In which we finally get a reunion
Sirius watched as Remus gently closed the door to the third-floor lounge behind him and then looked back to the mirror in his hands that showed his godson's image. Sirius mainly sat back while Remus and Harry reconnected, letting the two of them guide the conversation. It was clear to both Sirius and Remus that Harry was wary of Remus's sudden interest in him again after the werewolf had lost contact with Harry completely after his year of teaching. Harry seemed open to forming a casual relationship with the other man, but Sirius knew genuine trust would be a long time coming, although it seemed like Remus was committing himself to building that trust. Throughout the conversation, he had spoken several times about things Remus would like to show and do with Harry, such as taking him to the used bookshop on Vertic Alley and the Quidditch museum tucked away in Tutshill. Sirius was quite sure the last was a blatant attempt to sway Harry over to Remus's own preferred Quidditch team. At some point, Sirius would have to interfere - the Harpy's were clearly the superior team, and no godson of Sirius's would support any other team if he had a say - but for now, it was just nice to see Remus wanting to share his interests with Harry and pay attention to Harry's own hobbies.
Looking over Harry's image in the mirror, Sirius thought Harry was pleased with the conversation as well. They were quiet for a few seconds, just looking each other over. Despite Harry's lingering smile, Sirius noted with concern the bruises beneath Harry's eyes and the slight slump of his shoulders. He looked tired.
"How are you doing, Prongslet? The Dursleys treating you okay?"
Harry raised one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. "Vernon and Petunia mostly ignore me except to give me chores and despair over my freakishness potentially being witnessed by the neighbors. Dudley's treating me as he usually does, but it's nothing I can't handle."
Sirius's worry wasn't eased, even after Harry's reassurances. That didn't explain why Harry looked so tired and worn down. Quickly trying to think of something that would perk Harry up, Sirius settled on something he'd also love to do.
"Hey, what about doing something a little wild tonight. You asked about visiting Aquarius House. How about we both use our portkeys and visit for the night - we can sleep there. I'll make sure we're up early enough, and you're back before your relatives even notice you're gone."
Harry immediately looked thrilled but appeared to force himself to ask, "Are you sure that's okay? So soon after you met with Dumbledore? Didn't you say he's got people guarding Privet Drive? What if they notice I'm gone?"
"It'll be fine," Sirius reassured him, "They would have cast a spell or two to check where you were when the guard got there immediately after the meeting, but they won't do that again until shift change in about twelve hours. So we've got plenty of time to explore the house a bit and get some sleep before sending you back."
"Alright," Harry gave in, "Should I bring anything?"
"Nope, just yourself. Why don't you go ahead and change into pajamas and get ready for bed before coming? We won't go straight to sleep, but then you don't have to try and hold on to anything while traveling via portkey."
"Alright, see you soon."
As Harry's appearance faded from the mirror, Sirius stood and hurried back downstairs. He had begun moving some supplies over to Aquarius House, but it wasn't stocked with any food. He'd grab a few things for the morning to feed Harry breakfast before sending him back to Privet Drive tomorrow. Sirius was excited, it had only been a couple of weeks since he last saw Harry in person, but as that had been immediately following the Third Task and everything that happened that night, he was looking forward to seeing Harry again in better circumstances.
Quickly tossing some crusty bread, a few eggs, and a bottle of pumpkin juice in a basket, Sirius was about to activate the portkey on his ring when he paused. He thought Kreacher wouldn't care one way or the other, but the house-elf had helped him earlier in the evening by preparing food for the Order. Hesitantly, Sirius said, "Kreacher?" A soft pop and Kreacher stood in front of Sirius, watching him solemnly.
"Master is leaving?" Kreacher asked.
"Yes, I'll be gone for the night but should return early in the morning. Kreacher, we're to have some extended guests starting tomorrow. I don't expect you to obey them or clean up after them, but you will be polite. If you prefer, you may avoid them."
Kreacher seemed to think for a moment before offering, "If house guests are to stay, guest rooms will need to be prepared. Should Kreacher prepare rooms?"
