Salvation Takes Time
Author: Jason Thompson
September 20, 2005
Spoilers: Up to PoA for sure, after that, it's a crap shoot.
Dedication: Dedicated to the usual suspects; Genova aka Schweet, Bri, Mary, Duchess, Dale, Blaire, Red, Stone Cold, Ice Wing, Arashi, Aslan, Vega, Tony D, Jen Zimmer, Louise, Sairs, and Queen Angel who have allowed me to bounce my ideas off them, and Krac, cause she has the evil bunny slippers.
Salvation Takes Time
Prologue
"The problem with hiding in a cave in the Highlands is, of course, the constant smell of mold and mildew." Sirius Black's voice broke the relative silence of said cave, it wasn't a complete silence, the fire he'd built was crackling and the heavy rain outside was making a gentle rumble around them. The fugitive wizard smiled at his companion. "Wouldn't you agree Buckbeak?"
The hippogriff gave him an indignant reply before he threw it a dead rat. They'd been holed-up in this cave for nearly two weeks, the only time he'd left was to get that hyper-active owl off to Harry. Dumbledore had actually sent him the little owl with instructions for him to lay low until things calmed down before trying to seek shelter in one of the Black Homes, most likely 12 Grimmauld.
He smiled at the animal who provided him a look of epic annoyance. The animagus grinned and said, "I'm sorry my friend, but being fugitives gives us few options for places to stay. You're right though, we have many more problems…" Both fugitives looked up at the sound of apparition deeper in the cave. He reached into his tattered robes for his wand, realizing far too late that he was unarmed. "Chief among them, I'm unarmed and an unknown wizard is here."
They backed up towards the mouth of the cave, Sirius grabbing a heavy rock along the way. He wagered he'd need surprise and even then, if the wizard or witch was skilled he'd get one chance to disable or disarm them before the hexes started flying. He hid himself in the shadows and waited.
A dark figure crept into his sightline, wand out and in front of them in a classic Auror's posture. For most wizards in a dark cave, this might be a welcome sight; however, Sirius was first and foremost a fugitive so he took no solace.
He slowly raised the stone and prepared for his moment. He'd knock the Auror out; take their wand and move on to another hiding place. As the intruder came close enough to him, a voice called out in the darkness, "Lumos." Just prior to light erupting from the wand, he recognized the voice as female. He was greeted with a young witch with chin-length hair that perfectly matched the pink of the bubble gum she was chewing. She smirked at him, her violet eyes glittering with mirth as she blew a bubble then said. "Wotcher Sirius, how's tricks?"
He was so flabbergasted by her casual greeting that he lowered his rock slightly. He was defeated by a punk-kid, likely just graduated from training and she'd caught him without a struggle as he couldn't do anything now before she could fire off any number of incapacitating spells. She quickly surprised him by wrapping him up in a hug. "I've missed you cousin."
Sirius quickly realized who it was he was with, "Nymphadora?"
She pulled away from him with a grimace. "You know I've always hated that name!"
He grinned at her, "I didn't even recognize you."
She winked and stepped back before her pink hair shortened and darkened. Her eyes changed as well to the same grey-blue of her mother's as well as her black hair. "Metamorphmagus. Found out while I was at school. It's why Amelia Bones recruited me."
He frowned at his cousin suddenly, "I'm sorry Nymph, I can't let you take me in. I'm innocent, Harry needs me."
She grinned, "I know Sirius, Dumbledore asked me to bring you to him. My Partner, Kingsley is picking up Remus and Arthur's bringing Harry. He has a proposal."
He narrowed his eyes at her, "What kind of proposal would require Dumbledore sending out a girl still in Auror training after a fugitive?"
She grinned and he watched her hair color change until it was a shocking shade of orange and her eyes became an unnatural blue. "I'm your closest relative that you wouldn't try to kill and isn't in Azkaban. Plus in a way, I'm involved in this plan of Dumbledore's. Now if you're done being distrusting?"
"What about-"
"The hippogriff? Don't worry, Hagrid and Dung will be along to collect him and take him to one of the family homes."
He sagged and tossed the rock aside, she smiled gently then holstered her wand and pulled out a saucer emblazoned with the Hogwarts logo. "Portkey, I hate 'em, considering my clumsiness but they're the only way to get in without a floo."
Sirius nodded his agreement before grasping the plate. A few minutes later they felt the familiar tug on the cores and they were gone from the cave.
&&&&&&&&&
Sirius looked around the room wildly for a moment, praying he hadn't been suckered and it wasn't a Ministry holding cell. Seeing the familiar sights of the Headmaster's office, he sagged and released a breath. A moment later, four more people popped into existence. Remus and a black man that Sirius assumed was Kingsley were clutching a tea cup while Arthur and Harry held a small cushion from a chair between them.
The red-headed man nodded politely to Sirius and said good night to Harry before leaving the office quietly. The dark-skinned man nodded to Tonks and turned towards the desk where Dumbledore sat, "By your leave Headmaster."
