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In His Place	By : SpeedyTomato Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Sirius Views: 72865 -:- Recommendations : 16 -:- Currently Reading : 16
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, so sad for me, and make no money off this story, even sadder for me.

Chapter List
- 23
- 24
- 25
Beta'd by the amazing Tenchi. Love you, woman, you're the best!

With help from Lynn who works with me when it comes to flow, continuity and other issues.

Just a reminder of what's on my profile: reviews complaining or whinging about the lack 'o sex in stories will get deleted. If you want a smut-filled romp, you need to find another story to read.

Chapter 24

“It doesn't seem like enough to me,” Harry told Narcissa softly after signing the letter she helped him write to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Shaking his head when he finished and set it aside, he then took a sip of his juice.
“Because it's not,” Narcissa admitted softly, reaching out to pat his hand. “There isn't anything we could do or say which would be. We just go with the best we can and hope it helps a little. That's what this is. At least they know you're thinking of them in their time of grief. It's really all any of us can do, Harry.”
Looking at the letter again, knowing it would go in a basket of some kind from him, he asked, “Does writing bits like that ever get easier? That was—really rough.”
Taking Harry's hand, Narcissa gave it a squeeze then told him honestly, “No, never. It's just as hard each time you have to write one. All you learn is how to best word it. Nothing more than that.”
Still staring at the letter, Harry asked, quietly, “Why couldn't I have gotten something before he died? I mean—it's—well, why after? Couldn't it have come before so someone could have stopped it?” They were in a small parlor in the back of the house, so he thought he was safe to talk freely. There were plenty in and out, of course, but they were sticking to the kitchen for that.
Giving Harry's hand a gentle squeeze, Narcissa told him, feeling it tremble in her grasp, “I don't know. I don't think any of us do, Harry. It would be nice if it worked out that way, but you just get them whenever this—whatever you want to call it gives you one. When it does isn't something you have control over. I doubt we'll ever be able to predict when it comes or why. Just keep in mind what it gave you will save plenty of lives, Harry. One was lost, but more won't be because of the information that came. And we can protect plenty of others with it, like you.”
“I know,” Harry sighed, shaking his head. “It's just—well, I'm not sure. It just doesn't seem right.”
“No, it doesn't. This isn't ever fair,” she soothed with a sad smile on her face. Reaching out, she put a hand on the back of his head and smoothed down his hair. “Such matters aren't your fault, either. You keep that in mind. All you are is a conduit for whatever this 'gift' is. You can't force it to give you something, just handle it as it comes to you. It's nothing more than that.” Lowering her voice, she added, “As a mother, I can tell you it would be far easier to know your child is dead rather than have him just vanish. All that time of waiting, worrying and hoping before he was found would be almost maddening. The grief would come either way, but knowing quickly allows you to move on faster. That everyone needs.”
While Harry didn't understand that, he nodded, not looking at her as he did. He supposed it was something you only understood later on after you 'grew up'.
After giving Harry's hand another gentle squeeze she said, pulling the letter closer, “Let's go join everyone in the kitchen. I believe Remus is getting ready to go deliver everything from us in the house, so we want this included.” Seeing him nod, she stood and waited for him to do the same.
Getting to his feet and grasping his cane tightly, Harry followed her slowly. Today wasn't something he really wanted to face, but he would. After all, he had been through worse, so he would manage this one as well.

