Time out

To say that Sirius was happy to go outside would've probably been the understatement of the year. Harry had the growing suspicion that his godfather hadn't been outside at least since the beginning of July - not counting the little rescue from his relatives home - and that had been almost two month ago.

So he really couldn't blame him that he wanted to go out as fast as possible, though that made it a bit harder to explain that he really should apply a few glamour charms before changing into his dog form.

They then snuck out of the house, barely making it past the kitchen where their biggest worry - Mrs. Weasley - was quite often, preparing a meal. Thankfully she was too busy yelling at someone named 'Mundungus' to notice anything else, so they went unnoticed.

As the house was located in some muggle neighbourhood they had no problems as they appeared out of nothing, walking down the road to a more populated part of muggle London.

They walked for a while and Harry had fun watching Sirius, who enthusiastically chased cats and doves, ran around his godson and barked happily at some pedestrians, who jumped before abruptly crossing the street. Well, his godfather certainly wasn't a small dog.

Still, as the streets got busier - it was a warm Wednesday afternoon after all - Sirius returned to his side, walking obediently next to him for a while, as Harry took a look around.

Really, even though he was raised by muggles, since said muggles were the Dursleys he had never been able to walk through any muggle town freely and it was quite interesting. Though after four years of Hogwarts he was already sure that the non-magical part of the world held too less wonders for him to consider staying. His place was with the wizards.

It was still really nice to be able to walk through a crowd where no one stared at him. No one knew his name, his past or his parents. No one expected anything of him except behaving like a fifteen year old kid should. It wasn't so bad.

After a while he found a small café at some corner that looked nice and not too busy.

"Hey, how about a drink?" he asked, turning to Sirius who barked approvingly. They went into some dark alley where Sirius could change back, before going into that café, seating themselves at a nice, small table outside of the shop, near the street.

It was... weird, somehow, to sit with his godfather - who was thought to be a mass murderer by wizards and muggles alike - at a table, between muggles, just enjoying the good weather.

The glamour charms changed Sirius' face a bit, as well as his hair and eye colour, which was somehow irritating, but necessary for his safety, so Harry didn't comment. Instead, they struck up a conversation about this and that, catching up on the more trivial aspects of their lives while they ordered drinks and cake. Though there really weren't a lot of trivial things that happened to them, really.

They had just gotten their drinks as Sirius noticed something.

"Say, pup... since when do you wear bracelets?" he asked, frowning. Harry had decided to wear and keep it activated at all times before asking his godfather to go outside, so that he couldn't be tracked anymore by anyone, but he had thought that Sirius had noticed it before and just chose not to comment on it.

He shrugged. "I don't, not really. This one's different though. It keeps me from being tracked. Not even Voldemort should be able to find me with a spell now."

Sirius eyebrows shot up. "Where did you get something that powerful?" he asked, definitely curious now. "I'm sure you didn't wear it as Remus and I picked you up from your relatives."

"Well... that's actually quite the story..." Harry thought for a moment if it was safe to tell his godfather, before mentally slapping himself. Honestly, he needed to stop with that mistrust thing or it would get a habit. And while it wasn't such a bad habit, he really saw no reason to fear that Sirius of all people would tell anyone his secrets or anything.

So he recounted what had happened earlier that day and how he had concluded that the bracelet wasn't cursed, but probably really useful.

Which ended with a frowning Sirius. "You trusted Kreacher? What if he'd led you into a trap or anything?"

Harry sighed. He knew that he could be just as stubborn as his godfather was now, but they really tried to stop that and think more logical instead. "Look, Kreacher isn't as bad as you think. Sure, he practically worships your mother and is a bit on the barmy side, but other than that, he's fine. He just always insults everyone because that's what he was taught to do. Try being nicer to him and he'll stop."

"You sure? He hates me for decades already!" Sirius mumbled, clearly not wanting to do anything about it but still at least halfway open for advice.

"Well... try giving him things he likes. You said he adored your brother, right? Just give him a bit of Regulus' old stuff you want to throw out anyway. It'd be out of the way and Kreacher would be happy. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"

His godfather grumbled something under his breath.

"Pardon?"

"I said, I'll try, okay? But honestly, I don't know what you see in that little bugger-"

"Sirius! No name-calling anymore, alright?" Harry tried looking reproachful, but it seemed to amuse his godfather more than anything.

"Fine, fine... man, you're worse than Moony."

