Dog Star's Reprise
October 16th, 1989
Sirius-
Annoyed, angry, and frustrated were only three of the myriad of emotions he was feeling right now. It had been little over a week since his release from Azkaban. Sirius was going through his mind healing sessions. These mornings had been bad...Sirius had lost his temper on Healer Smith. The previous sessions hadn't been bad as she'd stuck to questions about Azkaban. But today she had gone for the 'kill' as it were. She had decided to broach the subjects of James, Lily, Remus, and Harry. Sirius would rather talk about his fucked-up relationship with his mother then them. They were a touchy subject for Sirius who was still processing everything. To say that he hadn't taken it well was an understatement. She almost restrained him after he'd risen out of his chair and slammed his hands on the table. He'd gotten way too close to her face. And said some less than complimentary things about her. Which was answered by a wand getting pointed at him. He had then stormed off back to his private hospital room.
His feelings regarding Remus were...basically in the rubbish bin. The man had been his friend...he'd become an Animagus for him. And yet Remus was nowhere to be found! Caspian had been with him off and on since his release. Sirius wanted to know where Remus was. Caspian in turn had asked Sirius's accounts goblin and a few people in the Ministry. As far as they knew Remus was alive and not 'incapacitated'. Incapacitated had a lot of different meanings for the goblins. It could mean that Remus was captured and held captive. Or it could mean that Remus was like Frank and Alice Longbottom. Instead, the goblins and the Ministry had listed him as alive. The media had exploded in the days after his trial. There was no way Remus didn't know he was out. Unless he had finally embraced his werewolf side and lived with a wild pack.
Which was absurd because A) Remus said he would never go anywhere near the wild packs: B) As much as Sirius had cared for Remus, he knew the other man wouldn't survive pack life. So, Sirius was left to draw a conclusion to Remus's lack of presence. Which wasn't a flattering one at all. Honestly, he didn't know what excuse Remus would come up with should they ever cross paths. But Sirius was not likely to accept any that the wolf could dream up. It had taken a long conversation with Caspian about Remus to make Sirius see. Caspian had said he deserved a much better friend. And he'd used Remus's furry little problem as the main example. At first Sirius had been angry and ready to defend werewolves as a whole. But Caspian had given him that same look that he had in Azkaban. The same look that had made Sirius stop and listen.
He said Sirius had gone out of his way to learn to be an Animagus. It was all in an effort to make Remus feel comfortable during the full moon. To make Remus feel comfortable around his friend's without lying all the time about his condition. He went on to say that it made Sirius a good friend sticking by Remus. Then Caspian reminded him that the other man hadn't visited him. He hadn't even written to Sirius! Prisoners were allowed to receive mail after it had been checked by the Aurors. And he was allowed visitors at the prison...and yet Remus hadn't come at all. He'd risked life and limb to make Remus comfortable during the moons. And the other man couldn't return the favor and be there for Sirius. Caspian had pointed out the truths that Sirius had been blinded from. He'd gone above and beyond for their friendship...and Remus had been...silent. Which hurt a hell of a lot.
To say that Sirius was old friends with abandonment and trauma was an understatement. But somehow James and Lily had taken it to a whole new level. Lily hadn't hurt him as bad and after some thought he realized he barely knew her. What he did know about her was second hand from James. But she had made James happy and at the time that had been enough for Sirius. He had at least thought they were semi friendly if not friends. But as he remembered Caspian's words from the Remus conversation. He deserved better than a maybe friend who tolerated him for James's sake. At least that was always the way it seemed to feel for him. Like he was some ordeal she had to go through just have James. So no her not rescuing him from prison wasn't a shocker. No, James was the one where his anger really stemmed from. James was like his brother in everything but blood. And yet his so-called best friend was just as guilty as Dumbledore for leaving him in prison. Being a secret keeper was a great honor among wizarding kind. That was probably the most damning thing that the public had used against him.
Sirius's brilliant plan to switch secret keepers hadn't worked in his favor. And public opinion could be really harsh. Everyone had thought that Sirius had betrayed such an honored position. It was meant to be the ultimate show of trust between wixen. And everyone thought he'd made a mockery of that position. What hurt worse though...was seeing them listed as alive. Such a simple word that had shattered his world in a mere blink of an eye. Like with Remus they were alive not incapacitated. Nobody was holding them hostage...they just went on living their lives like Sirius was nothing to them. The pain he'd felt thinking James was dead was agonizing. To know he was alive living his life while Sirius suffered...had been heartbreaking. He'd walked away from his blood family to be with James and the Potters. Even worse than anything else that had happened was, Walburga his mother, was actually right!
