The Stag and the Doe

Chapter Twenty- Harry

Disclaimer: Not my characters

Chapter Twenty: Harry

On a lazy Saturday in the Potter household, a week after James' sixth year at Hogwarts, the door bell rang at a time James claimed ungodly. It was ten in the morning. His mother woke him up, none to gently mind you, to get the door. This resulted in a grumpy James in nothing but his boxer shorts spluttering mute curses as he reached the door.

Who in the right mind visit when it's pouring out, James thought. It could be the barmy old couple next door, James thought. But why would they come now? James hadn't done anything, well not yet at least. Although it could be someone else.They would have to be completely desperate or completely mad.

Rubbing his eyes and shoving on his glasses, James opened the door to find that the person standing at the door was both completely mad and desperate. The scene before him was so familiar that it backtracked his mind to nearly four years ago. The person at the door then was beaming toothily, holding up suitcases that were almost bigger than his twelve year old self. The person at the door then had his parents looming behind him with his mother's upper lip curling in distaste, and his fathers indifferent blank face stare at James. The person at the door had flung himself at thirteen year old James, nearly knocking his skinny body to the floor. The person at the door was elated to leave his family behind him and find comfort in the Potter's home.

This person at the door was not the same Sirius he was four years ago.

This Sirius' shoulders were hunched as if he were carrying a weight to heavy to bear anymore. The only bag that Sirius held was a ratty old knapsack that was overflowing cloths and books, and that had fallen to the wet ground before him. He was leaning against the door frame miserably, his shaggy hair nearly covering his face. His body was trembling from the cold, and his clothes were soaked and disarray, one foot had a shoe while the other had a sock that mismatched the other. James couldn't tell if it was the rain, or if it was Sirius' tears that ran down his face.

"Sirius?" James asked shocked.

His head went up slowly and his hand brushed away the hair from his face. James stood there, open mouthed, as he discovered that it was both a combination of tears and the rain that raced down Sirius face. His eyes were bloodshot and the grey in them was dull and nearly lifeless. His pallor was much more paler than usually and blotchy next to his mouth. Dark circles that looked like bruises, coated the skin under his eyes.

"Sirius, what-" James said before Sirius launched himself at James, his arms wrapping around James' waist and his head lowering to the crook of James' neck. James froze at the cold sensation of a soaked Sirius hugging the life out of him. He unfroze when the tears had migrated from Sirius' face to his shoulder. James hugged him back, still shocked but with more understanding than before.

Sirius gasped out, "Parents-ran away-Oh God Regulas-I-I screwed up. Really bad this time."

James pulled away, just so that he look him in the eyes and said, "Come on mate, Mom's cooking breakfast, the spare chamber's yours, and there's a lot of pranks to be planned now that your hear."

Through his sniffles, Sirius smiled gratefully, he wiped his tears and grabbed his ragged knapsack. James smiled in return, "There you go mate, let's go and get you changed."

When they entered the house, James shouted, "Mom! You'll never believe the dog I found rolling in the garden!"

Sirius knocked his shoulder against James' and said, "At least I'm not naked you skinny git."

James looked down, chuckled, "Nothing you haven't seen before and more, Padfoot."

He wrinkled his nose, "Ugh, please don't remind me. Oh God the flashbacks! Anything but the naked flashbacks!"