Sirius leaned back at his chair, running his hand though his wrong coloured hair.

"So... how's it going with your homework?" he wondered aloud, changing the topic not so subtly and confusing Harry for a second before he remembered the excuse he'd used to escape all the cleaning frenzy. But he guessed he could be honest with his godfather once more.

"I'm actually done since mid-July. Was the first thing I did after Shiva opened my eyes."

"Shiva?" Sirius asked, frowning again.

"Ah, you met her last week, the day you brought me here," Harry explained, grinning slightly as his godfather understood.

"Your pet snake... How come you've gotten a snake anyway?"

"Well... it was some kind of fluke, actually. She kinda got lost and landed in the front yard of the Dursleys, where I found her. And since I'm able to speak Parseltongue she actually makes the best 'pet' I could get. She's quite intelligent, too."

He left out the part with Shivas mother - who he still didn't know - and that she had told him she was there to protect him. No need to make his godfather even more suspicious, seeing as it was already quite the surprise that he had nothing against the snake itself.

But that explanation seemed fine to Sirius, as he just shook his head with a smile. "Dang, you're crazy pup."

"Not as crazy as becoming an animagus to run around with a werewolf on school grounds," Harry retorted and his godfather laughed.

"Touché... So, what are you doing if not homework? Reading again?"

Harry nodded. "Quite a lot, actually. Your family library is awesome!"

"What topics?"

"Well..." There was the problem now... he wasn't exactly doing the goody two shoes reading at the moment. "This and that..."

But Sirius pressed on, probably guessing it wasn't something normal. "For example?"

"Uh... Blood magic?"

Sirius' eyes went wide. "Harry! That's seriously dark magic, I hope you know that?"

"Yes, I'm not stupid. I know where the books stood. But it's not as if I want to use that knowledge. I just want to know how Voldemort managed that resurrection ritual, maybe find a flaw or anything... I mean, my mother died while protecting me... after which even touching me hurt Voldemort! Not to mention all the bloody wards around my relatives house that are the reason why I need to go back to them. I want to know how. That can't be a bad thing."

They looked at each other for a while, before Sirius nodded slowly. "Alright. I guess that's understandable. Just be careful. The Dark Arts are dangerous and you need powerful self-control to withstand their lure. Never let yourself get controlled by it, you hear?"

There was a glint in Sirius' eyes that showed Harry his godfather had learned that lesson himself once. Which wasn't all that surprising, considering where he grew up. He might have rebelled against his upbringing, but even Harry knew (by now) that pureblood children got special lessons before they went to Hogwarts and probably during the summer holidays, too. And if the family was as dark as the Blacks seemed... it certainly weren't only lessons in writing or pureblood traditions...

So he nodded at his godfather just once, before leading the topic to some lighter parts.

"You know, Hermione has a new pet project, too. We've found a book of one of your ancestors that was denying the existence of a 'muggleborn' and claiming every witch and wizard had to have at least a squib in the family tree."

He explained the content and Sirius looked thoughtful for a while, before shrugging.

"I guess it would be a possibility. I've never known much about heredity and stuff, but I know an easy way to test if that's correct."

Harry blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah. It's a small ritual every pureblood child is taught. Though it's not exactly easy to execute and not very fun for the person who uses it. Because it draws blood from that person to draw a family tree with their ancestors. The more blood it gets, the more ancestors it shows. So it can be dangerous for the person if it's used for too long. And it only shows the parents of each person, no siblings or anything beyond blood relation," Sirius explained, looking thoughtful.

"So... if we'd want to prove it, Hermione could use that ritual to go back a few generations - as far as she's comfortable with - and look if there's any pureblood family we know in it?" Harry asked.

"Basically, yes. You'd need blood replenisher potions of course, for safety, and an adult wizard, if anything goes wrong."

"You would do that for us, right...?"

"...I knew you'd ask... but oh well, I've nothing better to do anyway. And I told you about it so I guess that makes you my responsibility." He smiled. "A little adventure can't hurt, right? It's not that dangerous anyway..."

Harry chuckled. Yes, that was his godfather. He just hoped that Mrs. Weasley would never find out about that, she'd flip.

"Thanks, Sirius. I really hope it's worth it..."

"Never mind. And it probably will be. Even if that theory is rubbish Hermione will have quite the family tree. Or you, I guess, if she doesn't want to do it, Lily has been a muggleborn too after all. I'll just need a bit time to brew the necessary potions, so maybe we can use the weekend."