The day he'd been everything but magically disowned she had warned him. She said that they would never fully accept him among them. And she had been a hundred percent right which chafed at his pride. Everyone still saw him as a dark wizard from a dark family. No matter how different he tried to be they never really saw him. It was one of the many things that Sirius thought he'd been publicly condemned for. You can't choose the family you are born into. The kind of magic a person has is determined at birth. But dark doesn't mean evil...a concept that Sirius had forgotten. He'd forgotten it when he'd been with the Potters...hell he'd forgotten it the minute he'd stepped in Gryffindor tower. If there was any good from his horror story of a prison sentence. It was that Sirius had nothing but time to think. To think about his life and the events that led to his imprisonment.
And then there was Harry...his little pup. He was slowly going insane from not knowing where he was. Goblin magic was irrefutable but what in the ever-loving fuck did 'unknown'mean? It meant that he wasn't dead as deceased was nowhere in sight. But that was only a very small comfort in the grand scheme of it all. And it had none of the implications of incapacitated...so what did unknown mean? He was listed as a missing person since before Sirius's trial. Which had only upset him more after his breakdown before. And further more why wasn't Harry with James and Lily? If Dumbledore knew they were alive then the safest option would be to keep Harry with them. At least that was what Sirius thought anyway. And it was a pretty safe assumption that Dumbledore was involved some how. James was a lot of things...but he doubted the other man could make a golem. That was obscure grey magic that was borderline dark for obvious reasons. To create even just one of those you'd need hair and blood. Something that no wizard would give to another given what could be done with them.
It really didn't matter what they'd done to set up this charade. What mattered was Harry...Even if he just ran out of here like the Gryffindor he was. Where would he start? Sirius had no idea where Harry had been let alone where. Plus, he had no wand. So that left him with nowhere to go really. The world was a big place and Harry could be anywhere. And if what Caspian had said was true not even magic could find Harry. He'd talked to Amelia Bones for Sirius so he could be updated. They'd tried every form of magical tracking possible with hair and blood. Why Dumbledore had those things didn't bode well. The man could've done anything to Harry magically with those things. His trust in Dumbledore was non-existent at the moment. Which just worried him even more. Was Harry alone? Was he safe?
Sirius couldn't even tell anymore if he wanted to. His magical bond with Harry as his godfather had been damage somehow. It had had been muted in prison by the island's wards. But sometime before Caspian's visit he'd felt it weaken. He thought it had snapped after all...godfather bonds were a magically binding promise. When Sirius had accepted it, he'd promised to care for and protect Harry until the day he died. At the time he'd thought that it had been because of his imprisonment. Magical bonds sometimes snapped if they were unfulfilled. The only time they didn't backlash or punish the person who broke it. Was if there was extenuating circumstances. Being imprisoned against your will for crimes you didn't commit. Should definitely count as 'extenuating', he hadn't willing broken his promise. But he did know one thing when he found Harry. He'd make good on his promise.
Harry-
He gritted his teeth in frustration as he released his magic letting the shield dissipate. Right now, Harry was working on casting Protego wandlessly. And while he'd succeeded in doing so the thickness of his shield was bad. It was paper thin which meant it would only stop one spell if he was lucky.
"Harry remember to visualize what you want. You can cast a spell without an incantation. But you have to be able to see your magic mould to your will. Technically you could do just about anything with it. But I find that what holds wizards back the most is their imagination. Yes, there are some magical laws that will prevent certain outcomes. Like Gamp's law, preventing a person from Transfiguring food. There are four other sub sections of that law, but you won't learn it until you go to school. Anyway, what I'm alluding at is that like that particular law. You can't get something from nothing. Harry, you have to see it just like when we learned to unlock things." Percival said.
Harry glared at Percival's translucent form. Unlocking things had been easy! This was just plain irritating. Imagination wasn't something that he lacked at all. Sighing Harry went to fall down on his bed. Things had progressed in his magical training since Harry's accidental discovery. Percival had been adamant about not messing too much with the box's functions. And eventually Harry had worn him down. So long as Loki was out of the box and distracted elsewhere Harry could fiddle with it. Loki was currently down in the entrance hall running around a maze. Ferid had constructed one out of magic. He'd used magic to turn some small twigs into a shiny gold color. Several small brown rocks changed colors into shiny jewel like stones. If Harry didn't know that Ferid had used a simple color changing spell. He would swear that the stones looked real.
