"Harry Potter."
The two words rang out into the now silence great hall. Harry sat shocked, eyes fixed unseeingly on the figure of the headmaster. It couldn't be true, he hadn't entered, it wasn't possible, it wasn't fair. There had to be some mistake. "Harry Potter," Dumbledore called again but Harry stayed frozen, this couldn't be happening, it wasn't real. All around him murmurs started, a muttering, the noise gradually swelling, a low hum simmering with confusion and anger as people turned to look at him, some rising out of their seats to stare at the boy sitting at the Gryffindor table.
"Harry Potter," his head snapped up, it wasn't Dumbledore who had spoken, instead his godfather's voice had rung out over the Hall. He could see Sirius standing, looking straight at him, disappointment, worry and concern lacing his voice. "Harry, come here," there was a definite sharpness in his godfather's voice and there was no mistaking the words for what they were, an order.
Discover moreFan fiction platformAuthor toolsWriting forum accessBooks & LiteratureAnime & MangaHe pushed himself to his feet, wooden legs taking him almost mechanically towards the table. He felt his heart plummet as he took in his godfather's expression and his frantic eyes met Sirius's as he tried to convey that he hadn't done this, he hadn't broken his promise and that he wanted no part in the tournament. He thought he saw his godfather's eyes soften slightly and as he reached the high table Sirius came out to meet him, placing one hand firmly on his shoulder, both reprimanding and comforting. "Go through to the antechamber," he said quietly, but Harry could tell he was trying desperately to keep his voice level, "We'll sort this out." The words seemed to be more for his benefit than Harry's. But Harry, not wanting to upset his godfather any further, merely nodded and walked forward numbly, pushing the door open and stepping through as behind him the Hall erupted.
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Harry was aware that the three Heads of the schools and two Ministry Officials had followed him and Sirius into the antechamber and that they were currently arguing loudly whilst the other three champions were looking on in shock, but the main part of his attention was fixed on his godfather. There was a sharpness and disappointment shown clearly in the animagus's countenance that Harry had never seen before and never wanted to see again and it made his gut twist to know that his godfather was looking at him like that, that Sirius thought he had broken his promise and disobeyed him.
He godfather knelt down in front of him, fingers reaching out and taking a firm hold of his chin, forcing him to look directly at him. "Did you enter the tournament?" He demanded softly, "And you'd do well not to lie to me Harry," there was no mistaking the warning in his voice in the second sentence.
Discover moreChildren's BooksFan fiction booksMobile app subscriptionMobile app developmentCreative writing coursesHarry tried to shake his head, but he found Sirius's grip prevented him from doing so. "No Sirius," he said quietly, some of his panic leaking into his voice, "I didn't enter, I swear I didn't, I wouldn't break my promise. I don't want to be in the tournament, I never wanted to." His emerald eyes were fixed on his godfather's grey ones, begging the man to believe him. Sirius regarded him for several more moments, searching his face with his gaze before he nodded, a small smile creeping onto his face, despite the worry and concern etched into his face. Relief rushed through Harry, Sirius believed him and that was what really mattered.
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"But of course he is lying," Karkaroff's voice broke into the silence and Harry eyes shot up to see that all the people in the small room had their eyes fixed on him. In one swift moment Sirius was on his feet again, hands coming down to rest on Harry's shoulders protectively. His godfather opened his mouth to speak but Harry beat him to it, "I'm not lying!" He exclaimed furiously, "I want absolutely no part in this bloody tournament and I'm not so insane as to enter!" Several ornaments shattered and the rest of the room's occupants jumped, Sirius however seemed to have been expecting something to happen and the slight tightening of the hands that were still gripping his shoulders were the only indications that he was startled in any way. A few seconds later Harry felt Sirius's thumbs begin to massage the back of his neck lightly, allowing him to calm down and reign in his temper. As he did so he flushed, realising what he had just said in front of all the teachers.
Discover moreCrossover storiesWriter communityCookiesFan fiction communityRegular stories"Harry, I need to you to tell me truthfully, did you enter your name or ask an older student to do so for you?" Dumbledore asked solemnly
"No!" He said vehemently, anger growing up inside him. There were several noises of disbelief from the other adults in the room and Harry could see the other Champions regarding him with a mixture of disdain, curiosity and confusion. Madame Maxine tutted loudly and seemed to want to say something although she appeared to think better of it when she caught a glimpse of Sirius's face, anger, worry and protectiveness stood out clearly and his expression promised pain for anyone who publically doubted Harry's words again. Snape however, had no such restraint
"If I may Headmasters," he interjected, his voice silky, "Potter has a habit of breaking the rules, perhaps Veristasium or a Magical Oath will suffice?"