When everyone in the house was seated at the kitchen table after Remus went to go pay respects for all of them to the Weasleys, Sirius thought they would end up alone for a time. The lull, as so many had plenty to tend to, was what they needed to hash out some of the other bits that had come up.
Quietly, he said, when everyone was settled in, “I need suggestions on how to work with Kreacher to get something he has stashed somewhere.” He wasn't sure how much Lucius and Cissy knew when it came to what Harry had imparted about the Horcrux bit, so he gave them a brief rundown of what was said. When he finished, he asked, “Any ideas? I'm not sure he would listen to anything I had to say long enough for me to get across to him what I need.” Then he waited for their answers.
“I'm not sure he would listen to anyone in this house, honestly,” Narcissa sighed, shaking her head. “We're all considered Blood Traitors now, those that are Purebloods and are around. The rest—that's obvious.”
Listening in, though staying out of it, as Sirius and the rest probably knew better than him how to handle it, Harry waited until there was a lull as they tried to figure it out then said, softly, “Whatever that was I got—Dad said to tell him you were trying to finish Regulus' mission. He said that would get him to give it up. Any way to use that?”
Nodding slowly after remembering that bit, Sirius told him, “We need to pull that out. He might listen if we do. Not sure.” Looking at Lucius, he said, “Maybe you should take that on. You have a tad more of a commanding presence with him. We all know he's turning his nose up at you three as you are in the Blood Traitor category now, but he's not going to listen to a word I have to say on anything, trust me.”
“Let me try first,” Narcissa said. “Between Lucius and me, we'll manage, somehow.” Then, getting all the information she could on what was said about the object and what they knew of Regulus' involvement, Narcissa straightened up then called for Kreacher in a firm and slightly cold voice. She knew how to handle house elves and what they responded to, so she assumed it would at least get her foot in the door. If it did, he might listen long enough for them to get somewhere. At least she hoped.
Though he was grumbling and grousing, Kreacher popped up. “Miss Cissy called Kreacher?” He asked, tone sneering, mumbling about Blood Traitors under his breath as he did.
“Enough of that,” Cissy told him, voice a sharp whipcrack. “You will behave as a house elf should or we'll bind you to another house! The Weasleys come to mind as they can always use extra help.” Though the elf did stop, he shot her a malevolent look. While it wasn't complete obedience, it was enough to give her a foot in the door, what she needed. “We need something you have, Kreacher. Regulus left you something to do as he couldn't finish his mission. We know what it is and can destroy it. To do that, we need the locket he gave you.”
Eyes going wide, Kreacher reached up then began to tug on his droopy ears. “Miss Cissy knows about that?” As far as he was aware, no one but him knew about the mission Master Regulus' left him.
“All of us sitting here know about it, Kreacher,” she told him coldly, eyes hard. Eyes flitting to Harry, she added, softening her tone, “Harry was able to tell us about it because of a 'gift' he has. We need the locket so we can get it to someone that can destroy it. The Minister of Magic knows about other objects like the locket and will tend to it like he has one already. It's the key to something else. He can't fix what is going on if you cause us problems and refuse to give it up!”
Glancing around the table, eyes overly wide, Kreacher asked, stuttering, “It can be destroyed? You know how?”
“You give it to us and we'll make sure it's taken care of, just like Regulus wanted. Sirius was given the message that it needs taken care of. He'll make sure his brother's mission is completed.” She explained, minimally. Eying the elf, she added, tone hard, “And you will keep this conversation a secret! Not only is it your duty to the House of Black, but to Regulus! He died trying to get rid of that disgusting object. In betraying the secrets you just learned, you would be betraying his memory. Understood, Kreacher?”
“Kreacher understands,” the elf told her, bowing repeatedly. Without another word, he popped away then returned with the locket. Holding it out to Master Sirius, hand trembling, he said, “This is the locket. Master Regulus told Kreacher to destroy it, but he can't.”
Taking the thing, feeling his skin crawl, Sirius pulled a face then sat it on the table. Shaking his head, looking around, he sighed, then told the elf, “There was no way for you to destroy it. Only two things work, from what we were told, and house elf magic isn't one of them.”
“Can you take it to the Minister of Magic, Kreacher?” Lucius asked, keeping at tone similar to his wife's as he was sure that would work to get him to listen and act like a normal house elf. If they set the elf to an important task like this, he was likely to end up more loyal to all of them in the house, thus not causing problems. “You can't be seen doing it. Only he should be able to see you.”
“Kreacher can do that,” the elf said proudly, straightening up. “Kreacher will make sure only Minister Rufus can see him.”
“Go clean yourself up so you look like a respectable house elf and we'll write a note for you to deliver to him,” Narcissa told him firmly, pleased with this. She had her doubts she could have managed, but they did. As long as this thing was in the hands of Rufus, he would tend to it.
Summoning a parchment and quill, Sirius quickly quilled a note to Rufus about what this was. Glancing up at Cissy as he did, he grinned, “Great job! You got him going without fits.”
Looking pleased, Narcissa nodded, “I'm used to dealing with them and getting even the most stubborn and deranged moving how we need them to. Nothing to worry about. Just glad I could help.”
When Kreacher popped back in, completely cleaned up, fresh towel slung around his waist, ear hair white and fluffy, Sirius handed over the note while the locket was passed back. He told the elf that was clutching onto both tightly, looking determined, “Wait for Rufus to read the note. Tell him it's from me. Then follow any instructions he has for you or answer any questions he might have. After that, come back.”
“Kreacher will do that,” the elf said with a deep bow. Then he popped away.
Blowing out a relieved breath, Sirius grinned, “Good. We got that. Now it's up to Rufus to take on the rest. We just worry about keeping Harry safe. That's all we have to do.”
“While that's not the easiest task in the world, it's far less problematic than the one we dropped on Rufus,” Lucius said, looking amused. “We'll deal accordingly and do what we can.”
“Once Kreacher returns, I think you and Harry need to sit down and write up what Rufus requested,” Narcissa told the two. “We'll handle whoever comes in unless it's something that you're required for.”
“Something we need to do and we'll take it on,” Sirius nodded. “We're going to retire to the bedroom to do it, though. That way we aren't disturbed by those we don't want seeing some of this. If anyone asks, Harry's taking a nap. As that's normal, it won't seem off.”
As they pressed on, discussing what all needed taken care of and how to handle some situations, Kreacher popped back in and handed Sirius a note. Looking around, he said, “Minister Rufus told Kreacher to tell everyone that he will destroy Master Regulus' locket.”
“You did good, Kreacher.” Sirius told him distractedly as he read the short note.
Happy with the fact that the elf did as he was told, Narcissa told him, “Dismissed, Kreacher. The other elves need help. Go find them. I think you will do well helping the ones trying to keep an eye out for those that aren't supposed to be around the house and are dangerous.”
“Kreacher will help them,” the elf nodded before popping away.
Grinning as the elf actually listened to someone, Sirius chuckled, “Great job, Cissy! We can use him if we need anything going to Rufus from now on. Perfect way to go about it.” Focusing on the note, he said, “Right—Rufus wants to talk to all of us, and Snape, tomorrow night through the mirrors. He wants all the information we can get him on this so he can start looking. So, I'll leave it to you lot to get in touch with Snape to let him know while Harry and I start working on writing down what we know.” Passing the note to Lucius, who was nodding, he said, “If anything comes up, we're upstairs.” Seeing nods, he waited for Harry to stand so they could get going.