Loki would get his exercise, and Harry could monopolize Percival's time. Once he'd figured out which rune had triggered the correct effect. Percival had been showing Harry everything from wand movement to stances. He'd even showed Harry some easy dodging moves and how to plant his feet properly. In the past week or so Percival had shown him some simple spells. He didn't want to teach Harry anything he could learn in school. And Harry was okay with that since school would get boring real fast otherwise. But he'd insisted Harry learned at least Protego and Incarcerous. Percival said it was best to know at least that much. Dodging only worked for so long and Harry needed a shield charm. Percival had also worked with Harry on other smaller spells. Harry could now change the coloring of any object. Well almost any object...Harry had used a piece of Petunia's jewelry. It was a simple pearl necklace that he wasn't honestly sure was real. He'd tried to turn them blue. And that didn't work out well at all.
They turned a sickly pale greyish blue color. But that wasn't the worst part...no they had ended up partially melted. He'd had Harry cast with the elder wand first until Harry could do it without thought. Then he had Harry try it wandlessly. Harry wasn't a fan of using a wand...or maybe it was just the elder wand? It just felt strange like he'd pushed his magic through a straw. Incidentally Harry himself didn't feel like that using Percival's wand nor when he casted wandlessly. Perhaps it was simply the elder wand? Percival did say that some magical items were almost sentient with how much magic they had. Was that it? Or was it because it was made by Death?
'It's testing you.'
Harry twitched right off the bed and landed on his bum. Looking around alarmed Harry finally spotted Death. Being the creep he was he was just hanging out in the shadowy entry way to Harry's closet.
"What the hell Death? Are you trying to scare me out of my shoes? We should get you a bell or something." Harry exclaimed.
'Where's the fun in that? One of the fringe benefits of being a deity is that I can appear anywhere. And as Death I get a kick out of doing it a lot. Besides bells wouldn't help anyway since my magic would stop it from ringing. Or didn't you think it was odd that my robes would occasionally move even if I didn't? No sound...I can't very well do my job if people could hear me coming. They would try to run...and then I'd have to actually put some effort into it.'
Harry snorted.
"You said it was testing me?" Harry asked.
Death chuckled and creeped a little closer.
'The elder wand doesn't easily surrender to just anyone. Or did you not realize that seldom anyone has held it for long. Dumbledore is the only one so far to keep it the longest.'
"Wait Dumbledore had this before me!?" Harry exclaimed with question.
'Oh, yessss. He took it from Grindelwald and has had it in his possession since then. The elder wand has a bloody history little master. It is a wand that knows not what restrictions are. Power is very attractive to certain people. And power is exactly what the wand gives to the wielder. Before Grindelwald and Dumbledore, a man named Gregorovitch possessed it. The wand can only gain a new master if someone beats its current master. And by beat, I mean that the previous holders were killed Harry. It is part of the wand's curse to prevent any one person from using it for too long. Gregorovitch escaped because he never used the wand. He studied it and came up with many hypotheses about it. But never used it...so the curse remained dormant. And Grindelwald simply stole it from him. Grindelwald escaped the curse by an unforeseen loophole. Defeat can mean many things...so when Dumbledore disarmed him. Grindelwald was defeated and the wand gained a new master. Dumbledore himself was careful about using it. The more a person wields it the stronger the curse's hold. It provokes or addicts the person to its power. As the master of death, your claim is absolute. The wand's curse doesn't affect you. But the wand will attempt to fight you every step of the way. As for Dumbledore he's avoided the curse due to your claim. The wand gets what it wants one way or another. It can distort the mind and cause moral decay as well as magical decay. Over time the curse would've worn away at Dumbledore until he was either crazy or magicless. That is why only a child of death can safely wield the artifacts. He's had the wand for little over sixty years. An impressive feat...his time was limited at best.'
So, he was using a cursed wand...but no big deal, Harry, it won't hurt you...he thought sarcastically.
"Great, so I basically saved his life and sanity. I in no way was aiming for that. Wait, does that mean that maybe he wasn't quite right in the head when my parents faked their deaths?" Harry asked.
'The curse would've long before taken root. It's possible that his line of thinking could've been compromised. He staved off the worst parts of the curse with Occlumency and of course using his own wand. But that would've only temporarily prevented the inevitable. It matters not...what is done is done. I advise that you get a different wand for school. The elder wand is easily recognizable due to that silly fairytale. To use it publicly would be foolish as elder wood is notorious for being hard to use for wand makers. So, you won't find anyone else carrying around an elder wood wand. I would also like to state little master that you should deny it. Anyone who asks about the artifacts because of your name. Lie...Harry you aren't strong enough to stave off those who would try to take their power.'
"Maybe we should hold off on spell casting Harry. Even if it doesn't affect you...it's possible that the wand's resistance could affect the way your spells are cast. It may even make you use more magic than what's necessary. It would definitely draw unwanted attention." Percival said.
