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When Love and Death Embrace	By : SpeedyTomato Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Sirius Views: 12070 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 6
Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter and make no money off this story

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
Beta’d by the amazing Tenchi and Lynn.

A reminder of what's on my profile: reviews whinging or complaining about lack 'o smut in stories get deleted. If you want something that is one long, smut-filled story, find something else to read as my work isn't for you.

Chapter 3

With a tired groan, Harry turned over on his other side, back to the door, not opening his eyes. While he wasn’t enthused about taking the potions, he did like one part; he was constantly tired. And not just a little tired either, but a lot tired, as in unable to stay awake for more than short periods of time. Yes, he adored that. While he took a shower and whatever Remus wanted, not really caring too much about that but doing it to please him and, well, shut him up so he wouldn’t be bothered, he then went back to sleep and no one tried to coax him into staying awake. That was good.

After a little shifting, he was completely comfortable and let out a soft sigh. Tugging the covers around him more, he curled up then let himself start to drift away on that gray haze that the potions brought on. As he embraced the grayness, his mind cleared slightly so he was able to shove aside his grief and he began to think over everything Sirius had talked about when it came to so much that dealt with how he could get him back if the worst happened.

While Sirius talked about it, he didn’t give too many details as they thought they had plenty of time to get to it and other areas seemed more important to talk over. That was the current problem. Without those details, he didn’t know what to do or how to go about it. Focusing the best he could in the state he was in, Harry tried to sort through so much of what was said. The only thing he kept coming up with was Sirius mentioning he had written down his research and hid it. However, he didn’t say where he had hidden it. As he well knew from talks with Sirius, there were a multitude of places in this house to hide anything, so he didn’t know where to start.

If that wasn’t enough of an obstacle, the shape he was in was a deterrent as well. He couldn’t go nosing around in the state he was in as he would end up falling asleep somewhere else. Not to mention Professors Moody and Lupin were around. They would get very curious very quickly if he did because of the shape he was in. Then the questions would start. Those he didn’t want to answer. Oh sure, he could dance around the topic plenty if he wanted to, but he didn’t want to. They would get an odd feeling if he did. Which meant he had to find a way to do this without them either knowing or it looking odd.

As he started to doze his mind slid away from remembering what Sirius said to how he could go about finding what Sirius left behind that he needed. Though he didn’t make any real firm choices where that could be before sleep took him, he did have the inkling that he should start in either Sirius’ old room or the one he stayed in after his escape from Azkaban. They might have something or at least a clue where to look. He doubted Sirius would leave him something and not give a hint where to look.

When sleep fully claimed him, he held on to that thought and relegated it to the place where he would remember it after he woke.

“He sleeping again?” Alastor asked after Remus came in and sat down. He assumed so as the lad had taken the potions not long before.

“Out like a candle,” Remus nodded with a smile. “At least that tells me he’s actually taking the potions and not hording them. Before he wasn’t asleep, just not responding.”

“Which can only help,” Alastor agreed with a determined nod.

“If he keeps it up, yes,” Remus told him with a relieved sigh. “Will make sure Dobby keeps an eye out for him faking taking them, but I don’t think he will. At least not yet. From what little I’ve been able to get out of him, it seems like he likes the sleeping part. Not a bad idea, honestly. It’ll give him some distance from what happened and help with the grief.”

“Very true,” Moody nodded. Figuring that was enough of that, he switched subjects. “While Sirius dying might be the major factor here, I think there is more to this than just that. It was probably coming and building for some time. We know the lad has a temper and has shown it plenty, probably part of him dealing with his life. This just tossed him on another path of it. And I don’t think it’ll be as easy as we think to get him to work though it.”

Brow furrowed, Remus asked, “What do you mean? Sirius—that would be enough to cause all this.”

“I think it’s more,” Alastor told him seriously. Then he covered all he heard about Harry’s home life. When he finished, seeing Remus not only look sad, but shaking his head, he said, “We knew the lad wasn’t treated right, but I think we’ve been given a very light brush of an overview about it. I’m sure the past is helping drive it.”