Sirius was glowering at Snape, it wasn't breaking the rules he had given the man, after all he was not attacking Harry directly, just talking about him nastily but still, it was toeing a dangerous line. Frankly he was surprised the man had dared speak about Harry in his presence but he knew that the Slytherin would do everything to be as antagonistic as possible, whilst still staying within the parameters of his orders. And whilst Sirius knew that he could wrap the Slytherin in so many orders that he would be unable to do anything but the basic necessities of living without his permission but he was loath the do so. By doing that he would be stooping to a level that his father had happily inhabited, a level that was despicable and he was not going to take it that far, he would not be able to live with himself if he did. However that meant he had to put up with the hateful comments and asides the man spouted, but at least he was not able to hurt Harry anymore and he knew that was what was really important.
"Shall I go and fetch the potion?" Snape inquired. Sirius's expression instantly became stony,
"I refuse to give permission," the words snapped out, "Harry shall not be subjected to that vile concoction." The adults in the room were visibly taken aback and Harry glanced up at him, confusion written plainly in his features but Sirius just shook his head, his hands tightening their grip. Although he would have gladly taken the potion if it would have secured his freedom the idea of such a potion near his godson was enough to concern him. Not only was it designed to only be used on people who had passed their magical maturity, it also forced you to reveal information with no preference for you wants or needs, acting in a similar way to the Imperius curse, ideal in an interrogation but with the past Harry had endured he knew it would too easily spread into territory he wanted to avoid.
"A Magical Oath?" Both Karkaroff and Madame Maxine nodded,
"We call for nothing less, if the boy refuses..." Karkaroff let the sentence trail off but the implications were obvious and Sirius gritted his teeth to prevent him from saying something that he would regret later. Ludo Bagman looked uncomfortable but seeing that neither was willing to be swayed turned to Sirius, "Will you give permission for the Magical Oath?" Sirius glanced at Harry and saw nothing but determination in his godson's features, "As soon as I have explained to him what they entail and what the consequences are." Bagman nodded, and Sirius drew Harry aside for a moment, explaining in a low voice what he would have to do. He felt relief at the fact Harry was so obviously telling the truth, he didn't want his godson within a mile of the tasks and he was going to try his damnedest to get the child out of it but at least he was reassured that Harry hadn't lied to him, hadn't broken a promise. That made the awful knowledge just that little easier to bear.
Discover moreMoviesFiction writing guidesMobile fanfiction appWriting workshopsAnime"Ready?" He asked softly and saw Harry nod, determined as he raised his wand.
"I Harry James Potter, swear on my magic that I did not enter my name into the Tri-wizard Tournament or ask an older student to do so for me." The magic flashed, sealing the oath. A quick flick of his wand later, and a lumos lit the room, proving conclusively that Harry was telling the truth.
Sirius felt a fierce satisfaction as he saw the shocked looks on the faces of the Headmasters, Ministry Personal and Snape, they had not believed his godson when Harry had told them the truth and he knew the accusations of lying had hurt his godson. The moment Harry had spoken Sirius had known that Harry was telling him the truth and he had also seen the flash of hurt in his eyes when accusations had continued to be thrown at him. But there were slightly more important issues to be dealt with,
"In light of this evidence I presume he will be withdrawn from the Tournament?" He spoke pleasantly but there was a subtle threat in his words. The Ministry Officials shifted somewhat nervously and he saw Harry glance up at him, worry and relief warring in his eyes. He rubbed the child's shoulder comfortingly and he felt some of his godson's stiffness melt away.
"I am afraid that is not possible Mr Black," Bagman's voice was hesitant and Sirius raised one eyebrow, letting some of his anger shine through onto his features.
"May I remind you Ludo, that my godson is underage, and has proven that he was entered against his will? As Lord Black I say that my godson will not be competing in this death trap of a Tournament!"
"He has to compete," There was a definite quaver in Bagman's voice as he replied. Sirius's eyes narrowed and the presence of Harry was the only thing that prevented him from hexing the incompetent fool. Seeing the threat in Sirius's face and posture, Bagman hurried on, "His name coming out of the Goblet created a binding magical contract; he has to compete or lose his magic. I am afraid he has no choice Lord Black."
Sirius had to bite back a growl that threatened to escape, tightening his hold on Harry protectively. "Be that as if may," he ground out, "I trust that this will not go un-investigated," His eyes swept the cowering Ministry Officials, "After all, a Head of House being bound without their consent is a serious offence." He saw Ludo Bagman blanch but Dumbledore, perhaps unwisely choose that moment to make his voice heard.
