Sirius Black paced the length of his hospital room. It really wasn't a bad room – it was quite nicely furnished, really. It was certainly bigger by far than his Azkaban cell. Still, he was locked in and that bothered him more than he liked to admit.

The first few days he arrived had been spent getting looked over by Healers and being fed bland but very filling food. Now the Mindhealers had descended and were clucking over him. Mostly they seemed to think that he would have to heal on his own … if he could.

The initial blow to his sanity had occurred too long ago – when his friends had died, followed by the years in Azkaban. They could listen, direct his thoughts and sooth his rage to an extent. They repeatedly reminded him that he needed to practice focusing and reminding himself that Harry was not James and that it was 1994.

Albus and Remus had visited daily. He'd alternately raged at them and wept for forgiveness, making the Healers banish them at first. It had been two weeks, now, and he could remember to stay focused and not let his emotions take over – most of the time.

They had nodded when he'd accused them of putting him away without a trial. "You do recall insisting that you had betrayed James and Lily and had caused their deaths … don't you?" Albus had answered sadly.

He'd wavered and finally nodded. "Yes." He'd answered sullenly. He'd been an Auror, he knew he'd said enough to have been considered to have 'confessed'. No trial had been needed when someone 'pled guilty', although usually they did so more formally, in front of the Wizengamot. Still, the time had been so unsettled it had likely been impossible. Courtrooms had been needed for those that insisted they were innocent – not those that were insisting they were guilty.

"We should have looked into it further … but that is because we are seeing it with the benefit of hindsight … we never understood how you could have betrayed James … even Severus could hardly believe it." Remus said softly.

"Snivellus … how could you let Harry get saddled with that hateful git?" Sirius' anger flared back up.

Albus and Remus both breathed in and out, reminding themselves to be patient.

"Harry is doing quite well with Severus … he couldn't be happier … he has a family again." Remus insisted. He hadn't liked having Severus and Harry view him with suspicion again. He intended to make Sirius see the truth, no matter what.

"James and Lily were his family!" Sirius shouted. "I am his godfather … you and the Longbottoms were the closest friends … if his Aunt couldn't care for him he should have gone to you or them …" He stopped at their stricken looks. "What …"

Albus sighed. "I guess you were already in custody when it happened …" And he proceeded to tell Sirius about Frank and Alice's fate.

Sirius slumped back in a chair, wondering who else was dead that he knew nothing about.

"Harry will want to see you I'm sure – but not if you spend the whole time complaining about his choice of family." Remus was careful to avoid the word 'father'. That was sure to set Sirius off again.

Sirius nodded, but he was thinking swiftly. Surely there was a way to make Harry see reason? He couldn't be so very brainwashed as yet … and Remus and Albus likely just didn't know Harry was miserable – Harry was probably putting on a brave face.

Meanwhile, Harry was getting back into his schoolwork, the issue of Sirius fading into the back of his mind now that the crisis was over. Remus and Albus both reassured him that his godfather was getting the very best of care and that he could see him in the near future.

Soon Sirius was banished to the back of his mind … only brought forward when Remus or Albus insisted on giving him an update, or if another student asked him what was happening.

Marcus Flint had been the most excited of his fellow Slytherins to hear of Black being innocent.

"You can use the Firebolt, now … he must not have hexed it!" Marcus exclaimed, and chivvied Harry into sending for the broom from the people looking it over for curses. The Quidditch team had a great time 'trying it out', and Harry knew Marcus was trying to think of a way to get Harry to lend the broom to their seeker, who was the weak spot in their lineup.

Heather Black interrupted her now more serious romance with Oliver Wood to look into what was happening with the 'Noble House of Black' with the heir now being cleared of charges.

The Prophet's headlines were now mostly regarding the problems with wizarding jurisprudence. Judges and lawyers were interviewed and the consensus from them was that perhaps veritaserum should be applied to even those that had 'confessed' when things didn't add up completely.

Opposing arguments were that as far as the Aurors could tell things had 'added up' regarding Sirius Black, back 12 years ago– with only those that knew Sirius well thinking it odd that a member of the very dark house of Black had finally betrayed his friends.

Still others were horrified at the idea of forcing veritaserum on anyone – they considered it almost as bad as casting an unforgivable. After all, forcing someone to speak was against a basic principle – that everyone had a right to remain silent.

