A Necessary Reveal
Summer's end came faster than Sirius expected and it was obvious to him that Harry was disappointed by it. Harry loved the Burrow, and who could blame him? Especially in comparison to where he normally spent summers. On their last evening, Molly conjured up a dinner with all Harry's favorites. The twins rounded off the night with a half hour long Filibuster fireworks display. Then it was time for one last mug of hot chocolate and bed.
The next morning was crazy. Everyone was rushing about, grabbing things they'd forgotten to pack but had to have, colliding on the stairs, and tripping over chickens. It was nothing like Sirius's house growing up, or James's when he was older. At Grimmauld Place, if it was time to go and you hadn't packed everything beforehand you'd have to leave it behind or be left behind. At James's, they'd double check the house elves' packing job before they went to bed and leave after one last family breakfast.
"Mum! Have you seen Scabbers? I can't find him!" Ron yelled, looking under the twins' beds.
"If you can't find him, you'll have to leave him again, we're late!" Molly's voice called back.
"Where's my diary?" Ginny screamed.
"Have you checked your closet?" Arthur answered.
"Found it!"
Harry was fidgeting with Sirius's vest by the door. It was a habit of his, when he couldn't leave at the planned time he checked to be sure Sirius's vest was on right. He'd readjust it as many times as he could get away with in the extra time to be sure it wasn't too tight.
"We didn't forget anything did we?" Harry asked him. Sirius shook his head. They had checked that everything was packed twice before bed and once more this morning. Just to be safe.
"Got everything, Harry?" Arthur asked. Harry nodded. "Let's start loading the car then."
Naturally, once they were on the road people remembered things they'd forgotten. They returned to the house twice before they reached the highway. It was a quarter to eleven by the time they reached King's Cross. Percy ran through first, then the twins, Arthur, then Ginny and Molly. Sirius noticed the clock and shoved Harry through ahead of him, right behind Molly, and just in time for Sirius and Ron to smack into the brick wall. Harry had dropped his leash while trying to keep his balance at the sudden push. Ron's trunk fell off his trolley as the boy fell.
"Ow." Ron groaned. He looked around, panicked, when he spotted Sirius without Harry. "Harry?"
Sirius pawed at the wall, whining.
"He made it through?"
Sirius nodded. Ron sighed. He looked up at the clock and pressed his ear to the barrier for a minute before pulling away and shaking his head.
"The car! C'mon, Shadow." Ron scooped up Sirius's leash and tugged him outside. "If Fred can fly it I'm sure I can figure it out."
Sirius sighed. This was a bad plan.
It didn't take long for Ron to get the car in the air, once it was he hit a silver button on the dash and the car vanished. Sirius dropped his head onto the seat. If things got out of hand, he'd step in. Naturally, as soon as he thought that, things started to go wrong. The car reappeared with a popping noise. Sirius pawed at the button until they became invisible again. It didn't last.
"Right." Ron groaned. He glanced at Sirius, "Er, hold on?" They shot into the clouds.
Sirius sighed they'd never make it like this, and Ron was probably going to hurt himself trying. He unlatched his vest and shifted.
"Alright." Sirius cracked his knuckles and slowly but firmly swapped seats with Ron, "Let's see if we can move this along, eh?"
"You-you're-" Ron stammered.
"Sirius Black." He winked, "Nice to meet you. Well, in person anyway."
Ron screamed, "You're gonna kill me!"
"Woah, kid. Relax. I never killed anyone. If I was a murderer like everyone said, do you really think I'd've spent the past year playing service dog for Harry?"
"B-but, you broke out of Azkaban. You killed-"
Sirius sighed, "I was framed, Ron. You know what, that's a different story."
"Does Harry know?"
"Yeah. Not from the start, but he found out at the end of last year. Which reminds me," He turned to look Ron in the eyes, "you're not going to tell anyone about me, are you?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Ron straightened his shoulders and gripped his wand tightly, "How do I know you aren't going to hurt one of my friends? You're the only one who says you're innocent."
Sirius laughed, "I like you, kid. Don't lose that loyalty, okay?"
Ron looked surprised.
"If I wanted to hurt Harry, or any of your other friends, don't you think I'd have done it by now? It's not like I never got an opportunity. Besides, Harry needs me."
"He could get an actual dog. Like everyone thought you were."
Sirius shook his head. "Even if the Dursleys let him, a normal dog takes at least a year of training, usually two. I got past that, 'cause I'm not a real dog. I've got certain advantages."
Ron frowned, then pointed his wand at him. "Promise you won't hurt anyone."
"Promise. Unless it's self defense or something."
Ron scowled.
"Hey, you've got to let me have some lee way."
The boy sighed, "Yeah. I won't tell. Promise."
"Good." Sirius grinned, "I'd hate to Obliviate you."
They were quiet for a while.
"How d'you know where you're going?" Ron asked.
"The first bit's pretty much just straight north. Memories a bit fuzzy closer, but I can check the train later."
"Oh."
"Why don't you get some rest? It's a long trip."
"I'm not tired. Can I ask you about stuff?"
He shrugged, "I don't see why not."
---------------------------line break-------------------------------
Sirius regretted this. He hadn't thought Ron would ask about Azkaban so much. Or the war. It brought up bad memories. Thankfully, they had almost reached the school.
"Ron."
"Yeah?"
He locked eyes with the boy. "When we land, I'll have to change back into Shadow. If anyone asks /you/ drove here. Got it?"
Ron nodded, "Got it."
"Good."
As they descended, the car started making odd sounds. It wobbled and started issuing jets of steam. Sirius turned towards the forest and slowed down.
"What're you going slower for? The car's about to die!"
"Exactly. If I push it faster, it'll give out completely."