"Now then Sirius m'boy, Mr Potter's situation is unfortunate but I don't believe we need to go to such drastic measures, after all there is nothing we can do." Rage flashed in his eyes,
"No need to go to such drastic measures?" He practically hissed, anger at the old meddling fool pulsing strongly inside him, "My son is bound in a tournament that is for of age wizards, while he is still underage and did not enter of his own free will, not to mention it is a tournament which has claimed lives and you say there is no need to investigate!" His voice had risen to a shout and he felt Harry flinch, uncomfortable with all the attention focussed on them, no matter how pleased he was that Sirius was defending him. Sensing this he rubbed his godson's shoulders in a soothing motion, trying to calm him. It worked somewhat but he could feel that the boy was still very tense and he wanted to get Harry out of there as soon as possible.
"Black's right," The gnarled figure of Alastor Moody spoke up, nobody had noticed him before, standing against the wall as he had been, his magical eye scanning the room, making no contribution to the discussion until he stepped forward, his wooden leg clunking against the floor. "This tournament has killed, maybe someone's hoping Potter's going to die in it."
An extremely tense silence followed these words and Sirius wanted nothing more than to pull Harry to him and to never let him go again but he restrained himself, it was the last thing Harry would want him to do in front of all these people and he was not going to embarrass his godson. He would reassure himself Harry was still safe after they returned to his quarters.
"Yes...well," Bagman cleared his throat nervously, "If the Champions could gather round, I have the instructions for the First Task," Harry shot a glance up at his godfather and Sirius nodded reluctantly, indicating that he should listen to Bagman, "The first task is designed to test your daring so we will not be telling you what it involves. It will take place on the 24th of November and you will only be permitted to have your wands. You may not ask for or receive help from any teacher. Any questions?"
There were none and the antechamber quickly emptied. Dumbledore tried to speak to them but Sirius just brushed him off, he was more preoccupied with his godson and he wanted nothing to do with the old fool, his anger was still too strong and Harry would always be his priority, no matter how much he wanted to rage at the man.
The walk back up to his quarters was quiet and Sirius could tell that Harry's emotions were a complete mess, he didn't say anything and he allowed Sirius to lead him through the corridors, his godfather's arm wrapped around his shoulders, paying scant attention to where they were actually going.
They reached the portrait guarding his quarters and with a muttered password it swung aside, the moment it had closed behind them Sirius pulled Harry into his arms, clutching him tightly. The boy looked up startled, "Sirius?"
"Humour me," the older wizard replied weakly, moving over to the sofa and sinking down into it, his arms still securely wrapped around his godson, tugging the teen onto his lap and tucking the messy black head under his chin. After the first exclamation, Harry made no sound of protest, simply snuggling closer and accepting the comfort.
His mind had finally caught up with the events in of the last few hours, shock and fear pushing their way through the barriers his mind had erected to keep it out. He was suddenly exceedingly grateful that Sirius had sat him on his lap and was holding him with no intention of ever letting him go; the realisation of what had happened was crashing down on him. He had been entered in the Tournament, entered, and forced to compete in an event that was deadly that had killed and was designed for wizards much older than he was.
Fear pulsed through him, he was only fourteen and no matter how much power he had he was still going to be fighting for his life! How was he supposed to do this, how was he supposed to compete without getting hurt or killed? He didn't know and that scared him just as much as the thought of the tasks did, he had been hurt, often quite badly before and he didn't fear pain, no that wasn't it. Rather he feared hurting others, he knew that if anything happened Sirius would blame himself for it and it would hurt his godfather and the last thing he wanted to do was to hurt Sirius.
The sheer unfairness of the situation presented itself to him. He had never wanted to be part of it, never wanted to risk his life to satisfy the vultures of the Wizarding World and nor did the prize hold any attractions for him. He hadn't even entered himself but yet he was being forced to compete. It just wasn't fair. Why couldn't he ever have a normal year at Hogwarts? Was it too much to ask? Too much to ask to be like everyone else, to just have to worry about Quiddich, homework and getting on the bad side of Flich and Snape, not to have the weight of the world on his shoulder, not to have to worry about risking their lives, not be stared and gawked at because they had a scar on their foreheads! Apparently it was he thought bitterly, he could never be normal, never have a normal life. No he was the bloody Boy-Who-Lived, and such he could never have anything normal, never have any peace, always the hero, always the scapegoat, always the one who had to fight, to get hurt, no matter how much it affected him it didn't matter, he was their saviour after all, he should be begging for that sort of life!
"Shh Harry, shh, it's alright, I'm here, it's going to be alright," the soft, velvet voice of his godfather broke into his thoughts and suddenly he became aware of the hot, angry tears streaking down his cheeks and the fact that Sirius was rocking him gently, his arms holding him in a protective embrace as he tried to get him to calm down.
