“You never knew the plot.”
Friday, June 17
“Where is Harry at?”
Sirius grinned, “No idea.”
Remus growled and pushed his wand against Sirius’ throat even harder. “Sirius, where the fuck is he?”
“Ask Harry, oh, wait…”
“I know you were meeting with Stark today.”
“Jealous, Rem? Is that why you were following me? Stark looks good still, doesn’t he?”
Remus wouldn’t be distracted by pretty banter, apparently, his amber eyes narrowed and he probably thought he looked dangerous.
And maybe he would, except he had a coffee stain on the collar of his beige cardigan and no bloke in a beige cardigan with coffee stains was going to scare Sirius Black.
“The only reason I haven’t went straight to Albus is because we both know who Stark is,” Remus said in a harsh whisper. “Does he have Harry?”
The fact that Remus even considered going to Albus at all only firmed Sirius’ belief that this was one secret, one grand idea of his, that Sirius couldn’t trust his oldest and best friend with. Albus did a damn lot for Remus, and Remus hero-worshiped him.
Albus didn’t do jack shit for Sirius or Harry, and, thus, he had no respect for the man.
“Be hard to forget the bloke that gave James a topless lap dance, eh?” Sirius cackled and pushed Remus in the chest, hard, knocking him away from him. “I don’t know who you think Stark is, but you best keep your ideas to yourself, Moony.”
“And if I don’t?”
Sirius lunged forward and this time it was he who held a wand to Remus’ throat while Remus feebly jabbed Sirius in the stomach.
“Then I’ll kill you,” Sirius whispered, sounding as mad as everyone accused him of being. “You tell anyone a single bloody word about what you think, and I’ll be the last marauder standing.”
Traitorous rats notwithstanding. Wormtail was out of their group the instant he turned to Voldemort. And James always said it was blood in, blood out. Sirius couldn’t wait for the day that he could officially remove Pettigrew from the marauders legacy.
“You’re a jackass,” Remus sneered, his nervous eyes flicking down futilely to try and see the wand in his neck. “You think you’re the only one who cares about Harry? Huh? We’re all worried sick! We’re out running around, praying he’s alive, and trying to find him!”
“Yeah?” Sirius smiled cruelly. “Kind of you to care now, Rem. Where the fuck were you before now, hmm? Off licking your wounds, wallowing in pointless self-pity while our best mate’s son had a shit life? I’m glad Harry’s away from those muggles, bloody thrilled, because while you were off playing the pitiful wolf, our best mate’s son was being abused, tormented, neglected. So fuck you, Remus.”
Remus’ skin lost about three shades of color, his scars were a sudden stark contrast in his pale face. Sirius could see the regret in his eyes, but Remus was as stubborn as Sirius.
“Except he’s not our best mate’s son, is he?” Remus whispered. “Is that where Harry’s at? With his dad?”
Sirius knew that Remus didn’t mean it the way it sounded, but his blood still pounded in his ears for him saying Harry wasn’t James’. James knew Harry wasn’t his the day he was born, he didn’t give a damn. James was still thrilled to be a dad; not a day went by that James wasn’t gushing over his baby boy. Nobody in the world loved that boy as much as James did.
So Sirius lowered his wand and Remus only had a split-second to look relieved before Sirius drew his empty hand back in a clenched fist and hit Remus for all he was worth right in his mouth.
“James is Harry’s dad,” Sirius spat when Remus stumbled back and stared up at him with shocked eyes. “Whatever you saw today, whatever you heard, whatever suspicions are in your bloody head, forget them. I’m not joking this time, Remus. I don’t want to hurt you, but I bloody will.”
“You’re mad, Sirius.” Remus swiped at his mouth, adding a bloodstain to his sleeve to match the coffee stain on his collar. “You’ve lost the plot.”
“You never knew the plot,” Sirius told him coolly. “Go on now, go run off to Dora and cry about how you don’t understand why Sirius is being so mean to you.”
“Who’s jealous now?” Remus scowled. “You’ve changed, Pads, and not for the better.”
Remus stormed from the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Berk always did want the last word in an argument.
