Chapter Text
Harry hadn't expected to escape the Dursleys once it became obvious that the Minister would never allow Sirius to be recognised as innocent.
He had tasted the idea of freedom for a few glorious hours and had been left with a longing that would never, ever come true.
Harry walked through the streets of Privet Drive, making his way back to the park where, almost a year earlier, he had seen Sirius for the very first time. He huffed, caught somewhere between amusement and surprise, as he remembered how frightened he had been by the dog's growl. Adrenaline had driven him to defend himself, even though Harry knew that if Sirius had truly wanted to kill him, there would have been very little he could have done to stop him.
Privet Drive was bathed in the golden light of late afternoon. The perfectly trimmed hedges all looked the same, and the driveways gleamed as though someone had just washed them.
The park, however, was slightly different, looking lived-in rather than ordinary.
The grass grew higher in some places and was worn thin in others. The swing creaked whenever the wind brushed against it, and the green paint on the children's playground equipment was beginning to fade beneath the sun.
There was a bench near the trees.
"Seems like this is your favorite place."
Harry turned, his eyes widening when he saw Sirius.
"You... I thought you were in Africa!"
"Nah." Sirius shrugged. "The Ministry will be looking for me there, but it's surprisingly easy to convince people you're somewhere you aren't."
Harry, unsure whether he could hug his godfather, whether such a hug would even be welcome, looked at Sirius.
Sirius solved the problem for him. Striding forward, he wrapped Harry in a tight embrace.
"I missed you, pup."
Clinging to his godfather with all his strength, Harry muttered into Sirius's chest.
"I missed you too. But... should you really be here? What if someone sees you?"
Sirius flashed him a sly grin. "They won't see me unless I want to be seen." Then he hesitated for only a second. "Do you want to come home with me? I checked, and I'm the only one who has any claim to..."
"Yes." Harry answered instantly, before Sirius could change his mind. "I want to come live with you."
***
Number Twelve Grimmauld Place appeared between the neighboring houses like a shadow rising from water.
It was taller, narrower, and considerably older than Harry had expected.
Dark windows stretched several stories above the street, and the roof nearly vanished into the gray haze of the London sky. The stone façade had been blackened by time and decorated with worn carvings that Harry couldn't make out from this distance.
No lights shone behind the windows.
Harry had the strange impression that the house was watching him. Not in a hostile way. As though it were deciding who he was.
Sirius snorted. "Kreacher said he'd cleaned up, but I don't trust Kreacher very much."
"Kreacher?" Harry asked blankly, tightening his grip on the bag that held his most important belongings: his shrunken school trunk, Hedwig's shrunken cage, the photo album of his parents, the Invisibility Cloak, and the Marauder's Map.
That was it.
It was slightly depressing.
"Our house-elf," Sirius explained as he pushed the front door open. "You've met one before, right?"
"Dobby seemed a bit insane, but he threw Big Malfoy down a staircase when he tried to kill me with an AK, so he's alright." Harry shrugged. "Does Kreacher support the rights of nearly-assassinated children?"
"Not that I'm aware of," Sirius replied, not reacting in the slightest to Harry's statement.
The entrance hall was vast and surprisingly tall. Shadows gathered near the ceiling. The staircases climbed toward the upper floors like the branches of an enormous black tree. Portraits, suits of armor, and ancient chandeliers filled the walls.
The house felt larger on the inside than it appeared from the outside.
Every room gave the impression of holding a story.
Every corridor seemed to lead toward something forgotten.
"Nice place," Harry commented.
Sirius snorted, faintly amused. "It's safe. And right now, that's the most important thing for both of us."
Harry nodded.
He probably should have asked at least a hundred questions, but he didn't have the strength, or the courage, to ask any of them.
"Come on." Sirius rested a hand on Harry's shoulder and guided him toward the stairs. "I'll show you your room."
Harry had a room of his own in his godfather's house.