Harry had startled a little as Percival had started talking. He had completely forgotten about him as Death had been...well Death. When Harry had first started talking to the entity he noticed the side effect. Death's presence demanded his undivided attention each time. Which was kind of dangerous...what if Death appeared at the wrong time? He could be kidnapped, injured, or killed because he literally wasn't paying attention.
"Yeah, it's probably for the best at the moment. I can still practice some of the others wandlessly." Harry replied.
He glanced around seeing that Death had vanished as quickly as he'd appeared. Wait was Death even a 'he'? Harry had kind of assumed it was so from the sound of the entity's voice. One of Mrs. Figg's old lady friends had mentioned something similar. She had worked at a college for time in the Theology department. She would tell Harry all kinds of tales. He vaguely remembered her saying that angels had no gender. And she did say that certain theological texts mentioned Death as an angel. Mrs. Parridge in number five privet drive had a scratchy 'man' voice. No joke that lady smoked like a chimney. She was always coughing and hacking. Petunia had gone off on more than one rant about her.
"Harry are you okay?" Percival asked.
Harry blinked looking at Percival owlishly.
"Yeah, just a weird thought that popped up. I think I'm going to have Matty take me into the woods. I guess the woods are actually a national park called Acadia. It apparently attracts a lot of tourists and hikers. The wards on this place must be spectacular to be smack dab in the middle of this place. Otherwise, the no-majs would've discovered it by now. But one side of the forest borders the shoreline. There are small sandy beach areas, and I can say that I've never been to the beach. The Dursley's only took me places if they had no other choice. Unfortunately, their trips to beaches and waterparks weren't one of them." Harry said.
"Sounds fun...what's a waterpark?" Percival asked.
Harry frowned puzzled by his question. Didn't they have those things back then? Maybe they didn't and Percival was born into the wizarding world. His exposure to the no-majs would've been limited.
"It's like...well do you know what an amusement park is?" Harry asked.
It would be easier to explain if he did know. If not, he'd have to explain two things and Harry himself had never visited these places. He only heard about Dudley's trips to places. The family photos and the brochures left in the house. Were Harry's only real reference points to even come close to a description.
"No, I can't say I have." Percival replied, curiously.
"Okay, so those two places are obviously no-maj places. They sound just like they are in the names. An amusement park is a large plaza like place. It has food, games, rides, and even have shows. The same could be said for a waterpark. Except instead of rides, they have slides with water running through them. I guess the best comparison to what a slide is...would be a chute. There are also man-made pools of water and other things. Dudley liked the slides, so I overheard more about those than anything else." Harry said.
When he got Percival out the first thing Harry would do was hug him. The second one would be to show him everything he'd missed. Maybe they could share some of the experiences together for the first time. There was a lot of things that he'd never done. A lot of places Harry had never been to and they all sounded amazing.
"Matty said there was a secluded stretch of beach that nobody could reach without a boat. It's tucked into the cliffside so thoroughly it's not even noticeable. They only let the tourists go so far into the area. I was thinking I could bring the box. Maybe even take Hedwig with us and spend the afternoon there." Harry said.
Matty popped into the room carrying a bag and an oversized umbrella. She was using elf magic to appear as a brown-haired woman in her thirties. She was 'wearing' a pink sundress with blue flowers on it. A wide brimmed beige hat sat on her head.
"Harry, you don't have to bring me with. I'll be fine. Besides whom wants to spend the day with a guy in a box who can't do anything?" Percival said.
"I want to take you with whether or not you can do anything. Because I like spending time with you, and this is as close to freedom I can offer. If you want me to slow down and not constantly focus on getting you out. It could be years before I manage it. So, no complaints you're coming everywhere I am. And Loki and Hedwig too if I can manage it. Through the woods and to the beach we go." Harry said.
He looked pointedly at a somber Percival before shutting the box and shoving it in Matty's bag. The elf had fished out a green tee shirt, blue and white swim trunks, and a pair of brown sandals. Harry knew for a fact he didn't own those sandals. Either one of the elves bought them, or they were left by a previous resident and sized to fit him. Changing quickly Harry gathered Hedwig onto his shoulder. And followed Matty out of the house and into the tree line. Matty could've taken him directly to the spot. But Harry had never been in a forest before. Surrey didn't have anything like it. Or at least as Harry knew it anyway. He was only allowed to go to and from school. And go to the closest shopping store. Petunia would often send Harry to go in and get groceries. Most of the time she stayed in the car. She would talk to some people she knew outside every so often.
