Chapter 255

The first thing Sirius Black saw when he woke up was a pure white phoenix staring curiously down at his face.

The first thing Sirius Black did when he woke up was scream like a little bitch.

"AAAARRRRGGGH!"

Hedwig decided that she didn't like screaming, and took off, gliding her way over to the table where Fawkes was perched. Sirius's eyes followed her, before they slid onto Dumbledore, who was sitting on the chair beside. The shock of seeing Dumbledore easily overcame the shock of suddenly coming face to face with an albino super-turkey, and his eyes widened.

"Professor…" he muttered, his voice half hopeful, half fearful.

Dumbledore had a heartbreakingly sad smile on his face, "I know…and I'm sorry my boy. So very sorry…You switched, didn't you? With Peter? Without telling me."

An agonizing expression filled Black's face, "We did. We didn't…know if we could trust you. Such fools we were…"

"All these years…How did you even survive?" Dumbledore asked, keeping Black's focus on him.

"I don't know how I did it," Black said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. The thought…it kept me sane…let me keep my magic. But I was barely getting by" He swallowed, "But when I saw Harry in that newspaper a guard threw at me…saw him in danger…it lit a fire in me…one the Dementors couldn't touch. So I slipped through the bars…I swam and swam…"

His eyes slid over to where Harry was sitting, and contrary to the powerful reaction that he'd expected, the only thing Black did was smile softly.

"I remember thinking about ice cream for the first time in a decade…and the time I snuck you to Diagon to get you your first one…the thought made me happy…smile…and when I was almost unconscious and drowning, my magic apparated me there," Black kept looking at Harry, and the smile never left his face, "You have your mother's eyes…anyone tell you that?

Harry's throat had choked up, so he just returned a small smile and nodded.

"Good…" Black said, closing his eyes as he leaned back into the sofa, "This is a good dream…I'll wake up soon in Fortescue's house, and I'll…try to make this a reality…minus the strange turkey."

Hedwig, who Harry promptly decided had no respect for poignant and deeply personal moments, decided to take offense to that. Flapping over to perch on the backrest of the sofa, she slammed her beak right into Sirius's head.

"OW!" Sirius jumped, his eyes flying open as his hands darted up to rub his head.

"This is real you jackass mutt!" Hedwig's voice echoed loud and angry in all their heads.

"She is right my boy," Dumbledore said, smiling amusedly at the grown man and Phoenix having a full blown stare down, "And we have a lot to tell you."

It took another fifteen minutes for them to fill Sirius in on what was going on. Harry decided to go with his gut feeling and tell Sirius about the powers that Dumbledore and the Flamels already knew about, as well as his role in getting Lisa out of the Ministry Lockups. It seemed to be Give-Secrets-Out Day today, so he might as well give to those who deserved them.

"Travelling in between Dimensions…" Sirius muttered incredulously, "That is…"

"I know," Harry said only half-sheepishly, "It's all a bit strange. I realize I'm probably not what you expected, but I am what I am."

Sirius shook his head calmly. He looked much more stable than Harry had expected him to be. Mr. Fortescue's care must have really helped somehow, "What I expected you to be was injured, half dead and traumatized after what I read in that article. Instead, you are happy…you've found good people…what you are is my Godson, and you're perfect as you are."

Harry nodded with a smile, turning to pay attention to what Nicholas and Dumbledore were talking about.

"Perhaps your friend in Nepal can help us by providing Sirius and Miss Turpin asylum if you write to her?" Professor Dumbledore suggested.

"Yao?" Nicholas said, his voice suddenly defensive, "You cannot be serious Albus!"

"He is not wrong," Perenelle interrupted, stroking her chin, "She can help them heal. Help her heal."

Nicholas shook his head, "She can, but her magic isn't like our Perenelle. Her power comes from a different place."

Dumbledore frowned, "Nepal is outside of Britain's, and even ICW's influence. Both Miss Turpin and Sirius will be safe there, as well as remain accessible to us. Besides, they need to heal, Miss Turpin more so than anyone. You know her magic is suffering and Yao is one of the only ones on the planet who can help."

Perenelle rested a hand on Nicholas's shoulder, "Put aside your ego for a moment Nicholas. Think about them."

The silence hung for a while, and neither Harry nor Sirius dared interrupt. Finally, Nicholas heaved a heavy sigh and agreed, "Fine. But Albus will be dealing with the girl's mother. I will not have her be left hanging after her daughter has been taken."

"I will handle it."

Dumbledore and Nicholas left for upstairs soon after, presumably to draft that letter to the friend of theirs, while Perenelle left for the Potions lab, insisting on brewing up a few more potions for Sirius's physical health as well as some for Lisa before he left with Dumbledore.

And Sirius and Harry found themselves talking about his school days, Harry keen to hear more stories, and Sirius just as eager and desperate to remember them again.

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