Sirius knew, he bloody knew, when he saw Remus digging in the Black Library one night, bags under his eyes, a fervor in his face, that he’d been looking for a way to find Harry. It hadn’t taken Sirius long to figure out Remus’ plot, not when he snuck around and saw the potion Remus was brewing in the basement.
Remus was an idiot. As if a jinx on Harry’s name would find him.
Sirius hadn’t expected to be the sole focus of Remus’ suspicion, and he had no idea when he’d managed to get the potion in him and the spell cast, but he’d been damn careful too. He had worked under the assumption that Remus, always so quick to suspect everyone around him of betrayal, would apply the jinx to the entire Order, and Sirius had a blast one day apparating around the country, under Harry’s cloak, whispering Harry’s name to the wind and seeing if Remus would show up. And Remus did, every time. So Sirius had been so careful when he met with Tony. He told him to not be seen, he told him not to say Harry’s name, and what happened?
Tony slipped up.
And now Harry’s safety rested on Remus’ ability to not run off to Albus.
Tony finalized everything, Harry was his son legally as well as biologically. Albus couldn’t drag Harry back into the war and Tony wouldn’t let Harry go, of that Sirius was certain, but Sirius didn’t want anyone to know where Harry was.
As Pettigrew proved, people on their side didn’t always remain so.
Sirius eyed his wand with a curious sort of detachment… Remus wasn’t the only one who could cast spells on people when they weren’t paying attention… Sirius could obliviate him; take away all his memories of Tony Stark and Sirius’ meeting with him earlier that day.
It was uncomfortable, even the thought making itself known in Sirius’ head, but if Remus said a single word at the order meeting that night, then Sirius would do what he had to.
He swore when Harry was born and James and Lily asked to be godfather that he would always put Harry first. He swore it again when he made Harry his heir the very day after he was born. And Sirius let him down in the worst way when he didn’t just take him and run, Sirius trusting in Albus’ word put Harry in a terrible situation with terrible people.
So, unfortunately, Remus could go fuck himself because Sirius wasn’t going to trust anyone aside from Harry’s dad this time.
He lost James and Lily because of a betrayal, he wouldn’t lose his godson for the same thing.
Sirius sent Harry a cheery text before he left his room for the meeting that night. Harry hadn’t answered any of his messages since they fought on Wednesday, but Sirius wasn’t going to stop messaging him. That was what Harry expected him to do, and Sirius loved nothing more than defying expectations. He had considered the fact that Tony was apparently monitoring Harry’s texts carefully before sending a super subtle message.
I miss you. Remember when you liked me enough to save me from the dementors? Good times. Love you, kiddo, stay away from ledges.
Tony would have to be thick to not get the reference at the end and keep Harry safe from himself. Then hopefully he’d also ask Harry what dementors were, Harry would spill the magic beans, and there wouldn’t be any secrets between the two of them.
And then Sirius could catch Pettigrew, clear his name, wait for Albus and Voldemort to destroy each other, and skip off to America to live with his godson and a hot redhead with a penchant for leather pants.
If there was a better future, Sirius didn’t know it.
Sirius was on his way downstairs when he heard a whispered conversation being held behind one of the doors that some of the kids were staying in. He touched his ear and the door, very gently, and silently intoned Marialos.
“Just say… ‘hey, mate, we miss you, please write and tell us you’re alive’.”
“Maybe add in a ‘we’re sorry we didn’t write, but Dumbledore’s a prat’?”
“I am not writing that.”
“Why? Because you don’t agree?”
“No, because it would be stupid to put into writing.”
It seemed like Hermione Granger was mildly more intelligent than Sirius gave her credit for.
“Tell him that Mum’s worried sick—”
“Harry loves Mum, it’ll guilt him into writing back if he’s alive.”
“He is alive!”
“Well we certainly hope so. Now, how do we send it?”
Sirius ended the spell and continued down the stairs with a grin on his face. It was good of Harry’s friends to finally be doing something. Ron and Hermione had busted out of the depressing prison a few days ago, but the idiots floo’d straight to the Burrow and Arthur caught them immediately.
