Worthy Of Magic

Part 11 - Vanish

Harry stood at platform nine and three quarters not quite sure where he had to go. On one hand he had no interest in returning to Janus and on the other his invitation to Malfoy Manor had been rescinded due to extenuating circumstances or so Lucius Malfoy explained in his letter.

This led to a road block Harry was not expecting to find. Where should he go? He supposed Privet Drive was an option, maybe Dudley would be there and he would get a chance to skin that fat pig... or perhaps Diagon Alley?

He was saved from the conundrum when he spotted the headmaster walking towards him from the gateway.

"Did you have a nice trip Harry?" he asked cheerfully, like he was Harry's parent.

Harry scowled. "What do you want? School is over."

"I am your guardian Harry. Where you go is my responsibility and I hardly think Janus is the place for you now. I've found you a home I think you might prefer over the stifling environment at Janus."

He took a hold of Harry's arm and Harry let him, knowing this was the part where they apparated. He suppressed the instinct to lash out and let the headmaster take him to places unknown.

They reappeared in a field of sunflowers. The sun was almost directly above them and a warm wind breezed through what Harry understood was a hill top.

Serenity and tranquility washed through the void and Harry smiled. This was a beautiful place Dumbledore had brought him to.

"Missed the mark," Dumbledore chuckled. "Come on Harry. There a path up ahead."

Careful not to step on any flowers, Harry followed the headmaster to a narrow stone path leading up the hill.

A flock of colourful little birds raced past them chirping and dancing making Harry laugh.

Dumbledore glanced at Harry and smiled sadly. The boy was badly damaged. Perhaps beyond repair. He had an inkling of the way the boys mind worked but his thoughts were too haphazard and his magic too chaotic for him to make much sense of it. It was entirely his fault Harry Potter had ended up like this. He could see the golden gem the boy could have been but it was all for naught. Now the boy clung on to one thing alone. The only thing that kept his mind from shattering completely. Magic. Or the void as the boy so affectionately called it.

A cottage came into view.

It was a small thing. Had a thatched roof and appeared to be made of badly cut logs. Thin wisps of smoke was rising from the chimney.

There were several fenced fields behind the cottage where chickens, sheep and cows grazed lazily. Basking under the yellow glow of the sun.

Outside, near the cottage, a man was hard at work, cutting up big logs into smaller logs. He was well built, shirtless and had long wavy black hair.

"Sirius."

The man turned. Grey eyes widened when they saw the boy beside Dumbledore.

For a moment there was complete silence. Dumbledore stared patiently, Sirius apprehensively and Harry curiously.

"Well," the man named Sirius said with a sigh. "You better come inside."

Sirius took a shirt that was lying in the grass, dusted it and put in on casually, not bothering to button it up. Harry's attention was drawn to the moving tattoos that adorned his chest and arms.

"Are-," Dumbledore began.

"Asleep," Sirius said abruptly. He knew what the headmaster wanted to ask.

The front door opened with a screech as the bottom dragged against the stone floor.