The only other place he could go to without the Dursley's knowledge was the public library. Harry had hidden there a few times after running from Dudley. Dudley and his goons wouldn't go near a library unless they had to. Which made it the perfect hiding place. The books had been a little too tempting one time. And Harry had gotten lost within its pages. It was a child's book about dinosaurs. It wasn't a fantasy book; it was a science book that had been simplified for young children to read. Anyway, Harry had gotten lost in his mind thinking about how huge the animals were. He'd stay at the library as long as he dared to finish reading what he could. Harry would tell Petunia that he had detention or that he was helping Mrs. Fig. It wasn't like they cared enough to call him out. That would require them to actually ask around.
After a while a librarian actually asked him why he didn't just borrow books. Harry had told her that his uncle didn't want him coming here. And that was why Harry stayed to read there. He also mentioned that he didn't have any money for one. She seemed astonished that Harry thought he had to pay for a library card. Vernon had always told him that it cost more money than a 'freak' was worth. But Harry declined saying as much. As Petunia would often tell him horror stories about kids who were left to the system. Harry really didn't want to find out if those stories were true. The monsters you know versus unknown strangers that may or may not take better care of him.
Harry startled out of his thoughts as he nearly tripped over a fallen tree limb. It was larger than a normal stick but smaller than a tree trunk. He looked at his shoulder to check on Hedwig. He blinked as he noticed her absence. Maybe she had left to hunt for a snack? Matty ushered him forward through the tree trunks. Every direction he looked there was nothing but trees. Harry was glad he'd taken Matty with him. For he would've gotten lost fairly quickly within the woodland. He inhaled deeply scenting an earthy smell with just a hint of something else. He had of course asked Matty. She said it was salt as they were getting closer to water.
Sirius pov
He was really starting to hate this damn hospital. It was so damn restrictive but at the same time...he knew he didn't have a choice. As Caspian had reminded him, if Sirius wanted to keep Harry once found. Then Sirius would have to make one hell of an effort. Prison record aside certain government assholes would say he was unfit to care for a child. His mental health would be called into question immediately. That didn't mean that Sirius didn't loathe it with every fiber of his being. Besides even that Sirius had nowhere to go...nowhere to live. Something that had actually just occurred to him. He'd been so caught up in the trial and it's aftermath that Sirius had forgotten.
No house, no clothes, no wand, and no money until he went to Gringotts. Which Sirius hadn't been able to go out to do. He was apparently still too 'concerning' to let out just yet. It had been two days since Caspian had been here. And nobody else had shown up here at all. He would never expect Uncle Arcturus to come. But he would've thought that at least Andromeda would stop by. Caspian had told him her daughter was now an Auror. So, it wasn't like Andy could use the 'living with muggles' excuse. Knowing your alone isn't the same as 'knowing'. Sirius had still foolishly held a small spark of hope. But that was crushed everyday nobody came.
He was still confused about the McMillan lord though. The man had been visiting him off and on multiple times. Whoever hired him to represent Sirius surely wasn't paying him to keep Sirius company. So then why was Caspian still coming to see him? Was it some misconstrued sense of duty? Was it pity? That thought made his stomach drop at the thought. Sirius actually sort of liked having Caspian around. Let's face it the man would be a step up from his current so-called friends. Friend??? It was startling to think that could Caspian be a friend?
"Well, someone is having a moody day."
Turning he saw Caspian by the door. Perfectly put together in navy suit. Not a single hair out of place as he regarded Sirius.
"Dare I ask what has you so off today?" Caspian asked.
Sirius sighed.
"I realized some things that had escaped my mind. That and I really hate mind healers so...yeah that was my day so far." Sirius said.
A soft chuckle left the other man.
"Perhaps I can make it better? I'm told that you can have short trips outside now. I was wondering if you want to come to lunch with me? I have some updated information..." Caspian trailed off.
Sirius huffed, of course the man would use that to convince him. He was dying to know what progress was being made. But Caspian liked to dangle his knowledge in front of him. It was always an exchange. Usually, it was used to encourage Sirius to eat more. Which wasn't a bad tactic it was just that food sometimes still made him nauseous.
"Oh, and where pray tell are we going to lunch at?" Sirius asked.
A lot probably changed since his incarceration. What was the best restaurant in the area now? It was just another thing he'd have to learn again. If it wasn't the lack of progress in Harry's case, it was constantly having to catch up on something. Both of which frustrated him to know end. That and being treated as if he were fragile. The damn healers and nurses seemed to tiptoe around him. As if they were afraid Sirius would snap at any given provocation. Being outside would be no different. Sirius would be like a sideshow attraction to the general populace. Either way they would openly stare. Or they would give him either pitying looks or hateful looks. Some idiots apparently thought he should still be in prison. Since he was a dark wizard from a dark family and what not.
