The Forest of Dean

Tonks: "Right, good idea," I nodded. "Oh, knowing Harry and Hermione, they'll have it planned out already, they seemed to know what they were doing already," I shrugged. "If not, they'll come up with something, they're pretty smart,"

"I don't know. Diagon Alley is too widely used, and so is the Ministry, I don't think either had much real significance, nothing too important, and really, he is Minister for all intents and purposes,"

Lupin: "Kingsley. Do you want to go, or should I?"

"Right. Well there is Hogwarts. And on his person."

"Can you think of anything he's really attached to?" I asked as we walked.

Kingsley: I shrugged. "Either way is fine with me,"

Tonks: I stood up and started looking around for anything we could use for shelter, in case mum didn't happen to have a tent handy. I heard a branch break to my left, and held my wand out. Seconds later I felt a rough hand on my good shoulder (luckily, or I would have punched the face that was part of the body the arm belonged to), and I spun around. Sirius was standing there. "Sirius?" I whispered. "What in the world are you doing here?"

Lupin: I wheeled around, "Padfoot!"

Sirius: I smiled, "Moony..."

Lupin: "But....it can't be..."

"His snake."

Kingsley: I chuckled. "I'll go, then," I called and disapparated.

Tonks: "Yeah, Remus is right. How are you here?" I asked, frowning.

"Great. That will be easy," I sighed, sarcastically.

Sirius: "When I fell through the veil, I was dead. For a time. I was with James, Lily, and countless others who gave their lives. But I was needed here. That is what Dumbledore told me when he joined us. he showed me how to get back, though I don't remember how now." I shook my head.

Lupin: "You're definitely welcome!" I grinned.

I frowned, "Yeah. That's the problem."

Tonks: "Wow, that's..... interesting," I nodded. "Like Remus said, you're welcome. You were missed,"

"Maybe we should start with trying to find the real locket," I suggested.

Sirius: "Thanks."

Lupin: "You just missed Harry." I told him.

Sirius: "My godson who continually attempts to avenge me?" I laughed.

"Good idea. Where should we start?"

Tonks: "That's the one," I nodded. "He apparently doesn't understand that Bellatrix is much more stubborn about dying than most people are,"

Kingsley: I apparated back with supplies for a few weeks at least, and walked to the others.

"Well, we could always talk to Kreacher. Didn't he start muttering about how he served You-Know-Who at one point?"

Sirius: "Do you mind if I...?"

Lupin: "No. Not at all."

Sirius: I nodded, "Thanks" I said before running after Harry, Hermione, and Cho.

"Good idea. Yeah. Let's go, and Apparate right on the staircase just in case Hermione."

Tonks: I watched as Sirius ran off in the direction Harry, Hermione and their friend had gone, before turning to Kingsley. "That was fast,"

Kingsley: "Well, apparently Dumbledore told all the people who allowed us to use their homes as safe-houses to have kits ready in case any of us needed to go into hiding for an extended period of time," I laughed. "By the way, your mother sends her love..... well, to both of you,"

"Wait. Harry, do you hear that?" I asked, hearing loud footsteps, growing louder by the second, approaching, in seconds Sirius Black was in sight. "What?" I breathed, confused, watching as Harry ran forward.

Lupin: I nodded, "I seem to remember that, now that you mention it. Good man Dumbledore." I sighed, but suddenly gasped and ran after Sirius.

Sirius: "Harry Potter. You look just as I last remembered you, though you seem to have matured a great deal." I smiled at the look of astonishment on his face as I ran forward.

I turned as I heard my name, "Sirius?" I half-whispered. "Sirius!" I yelled as I ran at him and hugged him tightly. "How? I saw you fall though! Lupin told me you were dead! Why have you been hiding from me all this time?" I drilled, expecting to hear something about how he couldn't show himself for some reason or another.

Sirius: "Well...." I said, prepared to launch the same story I had told Kingsley, Tonks, and Lupin when something tackled me to the ground from behind.

Lupin: "Sirius! No!! I have to tell you something...." I said quickly. "NOW!" I yelled as he began to protest.

Sirius: "Get off, and I will gladly hear what you have to say." I growled.

Lupin: I stood up and helped Sirius up before dragging him into the forest. We walked for about five minutes.

Sirius: "I hope you have a damn good reason for tearing me away from my godson like that Remus!" I snarled.

