Chapter - 14 : Trust and Truth part - 2

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"So…" Harry said hopefully. "Are you happy to go along with the story? I know you're not actually my Sirius, but I'd really like to get to know you properly. But if not I can try to think up something else."

Sirius looked as if he was giving the matter some serious thought for a change. "Well, I may not be your Sirius and you're not really my Harry, but you're still James' son no matter what," he said at last. "I swore to him that if anything happened to him I'd look after you as if you were my own and I keep my promises. If you want to be Orion Aubrey, who am I to argue? You saved me from the hellhole that is Azkaban - I owe you everything."

"You don't owe me anything. You - well the you in my world - were the closest thing to family I ever had. I couldn't leave you to rot in there."

"Everyone else I know did," Sirius said bitterly. "It sounds as if we've both had a tough time of it this past decade, but you got me out. Whatever you need from me, I'll do it. I'd even be willing to go through a blood adoption... if you want to that is."

"Blood adoption?" Harry echoed.

"I know, I know," Sirius said. "It's a bit of a drastic step to take. But, Harry, it's the only way I can think of to make sure your identity stays hidden. Glamour Charms won't work for ever, you know. Eventually someone will discover that we're not blood related. The adoption ritual would let us pass as father and son and should even change your appearance a bit. So, what do you say?"

"Well it's definitely... an idea." Harry didn't know much about blood adoptions, but he knew enough to be shocked that Sirius would make such a serious - and permanent - offer. Harry considered whether he was prepared to go to such extreme lengths to hide his identity; he didn't want to deal with being the second coming of the Boy Who Lived, but he wasn't sure he was ready to so irrevocably change who he was. "I really appreciate the offer, but are you absolutely certain you're willing to go through with it?"

"I'm sure," Sirius said firmly. "It'd be an honour to be your father. I know you're not my real godson and I'll always miss little Harry, but I still feel it's my responsibility to help protect you."

Harry was taken aback by how fast everything was happening, but then Sirius had always been the type to jump in head first. And Harry could see the advantages to Sirius' suggestion. "It'd change my name legally and magically to Orion Black, wouldn't it?" he checked. "Then not even the Marauder's Map would identify me as Harry Potter…"

"Exactly."

"Then let's go for it," Harry decided.

Sirius leaned back on his pillows with a smile. "So I guess I'm your new dad then! Life will certainly be interesting from here on out." Harry wouldn't actually wouldn't mind a few years of boredom for a change, but didn't say so. "Can't wait to get out of here," Sirius continued. "I've lost too much time already. All those years in Azkaban that I'll never get back…"

Harry hated to see Sirius lost in his bleak thoughts and searched for some topic to distract him. "Where will we live once you've been discharged?"

"Well, with my parents dead I should have inherited the old house on Grimmauld Place. We could always go there."

Harry stared at him in astonishment. "You want to live in Grimmauld Place?"

"Well yes, it's where I grew up after all. Why d'you ask?"

"No reason really, I suppose, just in my world you hated the place. We used it as Order Headquarters after Voldemort came back in my fourth year, but you... I mean, he... despised being cooped up there."

Sirius looked thoughtful. "Well, I can understand why I might feel that way, but... my parents are dead, making me one of the few Blacks left. I never really agreed with all that stuff growing up, but family is important, I realise that now. All my friends abandoned me, letting me be locked up in prison without a single word of protest. The only visitor I ever had while in Azkaban was my father. It was just the once as he died not long after, but it was… good to see him, to know he still remembered me, that I hadn't been completely forgotten…"

Harry was surprised by what he heard. "I think that must be one of those differences between my world and this one. I don't think the other you ever had anyone visit you in prison."

"Let's hope that's not the only change," Sirius said fervently. "I don't want my world to turn out as yours did - sounds like a ghastly place."

"Tell me about it," Harry muttered.

"Well, the two of us will just have to make sure everything turns out better from here on out," Sirius said.

Harry nodded, feeling pleased and grateful that Sirius was on his side. There would be a lot to discuss and plan and organise, but this first meeting had gone better than he could have hoped. But then, there was a reason Sirius was the only adult Harry had ever truly trusted growing up. Anyone else would have just dismissed his fears for the future or tried to convince him to leave it all in the oh-so capable hands of the Ministry or Dumbledore. Sirius listened to him, believed him, and was ready to help him no matter what.

Harry was jolted out of his thoughts as Sirius clapped his hands together. "So! We'll live in Grimmauld Place then. And as soon as the healers declare me physically fit, we can have the blood adoption ritual done at Gringotts. I'll send an owl to the goblins to arrange it."

"Sounds like a plan. And speaking of goblins..." Harry said, awkward once more. He felt as if all he was doing was asking Sirius for one favour after another. "I was wondering if... um, well you see, I'm, er... well frankly, I'm completely broke. I ended up in this world without a single Knut in my pocket and since I look like a child I can't even manage to get a proper job. I really hate to ask you this, but... could you maybe lend me some money? I'd pay you back as soon as possible, I promise."

Sirius brushed away Harry's obvious embarrassment. "Of course, no problem. But don't worry about paying me back, I can afford it. Minister Fudge came by earlier and while he spent most of the visit blathering on about how my incarceration wasn't his fault, he did agree to pay me a hefty sum in compensation. It should last quite a while, so long as I'm not too extravagant."

"Good, you deserve it," Harry said. "But I refuse to let you just give me your money, Sirius. It wouldn't feel right."

A pained look crossed Sirius' face. "I was also told I inherited the Potter vault after... well after what happened. I don't want the money - it should be yours. I want you to take it."

"But -" Harry began, not ready to give in.

"Harry, you've agreed to let me adopt you," Sirius interrupted him a trifle impatiently. "That means I get to look after you - that's just what family does, all right?"

"All right. Thank you," Harry finally gave in, though he still felt embarrassed. He'd never been part of a family where people actually gave a damn about each other, but it seemed he was finally getting a chance to experience it for himself. It would take some getting used to.

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Enjoying the fanfic and hungry for more?

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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)

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