His gaze fixed on the wooden door, Sirius resisted the urge to cry to his heart's content. Now that he had no one around, waves of grief rolled over him, threatening him from every side.

Even after all these years, the mere mention of his long-lost friends, especially James, would still sting him with heart-ache, no matter how much he tried to show otherwise.

However, he wasn't willing to give in that easily. Sirius heaved a deep sigh and blinked back the sparkling tears that had welled up in his eyes through his way up.

Determination overpowering his emotional heaviness, Sirius promised himself to never fail the Potters again.

Sirius wouldn't even fail himself, at least not for the second time.

Shoving those thoughts aside, Sirius cleared his throat and stepped into the headmaster's office after knocking and being allowed an entrance.

Sirius was greeted by the last person he would want to see at the moment, not that he had ever enjoyed his company.

Snivellus Snape was leaning forward, clutching his hands on one of the tables that held a vase of rare flowers.

A frown finding its way to his face, Sirius saw the pain that had been settled on Snape's expression. Abruptly in a flash though, Snape adopted his sneer back in place, to which Sirius raised a cold yet slightly amused eyebrow.

The headmaster eyed them carefully, expecting an explosion to erupt in the heart of his office. Sirius and Snape stood at their full heights, heads held high, exchanging the silent language of menacing glares.

It was nearly impossible to judge whose eyes reflected more hatred.

For moments running out, the tense silence rotating around the air was heavy to the extent of losing its harmonic balance.

Sirius wrinkled his nose in disgust, as though the grease in Snivellus' hair travelled all the way to him, leaving him with a sour distaste.

"Ah, Sirius," said Albus, breaking the silence. "How can I help you?"

Opposing his ever-growing desire to just finish off Snivellus first, Sirius reluctantly tore his steely gaze from Snape to focus instead on the headmaster.

"Trust me, I didn't come over here for some Sherbet Lemon," said Sirius, a small smirk playing on his lips, helping himself to a seat.

Having Snape in the room, Sirius had to show his carefree, not to mention superior, self in perfect portrayal.

"There's some serious business to attend to," said Sirius, hardening his expression, while his posture remained at ease.

"Indeed," sneered Snape, his voice cold resembling his facial expression.

Sirius closed his eyes as though in prayer to keep his self-control, which was already playing on the edge, at bay.

"What is it you need?" Albus asked in a heartbeat, before Sirius had the time to hex Snape.

"Harry... is what I need." Sirius spoke in a desperate voice, at once without any prior thinking.

Without any intention, his tongue played with the words his heart meant to express. Harry was exactly what Sirius needed to find his lost self.

"How sentimental!" Snape's hissing voice rang out.

"Do you find it that hard to just shut up?" Sirius blurted out, circling his fingers around his fist, wanting nothing more than to punch him right in the face.

Sirius gritted his teeth and, with a heavy sigh, gathered all his willpower to continue steadily as if Snivellus didn't even exist at all.

"I want custody of Harry James Potter... he's my godson, and I want him in my care," said Sirius in some formality, not willing to back away from his decision... not even when Dumbledore sighed and slightly shook his head without a word uttered.

A snort came from where Snape was standing. Getting to his feet, Sirius resisted the urge to slam him to the nearest wall.

"Do you really think you could be the responsible godfather?" Snape asked in mock concern, glaring at Sirius who gave him his back.

Casually burying his hand into the pocket of his jacket, Sirius tightened his grip on the handle of his wand, just in case. He already felt the heat pounding on his head, as though nagging for permission to burn that greasy-git.

"Y'know, I think I've searched everywhere, I just can't happen to find where I asked your opinion." Sirius spoke in a sarcastic air, yet his wild eyes spat with anger.

"Potter is already rotten enough for being his father's son," said Snape with a snarl, toying with his old rival, not willing to stop anytime soon.

A moment of shock it lasted for Sirius to spin around and face Snape, his eyes flashing dangerously on their own accord. With the blood roaring in his ears, Sirius felt raw fury boil and course through his veins.

No one has even the slightest right to insult James or tarnish his memory... this single thought bounced around the mind of the Black heir, allowing his chest to grow in burning flames of hurtful rage.

Snape wasn't aware at all how trapped he was, saying words of explosion and definitely to the wrong person.

"But, being taken in by you, what would that make him? More reckless, arrogant, no doubt--" Snape carried on, mistaking the beats of silence as personal success.

Sirius felt his anger reach its boiling point.