Lupin: "Hear me out old friend." I said, attempting to catch my breath, "The story you told me. You were able to come back from the dead because Dumbledore explained it to you, said that you were needed." He nodded. "You weren't the only one close to Harry that he has lost. James! Lily! Albus! They were all incredibly important to him, whether he remembered them or not. Why were you the one that was told how to come back? Why wasn't it James or Lily? They are, after all, his parents. Wouldn't they be able to do more for Harry than you?"

Sirius: "I am perfectly capable of he-"

Lupin: "You have to hear me out! These are rhetorical questions Sirius!" I said impatiently, "If Dumbledore knows how to come back, why doesn't he come back himself? Why does he send you back? Wouldn't Dumbledore know how to assist Harry with the task he himself assigned the boy? All of those questions could go off in Harry's head if you tell him the truth."

Sirius: I thought about all that Remus was saying, letting it sink in.

Lupin: "You have to lie Padfoot. It is the only way. You don't know what his reaction will be otherwise. Tell him that you had no way of contacting him and had to hideout in various places. Tell him a far-fetched story about how you happened to stumble upon me, or you had a feeling that you needed to come here. I. Don't. Care! Just don't tell him the truth...."

Sirius: "You expect me to lie to my godson?!" I bellowed, "After abandoning him in the Ministry when he needed me the most you expect me to lie as though it is second nature? Like a criminal Remus?!"

Lupin: I sighed, "For now. Until he-"

Sirius: "Don't you dare say until he is old enough, or until he is mature enough. That boy had been though more than you and I combined! You should have seen his haunted expression before he saw me. The difference it made in his demeanor as he saw me Moony.... And you want me to lie."

Lupin: "What if he completely rejects you because he would prefer his parents or Albus Dumbledore over you?"

Sirius: "That boy is grateful for what he has. Nothing more, nothing less."

Lupin: "I'm begging....just for now."

Sirius: I sighed and nodded. "For now. But as soon as I find him worthy to receive the information, I will give it to him."

Lupin: "Thank you...thank you..." I muttered as I sank to my knees.

Sirius: I turned and walked in the direction that Harry was in.

I watched as Remis tackled Sirius and dragged him away. Harry looked distraught and confused. "I-I'm sure he has a good reason, Harry," I told him, quietly. "I mean... He knows how much you've missed Sirius,"

Tonks: I watched as Sirius ran off, and Remus sat there, seemingly thinking for a moment before his eyes widened and he started running after Sirius. "Remus? Remus wait! Where are you going?" I called after him.

Kingsley: "He'll be back," I told Nymphadora, looking after Remus. "He always comes back,"

Tonks: "But where did he even go, Kingsley?"

Kingsley: I shrugged. "No idea. But maybe we should set up the tent and some protection charms while we wait," I suggested, to which she nodded and we took the tent out and I set it up while she pit up the charms.

Tonks: "Well, it's been ten minutes, I'm going to look for him," I announced a few minutes after everything was set up, and I began jogging slowly where both men had run off. After about ten more minutes of searching, I spotted Remus on his knees with his head in his hands, and I ran over. "Remus!" I called as I approached. "Are you alright?" I asked, kneeling next to him.

I stood there with Harry and Hermione while we waited for Harry's uncle to return. We had heard a bit of shouting so we were all on edge. Harry more than Hermione and I obviously. He was so anxious, almost in pain it seemed. I wanted to comfort him, but it seemed out of place. Instead I waited with them as Sirius appeared through the tree once more. As he walked back over he seemed to have a different atmosphere about him then before. Almost sad I would say... but Harry was anything but sad. I smiled.

Lupin: I nodded, "That took a lot out of me..."

Sirius: I walked back over to Harry, Hermione, and Cho. "I'm sorry about that. I....where were we?"

I grinned, "How you're here...?"

Sirius: "Ah. Yes. I had to hide out for awhile. I mean you all thought I had died...." I trailed off.

"Well, you could've shown yourself, we all would have understood if you'd explained, Sirius...." I told him, something about this didn't really fit. "Why would you even have to hide? After we thought you died, the Ministry accepted that You-Know-Who is back, and took your name off the Most Wanted List, realizing you weren't a criminal after all," I explained. "And, well, a lot has happened since we saw you last. Dumbledore was killed, Mad-Eye was killed, Bill Weasley was attacked by Fenrir Greyback, and well, Ron is missing. and countless others, the death toll is rising. But, I guess there has been good among all of this. Bill and Fleur were married, so were Remus and Tonks, but still. My point, is that you really didn't need to be in hiding..... nobody would have really cared," I finished.