"It's not fair," he mumbled, the words muffled against the fabric, Harry knew he sounded petulant but he didn't care. Was there anything so bad with wanting to be normal?
"I know pup, I know, if I had my way you would have been out of that blasted thing faster than you could blink," Sirius's voice soothed him but it did nothing to stop the frustration that was pouring out of him, finding an outlet for once in his life.
"I just want to be normal," he said quietly and he felt the arms holding him tense, "Is it too much to ask to be able to have a normal year at Hogwarts for once?" He felt Sirius sigh, and his godfather's voice was slightly croaky when he replied,
"I'm sorry Harry, if I could make it better I would but..." his voice trailed away and Harry looked up, green eyes snapping to Sirius's grey ones. He had never blamed his godfather for what he had had to go through in his life and he knew that Sirius had nothing to be sorry for. His godfather had given him something more precious than anything he had ever had before; he had given him a home and a family. If anything, Sirius had made his life so much better, he had given him more than he could have ever asked for.
"Don't apologise," he said fiercely, "You have no reason to be sorry!" He wrapped his arms around his godfather and held on tightly, trying to show how much he loved his godfather, the same way Sirius had done for him so often. He saw the animagus smile as he returned the embrace with one just as fierce.
"Maybe, maybe not but regardless, I promise you Harry, that I will do everything in my power to help you, I will not let you face this alone," Sirius murmured into Harry's hair and the boy burrowed deeper into the embrace hearing how heartfelt the words were. It meant so much to him that he was not going to have to do this alone, like he had done so often, he would have help, not just from his friends but from an adult, and this was an adult he trusted with his life. It made the whole situation feel just that little bit better and the fear receded somewhat, if Sirius was helping him, he thought he would be able to do this, and at the very least it didn't seem as bleak a situation as it had done only a few minutes ago.
After a few moments Harry let go, shifting back slightly. He was still sitting on Sirius's lap, unlike most teenagers he was perfectly happy to take any affection Sirius was willing to give him and he would stay there, just drinking in the love that surrounded him until his godfather indicated that he wanted him to move. So far Sirius had been more than willing to have him stay there, in fact it seemed like the animagus wanted to hold him tightly and never let him go again.
They sat quietly for several more moments, slowly processing what had happened and coming to terms with it, but suddenly something Harry had said caught Sirius's attention, "Pup," he asked, shaking the boy's shoulder lightly to get his attention, "What did you mean when you asked if you could have a normal year at Hogwarts?" There was a tendril of worry worming its way into his gut. Something about that sentence rang slightly wrong in his ears. He had always assumed that his godson was safe at Hogwarts, but that sentence was enough to put him on guard. What had happened to make Harry wish for a normal year?
He saw Harry looking at him with a mixture of apprehension and embarrassment and that only solidified his suspicions. Something had happened in the years he didn't know about, something important. "Harry," he said, hints of a warning lacing his tone, "Is there anything about your first two years that I should know about?" When Harry paused, he pressed on, still gently but there was an undertone to his voice that indicated that he wanted answers, "What happened to make you wish for a normal year pup?"
Harry didn't know what to say, he had got into so many different death defying adventures over the course of his previous years at Hogwarts, and he had nearly died several times over and he supposed he had always thought Sirius knew but looking at that belief now it felt silly. But it didn't change the fact that he didn't know what to say. He knew Sirius cared for him, loved him even and would be hurt and upset if he found out what Harry had done, and Harry didn't want to be the cause of that pain, to hurt the man anymore than him being entered in the tournament had already done but at the same time he knew that if he didn't, he would be lying to his godfather and that was something he never wanted to do.
The other part was the events themselves. He had never wanted to go charging into danger, all he had wanted was to make friends, escape from the Dursleys and learn about magic but every year it had always come to the point where he felt that he had to do something, had to go charging into the rescue, and he had done it gladly. He would have hated himself if he had done nothing and people had then suffered because of it but at the same time it didn't stop the resentment that he had been the one who had had to do it, not Dumbledore, not the teachers but him.
He supposed that over the summer, staying with Sirius, he had gradually started to learn that he was not the person who was supposed to be doing the protecting, he was the one who deserved to be protected. And, armed with that realisation he realised just how bad his Hogwarts years had been, he should never have had to end up in those positions, although admittedly the Philosopher Stone confrontation had been partially his fault but the traps should have been better, heck the stone shouldn't have been in Hogwarts at all. And with that thought in mind he realised just how badly Sirius was likely to react but at the same time he discovered that he wanted his godfather to know, he wanted to be able to tell him anything and everything and that involved his school years but still, he didn't want Sirius to blame him, didn't want him to get angry at him.