“I didn’t know any of this,” Remus sighed. Then he imparted, “I agree; there is probably more to it. What you just described is part. The other is Sirius. My thought is there is more, I’m just not sure how much. I know the two were closer than anyone knew, but even I don’t know how close or what the relationship was beyond just friends.”

After thinking that over seriously, Alastor then gave a slow nod. “I agree with you. How about this—you take on looking into what the relationship was and how close while I tackle the lad’s past. Not talking to Granger or Ron, but will nosy around with some others. Between the two of us, we should be able to get the whole picture while Harry grows accustomed to the potions.”

“At the very least we’ll have the whole picture and can help him from there,” Remus told him, straightening up, mind already working on how to go about figuring out his end. As he knew Harry wouldn’t talk and no one else would know, it would take him some looking around to see what he could find.

“I’m also going to say we don’t tell anyone what we’re looking into,” Moody gruffed, looking at Remus. Before the man could ask, he explained, “We’re more apt to get the whole truth if we don’t go into why and what with so much. If we just ask some well placed questions, they’ll assume it’s to help the lad and find a way to deal with him. This is something I think we need to handle ourselves, not letting anyone else get too close.”

He didn’t want anyone’s hands in it or their version of ‘help’. While he wouldn’t say it aloud to Remus, that was especially true for Albus. After that meeting, he wondered what was going on there. Anyone else and Albus would have ensured they had the help they needed, not having put it off. That seemed fishy to him.

“Agreed,” Remus nodded, taking it for what it was, thinking about the old adage of ‘too many cooks’.

“Let’s give it a week with the lad then start talking to him to see where he is, mentality wise, before we jump in there,” Moody told Remus. “This week—we wouldn’t get anywhere. He’s too out of it.”

“Oh yes,” Remus chuckled, smiling a tad as he thought of the shape Harry was in. “Anything we would try would just lead to Harry falling asleep on us.”

“Figured,” Moody snorted, one side of his mouth turning up in a smile. Then he said bracingly, “We’ll find a way. Might take some trial and error on our ends, but we’ll manage. We both have enough common sense to figure it out.”

After agreeing with that, Remus began asking some basic questions, trying to jog his memory of some things with Sirius. He would then see what he could do to start finding out answers to plenty of questions. He had a feeling they needed to figure some of this out before Harry was with it enough again and did something they couldn’t predict.

Hands on his hips, Remus glanced around Sirius’ old room. While most would start with the one he occupied before his death, he thought here was the better option because of how well he knew Sirius. No, Sirius hadn’t slept in here or used it much, but he was in and out. Remus assumed, with what he remembered Sirius saying in school, that he had concocted plenty of places to hide things in here so his parents or brother wouldn’t find them. It was his line of thought that Sirius would use this room to hide anything he didn’t want anyone finding.

As he looked around, Remus wondered where to start. That he didn’t have a clue about. While the room was left just how it was the last time Sirius was in it all those years ago, it was clean of dust, dirt, and any pests. Dobby was ensuring it stayed that way as well. Now Remus had to figure out where in Merlin’s name he needed to start.

After pondering it for a few minutes, he decided to check the most obvious places first, the ones out in the open like drawers and such, then move on to any hidden places. Those would take plenty of time, so he wanted to make sure they didn’t contain anything. If this room yielded nothing, he would then start on the one Sirius had stayed in after his escape.

With a firm nod he went to work, starting with the desk.

After settling into an upholstered chair in the back room of the twin’s joke shop with a grunt, Alastor gave a bit of a contented sigh. It was certainly comfortable.

“What did you want to talk to us about?” Fred asked, curious.

“We’ll tell you want you want to know, just no idea how we could help with anything,” George added.

“About Harry,” Alastor told them, looking between the two. While the shop was open, the clerks were handling the customers for them at the moment so they could talk.

Relaxing, George nodded, “Whatever you want to know.”

“We’ll tell you what we know,” George added. “Not sure how much help we’ll be though.”