Heather hadn't minded taking up the reins as far as taking care of the long abandoned post of looking after the interests of the Noble House of Black. The duties had been light, after all – there weren't that many Blacks left – although Heather had tracked down a few. The monetary aspect had been equally light – the Black family didn't have much left – at least compared to their past glory. The vaults had been surprisingly lacking in gold, though dumping them all into just three vaults had made the numbers look a little better.

She'd kept the big, main Black vault, deep inside Gringotts, which seemed to hold mostly artifacts, old furniture and portraits – there were some jewels, etc., but no money. She hadn't been able to close Sirius Black's vault, so she'd put a lot of the money into it and two other very old Black vaults. She snorted; she hadn't realized that a fugitive could still access vaults – that had made it possible for him to buy that very high-end broom, the Firebolt for Harry.

She and a lawyer had decided to meet with Sirius Black – see if he wished to reassert his claim to being the Head of the House of Black, or if he would allow her to claim the title totally, instead of just being an 'acting executor'.

The Healers looked them over dubiously and said to not 'upset the man unduly'. Sirius was in the sun room with a few other wizards and witches. Most of the others seemed to be unconcerned with them – one was carefully counting a large bin full of knuts , another was having a heated conversation with an empty chair next to her.

Sirius was looking at them curiously, until Heather introduced herself. Sirius looked quite astonished. "Old Phineas helped rescue his squib grandson?" He asked in disbelief. "Are you sure?" There was a note of 'you're a deluded kid to believe that' in his voice.

Heather told him her grandfather and father's stories. He listened silently … a deeply held belief was being challenged – he'd always 'just known' that his ancestor had been a heartless blood purist who had gotten rid of a disappointment - a squib grandchild.

The lawyer explained why they were there and Sirius reacted with almost predictable ire.

"There is no 'House of Black', let alone a 'Noble' one." Sirius barked. "I'll be the end of the line, and the House of Black will finally end … thank Merlin."

Heather counted to ten, then twenty. Then she mentally recited a list of hexes that would keep Sirius busy squealing in misery and unable to spout rank idiocy. Yes, he hated his family – but condemning it to end instead of trying to make it return to an honored place in wizarding society was just short sighted and selfish.

"You aren't 'the end of the line' … my family name is 'Black, in case you haven't noticed. Andromeda and her daughter are a part of the family … and Draco is as well … the children of Isla Black, who married a muggle – there were wizards in that bunch as well …" Heather bit out at him, angry that he dismissed anyone not a part of his own dark slice of the family. "With a strong leader, the parts of the family that aren't dark can be brought together – the family can take their place as a part of the light instead of the dark."

"You're name will no longer be 'Black' after you marry, and the others are first and foremost members of another family – only related, not a part of the Black family." Sirius glared at the upstart. Why did she want to save the family name? Prestige? Wealth? Fame?

"And the line in Australia from Phineas Black – the Headmaster Black's son? The one that supported muggle rights? I suppose those Blacks don't deserve to have the good name of their House restored? And they do hold the family name of Black …" Heather hissed.

Sirius shook his head. He'd considered himself the end of the Black line, and had been happy to think that. Now this little idiot was trying to resurrect the Black name. He fumed.

"Fine … you're so sure you can redeem the whole lot of us … go ahead. " Sirius glared at the young girl – was she even twenty yet? "You are already the 'acting executor', why don't I just give you the position of "Head of the Noble House of Black"?" Sirius smirked, sure that would shut her up and make her back off in a hurry.

Instead Heather just gave him a smug look, making him feel that a trap door had just shut tightly on him. The amused lawyer handed over a sheaf of papers and pointed to the spot he needed to sign to do just that. Sirius wavered for a moment and then grabbed a never-out quill and signed quickly.

"My vault is still mine … and thank you for all those galleons you dumped in there …" Sirius smiled a bit meanly. "… and the Grimmauld Place house is mine as well, though I should just put a torch to it …" Sirius smiled a bit, thinking of what his parents reaction to that would have been.

Heather Black paused in her triumph at getting Sirius to do as she wished and eyed him. Lucius had made it clear – he and Severus needed to get into that house to look for something they needed to keep Harry safe from the Dark Lord. They were even willing to involve Dumbledore and 'the Order' to get it.

Heather knew she was kept well out of the 'loop' information-wise by the order, but she was sure that she likely didn't want to know details. Her parents had stayed well out of the first conflict with Voldemort – finding places to travel to and 'research' far from Britain – avoiding even Europe.