He looked up at Sirius for a moment then he dropped his gaze, "I didn't mean for anything to happen," he said quietly and Sirius heard the childishness and vulnerability in that sentence, "I never wanted any of it, if just sort of happened," he glanced up at his godfather, emerald eyes pleading for him to understand. He looked so young in that moment that Sirius pulled him straight back into his arms, nestling the boy against his chest and he felt Harry lean into the embrace, but he knew he still needed to understand, "What happened Harry?" he asked softly and Harry started to speak, not raising his head from its position resting against his chest.
Sirius listened attentively, his horror growing with every word, his godson had fought a troll, confronted and fought with Voldemort, twice, and that was only his first year! What had Dumbledore been thinking, to hide such a valuable item as the Philosophers Stone in a school full of children. To have such a powerful item was simply an invitation to attack! And, he thought darkly, that is exactly what had happened, Voldemort had come looking for it, and in the process he had virtually killed Harry! He swallowed hard and automatically pulled the child closer, the realisation that his pup might not have been alive when he broke out settling like ice into his veins.
"What about second year?" he asked, his voice cracking.
When he felt Harry wrap one of his own arms around him, attempting to comfort him, he knew that the coming story was going to be extremely hard to hear. He was not disappointed, the dangers Harry had been in that year were staggering. His twelve year old godson had faced down a Basilisk, and the spirit of Voldemort, armed only with a sword and he had been bitten! His precious, precious godson had only been seconds away from death, had been dying, and he had never known about it.
Sirius let out a strangled sob, caught halfway between terrible fear and overwhelming relief. He pressed Harry closer to his chest and held him protectively, trying to reassure himself that Harry was here, was safe, that he had not died and was secure in his arms. Harry didn't protest and for one moment Sirius wondered why before he pushed those thoughts away, it didn't matter why Harry wasn't protesting, it mattered that the child was safe, here in his arms where he could protect him and that he had survived, and that he was here now and he would do his damnedest to ensure Harry was not hurt again.
Gradually he calmed down, he was still angry and worried, but he could think rationally now and he knew he would have to consider the revelations that had occurred to him during Harry's narration later. Glancing at the clock, he suddenly realised just how late it actually was, he smiled down at his godson, who still had yet to move from his lap, "Bed pup," Harry nodded, clambering off his lap and sending a questioning glance at the portrait hole, "Stay here tonight," Sirius told him, "I'd prefer it if you did, it's a long time past curfew anyway and I think it would probably be easier for you if you did." Harry raised an eyebrow in a silent query, prompting him to elaborate, "Everyone is probably waiting for you in Gryffindor Tower, either to shout at you or have a huge party, neither of which I think you'd enjoy at the moment, correct?"
Harry nodded vehemently, the last thing he wanted just now was attention. He smiled at his godfather's thoughtfulness, he would have stayed here anyway, but for Sirius to consider what he would want and then suggest it, despite all the shocks the man had received, he still tried to think of Harry. "Thank you," he said quietly, but meaning every single bit of it. He wasn't just thanking his godfather for thinking about what he wanted but also for promising to help him, comforting him, for being everything he needed and wanted in a godfather, in a parent, a father.
He saw Sirius smile tenderly in response, "Go to bed Harry," he said softly, and then he rose and came to Harry, resting his hands on his shoulders, "I will always be here for you, no matter what and, thank you, for talking to me." He smiled again and pushed Harry lightly in the direction of his bedroom.
Harry turned and was virtually at his door when suddenly something rose in his mind, something Sirius had said in the antechamber.
"You called me your son," the words were soft, barely audible but still Sirius heard.
His godfather stepped towards him, a gentle expression on his face, "Yes I did," he replied just as softly, the look in his eyes unreadable due to the storm of emotions Harry could see blazing out at him.
Harry bit his lip, unsure suddenly of what to say. All his childhood he had longed for a parent, and over the last months he had come to regard Sirius as the father he had never been able to have but now his godfather had actually said that he thought of him as a son he didn't know how to respond. And there were other thoughts beating around in his head, did his godfather actually mean that, did Sirius really want him as a son or was it not going to last? Not to mention this was something he wanted so badly, he had longed for; he didn't want to do anything to muck this up. Sirius was the only person he could ever imagine, or want taking the role of father in his life, privately it was already the position he had taken in Harry's mind but to know that Sirius felt the same way was more than he could have hoped for even a few short months prior.
"Did you...I mean,...do you..." he was fumbling for words, not sure of how to voice what he wanted to say, not even sure of what he wanted to say, but knowing he had to say something.