"Care to utter one more word, and..." Sirius began, breathing heavily, his mental wheels circulating around the best way to avenge those he cared about.

As though in a challenge with himself, Sirius looked at Snape dead in the eye with an outrageous glare.

"--And, we'll see if you still look fancy enough, hanging up a tree," continued Sirius in a dangerous voice, a lopsided smirk sliding on his face.

Snape was mortified and left tongue-tied, wishing for the Earth to just swallow him up. Sirius could tell by the broken look he received that Snape felt humiliated, a sensation he had nearly forgotten, with the memory washing over him like a flood.

Sirius almost felt sorry for Snape, almost... but no, that deranged, black bat well deserved it, more than anyone.

Sirius resorted to assault only because Snape dared to open his mouth and insult James... just like, two years ago, Sirius had been filled with the urge to attack Snape in the Shrieking Shack once that snivelling coward restrained Remus with physical ropes.

As always to Sirius, the inner voice of blinding loyalty overpowered the echo of logic, which already had a weak mental microphone making it not much heard of in the first place.

Besides, his rebel self convinced Sirius that Snivellus pretty much asked for it, and the Black heir was taking it very easily on him now.

"Give me a reason to do it. And you bet, I will," said Sirius coldly, uttering the same words that had been used on him.

Sirius was thankful to fate for the chance to give Snivellus a small taste of the belittling he, Sirius Black himself, had been constantly on the receiving end of.

Now, the damaging arrow was aiming in the opposite direction at Snape, instead of what had been ongoing for monotonous days and months towards Sirius.

"Just a word of caution, Snape, don't cross the red-line, the faintest chance you have left." Sirius spoke in a low dangerous voice, highlighting every word, taking in Snape's agitated expression.

Aside from their long-term history of hatred as schoolboys, Sirius considered Snape as equally guilty as the one who fired the deadly curse at his godson. Snape was the one, after all, who had left Harry mentally defenceless.

He would always blame Snape for endangering Harry's life... let alone, letting Sirius himself live hours of pure horror and grief around the loss of his godson.

Screw Dumbledore and the ministry in one hand! Sirius wanted to get an end to Snape once and for all, but only one thing stopped him from taking his easy road and acting on impulse... Harry.

You won't be worth anything to Harry in Azkaban, you've already had twelve years to prove it... Sirius reminded himself, gripped with fear of the resulting regret that would ultimately kill him, if he ever again betrayed the trust Harry put in him.

Harry wouldn't even forgive Sirius this time for leaving him alone once again, and that possibility was more agonizing to Sirius than he could ever handle.

"I am already letting it slide, for now though, what you've done to Harry... but don't push me any further," said Sirius, uncontrollable rage radiating from him.

The steel in Sirius' deadly glare spoke volumes, which seemed to not fall on deaf ears.

"Is that a threat?" Snape asked, trying to keep his voice steady, masking his fear with his signature sneer.

Sirius only smiled, his eyes gleaming maliciously. "I don't threaten... I only promise what is to happen."

Not trusting his voice that much, Snape shot him a glare of utter loathing, to which Sirius heartily returned as though bounced from a mirror.

***
"Sirius, this was unnecessary," a calm yet stern voice came from behind, slightly startling them.

Dumbledore had been watching the show unfold, only interrupting the glaring contest when it got out of hand.

"You reckon so?" Sirius spoke in a bitter voice, facing Dumbledore instead.

"You came to ask me of a request, Sirius, not to sort out old differences," said Albus calmly, an expression of disapproval found on his face.

And just like that, Sirius shifted his mind to focus on the matter of life or death: Harry. As per usual, family always came first.

"A request?" Sirius scoffed, wanting to snap that it was his right as the only real family left for Harry.

A nagging voice echoed inside Sirius that this decision was already overdue. He was late as it is, in offering a proper family to his godson.

But at least, even being late was still better than not having the chance at all.

"Sirius, I am not forcing anything... this time," said Albus sincerely, to which Sirius finally managed a curt nod.

Sirius knew better than to ever drop this argument, except on two conditions, either succeed or die. He would forever hold on to the faintest chance of standing up to his old promise... to give Harry the family he never had.

So fragile the promise was, that it nearly broke in a matter of seconds by the crushing hands of death, shattering even a beating heart into bits and pieces.

"One of us will just have to convince the other," said Albus, gesturing for Sirius to have a seat.