Heather had grown up hearing the staying out of wars was best. Ruth still disliked the idea of becoming involved with the coming conflict, but Heather did hope to at least be able to assist in some way – getting whatever the Black family was hiding for them was something she could do … and she intended to do so.

"I'm sure that Andromeda, Dora and all your old friends in the Order would be happy to get the place in shape for you to live in." Heather watched his reaction carefully, he seemed open to the idea. "You need some place to invite Harry, Remus and others to visit you at, after all."

Sirius nodded thoughtfully. Yes, the girl had a point. He would talk to Remus about it later.

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Draco moved restlessly in his bed, the whispering was getting louder and waking him up at times at night. It had started weeks ago – just a background buzz that he only noticed when it was very quiet. It came and went, but now it was whispering, so low and distant that he could not make out words … it was maddening.

As the days progressed it became frightening. Was he losing his mind? Dudley's prediction of him becoming another Trelawney drifted through his mind more than once. Was this how it had started with her 'gift'? He'd wanted to go to his father, or Severus, but the thought of being dragged to St Mungos for evaluation stopped him.

He'd heard that the locked ward was very boring and full of psychos … like his second cousin Sirius Black.

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Remus looked at the growing pile of letters in front of his plate as well as Albus', so far no howlers today. Now that the newspapers had exhausted every angle of Sirius' capture, the erroneous prior conviction and the possible whereabouts of Pettigrew they had turned their attention to a detail they'd overlooked at first.

There was a werewolf teaching at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

There was now a debate being raged over this. There were some who seemed to feel that as the year was almost over with no incident, that perhaps it was alright. There was a large faction however, that was annoyed that the Headmaster had done this without informing the parents. Yes, apparently the governors had known, but still, there should have been a notice sent anyway.

The third faction was rabidly against a werewolf holding a position at the school – they barely tolerated werewolves slowly being allowed to hold jobs anywhere. Mostly werewolves with work were at the Wolf community on the far side of the Forbidden Forest.

Still, werewolves were slowly being seen here and there in other work, and the ministry said nothing as long as there were no complaints.

Remus being a teacher, though … that was different. The wizarding world's children were there, within his reach during the full moon. The fact he was taking Wolfsbane did not quell the fears of any of the factions … a werewolf could still bite if they wished even with the Wolfsbane. Many angry werewolves had done just that in revenge against those that had shunned them.

Greyback did it just for fun – the wolfsbane just allowed he and his pack to pick their targets.

Now most wished Remus to step down – the sensible ones wanted it done quietly. The less sanguine wanted him charged with endangering children by his very presence. Endangering wizarding children was not an offense taken lightly by the courts … or the wizarding world in general.

It was mid-April now and the letters were just getting more demanding. Even the sane faction was becoming irritated. Severus and Lucius had remained silent during the debates among the teachers and school governors.

Albus was still holding sway over them, so far, insisting that the objections would die out over the summer, if they could hold on that long.

Now the teacher watched the governors file out after the latest meeting. Some of the teachers left as well, leaving the Heads of House, Lucius and Remus to look at Albus with troubled faces.

Severus of course quickly turned to anger.

"Hasn't Harry lost enough of his parents friends … on top of his own parent's deaths?" Severus fumed in fury. "Are you going to make him witness Lupin's death at the hands of some irate wizard? Some nut case is sure to decide to come here and take out the 'werewolf jeopardizing the children'. And he'll likely succeed … the curse will make sure that they do. It's the perfect way for it to happen … and if it doesn't something else equally unpleasant will happen."

"What makes you think I can't break the curse?" Remus asked, a bit offended at Severus' inference that Remus wasn't up to breaking this curse … though he'd also looked surprised at the objection to Harry losing another of James' old friends.

"You really think you can break a curse cast by the Darkest Dark Lord in centuries?" Lucius snorted, amazed at Lupin's sheer hubris.

"But with him being at least partly disembodied and weak, surely the curse is weakened as well?" Remus asked, looking perfectly serious.

Severus shook his head in disgust; he'd thought Remus wiser than this – but in spite of his long run of ill luck, Remus remained stubbornly optimistic about things – bloody Gryffindor.

"No, absolutely not. The curse has remained in full force even after his defeat by Harry twelve years ago. Not a single teacher has lasted the year. The curse has not diminished at all." Severus glared at Remus who looked dismayed, as if he had never even considered not succeeding.

"Perhaps Severus is right, and if the curse has not diminished …" Albus said slowly, looking more troubled now.

"Surely I should at least give it a try …?" Remus objected.