In one swift movement he was enfolded in Sirius's strong arms, "I meant every word," the animagus said softly, "I think of you as my own." Harry couldn't stop the grin that spread across his features, nor the joy that bubbled up inside him and neither did he want to.
"I want to be your son too," he whispered, "You are the only father I can remember."
Sirius smiled, although there was a hint of bitterness in it, if it wasn't for his stupid mistakes Harry would have James and wouldn't need him as a father. He pushed the hurt away, that was something he would never share with Harry and he was overjoyed that his pup trusted him and loved him enough to want him as a father and he couldn't deny that he did think of the boy as his own and he would gladly take the role of father in his life. He paused for a moment considering his next words carefully, he loved Harry more than his own life and he could see just how much the boy longed for a family, and if he was honest with himself, he knew there was nothing he wanted more than to have Harry as his own, for his godson to become his son.
"If you would like to Harry, and only if you want this, I could adopt you." Harry's head snapped up, green eyes boring into his. "There is a potion that would allow you to become my son, Lily and James would still be your parents," he added on hurriedly, "But I would also be your real father too."
Harry's eyes were wide, "You would actually adopt me?" He asked, the whisper cracking with disbelief.
"I would do anything for you Harry, and I would be glad to adopt you." His godson's eyes grew even wider at that sentence then he threw himself at Sirius, burrowing into his embrace and burying his face in his robes. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," he chanted through the tears that were streaking down his cheeks. Sirius stroked his back with one gentle hand,
"I can't do it immediately, the potion will take several weeks to prepare at least, and it isn't practical to do during term time but I can probably manage it over Christmas if you help me with it."
Harry looked up, eyes shining with a strange mixture of joy and unshed tears, "You would become my father, my real father?" He checked, hope blazing brightly in his face.
"And you would become my son," Sirius reassured him tenderly, leaning down to kiss the child's forehead, "My real son, as well as James's and Lily's, you'd have three parents." Harry just gazed at him for several long moments, completely and utterly speechless for the very first time in his life. Nothing so wonderful had ever happened to him before in his life, not even Sirius rescuing him from the Dursleys, not the first time Sirius had told him that he was loved, not the time he had discovered he was a wizard, no none of these would ever hold a candle to the joy that was pulsing through him. He buried himself in Sirius's embrace, clinging to the older man, "Thank you," he murmured, the words were so small, so insignificant when compared to the elation, the love and the complete and utter gratitude that was filling him but Sirius, his godfather and soon to be his father understood.
No words were needed, he just held the boy tighter, and he felt Harry burrow deeper in response. They stood like that for several moments until Sirius, rather regretfully, released Harry and pushed him lightly in the direction of his bedroom. "Sleep well pup," his eyes locked onto Harry's, suddenly very serious, "And don't forget that no matter what happens with the Tournament, no matter what the reaction to you being selected is, I will be here for you every step of the way and that you will always be welcome here." Harry smiled up at him, the brightness only dimmed slightly by the mention of the tournament, and Sirius knew that his godson would go to sleep happily tonight, despite the tournament, as he processed what Sirius had offered him and what he had accepted.
But on his part Sirius knew he would get very little rest, even though he was thrilled by the prospect of the adoption his mind couldn't help but return to the tournament. No matter how hard he tried, his pup had still ended up in that death trap, but he swore to himself that he would not let Harry get hurt by it, and no matter what that meddling old fool tried to pull, he would make sure that this got investigated and that it would never be able to happen again. Sometimes there were perks to being Lord Black, something he would never have considered before the start of the summer.
The following morning saw the imposing figure of Sirius Black, Lord of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black stride through the atrium of the Ministry of Magic as if he owned it. Witches and Wizards, Ministry workers and the public alike all stopped to stare as he stalked through the halls in a manner reminiscent of a certain Hogwarts Potions Professor, his anger parting the crowds before him, almost as if it were alive.
It was remarkable luck, Sirius thought darkly, barely noticing as the people scattering like startled mice after just one look at his face, that the draw for the Tournament happened to be on a Saturday night, meaning that he had no classes to teach the following morning, enabling him to make his displeasure clear in the not so hallowed halls of the Ministry of Magic.
His feet carried him to the office of the Minister of Magic and for the first time he entered the building he paused, surveying the unfortunate secretary with a look that showed people precisely why they had so easily believed him to be a mass murderer. "I trust the Minister is available to see me right now?" He asked, almost too pleasantly.
The witch glanced up, prepared to refuse him access when she caught sight of his formal robes, baring the Crest of House Black in splendour on the front. She gulped audibly and Sirius watched as her eyes travelled upwards to his face, and she paled as she realised precisely whom she was speaking with. "I'm afraid the Minister is otherwise occupied at the moment," she said bravely and for a fleeting moment he wondered if she had been a Gryffindor, he knew there were very few people who could face him when he let his anger show.