The old wizard smiled and his hand extended towards the door, "Thank you for your assistance, Auror Shacklebolt. Good night."
The auror nodded to Harry and then Tonks who replied with "Night Shack." He exited the office and pulled the door shut behind him.
"Gentlemen and lady," Dumbledore smiled to Tonks, "Please make yourselves comfortable." The quartet found places to sit. Harry and Sirius sat at the two chairs in front of the desk, Tonks took a seat on the nearby couch while Remus leaned against a bookcase. Dumbledore picked up a bowl off the corner of his desk and held it out. "Would anyone like a toffee?"
The adults politely refused but Harry reached out and took one. Sirius was certain he heard him mumble about not getting dinner from the Dursleys, when he looked towards Remus he saw a scowl on the werewolf's face which suggested that Remus heard it too. He turned back towards the older wizard and said, "Pardon me Albus, but you had a proposal?"
His white beard concealed an amused grin and stifled a chuckle before he spoke. "Straight to the point, good. I'm sad to inform you Sirius that our dear Nymphadora and her training-partner Kingsley Shaklebolt cornered and killed you while attempting an arrest outside of Liverpool."
He turned to see Remus and Harry's stunned expression and a smirk on Tonks' face. He turned back to Dumbledore with a confused expression, "I don't feel dead."
"That's good, Sirius. During his first year, young Harry secured the Sorcerer's Stone from Voldemort. The stone had many uses, especially in potion creation. Nicholas Flammel used some of those potions to live a very long time, but there were other age-related potions that the stone was capable of creating. Flammel recently sent me the last dose of one of those potions."
He stood up and walked over to a silver tray near Fawkes' perch and picked up a sealed vial. "This potion reverses the aging process Sirius. It is my intention for you to use this potion and pose as a Hogwarts student entering your fourth year."
Sirius' eyes widened and he looked to Harry, the boy had a strange mix of concern, worry and hope in his eyes and Sirius felt some of that hope rise in him. "I pose as a fourth-year Gryffindor both to hide from the Ministry and…"
Dumbledore smiled wide, "And spend time with a young man, who I am sure wants nothing more then to spend time with his Godfather." He turned to Harry and spoke, "It may not be exactly the relationship you expected to have with Sirius, but I think it will be better for you both to have a more normal relationship as opposed to Sirius trying to write while hiding in safe houses."
Remus stepped forward, "So we fake Sirius' death and his will…"
Sirius smiled, "My will was simple Moony; Harry's my heir and the Lord of the House of Black. The money and properties are split between you, Harry, Andromeda and her family." He turned to Harry and grinned, "Just think of the mayhem we can cause! The Marauders ride again!"
Harry grinned, "That's great, but won't you need an assumed identity, Sirius?"
Tonks stood up and carefully crossed the room. "That's where I come in. Mum and Dad have agreed to pose as your parents Sirius, or should I say, Ickle Brother?"
The older man laughed, "Perfect, I always loved you mother Nymph. I know the perfect name, 'James.'"
Remus and Dumbledore both smiled and nodded approvingly while Harry raised an eyebrow, "My father?"
The Animagus grinned, "Yes Lil' Prongsie. Your father was one of my best friends and his family took me in after I turned sixteen and ran away from home. The least I could do is honor the memory of your father in any way I can." They ignored the mumbled comment from Remus that sounded suspiciously like 'What would Padfoot know about honor' and turned back to Dumbledore, "What about the students? Will I be 'transferring?'"
The old wizard smiled, "No Sirius, I think a memory charm or two placed in the Hogwarts letters of the majority of fourth year students and a select number of Gryffindors in the other years placing memories of James Tonks as a friend of Harry's will cover it. Harry of course will know, as will the Weasley children and young Miss Granger. They will all, save Harry, be placed under the Fidelius charm so that they will be unable to tell anyone you do not wish to know, Sirius will be the secret keeper as it is his secret to keep." He looked them all over for a moment, "Is that acceptable to everyone?" They all nodded.
"Excellent, Remus, could you take Harry back to Privet Drive please? After Sirius takes the potion, Nymphadora will take him to her parents' home. You'll stay there over the summer both recovering from you incarceration and getting used to your new persona."
Harry stood up and turned to his Godfather, "Write me when you feel up to it, James." He smirked at the name, "Ron's family is trying to get tickets to the Quidditch World Cup match, and maybe I can talk them into taking your mangy arse along."
He shook his head at the boy, "You'll have to do better then that Pronglet, I learned from the master."
"My father?"
Remus clasped Harry on the shoulder and chuckled, "More like your mother, she'd tear Sirius up one side of the Common Room and down the other; much like young Hermione does to your friend Ron. In fact, before we take the portkey back to Privet Drive, let me tell about the time in seventh year Lily caught Sirius on a date with a pair of sixth year ladies from Ravenclaw…"
&&&&&&&&& End Prologue &&&&&&&&&
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