Sirius was stunned silent for a moment. This was twice in one day that Kreacher had outright offered to be helpful. It was hard for Sirius to believe that the elf's helpfulness was genuine after so many years of torment in Sirius's childhood. But then again...Kreacher had been alone for a long time, and Sirius really was Kreacher's last chance at having a Black family member to serve. If Sirius were to abandon Grimmauld Place again, Kreacher would be isolated and would likely stay that way until he eventually died a lonely death.
Maybe this was Kreacher's second chance too. Without the influence of Walburga and other hostile Blacks, could the elf become a more temperate (if still somewhat prickly) sort? Until evidence to the contrary, Sirius was willing to see where this went. No need to be foolishly naive, though.
"Yes, Kreacher. If you could prepare the rooms. We should need four rooms." Thinking for a moment of how his guests would be situated, he continued, "One of which for a married couple, one for two boys, one for two girls. Best prepare the last for two occupants as well in case of any surprise visitors." From what he remembered of Harry's stories, he was sure the twins would choose to room together, and Hermione and the Weasley's youngest child could share. Ron would have his own room, but Sirius figured he'd probably appreciate that as one of the younger kids in a large family. Plus, if Bill, Charlie, or Percy stopped by for a night for some reason, despite having their own places, they could bunk with Ron.
With the guest room sorted (although Sirius made a mental note to check them in the morning), he was finally free to leave for Aquarius House. Gripping the basket of food for the morning tightly in his left hand, Sirius clenched his opposite hand that contained his ring and said clearly, "Water-Carrier." He felt a tug behind his navel, and Grimmauld Place quickly spun away to be replaced with the front entryway of Aquarius House.
For a split second, the house remained in darkness before the various charms laid down by his ancestors recognized the presence of the Lord of the manor, and candles flared to provide soothing lighting throughout the room. In his life, Sirius had visited several Black properties. Grimmauld Place was always his least favorite. Bad memories aside, it had become gloomy over the years with plenty of cursed objects tucked away in every nick and cranny, just waiting to surprise you. Sirius's favorite property had been the chalet in France. Older than even Grimmauld Place and hidden away atop a mountain, it had held some of the few happy memories from his childhood.
But Aquarius House had quickly topped the list of his preferred properties. The entryway was done in stunning white marble, the ceilings arching high above the ground floor as a balcony from the third floor looked down over the entrance. A sweeping staircase with a glimmering onyx handrail split directly in front of the door into gentle curves, joining again as one staircase at the second-floor landing. Behind him, Despite it not being a house intended for entertaining or hosting a large number of people, it contained two ballrooms, four dining rooms (of varying formality), a massive library, a dueling room, a potions lab, a bevy of guest suites, multiple greenhouses, and Sirius's favorite feature - a private beach. He couldn't wait to show Harry.
Setting the basket down on the side table for now, Sirius settled himself against the wall to wait for Harry. He should be here any minute if none of the Dursleys held him up. Sirius had taken longer than planned to get here between packing for breakfast and talking with Kreacher. As if brought here by Sirius's thoughts, with a whooshing noise and then a thud, Harry was suddenly sprawled out on the floor in front of him. Sirius had a moment to think We'll have to work on sticking the landing, before he had an armful of teenage boy as Harry threw himself at him, and Sirius had to act quickly to catch him.
"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed
Holding his godson tightly to him, Sirius felt a knot in his stomach loosen. Finally, he had Harry safe and sound, right in front of him where Sirius could see him and reassure himself that he was alright. For the time being, at least, Sirius didn't have to worry that Harry's location would get leaked, or Petunia would finally snap and attack him, or Harry would wander just a hair too far past the wards. Harry was safe, and they were together.
Holding on to Harry's shoulders and pulling back from their embrace just enough to look over Harry's face, Sirius ran his eyes over his godson again. Viewing them in person rather than through a mirror, his dark circles were even more prominent, but Harry already seemed lighter. Just getting out of Privet Drive was doing him good.
"Harry, I'm so glad you're here."
Harry's grin seemed to take up half his face when he said, "Me too, Sirius. And I finally get to see Aquarius House! Will you give me a tour?"
