𝐉𝐈𝐆𝐒𝐀𝐖

Chapter 19

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Chapter Nineteen:

Where Loyalties Lie

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Harry woke up slowly, looking at the sleeping man on the bed next to his and smiling.

Sirius was sleeping on Dean's bed. The wonderful thing about Hogwarts being so empty is that no one noticed Harry, Ron, Lupin, and Sirius stagger up to the Gryffindor common room and collapse in Harry's dormitory for the night. Hermione had come in to check on them after helping Contessa to her room and Harry had seen her smile over Sirius.

Sirius had woken up after a few hours and had demanded a bath, since he was still covered in the goop from his Clone Concoction. He had to be helped into the shower since he was still weak. Harry was equally wiped out so Ron was drafted for the job since Lupin firmly declined, stating he would go get Sirius some food, since that was the other thing Sirius was demanding. Harry was unsurprised that Lupin declined to help Sirius bathe, since Harry certainly wouldn't help Draco bathe. It could lead to embarrassing results.

Sirius had then promptly fallen asleep after his shower, before Lupin returned with food. He was still sleeping when Harry woke up.

"Sirius. Sirius. Sirius! Wake up!" Harry called, having to repeat Sirius's name as he refused to wake up.

Sirius muttered, rolling over, hiding his head under the pillow, and sticking his bum into the air in protest.

"It's your first day back alive and you want to waste it sleeping?" Harry demanded, sitting up. He felt much refreshed this Christmas morning.

Sirius muttered something that Harry couldn't make out, but sounded rather rude. He then promptly covered himself in the blankets and buried his head deeper beneath the pillows.

Lupin, who was sitting on Neville's bed and had just woken up as well began to laugh. "Sirius, you lazy tramp, get up! Now I know where Draco gets it from. Are all the men in your family this lazy?"

Ron who was already sitting up in his bed began to grin. "Haven't you rested enough?" he asked Sirius.

Sirius sat up, pillows and blankets slipping away as he glared at Harry, Ron, and Lupin. "Horrid, cruel men, all of you. I haven't had a proper body to sleep in for months and all you want me to do is wake up?" he asked.

"Well, you can't have Christmas break--er, lunch, unless you wake up," Harry said sensibly, looking at the time.

"Ah, Hogwarts food!" he said joyously and then looked down. "Er, I haven't any clothes."

"I think we should all agree not to tell Dean there was a naked man sleeping in his bed during the holidays," Ron said.

Lupin laughed. "Well, a fugitive can hardly expect to arrive downstairs as he is. Change into Padfoot and let's go downstairs. There are not enough students here to be upset if we decide to eat downstairs, and most of them won't recognize me," he said with a smile.

Sirius nodded and changed into the big, bear-like dog that was his Animagus form and trotted over to Harry, panting and wagging his tail eagerly. Harry laughed and got dressed, as did Ron. The four Gryffindors all walked, or trotted, down to the Great Hall. They opened the doors and walked in, finding a smaller Christmas table set for thirty at which Dumbledore sat at the head, surrounded by a few teachers and a few students. A delicious lunch was spread out on the table. Dumbledore stood up and beamed at them as Hermione jumped up and began to hug Sirius joyfully.