Return Of The Father (Harry Potter fanfiction) **COMPLETED**

:: Chapter 33: The danger has passed...for now ::

"He'll be here in the area, there's an anti apparition spell. And he won't dare to escape on his own, the others will be on his tail otherwise," spoke Remus quickly.

"You're right," said Sirius, staring at the loose ropes, which mere moments ago bound a man. "He won't be able to save his neck from the Death Eaters, they'll be after him in no time, he knows too much."

"Where's Harry?" asked James in a croaky voice. Sirius turned to his worn best friend.

"Back at Grimmauld Place," said Sirius grimly. "He put up a hell of a fight, saying that he wanted to come. Said that he deserved it, seeing as he's the reason we were able to even get here in the first place."

Sirius remembered the heated conversation he had had with the teen, and what Harry had said in the end. More than he cared to admit, those few words had rankled, had haunted him ever since they had reached his ears.

"I'M COMING WITH YOU, SIRIUS!"

"Harry, no, you can't--"

"Why not?"

"Because it's dangerous! There'll be too many death eaters--"

"I don't care! I can take them--"

"Harry," spoke Remus. "This isn't a DA meeting, this is a place with Death Eaters and perhaps Voldemort himself. James wouldn't want you to risk your life for him."

"Wouldn't he do the same for me? Think about it--"

"Harry, your life means more to James than his own--" began Sirius.

"No way is he dying again for me!"

"He won't!"

"We need to get going if we're to get to James on time. Harry, we'll be back soon, very soon--"

"You'd promised though," said Harry suddenly, his voice merely a whisper. He was staring accusingly Sirius.

"What?" asked Sirius in bafflement.

"You'd promised. After your trial. You'd promised that you'd watch his back. That you wouldn't let anything happen."

Memories stirred inside his head, of a talk he had had with Harry by the kitchen table after his trial.

---I'll watch his back. I won't let anything happen to him---

"Harry," croaked Sirius. "I--"

"Save it, Sirius," muttered Harry, turning his back to his godfather and walking towards the fireplace, his gait tired and his shoulders sagging in defeat.

"What do you mean?"

"Huh?" asked Sirius absently, suddenly snapping out of his reverie. He'd been so wrapped up in thinking about what Harry had said that he missed James's question.

"What do you mean by he was the reason you're here?" James prodded, leaning against the wall.

"The Quaero glass," said Sirius, shaking himself into reality. He could think about all that later. "Good choice of a Christmas present, James--

"We'll praise James's taste for useful Christmas presents later, now, we need to get out of here," interrupted Remus.

Suddenly, there was a yell from overhead.

"Dora," said Remus in a strained voice.

"Tonks?" came James's voice, full of puzzlement. "She's here?"