Sirius focused on the forest below them. If he could just find a clearing to pull into... There! He turned the wheel and kept the speed as steady as he could. They landed in the clearing with a jolt.
"Out, quickly." Sirius said, grabbing his vest.
Ron hurried out of the car. Its trunk flew open on its own and threw Ron's trunk out onto the grass. Then, it turned and sped off into the forest.
"Wait, come back! Dad'll kill me!" Ron yelled after it.
"You know, something tells me that won't help." Sirius clapped him on the shoulder, "Let's get going. Someone's bound to want to talk to you when we get inside. Wand out, now. Don't want you getting lost."
"Right." Ron pulled his wand out, "Um, d'you know the light spell? I can never remember."
"Lumos. Keep me in sight, alright?"
"Yeah." Ron cast the spell and Sirius shifted back. Ron struggled to fit the vest on him before they started moving.
They had almost reached the end of the forest when Ron tripped. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt. Unfortunately, he landed on his wand. Which snapped nearly in half. He looked at Sirius, desperate.
"I don't suppose you can fix this?"
He shook his head. Ron sighed and grabbed the back of his vest. "Don't let me fall again, okay?"
It took another fifteen minutes to reach the castle. Through the windows, they could see the Sorting was finishing up. Only a handful of first years waited for their name to be called. Sirius stiffened as a familiar scent hit him.
"I do so hope you have a good explanation, Mr. Weasley." Snape sneered.
Ron jumped and whipped around, "Professor! I was just- er-"
"Inside. Might as well bring the mutt with you."
Ron swallowed and did as he was told, keeping a firm grip on Sirius.
Once they had reached Snape's office, Ron was shoved into a chair. Sirius sat beside him, but looked back at the door regularly.
"What have you done with the car?" Snape demanded.
Ron gulped. Snape unrolled a copy of the Evening Prophet and showed the boy the headline, "FLYING FORD ANGELICA MYSTIFIES MUGGLES."
"You were seen," he hissed, "Six or seven Muggles in all, if the article is to be believed. Doesn't your father work in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office?"
Sirius really wanted to punch old Snivillus. The man was smirking!
"Dear, dear... his own son..."
Then again, biting could cause more damage.
"I-"
"Silence! Most unfortunately, you are not in my House and the decision to expel you does not rest with me. I shall go fetch the people who do have that power. You will wait here."
Ron looked down at Sirius once Snape had left, "Don't suppose you could lend a hand here?"
Sirius stared at him. How the bloody hell was he supposed to help? He hadn't run off to find Harry yet, wasn't that enough?
"Right," Ron sighed, "Thought so."
Snape returned ten minutes later with McGonagall. She frowned when she noticed Sirius, but focused on Ron and snapped out, "Explain."
Ron launched into the story. Sirius was relieved when the boy left him out, just saying that Harry had dropped his leash when he'd fallen through and Ron had brought him along so Harry wouldn't have to worry.
"-so, I had no choice, Professor, I couldn't get on the train." He finished.
McGonagall's frown was still present. Sirius shifted. He had graduated and was a /dog/ and still felt like he and James were about to be scolded for some prank.
There was a knock on the office door. Snape looked absurdly happy as he pulled it open, Dumbledore stood on the other side. The old man looked unusually grave. Sirius resisted the urge to start whining when he looked down his nose at them. There was a long silence before Dumbledore spoke, "Please explain why you did this."
Ron shifted uncomfortably and retold the story. Dumbledore didn't ask any questions, just listened and peered at him through his spectacles.
After another uncomfortable silence Ron said hopelessly, "I'll go and get my things."
"What are you talking about, Weasley?" barked McGonagall.
"Well, you're expelling me, aren't you?"
"Not today, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore said. "But I must impress upon you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to your family tonight. I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you."
Ron nodded so much, Sirius thought his head might fall off. "Understood, sir."
"Professor Dumbledore," Snape cut in, "Mr. Weasley has flouted the Degree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry- surely-"
"It will be for Professor McGonagall to decide on his punishment, Severus. He is in her House and is therefore her responsibility." He turned to McGonagall, "I must return to the feast, Minerva, I've got to give out a few notices. I believe I'll be taking the dog with me. I'm sure Mr. Potter is quite distressed without him."
Dumbledore took his leash from Ron. "Come, Severus, there's a delicious-looking custard tart I want to sample."
Sirius followed Dumbledore out with Snape bringing up the rear. The Potions professor looked incredibly disappointed, Sirius couldn't keep his tail from wagging.
Dumbledore pushed the door of the Great Hall open, dropped the leash, and pointed to the Gryffindor table. Harry was sitting near the middle. The twins were on either side of him with Hermione right across. He looked upset. Sirius ran into the room, barking like mad. Harry's head snapped up, a grin appearing on his lips when he spotted Sirius.
"Shadow!" Sirius jumped on him, licking the boy's face. Harry laughed and hugged him, "I thought I'd lost you."
Sirius didn't bother listening to Dumbledore's notices. Harry was okay, Ron hadn't crashed, or been expelled, and he was finally being fed.
They met Ron by the dormitory. Harry had been too drained to try dealing with the crowd so, their group, sans Draco, had hung back til it had mostly gone. Harry had tried to tell them to go ahead, that he was fine, but they'd insisted. As a result, they found Ron standing in front of the portrait-hole looking lost.
Hermione tried to lecture him when the rumors of him arriving by flying car were confirmed. The twins made a big deal of telling him how proud they were and that they'd have to start teaching him their secrets to not getting caught. Harry just thanked him for bringing Shadow with him and that he was glad he was okay and not expelled.
Once inside the common room, Sirius went straight up to bed. It had been far too long a day.