"It's not some Quidditch match, where if you miss the goal you can try again later …" Lucius barked. "It will KILL you, and it likely won't be pleasant – may of the children have become fond of you … don't make them witness your death."

"It's not a curse that you can just finite –or Albus would have done that long ago. It's insidious and will find a way to be rid of you." Severus insisted.

"Why did you want the job, then?" Minerva muttered, she'd never understood that.

"I've always felt that the curse would accept me, since I have the mark … it would believe that the Dark Lord had what he wanted – control of the DADA position." Severus answered.

Minerva nodded thoughtfully and Filius hummed to himself consideringly. Pomona just looked depressed.

"I do hate for Professor Lupin to leave this way … giving the unreasonable faction of parents the idea that they are correct in their beliefs." Professor Sprout muttered.

Severus fought to not shift and sniff in aggravation … just because they knew the Remus would never go after a student if he had the Wolfsbane, didn't mean that all the parents automatically could assume the same … what if some horrible mistake caused Remus to miss taking the potion?

Remus sighed, "Well, perhaps we can come up with a good excuse for me to leave … Sirius needing me, perhaps?"

"We could say you were going back to the Wolf village to marry Lockhart?" Lucius suggested with a smirk, causing Filius to choke and Pomona to snicker.

Remus made gagging noises, but was smiling at the joke.

"Or perhaps collaborating with him on a book?" Minerva grinned.

"Even worse, though it would be the most believable of the stories." Remus grimaced.

"Very well … we'll put forward that story and if Remus leaves by the end of the month, we'll only have the May classes to cover." Albus stood and the rest of the teachers left. He wasn't sure who to try for next … though perhaps Moody would listen to his offer this time …

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The remainder of the school year was remarkably quiet, with only the occasional explosion from Black when he was told he would not be seeing Harry until "he made more progress with his 'anger issues', as the Healers felt that would not be good for Harry."

When Remus had told Severus, he was pleased that they were considering Harry's well-being as well as Black's. They did agree to let eventually let Sirius write letters to Harry. But the Healers firmly informed Black they would be reading the letters before sending the letters to Severus to screen as well before Harry would finally get them.

Sirius had raged and cursed at the Healers about that – had gotten put back on a stronger calming draught and daily sessions with the mind-healer that were hours long. They suggested that instead of having Harry visit …perhaps Professor Snape should visit so they could 'work out their differences'.

The overly aggressive profanity-laden diatribe Sirius Black shouted at them at that time got him confined to his room for a few days with no visitors at all, and Albus was summoned to answer some questions about Professor Snape and Sirius Black's animosity.

Albus tried to make it sound like 'just schoolboy rivalry, etc.', but the Healers knew evasion when they heard it … even from the 'Head of the Wizengamot, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore'. The four Healers facing him soon had most of the story out of him - of the seven long years of guerilla fighting between Severus and the Marauders.

Albus winced a bit to hear one saying. "Perhaps Professor Snape could use some counseling over the ongoing mental trauma during school." The disdainful stares from the four Healers at the meeting were difficult to bear as well. They just didn't understand that he'd needed to recruit from the students and the Marauders had been obvious potential Order members. The 'big picture' didn't matter to them, and talking about 'the greater good' would get him thrown out.

He made a hasty exit and hoped Sirius could be helped by them – and Severus as well, if he would ever have allowed it.

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Draco sweated out the final days of school, depressed and feeling a little paranoid. The whispers had continued, sometimes feeling very far off, other times as if they were in the next room. He could sort out some voices – male and female, even a few that sounded young. The words continued to be too faint to be understood.

It was maddening, Draco thought with a sigh. Yes, and that was what he was afraid of – that he was mad.

Harry and Draco took their usual train compartment. Dudley was with them, of course, along with Ron. Seamus and Dean were going to each compartment to find out who was going to the Quidditch World Cup this summer – they were hoping to organize a party of friends to camp, as the Malfoys and Snapes had done at the last one.

Severus and Lucius had made no promises about another 'camp-out', but Draco, Dudley and Harry were planning a campaign to wear them down. Padma came by to assure that she and Pavarti intended to make their parents believe that the World Cup was an event they absolutely couldn't miss, though their mother would never camp out even in a wizard tent - her idea of 'roughing it' was a luxurious hunting lodge.

Mafalda and Martin said that the Weasleys had already asked if they and their father wanted to come with them. Hermione was debating whether Quidditch would be at all educational, but decided it was one of those uneducational experiences you had to do to become educated about the ways of the wizarding world. And there would be so many people from every wizarding culture in existence there, that alone would make it worthwhile.