"Potions...?" Harry had do inevitably think of Snape and how he'd never help them to do anything.

As if sensing his thoughts, Sirius rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, you're not really thinking of Snivellus, are you? For your information, I have been an auror, pup. You need a NEWT in potions for that..."

Harry blushed slightly. "Right, Sorry..."

Thankfully the waitress finally arrived with their cakes then - apologizing that they had to wait for so long, but the cake had had to be made first - so they ate, listening to the bustling activity of the muggles around them.

Like that mother on the other side of the street who hurriedly pulled a crying kid along, clearly embarrassed by the little boy that was currently throwing a small tantrum.

Or the couple that sat at another table in the café, flirting wordlessly with each other through gestures and looks...

Yes, Harry liked that, to observe the everyday life of some muggles while eating his surprisingly delicious cake and enjoying the sun. And the fact that his godfather was with him made it even better.

Sirius seemed to think about the same, as he stretched happily, looking as if he enjoyed the weather.

"You have no idea how much I missed that..."

Harry only smiled amusedly, though already thinking about something else. He didn't really want to broach another serious subject so soon, but they had their privacy here and who knew when they could talk that freely again?

So he got serious again, looking at his godfather. "Say... how come you never did go outside? I mean, sure, Dumbledore said so and stuff, but... that can't be the only reason, can it?"

Now Sirius was looking at him too, chuckling dryly. "Believe it or not, it was the only reason." He sighed, looking at the people who went along the street. "You know, Dumbledore is a really good speaker. He knows what to say to get what he wants and how to formulate it. I don't think he outright lies to you, but he makes you think of things the way he wants you to, using the fact that you trust him for manipulating you. He told me everything I'd risk if I went outside. About how you'd be without me again if I got caught and everything. Of course, he masked it as being concerned - and maybe he really was - but he told me these facts as if there was no other option. And I believed him. He had me completely convinced that there was nothing I could do. That's just the way Dumbledore is."

Harry stared at his godfather, surprised. Of course, his logic was flawless and it mostly equalled his own thoughts about that matter, but it was still hard hearing that stuff from someone else.

Only a few month before, he would have thought someone with that theory crazy and now he was so sure of it... it was almost creepy.

But there was something else confusing him.

"I think you're absolutely right, but... how come that you of all people have thought this through so thoroughly? No offence, but I would've thought you'd be... angry at Dumbledore instead of... thinking logically about it," he mumbled carefully.

Sirius huffed. "Hey, I'm not always rushing into things headfirst!" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Alright... maybe I told Moony and he told me his point of view..." his godfather added grumbling.

Chuckling lightly, Harry nodded. That sounded more like it, Remus seemed more down to earth then Sirius. Though he was a bit surprised anyway, he had always thought Remus completely under Dumbledores control.

On the other hand, if he could see the old mans wrongdoings - albeit with a little help - then almost anyone could if it was explained to him or her correctly.

"So... you're backing me up?" Harry finally asked after a silent moment where they both ate the rest of their cakes and Sirius nodded.

"We'll always back you up, pup, remember that. Though we'd suggest not to tell everyone, because in times like these we need solidarity. It's no use to openly antagonize Dumbledore if Voldemort is still out there. We can't give him even more possibilities to attack when he does."

Harry nodded. That made sense. He'd still try to convince Ron and Hermione, but that was it. He would see what could be done about Dumbledore once Voldemort wasn't a threat to everyone anymore.

For now, knowing that there were people who shared his opinion was enough.

"But... promise me something?"

Harry looked questioningly at his godfather as he spoke up again.

"If you ever want to go against him, tell me. I had a week to think about everything and by now I'm not so sure anymore if it was just bad luck that I went into Azkaban without a proper trial."

Harrys eyes widened. No trial? He knew back then many people had gotten no trial, but that no one ever had questioned it, even after Dumbledore had known that Sirius was innocent...

But his godfather wasn't finished yet.

"With certain measurements I'm sure we could get my name cleared and the people at the Ministry would be more than happy with dirt on Dumbledores name. You're the 'Boy Who Lived', even though they discredit you now, it could change just as easily. Just don't rush things."

Harry nodded, smiling slightly, and as they stood up, finally deciding to go back, he hugged his godfather. It had really been a good idea to come here.

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