“Any little bit you can give me will help,” Alastor said honestly, looking between the two. “Already talked to your parents, but thought you might know some more. Wanting to know about the lad’s home life and family. You’ve interacted some, so was curious if you knew more than they did.”

After exchanging a dark look with his brother, Fred sighed then said, “What do you want to know about? None of us, Ron included, know much about the family other than what we saw those few times we’ve met them.”

“Harry, from what we know, just doesn’t talk much.” George continued.

“Ron mentioned he’s said some about it and we’ve heard a few bits from him, but not much,” Fred finished.

“Anything you have that you don’t think your parents know, like how he was treated,” Alastor encouraged, looking between the two.

“Mum and dad know everything we do, I think,” George snorted, rolling his eyes.

“Harry said most of it in front of them,” Fred grumbled, slouching down.

“Look, we know all isn’t right there, even mum and dad do,” George pressed on.

“Harry’s said it to them, like Dudley being a great bullying git,” Fred added.

“We’ve all seen and heard now the Dursleys don’t even want to talk to Harry, even to say goodbye,” George tossed in there.

“Dad was there for that one and can tell you himself. Right upset him, actually,” Fred sighed.

“We heard mum and dad talking about that bit and some other things late at night when they didn’t think any of us were listening,” George explained.

“Both were highly upset over it and so much else,” Fred groused.

“They even talked to Dumbledore, from what we knew. He didn’t do anything, like always,” George sneered.

“And when mum talks about how skinny Harry is when he comes to us, she’s not joking,” Fred said, sobering up.

“He’s rail thin and you can tell he hasn’t eaten right since he left Hogwarts,” George grumbled, looking mildly mad.

“Everyone’s mentioned that, but your mum says it to so many, wasn’t sure if it was the absolute truth or just your mum’s version of thin,” Alastor prodded, pleased with the information he was getting.

With an askance glance at his brother, seeing him look back, Fred sighed then explained, “He was that thin, Alastor.”

“And we mean really thin. As in you could see his ribs and spine,” George said softly, shaking his head.

“Wasn’t one of mum’s standards, trust us,” Fred added.

“Alastor, it was so bad that everyone who wrote sent him food so he wouldn’t starve,” George told him, a troubled expression on his face as he did.

“That’s not good,” Alastor admitted, brow drawn down.

“No, it’s not,” Fred said him with a shake of his head.

“His Chrissy presents told even more,” George tossed in then explained what he got from the Dursleys.

When his brother finished, Fred explained, “We try not to say anything about the Dursleys around Harry as we know they are the last of his family and aren’t sure how he would react, but it’s disgusting how he was treated.”

Then, softly, unsure how it would be taken, George tossed in there, “And plenty, like Dumbledore, knew but did nothing. That doesn’t sit right with either of us.”

“I’ll be honest that we don’t like mum and dad doing nothing either,” Fred added softly, shaking his head.

“Plenty didn’t from all I’ve heard,” Alastor told them. Then he tacked on, “Not to worry, I won’t say a word to anyone, lads. I just want an idea of what we’re dealing with on top of Sirius’ death.”

“I’m sure there’s plenty,” George hypothesized.

“Harry was just getting on an even keel the last year or so,” Fred tossed out there. “Not sure what was going on, but he seemed better than he had since we met him and was doing great.”

“Seemed much happier too,” George nodded.

“Any idea why?” Alastor asked, glancing between the two. If he knew, they might be able to use it now to help.

“Sorry, no clue,” George told him with a shrug.

“Like so much, Harry was pretty close mouthed about it,” Fred sighed. “He just doesn’t talk about much.”

“We asked Ron and he didn’t know either.” George added.

“Even mentioned it in an off-handed way to Hermione and she didn’t either,” Fred shrugged.

“We just thought that if it was working...” George started.

“To not question it,” Fred finished.

“I wouldn’t have either,” Alastor admitted with a shrug. While it didn’t seem like much, it actually helped him. “Any hints from anyone on what it was? Like something the lad let slip?”

“Nothing,” George said gloomily.