"Of course! We'll do a short version tonight; just show you the highlights. Next time you come for a visit, we can really explore - I've already found a few secret passageways and hidden rooms, but I'd bet there's a lot. You'll have to come again during the daytime, so you can see the best feature. We're right on the beach!" Sirius wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulder and began to guide him to the staircase before he saw Harry's expression changed to one of wonder.
"The beach? Are we by the ocean?" At Sirius's nod, Harry looked down at the floor and said wistfully, "I've never been to the ocean. The Dursley's always left me behind when they'd go on vacation."
Sirius, observing the faint smile on Harry's face motivated by just the idea of seeing the beach on his next trip, made some rapid adjustments to his plan for the evening.
"Well, that simply won't do. As your godfather, I cannot allow this travesty to go on any longer. The tour can wait; tonight, we're going for a night swim."
Swinging the two of them around so they could use the unobtrusive doorway tucked away in the corner of the foyer, Sirius led Harry over to the entrance of the tunnels that would spit them out directly on the beach.
"Wait, wait, wait! Swimming? Tonight? But I didn't pack a swimsuit, and it's dark out, and we really don't have to do this tonight Sirius, really, we can just do the tour." Harry reassured him.
"Nonsense, I can transfigure your pajamas and dry them up quick when we're done. You'll still have to come back for a visit soon to see the ocean in all its glory, but it'll be fun." Seeing Harry was still looking a bit apprehensive, Sirius paused and continued, "Hey, we won't be in the water for long or even go very far out. You won't have experience swimming in waves, so really we'll barely go in the water at all. And if you really don't want to do this, we don't have to. But we'll only stay in as long as you want to, and I'll be right there the whole time."
It was silent for a moment as Harry judged Sirius's words before giving a half-sure nod and saying, "Alright. Let's do it. But no promises that I'll be a good swimmer Sirius. And won't it be cold?"
Steering Harry forward again, they stepped into the passageway, and torches lit up, extending fifteen or so meters ahead of them. Sirius knew from the last time he came through here that torches would continue illuminating the path before them and only extinguish after they had passed. The passageway was made of rough-hewn stone, with wooden beams acting as handrails. Eventually, the stone floor would turn to sand, and then it'd only be a few more steps until the passage would open up into a warded cave facing the ocean. The mouth of the cave was far enough from the tide that Sirius wasn't worried the passageway would ever flood. However, even this close to the manor, it still was filled with the salty scent of the ocean. For an estate with such luxury and opulence, Sirius had been surprised this passageway was so simple, but he thought it added to the charm.
Responding to Harry's last questions, Sirius reassured Harry that he'd cast some warming charms on them both, and Sirius would stick as close to him as if someone had thrown around a permanent sticking charm. Trying to distract Harry from any remaining nerves about his first time swimming in the ocean, Sirius began asking Harry about which of the books he had started reading and how his summer homework was going. Listening proudly as Harry began to summarize what he had learned about how the Ministry and Wizengamot were structured, as well as hearing he had made a significant dent in his assigned schoolwork, the topic carried them most of the way through the tunnel until Sirius could hear the waves. Harry must have heard it, too, as his voice died out suddenly and his steps sped up.
Finally, the tunnel opened into the cave, and Sirius lit up his wand with a quiet lumos now that the torches had run out. Keeping pace with Harry, whose speed had been increasing the louder the sounds of the ocean became, they quickly reached the edge of the cave. Sirius promptly cast a spell repeatedly to create floating balls of self-sustaining light. They were far enough away from any muggle villages that he felt comfortable they wouldn't be observed, and the wards should keep them hidden anyways. And this way, Harry could see part of the beach.
Turning quickly to take in his godson's expression as the sand and surf around them brightened, Sirius's heart broke just a bit at the excitement and awe on Harry's face. Considering they lived on an island, and the ocean was never too far away from wherever you were in England, it was heartbreaking that Harry had never made it to the beach, somewhere he clearly had longed to visit, at a younger age. One more injury he could lay at Dumbledore and the Dursley's feet.