Tonks: I nodded. "Well, you are getting old," I grinned. "Well, plus the whole werewolf thing is probably exhausting, because thirty-seven isn't really that old....." I shrugged. "Anyway, I was worried, do you need help?"

Sirius: "You've always been exceptionally bright, haven't you?" I muttered to Hermione as I embraced Harry, so that he couldn't overhear what I said to her, "Don't..." I warned before pulling Harry away from me and looking at him, "Yes. There has been some good, hasn't there? I did what Dumbledore told me to, nothing more, nothing less. And I imagine that man had good reason for the instructions he gave me." I concluded. I wasn't truly lying....

I looked at Hermione, "It'd be nice if you wouldn't ruin the moment. And Bill wasn't just attacked by Greyback Hermione. He was..." I trailed off as a look of horror crossed her face.

Lupin: "No, no. I'm fine. Yes, I imagine the werewolf aspect takes a lot after me." I stood up, "Let's go."

I nodded at Sirius, and watched Harry and Sirius. "Bill? Oh no.... that's... horrible!" I gasped. "That's what Tonks meant when she was talking about Mrs. Weasley losing two sons, let's hope she doesn't find out about Ron.... at least until we find him,"

Tonks: I nodded and started walking slowly back to where we'd set up the camp. "I think we got everything set up, so you can rest,"

Sirius: "Ron is missing?" I frowned, "We should find him."

"We? There is no we! It's me. It's always been me and it always will be."

Sirius: "I'm sure Hermione will agree that you are very brave. You may have been told that it comes down to you and the Dark Lord, but you can get help to find Ron and to hunt down the remaining Horcruxes. You have a fake locket, the diary is destroyed, and I have the ring." I smiled at Harry's quizzical look, "Dumbledore gave it to me."

"But...you're one of them! You have to be!!" I shouted.

Sirius: "One of them??" I frowned.

I nodded, "You're a Death Eater."

Lupin: "Alright." I nodded.

I looked quizzically at Harry. "Why do you think he's a Death Eater?" I asked. "And how do you know all that information, Sirius? And yes, Ron is missing,"

Tonks: "What were you doing, running after Sirius like that anyway?" I asked, we still had a way to walk, and I was curious.

Sirius: "Dumbledore planned his death. He told me all of this prior because he knew you would need help." Lying was becoming gradually easier.

"You called Riddle the Dark Lord! Only his Death Eaters call him that!"

Sirius: "Calm down Harry. Yes, I referred to him as the Dark Lord, only because the name I would call him normally, the name you are used to, has a taboo on it. Which I have determined you know about because you are calling him Riddle."

Lupin: "If Sirius told Harry the truth. Harry would ask too many questions." I said, hoping she would fill in the blanks for herself.

"Well, we guessed after Death Eaters swarmed the school when Harry said his name." I nodded. "If you're not sure it's really Sirius, ask him questions only Sirius would know the answers to," I told Harry, folding my arms, waiting.

Tonks: "Oh, you're right. Harry is far too curious for his own good, let's hope he doesn't ask too many questions no matter what.... even Sirius could really easily slip up," I sighed. "Sometimes, things are too complicated,"

Lupin: I nodded, "We can only hope." I said as we reached the campsite.

Sirius: "Yes. Ask me."

I racked my brains, "What did you and my dad use to communicate with each other when you were both in separate detentions?"

Sirius: "A two-way mirror. I gave you one so that you could communicate with me if Snape gave you a hard time while teaching you Occlumency." I explained.

"Thats right, isn't it Harry?" I asked, hopefully. Sirius had even given a reason.

Kingsley: I looked up from the fire is started while Nymphadora had been looking for Remus, when I heard leaves crunching beneath feet. I raised my wand and pointed it at Remus, to be sure it was him. He should know by now to just give information.

I stood there watching the others. It seemed Sirius was indeed the Sirius Harry knew, but that still didn't explain why he hadn't answered some of Hermione's previous question. It made me doubt him. I frowned. Was I being paranoid? I'd asked myself the same thing before we were locked in the Dark Arts classroom...