Sirius smiled, letting his teeth show. However this was a far cry from the kind smiles he often directed in his godson's direction, this was the smile of a predator seeking prey. "I'm sure it isn't so important that it couldn't be postponed, after all, with their saviour trapped in a deadly contest by our own Ministry no less, I'm sure that the public are feeling very well disposed towards the Ministry right now," he suggested and he saw her face blanch further.
"I...I will go and speak to the Minister right now," she said hurriedly, "I'm sure he will be with you in just a few moments."
She hurried into the office and from behind the closed door Sirius heard a strangled exclamation, and the sound of a tea cup crashing to the floor. Inwardly he smirked, although amusement he got from the situation was scant, his anger and worry were far too strong. He enjoyed any opportunity to show them up, particularly after his history with the incompetent buffoons, but he would never trade that enjoyment for his godson's safety and the matter he had come to shout at the minister about was anything but funny. He was going to get to the bottom of this as soon as he could, and he would not settle for anything less than a full and through investigation, and Merlin help those who got in his way.
The secretary exited the room mere moments later, "The Minister will see you immediately Lord Black," she said. Sirius favoured her with the merest hint of a smile,
"I rather thought he would." The witch said nothing as he swept into the room to deal with a pompous ass of a Minister.
Fudge was seated behind his desk, he had the faint air of a man who was surprised and completely out of his depth but he was still trying to convey the impression that he was somehow in charge. Sirius let a hint of his anger cloud his features and he saw the man flinch, "What do I owe the pleasure to Lord Black," there was a definite hint of a tremble in his voice but Sirius did not pause.
"I wish to know why my godson is bond in a life threatening tournament by a ministry object," he all but growled.
Fudge turned a pasty white, "The Goblet would only pick those who entered," he stammered out, "The boy must have cheated, Lord Black." His eyes narrowed almost into slits,
"My godson took a magical oath in the presence of witness, including Ministry Officials and the Headmasters of the three schools, swearing that he had not entered. Now I will ask again, why he, a minor is and an Ancient and Noble Lord and Heir, is bound in a tournament against his and my wishes!"
Fudge opened and closed his mouth several times, before managing to squeak out, "Preposterous, the ministry would not be responsible for something of that nature."
Sirius slammed his hand down onto the table and the man jumped at the unexpected sound, "It has already happened imbecile," he hissed, "My Godson, Lord Harry James Potter, Lord of House Potter and ward and godson of Lord Black," he was puling rank, but he knew that, out of everything he had, it was the threat of rank and power that would sway the man into line, "Was of last night entered into the Triwizard Tournament but the Goblet of Fire and bound against his and my will, despite swearing a magical oath which proved he did not enter." The man's eyes widened but Sirius was not finished, "As you are unable to give me any satisfactory answers as to how this travesty was allowed to occur, I am lodging a complaint and I demand an investigation begin immediately."
Fudge managed to rally the last bit of nerve he possessed, "Of course Lord Black, I will personally commission an investigation to ensure the truth is brought to light."
Sirius surveyed the man for one long moment and watched as he squirmed beneath his gaze, "Make sure you do," he said finally, "I'm sure the Wizengamot will eagerly anticipate the results, after all the idea of a Lord being bound without their consent is...unsettling...to say the least."
The minister quickly picked up on the implicit threat in the words, Sirius was right in his statement that the pureblood factions, particularly the older ones that kept the man in power would dislike the idea that the ministry could bind them. They valued their independence and would protect it fiercely; if this issue was not thoroughly investigated and prevented from ever occurring again an outcry, one that would be expensive for those in power would soon follow and if Cornelius Fudge was anything, he was desperate to cling onto his position.
Sirius waited for one more moment before nodding decisively and turning on his heel and stalking out of the room. He had one more place he needed to visit before he got back to Hogwarts but that would be easy enough to deal with, and hopefully it would pile the pressure on both the idiot they called Minister and a manipulative old fool by the name of Albus Dumbledore.
"So," Harry chewed on his lip as he wondered what to say. He hadn't spoken to anyone but Sirius after he had left the antechamber the previous night, and in a way that had made it easier, especially at the time but it meant that now it was harder to know where to begin. Ron and Hermione both watched him, shadows of something on Ron's face but he couldn't quite identify what it was, he pushed it out of his mind, focussing on what he had to say. Finally he had it, and he wondered why it had not occurred to him before.