"How about the Dragon's Claw? It opened up a few years back Mr. Zhang is from a wizarding colony in Shanghai. He has had great success with his dishes here." Caspian commented.
Okay it couldn't be worse than what he was eating here. Granted hospital food was leagues better than what was served at Azkaban. Still, something different sounded good and if he got the information he wanted. Well, that was just frosting on top right?
"Sure, but that information better be damn good Caspian." Sirius threatened.
Caspian looked entirely unfazed as he smirked at Sirius. Standing he followed Caspian out of his room and down several hallways. Finally, they made it to the floo networks down in the main lobby. Sirius remembered rather quickly why he disliked flooing. Brushing the ashes off his shoulders he looked around in surprise. They were in a waiting area that had comfortable forest green couches. Rice paper paneled walls had several murals on them. Mostly of flowers but there were several others depicting lakes. There were even a few that depicted gorgeous dragons with long bodies. The scales on them looked almost real with how shiny they were. Caspian appeared next to him pulling his arm. They walked down a side hallway to see several round doors. Round was the most accurate description for them.
They slid open under Caspian's touch as they came in. Looking around Sirius was surprised to see how low to the ground the table was. He watched Caspian take his shoes off and then kneel down before sitting on his haunches. Sirius mimicked since he was unsure of what was necessary. A women came in asking about drinks. Sirius not really caring what was served for drinks let Caspian order them. She returned a few minutes later with a teapot and cups. Caspian poured their cups respectively and leaned back on his haunches.
Sirius eyed the tea curiously. It was a green color that he admittedly hadn't seen before.
"It's Lushan Cloud Tea; it's from the Jiangxi Province a type of green tea that I've taken a liking to since coming here. It smells sweet and tastes just as sweet without having to add extras. I figured it would be a nice introduction to this style of tea. Every country seems to make there tea differently. I actually like this more than the lemon zest black tea I usually drink." Caspian said.
Sirius gave him a skeptical look before sipping a small amount. Surprised at its fruity almost nutty taste he sat the cup back down on the table.
"Not bad, is it?" Caspian asked, amusement in his voice.
"It's different but then I've never been much of a tea drinker. Before my incarceration I drank coffee mostly. I favored various beer brews as well, even venturing to the muggle world just to see what they favored. I have to admit the muggles do have a lot of unique drinks. Especially with their coffee that was amazing. But I guess this tea isn't too bad." Sirius replied.
"It's an acquired taste much like everything else one might say. So I did tell that there was some developments. Remember the trial when I said there were nine other prisoners that shared your predicament?" Caspian asked.
Sirius snorted he'd never forget that day as long as he lived.
"Predicament? Is that what we call illegal imprisonment these days?" Sirius asked, a tight smile pulling at his lips.
"Yeah, I may have phrased that wrong. Amelia was tasked with investigating everything. Two of them are actually certifiably insane...their minds are broken. The male was catatonic, and the female was...she made Bellatrix look sane. The third was found dead, she was very thin. Amelia was horrified since the woman in question was dead for at least a few days. She couldn't believe that nobody noticed a dead prisoner. So, she's on a warpath at Azkaban now. Amelia is turning that place upside down. The fourth prisoner we actually identified. Her name was Selena Petrovitch, a Russian witch who went missing. The most interesting part is why Amelia suspects she was in there. According to Amelia, former Minister Marchbank's brother Lyle, was courting Petrovitch. Marchbanks had told several people at the time how little she liked Petrovitch. After several failed attempts to break them up. Petrovitch disappeared. This was about the mid-way point of the war. When people went missing, we all assumed Voldemort had been responsible. Anyway, Amelia suspects all the unknown prisoners have some connection to Marchbanks. She had some less than kind things to say about you. Then you're suddenly framed for murder without a trial. It seems a tad too coincidental for my tastes." Caspian said.
The other man sipped at his tea as Sirius sat there stiffly. Was that really the only reason Sirius hadn't gotten a trial? He'd lost nine years of his life because someone didn't like him! His nightmare would've been over with a trial. It was so pointless...so childish. Marchbanks had been Minister! She was supposed to be fair! Supposed to be unbiased...and yet he and Petrovitch were living proof of that woman's guilt. And worse than anything Marchbanks would get away with it. You can't punish the dead...they were dead. It left a bitter taste in his mouth and made his stomach turn. This was his life apparently...it wasn't enough to be betrayed...Peter. It wasn't enough to be accused of murder and never given a trial to rot...Marchbanks. It wasn't enough that there were two people out there that could exonerate him...James and Lily.
This was his life, to constantly be disregarded and discarded.
"Sirius, what do you want to eat?" Caspian asked.
