2] Skyfall [Harry Potter Fanfiction/James Potter Returns]

Chapter 6: Survivor

His grief he will not forget,
but it will not darken his heart;
it will teach him wisdom
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Harry,

I know we've discussed this and you've expressed your explicit dislike for my idea, but now it's important. I can't draw you away from the school seeing as it'd be too suspicious. I'm only going to ask you to trust me, and to meet me in the outskirts of Hogsmead after you've finished anything you need to do. I'll find you.

Love,

Snuffles.

Harry stared at the letter in his hands blankly, the sound of breakfast slowly being muted in his ears as his classmates chatted together and owls hooted in their descent upon the students. Ron was saying something that no longer registered in Harry's mind as Hermione dived behind the great paper of the Daily Prophet, and all he could find in his head was a deafening silence.

Something important. Important. Too important for Sirius to risk his neck twice now. Harry's hand trembled slightly before he clenched his hand and stuffed the letter in his pocket. Could it really be..? His heart leapt at the thought, but he was suddenly too scared to trust it. He couldn't have his spirit trampled too, more than it already was being. He didn't think he'd be able to handle it.

"-Harry? Harry! Harry!"

He snapped out of his daze to find Hermione staring at him as Ron stuffed his face with buttered toast. "Huh?"

"Who was that from?" she glanced around them and leaned in, adding in a whisper; "Is it from... Snuffles?"

Harry's stare and silence was enough an answer.

"What'd he want?" Ron perked up, interested. "What'd he say?"

"He wants to meet me in Hogsmead."

"Oh, Harry! NO!" hissed Hermione immediately. "You can't let him do that! You explicitly told him not to. It's too dangerous- for both of you!"

"Didn't seem like he's giving me a choice," mumbled Harry numbly.

"What?"

"Something's happened," Harry figured quietly. "Something really important. He wants to tell me about it. It was so important that it had him and Lupin in the hospital wing with Dumbledore and McGonagall really late in the night. Something's happened."

"D'you think it's got something to do with You-Know-Who?" Ron inquired, lowering his voice.

"Dunno," mumbled Harry. "It can't be, though. Right? Not enough to bring Sirius out of his house. It's got something to do with Lupin and him and..."

"What? Who?"

Harry shook his head. "But he wants to tell me about it. So it's gotta be about me."

"Maybe he's going away?" Ron suggested in a quiet voice. "You know, for a mission or to draw away attention. Maybe he's saying goodbye?"

Harry's heart clenched at the thought and a bitter feeling spread through him. He didn't want that. Not Sirius too. No. "Dunno. What, Hermione?"

Hermione looked sceptical. "Why does he want to tell you about it?" she asked. Upon their bemused faces, she explained. "During the summer, Sirius wanted to tell Harry everything when everyone else said no. He fought them to let Harry know- for... for his own reasons. Is this like that?"

Harry felt his neck chill as he stared at Hermione. "Don't think so," he spoke coolly. "He's not that stupid to go against Dumbledore's wishes, is he? Besides, he understands when he has to tell me and when he doesn't."