April 25th, 1994
Sirius Black had a plan. And a good one this time too. He wrote ahead to meet Dumbledore. Dumbledore was the one who made Hagrid take Harry away, Dumbledore needed to answer a few questions. He would then meet Harry. He wanted Harry’s opinion in this whole guardianship thing. Cissy said it would be good if it was a choice. Cissy seemed to be a good mother, so he chose to trust her on this.
I can’t entertain you now Sirius, I’m busy.
But-
No Sirius.
I just want one story! Bella or Andy would’ve told one!
..Fine. I can tell you a story.
Yay! Thanks Cissy, I love you!
Love you too Siri.
He used the floo in Malfoy’s unbearably dull office. What the man even needs an office for, Sirius has no idea. He can’t imagine that man does anything important enough to need an office at home for. Dumbledore, kindly, opened up his side of the floo connection. Dumbledore was however, not kindly in his office. But a certain portrait was.
“Sirius? I thought Orion’s sons were dead.” The lovely voice of his twice great grandfather rang in his ears. He wonders if Grandfather Phineas is still considered the worst headmaster in Hogwarts history.
“Not me. Just Regulus.”
Baby Reggie.
Reg.
Come back!
Leave with me!
“Well good to know Walburga was good for something after all.”
Sirius disagrees. Walburga Black was not good at all. She didn’t know the definition of the word.
“What are you doing here, Sirius?” His Grandfather probably started the Black paranoia.
“I have a meeting with the current headmaster.” Sirius was not going to explain further. If he mentioned taking over the parental responsibilities of a halfblood, his grandfather would spend the entirety of the meeting complaining about how it didn’t follow the family values or something ridiculous. “Actually, since you’re here, I was wondering if you could go to your portrait at Grimmauld Place to inform the rest of the ancestors about you all moving locations. I think it’s time the family returns to the Manor in the country, don’t you?”
If Sirius remembers anything of his heir lessons from his ancestors its that they all hated the place in London. Something about being too close to muggles or it not being as big as their other properties. Probably both. His grandfather beamed in agreement and left right away. Good. Sirius will send a few elves to remove the family. It’s not a task suitable for a Lord anyways.
Papa papa! Up!
If you wish to be held Sirius Orion, go to your mother.
No Papa. You! Up!
That is not something suitable for a Lord, now go to your mother. I’m working.
“Ah, Mr. Black. It is good to see you as a free man once again.” Dumbledore appeared out of nowhere. Sirius supposed that as a wizard, he should be used to that. But twelve years in a cell almost made him forget magic was even a thing.
“It’s good to be free.” He sat in the chair across from the headmasters desk. Dumbledore sat in his own chair. Sirius knew that in a conversation this would be time for idle small talk. For catching up. Unfortunately, Sirius was never good at idle chatter. The uselessness of asking how ones day or week has been then waiting for the answer he did not care about was close to torture. He moved faster than any small talk ever did. He wanted real answers not random pieces of information he didn’t care to receive.
“It was good of you to hire Remus.” He had a lot to say to this man. A lot of accusations and maybe a few threats, but he couldn’t ignore the fact that no other headmaster would ever hire Remus let alone do everything he could to make sure Remus’s problem remained a secret throughout their entire childhood.
“Mr. Lupin is one of the best Defense Against the Dark Arts professors we’ve had in years.” The way Dumbledore spoke, Sirius knew he meant those words. Good. Remus deserved the world, but the world did not deserve Remus. Sirius did not deserve Remus.
“He always has been one of the best.” Sirius couldn’t think of Remus. Moony was his greatest weakness. Even the mention of his name, and Sirius stopped thinking. Remus has occupied his mind everyday since first year. Azkaban was all James, because every moment with Remus was too good for the dementors to bring out. James and Remus. Remus and James. The only people that truly loved him. The only people he truly failed. Moony and Prongs. His two greatest failures. “But the reason I asked for this meeting was to clear up something from the day of Lily and James’s death.”
Dumbledore didn’t look surprised. He was always ten steps ahead of everyone else. Sirius wonders why he didn’t question it before.
“Of course, I am always here to help.”
Except for those twelve years I was wrongly imprisoned, that is.
“Hagrid went to their house for Harry. He was taking Harry to his aunts before I was even convicted.”
“Petunia Dursley is Harry’s only living relative. He had no where else to go.” Dumbledore was his normal calm and pleasant self, it unnerved Sirius. Was it the Black paranoia or was Dumbledore hiding something? Sirius would bet his entire fortune it was the latter. He took out his best friend’s will.