Breathing a sigh of relief that he didn't know he was holding, Sirius felt satisfied and more or less ensured that he had already won the argument... since nothing could ever convince him to go home without Harry.

Sirius was finally granted a word for a family... and being the stubborn person he's, he would never let go of the golden chance that had him waiting for years.

***
From the corner of his eyes, Sirius caught sight of Snape still standing there. He huffed, amazed at the snivelling idiot for not grasping that his traffic sign was now shaded with green.

"Ah, Snape, I trust you don't need help in excusing yourself," said Sirius, his tone booming in sarcasm, but the glare was more prominent.

Snape did his best to glare back with dead eyes, his lips curling into a snarl. Severus resorted to mentally curse that smirking bully with all the dreadful magical words he knew of.

Snape wished with all his heart that Black would vanish from the face of the world, just like that. Why can't he just stop dead, any moment now?

Hoping for his thoughts to come true in a form of a miracle, Snape took his exit after casting a final sneer in the direction of Sirius.

His mind set, Snape moved to a more worthy cause that would rectify the humilation he had just encountered.

"Close the door behind you, will you?" Sirius said, a small chuckle escaping him.

"Enjoying yourself?" Albus asked Sirius when the door slammed, lacing his fingers and his eyes twinkling.

Sirius nodded, a grin etched on his face. "A bit."

Sirius then composed himself to argue for Harry's well-being... as though his own life depended on the outcome, in a way, it truly did.

***
"Well?" Sirius demanded impatiently, after a moment of silence.

"I'll start with my part of the story," began the headmaster, heaving a sigh. "Why I forced, if you'd like to keep it that way, Harry to stay with his relatives."

"Sure, just don't overestimate yourself for being that persuasive... to make me leave him another day there," interrupted Sirius a bit harshly, his sarcastic thoughts taking charge.

Not counted as an utter fool, Sirius knew that Harry grew up thinking that no one loved him... but not anymore, that's a promise.

His godson wouldn't be left alone to doubt himself or live in fear, Sirius would personally see to that.

Harry had trusted his godfather to be the one to save him. Learning from past mistakes, Sirius wasn't willing to let him down, once more, no matter what.

"I can't, it had already cost him much... I can't." Sirius felt his voice crack with emotion, voicing out the words that echoed inside him with a loud beat.

**
"My mind was and still is set up for Harry's protection." Albus continued calmly as though he wasn't interrupted at all.

"I think I am fit enough to keep my godson safe," said Sirius quietly, breathing heavily and dropping his gaze to the ground.

Sirius tried to ignore the voice erupting from within that he wasn't even present in most of Harry's life... and deep inside, Sirius still couldn't blame anyone but himself.

He was more than desperate, now as much as ever, to be there for his godson at every turn, through thick and thin... through light and darkness.

"As long as he remains there, and only then, Voldemort can't touch him," replied the headmaster, eyeing Sirius carefully.

Sirius snapped his head to look at the man who had restrained him in a cage, for his own good, for the greater good.

His storm-like grey eyes mingled with emotional torture and barely constrained rage that had been building up for so long now.

"Stop underestimating me, just stop!" Sirius bellowed heartily, the vein stretching on his neck seemed ready to pop. "I am sick of this."

Sirius had had enough already. Everyone saw him as unworthy to be the godfather of the chosen-one. That unbearable image twinged with remarkable pain. . . especially because he knew it was true.

Just like always, Sirius couldn't even bear to continue living as a mere shadow in Harry's life, being utterly useless.

His heartbeat pounding on his ears, Sirius was panting for breath as though he kept on running for years, still failing to reach his destination beyond the horizon.

A burst of stubborn determination encompassing his very soul, Sirius didn't even consider the slight possibility of raising the white flag for surrender.

Never would he lose the battle, for Sirius had to just welcome death if he failed once again.

Little did he know, that he couldn't make it... without sacrifices.

***
Meanwhile, in the hospital wing, two cross-legged best friends were playing Exploding Snap for different reasons. Ron was just content to be with Harry, enjoying his mere company... feeling relieved from the horror of thinking, just yesterday, that he had lost his best mate forever.

Harry, on the other hand, wanted to clear his mind, forbidding it from asking the questions he had no answers to. He was desperate for his heart to ease off, just a bit.

"Oh and Ron, almost forgot, did you curse them like you've said?" Harry asked, cracking a small smile.

Harry couldn't help but imagine the mental image of Hermione and Ginny being frozen and still like statues from a playful Petrificus Totalus.