He felt his stomach turn again grimacing at the thought of food.
"I don't care whatever." Sirius said, his voice hallow.
The other man seemed to notice something was off. As brilliant blue eyes sharpened as they scanned Sirius. He zoned out as Caspian started talking to the woman from before. Sirius startled at the hand on his arm.
"Sirius, what's the matter?" Caspian asked, softly.
WHAT'S WRONG HE ASKS! WHAT WASN'T WRONG!
"What isn't wrong Caspian? It's just one more thing on top of another thing. One more person responsible for nine years' worth of hell. And for what because she didn't like me? Because she didn't like that I was from a dark family? Or maybe she just didn't like my sparkling personality? Either way Marchbanks will never see the inside of a cell. She'll never pay for what she did to me or Petrovitch. None of the people involved in this will pay for their parts in it. There will be no justice...because once again what happens to me doesn't matter! Because nobody actually gives a damn about me!" Sirius roared.
He closed his eyes his hands gripped the table's edge tightly. The hand on his arm that hadn't left the whole time tightened around his wrist. He opened his eyes, angry frantic grey eyes met angry sharp blue eyes.
"Your wrong! I care about you, and you matter to me! I don't care how many times I have to say it, but you aren't alone anymore! Marchbanks may be dead but not everyone is. She couldn't have pulled this off without additional help. Someone will pay Sirius...Amelia and I won't let them get away with it. What happened to you and the others has brought a lot of attention to Azkaban. Things will get better Sirius...but first it will probably get worse. You survived intact not everyone can say that. Don't let this discourage you Sirius." Caspian said.
Caspian's eyes were now a softer blue as the man kept hold of his wrist. Sirius looked away not sure how to feel about this new confession. It could mean something, or it could mean nothing. But it was definitely an eyeopener.
"What happened to the other six prisoners?" Sirius asked.
He avoided looking at Caspian's face and instead fixed his gaze on the man's shoulder. A sigh sounded from across the table at the response.
"They are alive but in bad shape. Two of them are mute and aren't responding to questions. All the healers can say is that mentally it's not an insanity issue or a medical issue. They either won't talk because they don't want to. Or they're traumatized to the point of being mute. But they are being cared for in the Thickney ward. Two of them were injured in ways that were suspicious. And they are very mistrustful. They don't believe that we're trying to help them. And the last two actually told us their names and Amelia is trying to establish proof of identity." Caspian said.
Sirius was going to ask another question. But the door opened allowing entry to their server. She sat several dishes out as well as another pot of tea and disappeared. He honestly didn't know what some of these dishes were? He looked up to see Caspian watching him with a smile.
"The small dish closest to your left hand is roasted Peking Duck. It's light and crispy in texture which I think tastes rather savory. The dish next to it is minced pork dumplings. With a dish of soy sauce and red bean paste. The center dish between us is made of bamboo and has crab xiaolongbao. Which is really good I could eat a whole dish by myself. Your dish I selected based on your comment on liking spicy things. And one can never go wrong with fish. It's called Qing Zheng Yu, this one seems to be made with sea bass. Its steamed fish covered in a soy sauce, scallions, red chilies, peanut oil, Shaoxing rice wine, and Sichuan peppercorn. With white rice on the side for mixing. I'm having Eggplant stir-fry with garlic sauce and white rice. And our dessert is Moon cake, they are eaten during the Autumn festivals. These are the ones with lotus paste filling. Which tastes a little like caramelized almonds." Caspian said.
Sirius looked at the little cakes with ornate designs. Who goes to that much detail on such small sweets?
"Sounds good, now tell me what else you're keeping from me." Sirius said.
He gave the other man a challenging look. There was no way the other prisoners were the only news Caspian had. Sirius can sympathize with those people to a point. But as a whole they weren't even on his radar. No, if he had to guess Caspian was baiting him. Dangling minor information in front of him. Until Sirius attempts to eat before giving Sirius the real information he wants. Sirius doesn't hold it against Caspian. For some unfathomable reason the other man seemed to care for him. So much so that Caspian plays this game with him to aid in his recovery. Right now, Caspian was his only contact with the outside. Sirius only really saw the hospital staff and his mind healer.
To satisfy the other man Sirius gathered a small amount of fish into his chopsticks. And popped it into his mouth, something which Sirius almost coughed up. The fish was definitely spicy...it was the spiciest food he'd eaten in years. Despite that the fish was delicate on his tongue.
"Amelia hasn't been able to track Harry down yet. Though she was visiting one of the muggle prisons to see how the muggles do it. Some of our laws and prisons were modeled after theirs. After her tour. She traveled to Harry's old home with his Aunt Petunia...." Caspian stopped.
