take the worry away.

"They didn't care about the truth then," Sirius said, old anger resurfacing, which he dutifully squashed. "I was a perfect scapegoat. They can't ignore this evidence though. Even if Fudge wanted to, he can't. Not with Shacklebolt there... and reporters."

Harry didn't respond right away. Sirius said quietly, "Harry, I promise you that it will be all right."

Harry dropped his head into his hands. "I know," he mumbled. "But you can't promise that he'll be convicted--or that you'll be free."

Sirius rested his hand on Harry's bowed head. "I wish I could..."

"I'm not trying to be such a prat," Harry said miserably and even with all they'd been through in the past few weeks, Sirius had never heard Harry sound so young.

"You are not a prat," Sirius assured him, his thumb feathering through his godsons' dark hair. "You're holding up remarkably well, I'd say. I'm certainly not feeling particularly calm."

Harry glanced up through his fingers. Sirius tried a smile but Harry only slumped further. His next words were muffled in his palms, "I don't want to be someone's formality."

His throat suddenly tight, Sirius had to swallow twice before he could speak, "I know."

Harry didn't respond for a long minute. He finally let his hands drop. Staring at his palms he said, "I'm sorry I was so rude."

Surprised, it took Sirius a moment to answer. "It wouldn't have taken much to convince me," he said, not quite sure what sort of tone he was trying to convey, or even what he wanted Harry to hear. Harry brought his eyes up. He looked like he was expecting Sirius to continue but Sirius had no idea what to say. Next time, don't blatantly defy me? Made him sound too much like James' father.

He smiled a little, his fingertips making circles on the back of Harry's head. "I don't feel much like eating either, but I think we will both feel better if we do. And it won't do to go all day without food."

Harry's face fell. "All day?"

"I don't think they'll want to rush this."

Harry sighed. "I'm still not hungry though."

"I'll feel better if you eat."

Harry gazed at him for a protracted moment and then gave in, "Yeah, all right."

Sirius nodded. "Good. And then, perhaps an attempt to sleep?" A smirk. "I won't even insist on a Sleeping Draught."

Harry opened his mouth to protest.

"Humor me."

Harry squinted at him, something he'd been doing a lot of in the past few days, as if he was trying to figure out exactly what made Sirius tick. Sirius raised his eyebrows and Harry sighed again.

"You have to sleep too then," he said, using his elbow to nudge Sirius' arm. Sirius smiled.

"Of course." It was rather unlikely, but Harry didn't need to know that.

There was a movement out of the corner of Sirius' eye as he stood and when he looked up, he found Molly standing in the kitchen doorway. She was gazing at them with a funny look on her face. The expression changed immediately to chagrin when Sirius caught her eye. He smiled at her and gave his godson a hand up, encouraging him with a light grip on his shoulder.

She stepped back and allowed them to pass.

Ginny and Ron greeted them as they sat side by side across the table. Molly tentatively set a plate of hotcakes in front of Harry. He smiled sheepishly at her and tears immediately sprang to her eyes.

She ran a hand over his hair and dabbed at her eyes with her apron. "Eat," she said briskly, including her children when she noticed that they'd stopped eating to stare at her. She set another plate in front of Sirius, patted his shoulder and went back to the stove.

Sirius' eyes met Ginny's as he reached for the pumpkin juice. She smiled warmly at him. Hoping he hadn't won Molly over for nothing, Sirius returned Ginny's smile and filled Harry's glass.

--

The story of Wormtail's capture was told three more times--once to Bill during breakfast, to McGonagall and Pomfrey later in the morning after Harry had slept for another hour, and again to Hermione when she Flooed in from the ministry with Mr. Weasley at lunch time.

Hermione's parents had agreed to one night away and Mr. Weasley had been on his way home to update Sirius and Harry. Not that there was much to update except that Wormtail's memories of events nearly fifteen years ago had been extracted.

"The minister has already spoken with Rita Skeeter to do a full story on this," Mr. Weasley had said. "His triumph for justice, he's calling it."

And so Harry had grown steadily more anxious as the day wore on; Sirius quieter. Harry had abandoned an attempt at a game of chess with Ron as the dinner hour approached. He and Sirius were sitting on the sofa, not saying much as conversations went on in murmurs around them.

"Dinner is in five minutes," Mrs. Weasley said as she marched through the parlor. Pausing only for a second, she knocked soundly on Snape's library door. It swung open. Snape scowled as soon as he saw her.

"I do not wish to be disturbed--"

Mrs. Weasley drew herself up. "Dinner will be on the table in five minutes," she said, louder than seemed necessary. "We would like you to join us." Snape narrowed his eyes, the black irises full of calculation.

"Very well," he said with a curt nod. Harry and Sirius glanced at one another and Mrs. Weasley looked no less shocked. Snape turned back into his room, but with the library door only partially closed, the sound of the Floo activating in the kitchen made everyone freeze.

In slow motion, each head turned toward the Floo and though Harry knew it must be Mr. Weasley, it didn't stop the desperate hope that this would finally be the moment that had slipped through Sirius' fingers that night of the full moon two years ago.

Remus stepped into the parlor, a thick envelope clutched to his chest, a huge grin on his face. Harry stood up so quickly, he tripped over his own feet; Sirius steadied him and together they stared at the envelope.

Remus crossed the short distance and extended it toward Harry. "Tonks wanted to be here..." He was practically bouncing on his toes.

Harry looked to his godfather, whose face had drained of all color. He nodded shakily, his Adam's apple bobbing with small jerks along his throat.

With a trembling hand, Harry took the envelope. The crinkling parchment was much too loud as he gripped it. He looked round the room, at all the faces of people he loved. Remus with that silly grin. Mrs. Weasley holding Ginny's hand. Hermione holding Ron's. Pomfrey, Bill and McGonagall clustered in an anxious little group.

And Snape hadn't returned to his room.

Harry turned back to Sirius and tore the envelope open.

There was an official-looking seal at the top of the first parchment.

His voice sounded like he'd been denied water for days as he began to read aloud, "Dear Mr. Potter, in light of recent evidence, the Wizengamot has unanimously voted to overturn Sirius Black's conviction in connection with the deaths of Peter Pettigrew and thirteen Muggles in 1981." Harry had to stop reading then as his throat seared. Sirius had latched onto his shoulder with a fierce grip; his breathing was shallow.

Remus took the parchments gently from Harry's fingers and continued on, his own voice strong, "Details cannot be released at this time, but this letter is to inform you that, as requested in your parents' last will (which you will find enclosed), Sirius Black was named your godfather and your guardian in the event of your parents' deaths. Should Mr. Black still be alive, and if you have no objections, he is hereby granted full custody--"

Harry knew Remus was still speaking but it didn't matter. Sirius let out a strange, strangled roar and gathered Harry into his arms, into a hug so tight that Harry couldn't breathe. There were other shouts of joy nearby and some muffled sobs as well--some that sounded very close to Harry's ear, but all he cared about was that Sirius was free.

Sirius was free and Harry would never have to be anyone's formality again.