Chapter 19

"I have to admit, Sirius, I had expected you to be in a far worse shape."

"What can I say. I guess I am just built different. Now dispel the charms so I can go see my goddaughter." Sirius Black, now a free citizen, said as he tried to get up from the medical bed to no avail. The charms they put on the bed would not let him leave.

So what if he tried to escape seven time before they put the charms on, this was just cruel.

"Not until we learn how bad your mental state is. Only after that we might think about having you see Violet."

"My mental state is fine."

"Sirius, you tried to bite the healer."

"He was poking me with a stick."

"That is literally his job." Dumbledore groaned. He was happy that Sirius was free but after ten years he had forgotten how much of a man child the estranged Black could be. And it seems not even Azkaban could change that about him.

"Sirius, I need you to be serious…"

"I am alway Sirius!" The man said before giggling. Dumbledore could only sigh at the man's childish act. Guess he did have to bring out his secret weapon.

"It's about Violet." And there goes all the humor on Sirius' face. Replaced by a hardened look that could barely hide the fear in his eyes.

"Tell me everything."

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"And I expect an three page essay about our lesson today." Mcgonagall said and the students left the class with an air of defeat due to their homework.

Except for one Hermione Jean Granger of course. Though she too had an aura that she normally wouldn't have. It was one of competitiveness.

Her days at Hogwarts… weren't exactly much different than her days at normal school except for magic. She was still a hardworking student and that trait still pushed other students away from her. It was somewhat sad but at least that way she could focus on her studies without being interrupted. Which would lead her to be the best student in her year!

…only it didn't.

Instead she was, from what she heard, the second best student in her year. Jonathan Richards, the boy that the Sorting Hat reacted very weirdly, was seen as the brightest in their year. This had been… strangely not unpleasant.

It was the first time she was losing in academic pursuits, and that was irksome, but it meant that there was someone who was intellectually her peer. An academic rival!

She kinda liked the sound of that.

So she did something most people didn't believe to be possible for her, she started to study harder! The time she spent exploring the castle was cast out of her schedule and every minute she wasn't in class, eating, sleeping or… doing her business was spent in library. Reading and learning!

But she still couldn't seem to surpass Jonathan Richards. This was starting to irk her, especially because she never saw him in the library. Which either meant that he was studying somewhere else, maybe Ravenclaw dorms had their own little corner for studying, or Jonathan was somehow able to beat her in every class without studying.

She really hoped that it was the first option. But it didn't matter, she wouldn't give up and she will…

"Hey Hermione."

"Kyaa!" Hermione shrieked as she jumped in fright. She had been far too focused on her inner monologue that she hadn't realized that she was approached by someone.

Someone being her academic rival.

"D-Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I would hardly call just walking up to you 'sneaking up'." Jonathan. Said with an arched brow, making Hermione go red in embarrassment.

"Jonathan." And before she could say anything, the hottest topic of the school joined them as well. Violet Potter.

Hermione wasn't sure what to think of the young celebrity. She seemed rather thin and even somewhat lifeless, sometimes just rude, for a hero. When the word hero was used she always thought paragons for justice like Wildcat, the Flash and of course, Wonder Woman.

So Violet Potter was bit of an enigma. An enigma that seemed to be happy only around Jonathan Richards and seemed to get very mad whenever someone insulted him.

She never did anything but the look in her eyes were definitely scary.

"Hey you two wanna see something cool?" And Jonathan didn't seem to care about such things at all as he offered to 'see something cool' to them with a lackadaisical look.

She simply nodded and followed after him, not seeing the inquisitive look Violet was giving her.

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"Albus I am giving you ten seconds to give me a good reason not to kill those pathetic child abusing wankers, one!"

"You do that and you'll go back to Azkaban, which means you won't be able to care for Violet." Dumbledore said calmly. He had been expecting Sirius to reach this way after all.

"FUCK!" The now free man said as he punched his sheets in anger. Anger at Dumbledore. Anger at Dursleys. And most importantly, anger at himself.

Why couldn't he put Violet above his need for revenge?! Why couldn't he act like the godfather that James and Lily believed he would be?! Why?!

…why couldn't he ever protect people he cares about?

"What… what can I do? She must hate me."

"She doesn't even know that you exist Sirius. And I believe that she would be very happy to meet and live with her godfather. And for that I need you at your one hundred percent." Dumbledore said with a gentle but firm voice.

"Can I… can I see her, please?" Sirius said, hating how weak he sounded.

"Get your check ups, I will talk to Violet about it. You'll probably see her within the week." Dumbledore smiled at his old student, happy to have him back and even happier to see that he was ready to assume his responsibilities for his goddaughter.

"And Remus?" That… that was a bit more complicated for the headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Sirius…"

"I know… I know that he didn't exactly part ways with us in the best terms and it is entirely our fault. But… but I want to make amends. I didn't think I would ever be free again Albus but I am now. I want to hold my goddaughter in my arms and I want my friend back with me. I… I just hope that he will give me that chance." Sirius choked up, looking at the ceiling with tears in his eyes.

"…I'll see what I can do." Dumbledore said with smile. Hoping that the old wolf would give his friends another chance.