"Nah, haven't got the heart for that. Do you reckon I am that mean? Ginny is my little sister, after all," said Ron, activitating the defensive mode, grinning sheepishly. "And Hermione, well, she's our friend."

"Where are they, then?" Harry asked curiously.

"Oh, remember a girl by the name of Cho Chang?" Ron asked, smirking, before a glare came his way.

"Right, so... she stopped us to ask about your whereabouts as she wanted to have a word with you." Ron carried on pretty steadily, expecting Harry to at least blush, but he was greeted by nothing other than a blank expression.

Harry would be lying to himself if he claimed that he no longer felt betrayed that she didn't choose him over her grief for Cedric or her fear from the unvoiced mess within her or her terror from the creeping horrors of the world around her.

She even sacrificed the continuity and the welfare of the DA just for her friendship with the one who had let their secret out. That was the final straw that made Harry just... fall out of love.

Despite of everything and deep within, Harry didn't utterly hate her.

But-- where there's trust, always comes hurt. The lesson Harry had learned kept circling in his mind... and something ensured him that history would indeed repeat itself in a dreadful beat.

The unintended consequence of building up high expectations, disappointment that is, was the sensation Harry despised the most.

What if the ones he put his faith in, turned out to be the reason behind an unbearable stock of further suffering? That would ultimately break him...

If that was the case, Harry would no longer have the strength to climb the mountain of earned trust that would have crumbled into dust.

Harry was drunken by an agonizing fear with such a shattering possibility taking over his mind, before Ron's voice snapped him out of it.

"--That's all," said Ron breathlessly, having went into detail about such an encounter.

Harry had no idea what the whole story was about, evident by his bewildered expression which Ron was oblivious of, so he just nodded.

"I just hope everyone survives. Though by the look poor Cho received from them, I doubt that." Ron continued, remembering the annoyed glare and the troubled expression that Ginny, in particular, had when she came their way.

"And you just left her cornered in a dangerous circle?" Harry asked, faint worry traced in his voice.

"Nah, don't worry, mate," said Ron, dismissively gesturing to the abandoned game of Exploding Snap. "I bet Hermione will hold Ginny back from doing anything so Weasley-like."

Harry, in spite of himself, returned Ron's smirk.

***
"Harry, what do you reckon would happen to the pink toad?" Ron asked out of nowhere, his eyes sparkling with sudden interest and amusement.

"I am as clueless as you are," said Harry, shrugging, his thoughtful expression intensifying.

"Well, I hope she gets what she deserves," said Ron solemnly.

"Yeah, Sirius seemed livid... and he only knows half the truth," muttered Harry.

"True, if I were you, my parents would be bloody grumpy, as well..." Ron said openly but regretted it at once.

Harry's face was taken over by a frown of pain, his gaze averting to his hands, when Ron mentioned his parents... reminding Harry that nothing had changed and he was still an orphan, just like he had always been and even grew accustomed to.

Knowing what it felt like to have parents from their first and last encounter, Harry had dreaded losing them from between his hands that were forced by the cruelty of death and fate to remain open for them to slip through.

Just then, Harry felt like losing them all over again, so he still had to grieve for their absence more than ever before... since now, he actually knew the real James and Lily in which he had always been fascinated by the idea of.

"You could still tell Sirius, though... the whole truth, mate," said Ron, anxiously rubbing his forehead.

After a silent moment of hesitation, Harry nodded slowly.

"And the show, which I can't wait for, would be even more eventful!" Ron exclaimed, anticipation greatly evident in his excited tone.

Ron just found himself laughing so hard, and shortly Harry joined in, their minds playing with all the possible equally amusing scenarios. They were both looking forward to see some punishment to avenge themselves from that hell of a year.

The air was filled with cheerful vibes before it broke with an uneasy tension, being too good to last.

The teenagers were startled by having company that they almost jumped from the bed. Dread filled them up, as they recognized the hissing voice echoing with loathing.

Is Hogwarts truly the safest place of all?

Who do you think decided to join them, when they are all alone? No Sirius. No Remus. No protection whatsoever.

Stay tuned for the next chapter... soon, I hope.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed it :)

Vote and comment, please, lovelies. you have no idea how much it means to me <3

Now, let's think of this: how would Sirius and Remus deal with themselves if anything happened and they lost Harry once again?

... A completely *laughs nervously* hypothetical question.