Blaise listened to the plans being made with anger. He still didn't have the following or respect he had expected, though he was learning to wait and be patient. His mother was in touch with some people who were still loyal to the Dark Lord, and some families that leaned toward Voldemort's ideas. And then of course there were the fence-sitters. Most of them seemed to be hoping that Voldemort never returned, and no decision would need to be made. Still, they were willing to speak to her, though they would give no support at present.

There were occasional students who were willing to talk to him, and not all were in Slytherin. The McLaggens had several who disliked muggles and muggleborns. Timothy Hopkirk and his gang hated muggleborns, if only because the Weasley twins liked them … and the twins were their nemesis. There were a few Yaxleys, one or two Puceys, and a Mulciber here and there that were supporters.

The adults who wanted the Dark Lords return were slowly gathering around the Zabini House, mulling over plans, though none of them had the knowledge or courage to really do much. They were all waiting for a sign.

They knew Dumbledore believed Voldemort would return, they were waiting for a sign that it would happen soon.

Blaise wasn't sure how his mother and her friends could use this information about the World Cup and the proposed camp out of Potter and his hangers-on, but he was sure she would do something.

Harry usually used the train ride to read … leaving the networking and plan-making to Draco and Dudley. He didn't mind their plans, but really he liked some relaxation during the summer … or vacations that were purely for pleasure – like the one to Egypt that did not involve acquiring allies.

Now he had this letter from Sirius Black, it had arrived the day before and Severus had brought it to him, apologetically saying that the Healer had read it before sending it on and had insisted that Severus look at it as well, to make sure there was nothing to upset Harry.

Harry had taken the letter a bit reluctantly and nodded to Severus, stuffing it into his bookbag. He had waited until now, on the train to read it. He'd realized that Severus was only grudgingly willing to have Sirius Black have contact with Harry. He never said anything … just as he'd always refused to bad-mouth James. He seemed to be at the point with Sirius Black that he'd been at when Remus had first arrived and been antagonistic toward Severus.

Harry opened the letter, and scanned it.

My Dearest Godson,

I hope this letter finds you well and happy. I am still stuck at St Mungos for now, but I hope to be released, soon. My cousin Andromeda and her family, along with the new 'Head of the Noble House of Black', Heather Black have agreed to help me clean up my home - #12 Grimmauld Place. I am hoping you would visit over the summer … for a few days or a week, ifSnape will allow you to do so. Remus insists that he cares about you and won't stop us becoming acquainted. Housecleaning isn't something most want to do over the summer, but I promise that I'll make sure you have fun as well. Remus says he'll be there as well, so we'll all three get to know each other again. James, your father, would have wanted us toget together often.

I'll let you know when I've gotten sprung from here and have the place partway habitable again.

Lots of Love, and hang in there – I'll make sure you have a fun summer this time,

Your Godfather,

Sirius Black.

Harry sighed and sat back. He grimly wondered how bad other letters had been if this one – the one they'd delivered had been like this. Not that it was all that bad, but the crossed out areas and the undertones made it clear that Sirius was anything but happy about his father being Severus. Sirius had inked though some areas - Harry knew they were likely insults aimed at Severus.

It had been bad enough when Remus had been growling about his choice of father, but Harry had never been alone with Remus while he'd still been trying to undermine Severus. Harry leaned his head back and contemplated whether he should even bother going. If he'd still been living in the closet at Privet Drive, at Vernon's mercy he'd have leaped at the chance … he'd have been eager to meet a friend of his father's that might offer him a home, or at least a summer refuge.

But he wasn't an affection starved orphan – he had a family he loved and a father he adored. Severus had not been forced to care for him, or adopt him … in fact Dumbledore had done his very best to stop Severus from doing so – he could have given Harry over to the Weasleys and been done with it, his duty done.

Instead he'd taken Harry on as his son, given him a home, a family.

Sirius Black was even more against this that Remus had been, and he was likely to do much worse than Remus had even thought of to try and tear them apart. Remus had pulled his verbal punches … Harry knew that , but he'd realized after some time passed that Harry was happy and had been satisfied to let Harry live his life at Dragonsrest.

Harry wasn't sure what Black would do to try to break Severus and Harry apart, but he was not intending to spend any part of his summer defending the fact that he was happy.

Harry folded the letter and put it away … he needed to think of how he was going to deal with this.

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