“Not even any guesses,” Fred shrugged.

“Sorry, we’re not much help there,” George told him quietly.

“All we really have are observations,” Fred admitted.

“You actually helped quite a lot,” Moody told him honestly. “Might be just hints, but it can help.”

“Do you and Remus think you can pull Harry out of his funk?” Fred asked seriously.

“We haven’t heard much, just that it’s bad,” George tossed out there softly.

“We’ll accomplish it somehow,” Moody assured them though he didn’t know how they would handle it yet or how long it would take. “Remus managed to get him to take the potions. That’s a good start.”

“Good,” George nodded vigorously.

“At least it’s a start,” Fred said with a relieved sigh.

Rather than dwell there, Alastor began asking more question to see if he couldn’t figure out parts of it. Any little bit would help them.

After thinking over what Alastor said, Remus clasped his hands on the table then said, tone distracted, “The last couple years—I think that’s when Harry and Sirius started growing really close. Not sure, mind, but it fits.”

“Might well be,” Alastor grunted with a nod. “Might also explain why this hit him so hard, on top of everything else, of course.”

“It might,” Remus told him, thinking it over.

“You find anything that might help?” Alastor asked, leaning back with a groan.

“Nothing,” Remus admitted with a sad shake of his head. “I looked everywhere I could think of in Sirius’ old room and came up with nothing. I even found hiding places in it he had. The only thing I did come across that will help is his will. As expected, everything of his goes to Harry. I sent it off to Albus, of course, to put his mind at ease, but it doesn’t help anything. Come tomorrow I’ll start on the other room to see what I can find. I might have better luck in there.”

“If you still can’t find anything, let me know. I know a few spells that can detect hiding places that most don’t know,” Alastor gruffed. “Together we’ll manage.”

When he saw Remus nod, he asked, “Any problem with the lad? I assume he’s still sleeping and taking the potions.”

“We’re good there,” Remus told him with a small smile. Dobby is keeping an eye on him in case there’s an issue, but says there’s nothing to worry about. For now, I think we’re good on that front.”

“I’ll say we have enough time before he grows used to the potions to not only gather all the information we need, but make a good plan of attack for this. Starting tomorrow morning, we’ll go through what we think we need to do, besides the obvious, then work on it a bit each day to hone it until Harry is with it enough for us to tackle the topic with him.”

“Good plan,” Remus nodded. “Until then, we’ll all also start gathering information. The papers we need should come in over the next couple of days.”

“They won’t mean much, but it can only help in the long run. I think I’m onto something, but need to do some more sorting and sifting before I tell you what it is. If it’s as I keep hearing, we might have a bigger task that we thought.” After Remus asked, Alastor waved his hand then said, “Give me a couple more days to work on it. I don’t want us going on a road we don’t need to.”

As he trusted Alastor’s instincts, Remus nodded. While curious, he put it on the back burner, focusing on the moment. He then began to ask Alastor about what he thought they should do for Harry, aside from the obvious. That way he had a base to work off of when they started to come up with the plan.

About one in the morning, Harry’s eyes came open and he stiffened up. He had a dream, one that wasn’t exactly a dream, but was part real information. Mainly, it was a replay of a conversation he had with Sirius through the mirror. Most of it was the mundane, but part of it pertained to the information he needed.

In it, Sirius mentioned that he had written everything down in a research journal. There was also a part about the key to opening and seeing it was the same phrase used with the Marauders Map. Slightly relieved he knew what to look for, Harry shut his eyes again and began to ponder how to go about this mission with no one thinking anything was off with him. Since he didn’t know what the journal looked like, as he was certain Sirius disguised it in some way, he would end up doing some hunting around before he found it.

As he lay there, he tried to think where was the best place to start looking. He was also sure Sirius left him some kind of clue so it wasn’t a wild goose chase all over. Where those might be he didn’t know either.

Once he started drifting off to sleep, his mind was still locked on the puzzle. When the dreams started up again, his mind was trying to give him more clues by replaying conversations they had.
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When Love and Death Embrace