Asking Harry to repeat what he said, Sirius nodded then wrote it down. While Harry was good with the dict-o-quill by now, he was just having his godson tell him what he remembered and wrote it down. As this was something that was working better with essays and seemed faster, Sirius had decided to go this way with it. Besides, he could ask for details this way and poke Harry to remember bits that he might have left out. This was something very important, so they needed everything both of them could remember on it. As he went on, he was also getting insight into just what this whole 'gift' was like and what Harry dealt with when he got the predictions. He would impart all that to Cissy as she was the one working with his godson on controlling what he was dealing with.
Finishing up, he picked up the one he had written and compared the two then nodded. “I think this is all we need. It can only help Rufus in finding what your dad talked about. Well, other than that damned snake. It’s going to end up messy when it comes to getting his hands on her,” he said with a sigh.
“She's scary if you ask me,” Harry chuckled, taking a sip of his butterbeer.
“Oh, you're going to get no arguments from me on that one, Harry,” Sirius grinned. “She is. If she is one of these nasty things, that has to be affecting what she is like. It didn't you, obviously, but she's not as complex when it comes to her brain as we are. I'm also betting it makes her far more dangerous than a normal snake. We have no idea what kind she is anyway, though we know she's venomous. I've never heard of a snake, even a Magical one, that big that's venomous.”
“She didn't start out that way either,” Harry told him. Before Sirius could ask, he said, “It was some of the visions I got before the World Cup. She was a long green snake, nothing like she is now.”
Shaking his head, Sirius sighed, then added that to his parchment. He wasn't sure it would help, but maybe Rufus could use it. “Not sure how helpful finding out what breed she is will be, but it can't hurt. At least he might know what kind of venom she has that way. If he does, they may be able to find an antivenin for it. Even then, not sure how effective it would end up as she's mutated in some way.”
“That's all I know,” Harry told him with a shake of his head. “If I knew more, I would have said something when Mr. Weasley was bitten.”
Reaching over and ruffling Harry's hair, Sirius told him, “I know. Nothing to worry about. Back then we didn't have the resources we do now, so it's doubtful anyone could have found anything anyway. As mutated as she is, even knowing what kind she started out as might not end up being a huge assist.”
Leaning back with a groan, stretching out his legs, he said, “We'll get these to Alastor. He can then pass them to Rufus. It'll at least give him the basics of what we found out. He'll know what to ask beyond that in case we forgot anything.”
“Good,” Harry nodded.
Slipping an arm around Harry's shoulders, Sirius pulled him close then kissed him on the temple. Quietly, he said, “I know you don't like this 'gift', Harry, but it's been damned useful for all of us. It's given us not only plenty to save a lot of lives, but pointed us how to end this and protect you. That’s more than worth it. Not to mention you learning to control it to an extent. That kick and holding off until we got you somewhere safe is what we needed, Harry. Keep doing it. Then managing to let me talk to your dad. The information he gave us will help end this war.”
Leaning against Sirius, Harry nodded, “I understand and am getting used to it. It doesn't mean I like it, but I’m getting there. Some is bad. The bit with Percy—I didn't want to say that as I know how much it has to be hurting the Weasleys. While he wasn't talking to his family, they still loved him.”
“I know,” Sirius soothed, resting his head against his godson's. “That's very uncomfortable and I wouldn't like telling anyone either, but it heralded plenty that can help more. Like Andromeda. She's going to get the protection she needs to stay safe because of what you said. Her and her husband, both. If we didn't know, I'm betting, as deranged as that arse that is stalking them is, he would have got her. Probably Ted as well. I know you've not met them, but you would adore both of them. They are very nice.” Grinning, he added, “You'd just have to learn to realize that Andromeda looks like Bella. They are almost identical!”
“Really?” Harry asked, grinning.
“Oh yes,” Sirius chuckled. “It takes a bit for those of you not used to them as it's slightly unnerving. I could always tell them apart, but I was around both of them growing up.” Giving Harry a squeeze, he said, “She raised Tonks. You know what she's like, so that gives you an idea of her personality.”