Tapping Harry's threadbare pajama pants and his own joggers, Sirius transformed them into simple swimming trunks. Glancing down when he felt the material change, Harry looked over with a grin and one eyebrow raised. "Race you," Harry said and then headed in a dead sprint towards the water. Sirius followed behind, not really trying to beat Harry to the waterfront but also not letting himself lag so much that he'd miss Harry reaching the edge of the water. While running, Sirius aimed a long-lasting warming charm at Harry before doing the same to himself, before casting a buoyancy spell and all the general safety spells he could remember at Harry, before chucking both his wand and his shirt to the side and mid-stride, transforming into Padfoot. On four feet now instead of two, Sirius quickly caught up with Harry right as he slowed down before reaching the surf. He saw Harry glance over and register that Padfoot was next to him, but he didn't say anything to the animagus as he slowly inched forward until the next wave surged over his feet up to his ankles. Harry remained still, and Sirius had a feeling that those earlier nerves had returned.
Transforming back into human shape, Sirius looked farther out to sea, "It's a good night to swim. Not too many waves. Come on, Prongslet." Moving forward until he was about waist-deep in the water, Sirius let the waves wash around him and tipped his head back to peer at the night sky until he found his naming star. Sirius waited patiently, content with picking out a few more of his favorite constellations before he sensed Harry coming to stand next to him.
Like Sirius, Harry seemed happy just to stand there quietly as the waves crashed around them. Now and then, there would be a slightly stronger swell that would buffet them back a step or two, but they weren't so far deep that the waves could knock them down.
The Blacks as a whole had always identified with the stars, distant and cold as they were. The stars were removed from the day-to-day struggles of individuals but powerful enough that they could enact change over generations and leave all diviners cluelessly struggling to interpret any hints they left.
But Sirius had always loved the sea more than the stars. It was everchanging and could be mercurial, deadly one day and a calm reflection pool the next. Sailors could skim the surface for decades but never know its actual depth. Sirius had related more to the sea than any star. Maybe that's why there was such a deep schism between him and all other members of his family. Even before he ended up on the opposite side of the war, even before his sorting into Gryffindor; something integral about Sirius was different than his relations.
Next to him, Harry was floating his hands back and forth in the water in front of him, creating his own small waves. Sirius was sure of the answer, considering the satisfied smile on the boy's face, but Sirius still asked, "So, what do you think?"
"I love it." Harry replied, "I can't even see that much with how dark it is, but it's so big. And the noise of the waves is really nice. I think I could fall asleep to it."
"Hmm, we'll have to pick out a bedroom for you that faces the sea. You can open your window and fall asleep to it every night."
Harry was pleased by this and dared to take a few more steps farther into the water, so it reached his shoulders. Sirius let himself lean back until his feet left the sand, and he floated along, bobbing with the waves. At some point, Harry swam to him and started floating as well, so Sirius reached out and looped their arms so the waves couldn't separate them.
Sirius knew he had things to discuss with Harry - he wanted to share details from an update on the case Nathaniel had sent over yesterday, and tell Harry about the Order meeting, and even check-in to see how Harry felt about his conversation with Remus. He wanted to ask Harry why it seemed like he wasn't getting enough sleep, and press him on how the Dursleys were treating him now that he wouldn't be asking through a mirror, and find out how Harry was handling all of the upheavals in the last few weeks. But Sirius couldn't bring himself to break the peaceful silence the two of them shared. Didn't want to interrupt the few hours where they both could pretend this was their life, and the only concern either of them had was how pruney their fingers would get during a long swim.
Eventually, the warming charms wore off, and Sirius figured it was time to head in and dry off, as it must be well after midnight by now. He worried that if they stayed out here much longer, the waves would lull them to sleep. Keeping his arm looped through Harry's, Sirius kicked his legs to slowly direct them to shore. When they reached the shallows, Sirius stood and summoned his wand (one of the first wandless spells he had mastered) and then both his and Harry's shirts to transfigure them into fluffy towels.
"Come on, kiddo, time to get dry."
He rubbed a towel over Harry's head, scruffing his for-once tidy hair, plastered down with salt water as it was, and was granted a laugh for his efforts. Quickly towel drying his own hair and looping the towel around his shoulders, he turned to start the walk back up to the house but paused when he realized Harry hadn't followed after him. Facing Harry again, he raised one eyebrow inquisitively and waited to see if Harry would share what he was thinking.
