Harry Potter and the Ties that Bind

Chapter 5

Author's note: I apologize to everyone who read this chapter before the previous two. This is actually chapter 5.

Harry did not know what Sirius Black was doing here. Had the man tracked him down? Was his father's supposed best friend even here for him? If so, how had Sirius found him? If not, why show up in non-magical Britain? Harry didn't know, couldn't know.

But, he was determined to find out.

Unfortunately, capturing Sirius Black was going to be harder than he'd originally assumed. His godfather was still in his dog animagus form, and was thus much faster than Harry in his human form. He was also being smart, sticking to places that were heavy with pedestrian traffic. Even at night, London was filled with people and cars as the many citizens enjoyed the nightlife.

He and Sirius raced through the streets of London. They must have made quite the sight; a large black dog being chased by a twelve year old boy. Many people stared as they passed, though most seemed to ignore them in favor of going about their business.

Harry growled as he caught sight of Sirius weaving through people's legs like water flowing around a boulder. He'd managed to keep up with the dog animagus by shoving inordinate amounts of magic into his legs, but he could already feel the damage it was doing to his body. His thighs and calves were beginning to break down. Magic was never meant to be used this way.

Another glimpse of black fur darting between the legs of a young woman who shrieked upon seeing the dog caused Harry to grit his teeth.

Sirius Black...

The name struck so many chords within Harry. He remembered Sirius quite well; the man he called Padfoot, the man who'd been given the title of godfather, the man his father trusted above everyone else.

He remembered the many times Sirius would visit them...

He remembered riding on Sirius' back while the man was in his dog form...

He remembered when Sirius would look after him while his parents were on missions for the Order of the Phoenix...

He remembered being told stories about his parent's time at Hogwarts, tales that were wholly inappropriate for a six month old baby to hear...

He remembered and remembered and remembered. Countless memories of Sirius stirred within his mind. Times where the man would visit, times where he would be scolded by Harry's mother for doing something stupid, times where the man and his father would regale him with tales. So many numerous memories, so many nostalgic moments.

It just made him angrier.

Perhaps if Harry were in his right mind, he would have never done what he did. Maybe if his head hadn't been clouded by anger, he would have been able to contain himself and think logically. He wasn't, however. In the face of someone who might have been complicit in his parent's murder, logic and reason were the last things on his mind.

In an effort to catch his godfather, Harry Potter transformed into a jaguar.

In the middle of London's busy streets.

***

Geoffrey Crawft was not a man who drank very often. As a businessman and an upstanding citizen who abided by laws of both the government and church, he rarely ever drank anything except perhaps a single glass of wine on special occasions. Recently, however, he'd been hitting the bars a lot more.

"Bartender," he called out while gesturing to his empty glass, "another drink, please."

The bartender, a blond bombshell of a woman, smiled seductively as she refilled his drink. Geoffrey ignored her, his attention fixated on his glass being filled with amber liquid.