"I didn't enter the tournament," he said hurriedly, "They didn't believe me and made me swear a vow and I did, but the Goblet bound me, I have to compete. Sirius wasn't very happy about it," he added as an afterthought. Not happy was an understatement, he had hardly ever seen his godfather that angry and though he had pushed it away in order to comfort him, Harry knew that he had only postponed it, and that he was already heading to the ministry to give them hell.
Hermione and Ron nodded, "I knew you wouldn't have entered," she said quietly, "Keeping your word meant more to you than 'eternal glory' or something equally useless, and any fool," she sent a rather fierce glare at Ron who had the grace to look sheepish, "could tell that you didn't want it by just one look at your face." Harry smiled in relief and turned towards Ron, worry growing as he saw the shadows dominating his friend's face.
"I was a prat last night," Ron said eventually, "I thought you'd entered and I was, well to put it bluntly,"
"You were a jealous wreck," Hermione interjected pointedly and it was a mark of how sincere and guilty Ron was feeling that he didn't even attempt to deny the accusation, "Yeah I was, but Fred, George, Neville and Hermione sort of chewed me out, they might have shouted at me for a bit," at Hermione's look he shifted uncomfortably, "Well maybe quite a lot, but anyway, what I was going to say is that they made me realise that you didn't enter and didn't want this, and I'm sorry I didn't believe you at first and for being..."
"A humongous prat, almost as bad as Perfect Percy and a disgrace to the name of Weasley," Fred interjected, the twins having just come round the corner, catching the end of the conversation,
"Hey Harry, anytime you want this prat of a brother pranked ask away," George added, and Ron made a noise of protest but didn't say anything. The two trouble makers looked at the trio for a moment before turning to Harry,
"Say Harry old chum..."
"You wouldn't happen to know..."
"Why a certain Professor Black..."
"Was striding down the corridors..."
"Heading towards the Great Hall..."
"With a glare to rival Snape's..."
"Now would you?"
Harry rubbed his forehead with one hand, he never thought he would manage to get used to their twin-speak. Finally pulling together the sense of the sentences a slightly evil grin crossed his face. "Sirius is rather angry about the tournament, and I think if we hurried to the Great Hall, we might just see him shouting at some unfortunate officials." He neglected to mention that he was nearly as angry as his godfather and now that the shock of both the event and the joy surrounding the upcoming adoption had worn off slightly, he couldn't deny that the unjust angle of the situation had presented itself rather loudly again.
He wasn't usually a vindictive person but there was a rather large part of him at the moment that wanted somebody, whoever was responsible to pay for the situation he found himself in. He never wanted any of his fame and he never wanted anything to be done to him against him will, but it seemed that nobody, apart from Sirius and his close friends, was ever bothered about what he wanted, what he was feeling.
They reached the Great Hall and as soon as they entered silence fell and heads swivelled to stare at Harry. He bit down on his lip, hard, to prevent him from giving into his anger and yelling at everyone in the room, telling them to mind their own bloody business. His eyes strayed to the High Table and he saw the stony countenance of his godfather; catching his gaze, Sirius sent a smile in his direction and his features softened but the moment his eyes fell on the Ministry Officials and Dumbledore they hardened once again. Harry couldn't help but relax slightly, even though Sirius was angry he knew the man was angry of his behalf and none of it was directed at him.
"Good Morning to everyone, and after the events of last night I am pleased to announce all four of our champions will be competing for this hallowed prize,"
Sirius's eyes narrowed as he heard Dumbledore and as the man sat down, the anger that had been simmering under the surface for the last several hours bubbled over. "Is that it?" he hissed, a dangerous edge in his voice, "No mention of the fact that Harry wants no part in this, didn't enter and is being forced to compete?"
"Now then Sirius, I do not believe that is necessary, I'm sure nobody minds after all." Sirius growled deep in his throat then turned his fierce gaze on the Ministry Official who gulped before nodding as he received the message. The man tapped on his goblet, catching the attention of the hall,
"In response to the events of last night, the Ministry would like to announce that it was proven that Mr Potter was not entered of his own volition and an investigation has been launched, but due to the nature of the Tournament he has to compete."
A rush of whispers broke out and Sirius could see many students, particularly the Hufflepuffs looking much more friendly towards his godson all of a sudden and the animosity in the hall dropped considerably. Sirius resisted the urge to snort, and the old fool hadn't thought any words were necessary had he?
Speaking of the old fool, Dumbledore was looking at him, disappointment written large on his face, "Now Sirius, that wasn't really necessary..." he started to say but Sirius cut him off, and the anger in his voice was enough to silence the Hall.
"Enough of this Albus!" His voice was deadly and there was no regret or indecision in his eyes as he looked straight at the Headmaster, "I believe it is time we talked."