"Could we stay? Just a bit longer?" Harry asked, "We don't have to swim anymore, but I just...I just don't want to go up yet. We'll go to bed, and then it'll be time to wake up, and I'll have to go back to the Dursley's, and I'll be alone again. I'm not quite ready for that." Harry looked embarrassed by his request as if he expected Sirius to tease him or even brush him off and force him to bed. But Harry was showing a rare moment of vulnerability, and Sirius would do nothing to discourage this.
"Of course, Prongslet. Come here, let's sit down." Plopping down on the sand, Sirius lifted an arm as an invitation for Harry to lean up next to him, and they both sat quietly for a few more minutes, each just looking out across the ocean. Sirius was still reluctant to breach the silence. Still, as Harry had brought up his relatives himself, there was no better time to inquire how they were treating Harry.
"Harry, I know you've said in the past that you don't get along with the Dursleys and don't particularly enjoy spending your summers there. But can you tell me what they're really like?"
Harry, who had glanced over at Sirius when he started speaking, had dropped his eyes to the ground and focused intently on his hand as he scooped up a handful of sand and then let the grains fall out before repeating the process.
"They just don't like me much, I guess. Never have. They think all magic is freakiness, which makes me a freak since I do magic." Harry's voice was subdued, and he didn't look away from the sand he was still repetitively picking up and dropping.
"So they don't like you. But how do they treat you, Harry? Do they just stay out of your way?" He hated having to push, but Sirius needed answers. When his court case got underway, he had to have all information about Harry's situation prepared so that when it ended, he could move immediately into the next phase of securing guardianship of Harry.
"Mostly. Aunt Petunia gives me chores every day. I just try and stay away from Vernon and Dudley, stay out of their way. They mostly forget about me if they don't see me too much."
"And what happens if you don't stay away from them. If they don't forget about you?"
All the stillness Harry had been displaying was suddenly gone as he chucked the sand still in his hand to the ground and spun to face Sirius, anger evident on his face. "Why do you want to know? It doesn't matter, I'm there three months out of the year, and then I don't have to think about them ever. Why does it matter?"
Sirius kept his voice as calm and quiet as it had been before Harry's outburst. "It matters, Harry. It matters because if I am to be your guardian, I need to know what you experienced. I need to know how you've been treated, in generalities if not in specifics, to justify why you should be removed from their care. It matters because if you've been treated the way I think you have, it will help not to keep it a secret. It matters because I love you, and this is a burden you shouldn't have to carry alone.
By the end of Sirius's words, Harry didn't look angry anymore. He just looked tired and lost. Sirius wrapped his arm back around Harry's shoulders again, trying to give him some comfort. "I don't see how talking about it will help. But alright, I'll tell you."
And Harry did. He told Sirius about Dudley's favorite game of Harry Hunting, the ostracization from the neighborhood and other children, and the near-constant chores that started at a much-too-young age and the harsh consequences if Harry failed to complete them. Sirius had to bite his tongue at Harry's explanation of the cupboard, and the bars on his window during the summer before second year, and the casual cruelty of Petunia and her husband. Sirius listened as Harry described the verbal, emotional, and at times physical abuse he had endured and was grateful he was hearing all of these details for the first time with Harry safely in his arms. If this had been recounted through the enchanted mirrors or a letter, Sirius would have had nothing to distract him from the incandescent rage that threatened to boil over, and Sirius was sure he would have finally earned his reputation as a murderer as he would have happily and promptly strangled the Dursleys and then Dumbledore for leaving Harry there.
He thought it probably would have been worth the return trip to Azkaban.
Finally, Harry reached the end. Throughout his descriptions, Harry had slowly slipped further and further into Sirius's embrace until, by the end, he was fully slumped over, head tucked under Sirius's chin. Sirius assumed that Harry hadn't had a friendly touch since he left Hogwarts and was soaking up as much positive affection as he could get before going back to the Dursleys. It seemed as if all the tension and stress from Harry's body had eeked out along with his words, and Sirius thought Harry was on the verge of falling asleep right where they sat.