Sirius expected more a bit cunning from them, but maybe Harry was the only one in his group of friends that had been considered for Slytherin. He’d have to mention to the twins later that he had a brilliant owl perfectly capable of finding anyone.
Subtly, of course.
“Kind of you to join us, Black,” Snape sneered the moment Sirius stepped in the dining room.
Bloke didn’t look so hot, in Sirius’ opinion. Must be hell playing double agent to two masters while searching for a kid on the side.
Too bad Sirius didn’t care.
Sirius made a dramatic show of looking up and down the packed table before he sat at his usual seat closest to the door. “I’d like you to say that to Albus when he arrives.”
Snape curled his lip and crossed his arms as he leaned back against the wall.
Git.
“While we wait…” Arthur looked around the gathered members expectantly. “Has anyone found a single lead on Harry?”
If Sirius felt badly for anyone, it was the Weasley family. Arthur had been running himself truly ragged, spending every hour he wasn’t at work out looking for Harry. Molly seemed to put all her concern into attacking Sirius’ house, as if clean curtains and dust free cupboards would find Harry. The oldest Weasley boy and his girlfriend had joined in on the hunt as well. The younger ones all offered, but Molly shut them down immediately.
‘The last thing we need is more of you to go missing!’
As if one of her kids would be a target for Voldemort like Harry was.
The atmosphere at the table thickened at Arthur’s question and Sirius made a point not to so much as breathe in Remus’ direction.
“I keep tellin’ Albus, the boy’s dead,” Moody finally grunted. “Been ten days since anyone saw him. Any day now the Dark Lord’ll have photo’s of Potter’s head splashed across the Prophet.”
Molly, rather predictably, let out a loud sob, and Bill narrowed his eyes at Moody from across the table.
“That’s real helpful, mate,” he scowled. “Why don’t we work under the presumption that this is a rescue mission and not a body removal?”
“Work under whatever presumption you want as long as you work with—”
“So help me god if you say constant vigilance I will kill you,” Tonks groaned from beside Remus. She rubbed her face with her hands and looked exhausted. “Moody’s brought up a good point though…”
“My godson is not dead,” Sirius growled as he banged his fist on the table.
Sirius didn’t like to count his chickens before they hatched, but if and when he cleared his name and made it to New York, maybe he’d take up acting. Merlin knew he was getting plenty of practice.
“Not that,” Tonks said hastily with a sympathetic look. “I mean the Prophet. It’s odd they haven’t gotten wind of it yet, isn’t it?”
“I see I have arrived not a moment too soon.” Albus swept in the room— Sirius could take pointers on dramatic entrances from him —with Minerva and Kingsley trailing behind him. Albus waited for Minerva and Kingsley to sit before he took the chair directly across from Sirius at the head of the table.
“I spoke with the Minister today.”
Sirius swore that Albus enjoyed chaos as much as he did on occasion. He certainly seemed content to let his comment begin shouts and arguments and disagreements as he sat back and watched them all.
“Quiet!” Kingsley said. He stood behind Albus, slightly to his left, and barely had to raise his voice for everyone to immediately fall silent.
“Thank you,” Albus said. “I believe we can no longer operate under the assumption that Harry left his relatives home under his own power.”
“And why is that?” Snape asked in a silky tone. “There is no evidence to prove otherwise.”
Albus gave Snape a faintly amused look that Sirius would have laughed about if his next words hadn’t been so insulting.
“Severus, do you truly believe that Harry could evade us if he were working on his own?”
“I have never believed he is working alone,” Snape said. His eyes flashed to Sirius and lingered long enough to drive his implication home.
Albus addressed his next words to Snape, except they were obviously aimed at Sirius. “Sirius would never assist Harry in hiding from us. He understands Harry’s importance in the war and the danger he could be in.”
Sirius absolutely did.
Which is why he made the decisions he did.
And Albus could play ‘disappointed grandfather’ all he wanted, Sirius slept like a damn baby at night knowing his godson was safe and James and Lily were likely cheering him on from the afterlife.
“I’d have to be a bloody moron to not know how important Harry is,” Sirius said, truly forcing the rough edge to his voice that preceded his best tantrums. “What’d you tell the Minister, Albus?”