“That is quite interesting because according to their will ‘In the event that anything happens to both parents, one Harry James Potter would reside in the custody of Sirius Orion Black’. I understand that Harry would go to his aunts after I was arrested, but it was quite illegal to do so before.”
Dumbledore, to his part, looked a little more calculated than he did before. Good. But Sirius wasn’t done. He pulled out a second document. One he made fun of Lily for even getting.
Why do you need a muggle will? You already have a wizarding one?
Because I live in both worlds Sirius. Now, do I have to knock you out and drag you to the muggle office to become his godfather or will you do that yourself?
I.. will go freely.
Good! We’ll leave soon, just let me grab my jumper!
She’s scary mate.
I know. Isn’t she perfect?
“Not only was that illegal to do so in the wizarding world, but muggle wills are much more specific. This one also states that I am next of kin but it also mentions that Lily has no ties to her relative family and even mentions a lot of potential guardians after me, but never once does it mention her sister. Now I am willing to let this slide as an honest mistake formed from all the hassle of the end of the war, but if you ever think about trying to stop me from taking Harry into my rightful custody than I won’t hesitate to bring this to either courts attention. I would be very careful if I were you, Albus, I have a lot more pull in the court than you do.” Sirius gave his subtle threat with a smile on his face. His tone sounded like he was merely chatting with an old friend. It was a lot like Grandfather Arcturus used to sound like during business meetings.
Dumbledore said nothing. Sirius wondered when was the last time someone else had one over the old professor, or if anyone ever had. He doesn’t know why Dumbledore seemed so obsessed with Lily’s sister raising Harry, and he honestly doesn’t care. The sister is not where Harry belongs. Lily and James expected Sirius to raise their son so that is what will happen.
“All I ask is that Harry returns to his Aunt and Uncle’s once a year for a handful of days.”
“And why is that?” What was Dumbledore planning? What was he using the muggles for and what did it have to do with Harry? He can see why his family does not like this man. He is too secretive, too calculating. Too untrustworthy. How did Sirius ever trust this man? How did he miss this?
“I only have impossible theories that could only be answered with time.”
That wasn’t an answer. Did Dumbledore ever give answers? He gave them orders, but did he ever explain them? Why did they all follow them blindly? How could they have been so naive?
“You have nothing, I don’t have to listen to a word you say.”
Did he know Sirius was innocent? Did he theorize that they were animagus and that Peter was alive? Legally no court would ever give Remus custody of Harry, but Sirius or Peter would have been the best next choice. How much easier was Dumbledore’s plan with the marauders out of the way?
“That is true, but still I ask as an old friend.”
Is that what they were? Friends? Or was Dumbledore just another person shouting orders at Sirius and taking over his life? He wishes Cissy were here. He wishes they could talk about this.
“And If I refuse?”
“Then that is your choice.” His words were calm, but that is not what Sirius was looking for. His eyes reflected his true thoughts. It was short, probably less than a second, but there was still a brief moment of terror in his eyes. He looked like a man whose greatest achievement was about to be ripped from him. This could be it. Sirius could ruin his grand master plan without even blinking.
A younger version of him would take the bait, give in before he truly thought of it. But this version thought of Cissy and what she would do. What his father or grandfather would do. Dumbledore will come up with a new plan, assuming he doesn’t already have one. He wouldn’t stop until everything went his way and Sirius would have no idea what the plan contained. At least this way, he knows it involves the muggles.
“A few days then, once a year.” Sirius could almost feel the headmaster relaxing. He will definitely be watching him with a closer eye. “I don’t suppose I could meet Harry now?” He went back to his role as the student asking a teacher for help. Anything to make sure Dumbledore still thinks him to be an ally.
Dumbledore looked to the clock. “It’s almost students curfew, I wouldn’t want to take away any time he could be sleeping.”
“Of course, perhaps another day then.” Sirius proposed and he was glad to see Dumbledore nod at his words. Now, time for his next plan. “Is it alright if I take the normal exit out of the school, seeing that I won’t be in the children’s paths or anything. The floo is harder to reacclimatize to than most other things.” It was not technically a lie. The floo made his insides feel all weird and wrong and it certainly did not used to do that before Azkaban.
Dumbledore nodded and the two said their goodnights. To keep in line with his ‘loyalty’ to the man, Sirius would not sneak into the Gryffindor common room to see Harry. No, he was going somewhere else. If the moving tattoo on his arm was right, then the full moon had just risen. Sirius chose this date because of his tattoo that changed congruent to the phases of the moon.
It was time to see a wolf.