"Harry, it's really important you hear and believe what I'm going to say now. Can you lift your head up just a bit and look at me?" Pausing just long enough for Harry to concede with his request, Sirius spoke slowly and very clearly, desperately hoping Harry was awake enough and not so emotionally drained that he could retain this. "I want to make sure you know that nothing the Dursleys did to you was right. You didn't do anything to deserve the kind of treatment."
"They didn't really ask for me, though. Dumbledore just left me on their doorstep, and they didn't get a chance to say no."
"No, Harry, that doesn't matter. If they weren't capable of raising a second child, there were other options available to them than treating you poorly. It doesn't matter if they didn't ask for you, or if you caused a financial burden, or even if you were a horrid little monster and frequently performed accidental magic on them. You were, and are still, a child. They had no right to treat you as they did. They were wrong for it, and if I have any say so, I will see them face justice for what they did to you. Do you understand?"
Harry's response was quick, "I understand."
"Do you believe me?"
This response was much slower, and it was obvious to Sirius that Harry didn't quite accept what he was saying, "I - I believe you." Harry winced after he spoke; even he could tell his words didn't quite ring true.
"It's alright, Harry. You can know something in your head, something reasoned with logic and wisdom, but your heart tells you differently. Hearts are rarely reasonable. We'll work on it." Knowing that they both needed a lighter conversation, Sirius said, "Now, I don't know about you, but I've had a very trying last twenty minutes, and I think I need a cuddle to feel better. Can you help old Paddy out?" With a soft smile, Harry leaned his head back against Sirius, and they both clung to each other, each needing the comfort of the other close.
Sirius didn't know how the hell he was supposed to send Harry back to the Dursleys in a few hours. Even if Harry said things had improved in recent years due to the Dursley's fear of Harry's increasing magical skill and Sirius's own reputation, he dreaded sending Harry back. But at the moment, Sirius didn't see any other option. He wondered what would happen if Sirius just kept Harry. Tell his solicitor, "never mind," and just hole up here at Aquarius House. Let the Order and the Death Eaters and any Ministry workers who cared enough all run around frantically searching for the missing Boy Who Lived while Harry had a peaceful summer here on the beach with Sirius.
It was tempting beyond belief.
But eventually, summer would end. Harry would have to go back to school and rejoin the wider wixen community, and Sirius would be no closer to protecting Harry long-term than he was at the start of the summer. Letting out a deep sigh, Sirius resigned himself to the reality that the best course of action was to continue on as planned. He'd tell Harry to use his portkey as an escape from Little Whinging whenever he wanted, and frequently remind the boy that whatever bullshit the Dursleys told him should be disregarded, and just pray to Merlin that his lawyer would pull through, and by the end of the summer Harry would be his. And then the real work would begin, as Sirius would absolutely be looking to pay back the Dursleys for their treatment of his godson.
Just a few more weeks, he told himself. Glancing down, he saw that Harry had drifted off, and Sirius was hesitant to wake him up if he'd been sleeping as poorly as he said due to the nightmares. Deciding it was much too long of a walk back to the house when Harry was this tired, Sirius quickly transformed one of the discarded towels into a fluffy blanket that he floated around the both of them.
He didn't think he could fall asleep like this, his old bones much too stiff after Azkaban to tolerate sleeping sitting up, and his paranoia too strong to sleep out in the open as they were. But he could spend a few hours peacefully watching the waves until dawn and then nap during the day after sending Harry back to Surrey.
Gently, Sirius ran his fingers through Harry's messy curls and reflected over everything that had happened that day. Despite the confrontation with Dumbledore and the confirmation from Harry that the Dursleys were as bad as he feared, the joy of having Harry here with him still lead to Sirus ending the day happier than he started it.
Sitting there now, saltwater just barely reaching far enough to spray them every now and then, Sirius was reminded of the time Lily had tried to explain muggle religion to them in the Gryffindor common room. Sirius had mainly tuned her out; he didn't actually care about passing muggle studies. The conversation was just a way for James to strike up a discussion with his long-standing crush. But now, Sirius remembered what Lily had said about baptisms washing away sins and starting life anew. He's not sure if it was the dip in the ocean or if both of them finally had the opportunity today to express long-silenced words, but he thought today had brought Harry and himself both one step closer to happiness.