Albus looked as if he believed Sirius, and Snape curled his lip and fell silent once more.
“The truth,” Albus said simply. “I informed him that Harry is missing and we suspect foul play by Tom or his followers.”
“You told the man who’s pretending You-Know-Who isn’t back that you think Harry was kidnapped by him?” Remus asked slowly. “What were you hoping to achieve, Albus?”
“Precisely what I have,” Albus said. “While Cornelius is skeptical about our theory on how Harry disappeared, he agrees that it is a scandal that cannot be ignored.”
A scandal.
It was a damn good thing that Sirius knew where Harry was or he’d be burning the Ministry to ash. Sirius actually got caught up in a fantasy of doing just that… he’d start at Grimmauld, move to the Ministry, maybe hit Malfoy Manor, would fiendfyre work on Azkaban?… and ignored Albus until he heard something that made his blood run cold.
“…MACUSA as well.”
“What?” Sirius shook his head and leaned forward on his arms. “What’s MACUSA doing?”
Snape muttered some comment about Sirius’ intelligence, but Sirius ignored him for once. MACUSA was the American wizarding government. Harry was in America. Harry was in America with one of the most famous blokes in the country, more than, even. Tony Stark was the muggle Harry Potter. It wouldn’t take Albus or Voldemort long to find out where Harry was if MACUSA got involved. Which would make the entire point of Sirius staying in England moot, as he only remained behind to clear his name with the magical government and keep anyone from tracking him to Harry.
“The Minister is listing Harry’s disappearance in the papers tomorrow and will be sending memos to other countries,” Albus repeated patiently. “I do not believe that Harry has left the country, but as Severus has not had an audience with Tom since before his disappearance, it is likely that Tom has taken him out of the country. Romania or Germany would be the most likely places. It does not hurt us, regardless, to have extra eyes searching.”
It bloody well hurt Sirius. Not that he could complain, it would risk looking defensive and suspicious. Already Remus was shooting him little glances.
If Remus were anyone else, if Sirius loved him a little bit less, he would have obliviated him the moment he apparated in the churchyard.
Sirius was on a sharp edge as he waited to see if there would be any more discussion about Harry. Talk turned to debates on having Snape tell Voldemort about Harry’s disappearance after the meeting or risk his anger if he finds out from a different source first. Sirius voted for them to wait, he was overruled.
Once the conversation started in on protecting the prophecy, using the man power they’d removed from the Dursleys after day two of Harry’s disappearance, Sirius simply waited for Snape to say something hateful.
It took less than 60 seconds.
Sirius started yelling and threw a curse at Snape, called him every name he could think of, and stormed from the room. He tripped on a cord outside the dining room and lifted the string to his mouth.
“You can use my owl,” he murmured softly.
Then he dropped the cord, made his way to his bedroom, and sent Harry another text he’d hoped Tony would read.
MACUSA is looking for you. Stay out of Landfara Way for a bit. Love you.
Ps: if a calico owl comes knocking, I heard she likes bacon.
He followed it up with a guitar and ghost.
Sirius wouldn’t spill the magic beans to Tony, that was on Harry. But if Harry was going to drag his feet about it, and the search party was going international, then Sirius was going to give them a prod in the right direction.
He flopped back in his bed after sending the messages and smiled at Hedwig. “Nothing wrong with a little motivation, eh?”
Hedwig hooted and pecked Sirius much harder than necessary in the leg.
“You’re just upset because he doesn’t need you to send messages anymore,” Sirius scowled. He sat up and rubbed his leg. “Jealousy doesn’t suit you, makes you look petty.”
Hedwig pecked Sirius’ other leg before swooping off to the safety of her perch.
“I hope you fall in the ocean and drown,” Sirius said darkly.
Hedwig let out a trill.
“Fine. Only because Harry might not forgive me. Otherwise I’d drown you myself.”
Hoot.
“You can tell him I said that, I don’t care.”
“Don’t tell him, he’s mad enough at me as it is.”
A softer hoot and a ruffle of her feathers.
“Thanks.”