“Tonks is great!” Harry agreed with a nod, figuring he'd like the two if they raised her and she was that much fun.
“She is!” Sirius agreed. Sobering up, he said “It's people like her you're protecting when you come across with some of this. Tonks can defend herself, no doubt there, as she's an Auror, but the information you've come across with has made it to where she knows what to keep an eye out for. The same with so many others. Keep that in mind when you feel uncomfortable.”
Hearing it put that way did make Harry feel better as it related to someone he knew and liked. “Understood,” he said, softly.
Remembering the rest of what James said, Sirius wasn't sure what to do or say about that. Harry hadn't asked, thankfully, as it was probably lost in all the other parts that came through they had to deal with. He would take the advice and wait, but wanted something else out there. He'd told Harry this before, but wanted to say it again. “I want you to remember that you can talk to me about anything, Harry. I don't care what. Bits of this make you uncomfortable, that's obvious, so you can come to me and we'll sit down and discuss it. You know it won't go anywhere else if we do. The same with anything personal. Nothing you're going to say will shock or disgust me. If it's bugging you, say something.”
Smiling at that, though giving an internal sigh at the parts he wouldn't ever say anything to Sirius about, he nodded. “I will. Some of it's just hard. I don't talk much about personal bits.”
“Oh, this I know,” Sirius told him with a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “Just keep in mind that you now have someone you can do that with. It doesn't matter about what or how trivial you might feel it is, you can come to me. We'll sit and work it out together. Even just saying something might make you feel better. It's the old adage of better out than in with it. I'm here for you, remember that. About everything, I don't care what.”
“I'll remember,” Harry said with a smile, adoring hearing it said. While he might not ever do such bits, it was nice to know that there was someone that he could talk to about some parts that were harder on him.
“I do have a question for you,” Sirius started. When he saw Harry look at him, he asked, “Does it bother you when I sleep with you? I've not asked, but I didn't think it did. From what I've seen, me being close seems to help the nightmares you're dealing with.”
“I like it, actually,” Harry told him, trying not to sound too needy or impart just how much he liked Sirius being that close. “You're right, it helps with the nightmares. They're bad, really bad, but you being close seems to calm them a little. I don't know why.”
“Probably an unconscious thing because you know I'll protect you from anything if I can,” Sirius said with a tiny smile. Good. That meant that he could press on without making Harry uncomfortable with it. Quietly, he added, “It helps me, too. In plenty of ways. Me being that close makes me feel like I will know quickly that there might be something wrong.” Lifting his head, he added, whispering in Harry's ear, “And it helps me with the nightmares I get about Azkaban as well. So, we both get something out of it.”
Nodding at that, smiling again, Harry looked at him and said, “Good. We're helping each other. I think that's all that matters.” He loved the idea, too. It felt so good to have Sirius there at night that he didn't want him to stop. And if it helped both of them with plenty, he didn't see the harm either.
Straightening up, Sirius decided that was enough of the serious shite, so he changed topics. “Now, about this prank thing you and Draco are working on. I know it got derailed a tad with all that's going on, but let's see what we can do with it. Why don't you tell me what you're trying accomplish. From what I've seen, it's not working. Remember who you're talking to here, not going to say a word.”
Grinning and straightening up, Harry began to explain the idea of the hat that rained lemon sherberts then the problem with getting the sherberts into it.
Chuckling at the idea, Sirius said, “Oh, that should be a riot! I love it! All right, it's making them gobstones? Let's see what you've been doing then, maybe, I can figure out just where the problem is coming in. If we can, we'll drag Draco up here and see what we can manage between the three of us.” He thought it would do both the teens good to have some fun after having so much bad tossed around. At least they'd feel better.
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In His Place