Sirius had started coughing as soon as he'd heard Petunia. Who the fuck left Harry with that crazy bitch? Caspian was ready to stand but Sirius waved him off. He choked down some of his tea to clear his throat.
"What was he doing there Caspian? He should've never been anywhere near that woman! Lily had been adamant about never allowing him near her. And after what James pulled with her husband...I would never leave him there. Both of them are petty awful people who hate magic! Harry would never be a welcome addition. They might as well have left the kid at Azkaban!" Sirius cried.
This was absurd...who would do this? A sinking feeling roiled through his stomach. He closed his eyes as a blue-eyed man passed through his mind. Surely that man can't be that stupid?
"Dumbledore dropped Harry off there." Caspian said, confused.
Sirius choked down a bitter laugh...of course he was that stupid. Dumbledore always thought so highly of muggles. He'd sooner persecute his own kind (ie: dark wizards) than believe that muggles could be bad. What had Harry gone through? Had that evil bitch hurt him? And did Lily know her son was with her? Did she even care that her son may have suffered at Petunia's hands? Or even Vernon's?
"Did Amelia check their minds? Did she see their memories?" Sirius asked.
"I don't know she didn't mention..." Caspian stopped
"She needs to check the whole family's memories. I'm serious right now, I don't like the implications or the horrible feeling running through me. Please have her check again." Sirius said, pleadingly.
Caspian straightened up and regarded him.
"I will tell her to look again. I was thinking that maybe you should contact Gringotts. The goblins were pretty defensive of their source. But it's possible that this mystery person may know something. Only so many people could have access to a report like that. And if it wasn't the Potters or Arcturus...then who else would be able to get it? It's something that bares a certain amount of consideration. This person knows something maybe they know about Harry's disappearance. At the very least it would give you a chance to thank the person who helped you." Caspian said.
It was a valid suggestion... if anything it was a chance. A foolhardy chance that may lead absolutely nowhere. But what option did Sirius have?
"It is a good idea. I'm thinking that it would be wise to wait at least until I have a wand. We don't know who this person is. We don't know if they're friendly or not. And until then I will continue my therapy. Maybe we'll get a lead before I have to resort to such a thing. This person obviously wanted to remain anonymous. They probably didn't want to get involved more than necessary." Sirius replied.
He had to find his cub...no matter how he felt about James and Lily. Harry was his world now...if he ever saw the others again it would be too soon.
Harry-
Harry giggled as he looked at Loki. His little friend was the star of their beach trip. Upon getting to the beach Harry had opened Percival's box and let his friends loose. Matty had put up a barrier that would prevent Loki from wandering. Loki had squeaked at Percival before bounding off looking for a place to dig. Harry and Matty had started making a sandcastle. Which Matty had preserved with magic. As Harry was certain his castle would've fallen several times otherwise.
Hedwig had come back with a mouse clutched in her beak. She ate while sitting atop a rock overseeing Harry's sand construct. Loki had come back to show Percival something. Curious Harry had stopped what he was doing to watch. Loki pulled out a few colored stones that weren't the ones Ferid had made. They were small, smooth, and were in pink and blue. He asked Matty what they were. Sea Glass, he'd never heard of such a thing. Leave it to Loki to find the one shiny thing possible on the beach. He grinned as Loki took his time presenting Percival with each colored stone.
He thought it was adorable in every way possible. It was kind of like one of Mrs. Fig's cats, Smoky who presented the women with every catch he made. Mice, birds, and a baby mole had all been left on Mrs. Fig's door. Smoky refused to eat them until the woman told him he did good. In a way that was like Loki who always presented his finds to Percival.
After eating a lunch of ham sandwiches and fruit skewers. Harry finished his castle and started on a small throne next to it. Loki of course ended up inviting himself over. The cheeky Niffler laid on the throne. A single arm supporting his head as his little legs hooked over the other 'arm' of the chair. Matty had brought out a camera and transfigured some rocks. A quick 'notice me not' and a levitation spell. So, Loki wouldn't notice what was done. Loki now sported a fake crown and a 'gold' necklace. Loki gave them a 'haughty' look as Matty snapped pictures. Percival snorted at Loki as he sat there. Hedwig had a wing over her face. As her head shook back and forth as if she was embarrassed to be seen with them.
After their impromptu photo shoot Harry played tag with Loki. Finding some more sea glass, he made sure Loki saw it. And the chase was on! Loki kicked up sand as he ran after Harry. After a while Harry got tired. Loki jumped onto his chest and gave him an expectant look. At which point Harry surrendered his sea glass to the triumphant little Niffler.