by Lisette: Lisette_an@hotmail.com

Legalese: The television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all related characters and material belong to Joss Whedon and UPN.  All things Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling.  I claim ownership solely of the story idea - no profit will be made by this.

Author's Note: I know that I've said it before, but the reviews are making me feeling like I just can't post fast enough.  Thank you for keeping me working at such a fever pitch!  Especially, a huge heartfelt thanks to Gaeriel Mallory, manticore-gurl, davi, alwaysanangelgurl, Lala, Zelda, DragonGal, Kiwi, X-Lander, Harry, Empress, Jeanne, Mystic Queen, Rosie, poppie, KaylsDaeAlMon, Eredite, JaminJellyBean, Rob, jezowen, Lynn, and Tara.  You guys all had a ton of great questions, mainly dealing with the identity of the werewolf, while some of you hit the nail right on the head with that one.  Anyway, your answers are as follows.  Also, I'm glad that you guys enjoyed the action scenes, for those are some of the hardest scenes to write for me!  Hopefully I won't lose you anywhere!  And lastly, am I getting predictable in my old age or do great minds just think alike?  Some of you guys' predictions are really, really close to some things I have planned for later chapters, some already written, and I can't help wondering if you guys are somehow peaking at the stuff I have finished on my computer!  If so, stop, stop I say! ;p Enjoy!

Sarah: It's so funny that you mentioned that song!  I heard it for the first time a few weeks ago and have become completely addicted to it and the rest of their songs.  I had already decided that it was a key song to go with the story, but after reading your review I went back and really listened to the words.  It's official!  "Bring Me To Life" by Evanesence has been officially dubbed as the theme song to this story by yours truly!  Actually, I highly recommend listening to both that song as well as Tatu's "All The Things She Said" for the climax, found around chapter 29 or 30! ;p

"Life is an unrelenting comedy.  Therein lies the tragedy of it."
-Dean Koontz-

    As the fiery sun rose over the horizon, the grounds quickly became cloaked beneath a cloud of cool mist, obscuring the smallest of details and bathing the world in a muffling silence.  Even though Harry only truly took the time to see the world at this early hour a few times each month, when everyone else was still asleep, it was one of his favorite times of day.  With the world so still and silent, he could almost forget the pain, fear, and regret that they all lived with and focus on the peace that the world contained in its most innocent hour.  Smiling softly, he quietly closed the large doors of the castle behind him and made his way down the steps of Hogwarts, his heavy black cloak drawn around his lean frame and his trusty Firebolt casually leaning against his shoulder.  Within hours the sun would burn away the mist, but until then, Harry was going to enjoy every minute of it.

    His footsteps muffled by the misty morning, Harry finally stilled as his feet met the dewy, grassy grounds of Hogwarts.  Lifting his broom from his shoulder, he quickly mounted it and then kicked off into the morning air, the cool mist wetting his cheeks and parting around his lean frame.  Up until Dumbledore had closed the school, Harry had maintained his seeker position on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.  Despite his added inches, he still remained the quickest on the broom, and the most agile flyer that Hogwarts had seen in many a year.  It was the one thing that he did right, all on his own.  It wasn't something that was attributed to his connection with Voldemort, and nothing that he had learned on his own.  It was nothing imagined or exaggerated.  It was just something that came naturally to him - something that was all together his, thereby making it his greatest achievement.  His greatest joy.

    As the wind whipped his heavy robes around him, Harry directed his broom to the edges of the magical boundary that protected them all.  Slowing slightly, he allowed his sharp eyes, trained from years of looking for the small, golden snitch, to rove the borders, searching as he always did come this time.  However, when his eyes did alight on a figure on the grounds below, it definitely wasn't the figure that he had been searching for.  Startled, Harry quickly dove down, alighting softly beside the strange girl from the night before.  She was curled into a small ball on the wet grass, face pale and streaked with blood, her blonde hair pooled around her small shoulders.  She looked dead.  Paling, he slowly shifted his weight, bending towards her as a small twig cracked beneath his foot.  What happened next came so fast that Harry barely had time to register the fact that he was now lying on the ground, a sharpened piece of wood scant centimeters above his chest.  Gasping, Harry lifted his wide green eyes to the wild eyes above him.  Eyes that slowly faded into recognition.

    Confused, Buffy slowly lifted her head, her eyes taking in the misty grounds spread before them, hints of the tall castle peeking out in the distance.  She had been so sure that she was in the Centre - so sure that she had somehow been brought back.  She heard a sound and was jolted from her sleep, only to realize that she was cold, sore, stiff, and definitely not lying on Giles' couch.  She had thought that she had been back and had reacted in that instant with a ferocity that frightened her.

    "Buffy?"

    Startled from her thoughts, Buffy looked down once more and into the pale, frightened face of one Mr. Harry Potter - the guy that she was currently straddling with a stake poised inches above his heart.  Flushing, Buffy quickly dropped the stake and clambered to her feet, reaching down to seize his hand and pull him up beside her.  "Didn't anyone ever tell you how dangerous it is to sneak up on dangerous magical creatures?" she asked crossly, scowling up into his pale face.

    "Nope, never did learn that one," he retorted, his eyes taking in her mussed hair and gently reaching forward to pull a twig from her tangled masses.  "However, I will make a point to remember it from now on," he added, his eyes skipping down to the forgotten weapon as she slowly bent to retrieve the stake, grimacing at the movement.  Concerned, Harry allowed his eyes to drift over her, noticing the dark stains that seemed to cover her clothing - especially the stains that looked suspiciously like a vast amount of blood on the front of her jean jumper.  "You're hurt!" he exclaimed, his face paling even further as he realized just how much of the blood had to be hers.

    As though remembering the wound for the first time herself, Buffy slowly looked down at her stained clothing.  "Must not have been that bad - didn't even bleed to death," she quipped as she unhooked one strap and lowered the jean bib, wincing at how her once bright white shirt was now stained red.  Slowly she lifted the hem of her top, hissing as it pulled at dried blood.

    Paling even further, Harry slowly lifted one hand and gently traced his finger above a long gash that started on one side of her frame and trailed all the way over to the other, dry blood crusted over top.  "We need to get you to the infirmary," he murmured as Buffy absently batted his hand away.

    "No hospitals," she quickly protested, her tone sharper than she had intended as Harry met her gaze quizzically.  Flushing, she quickly readjusted her clothing.  "Besides, it's already almost healed," she added, her eyes focusing on her clumsy attempts to reclasp the snap of her overalls.

    Frowning, Harry slowly stepped back, his eyes taking in her pale skin.  She had been so tanned the night before.  "You must be frozen," he finally said, his green eyes conveying his worry.  "How long have you been out here?"

    "Long enough," Buffy returned with a small shrug, turning away from the young wizard and moving back towards the woods that had nearly claimed her the night before.  She would have to be more careful tonight - more watchful and aware.

    "What were you doing out there?" Harry continued, following behind her, his eyes tracing over her slight form.  "And why don't you have a cloak?"

    "I did," she replied, finally stilling as she stepped over the invisible barrier protecting Hogwarts and into the Forbidden Forest, "but he needed it more," she added as she pointed to another form lying prone on the ground, just outside the barrier a few feet away.

    Freezing, Harry followed Buffy's hand and felt his breath catch in his throat as he recognized the gray head poking out from beneath a heavy, black cloak.  "Remus!" he cried, his voice strangled as he quickly forgot every rule that was laid down for him, bolting across the barrier without another thought as he fell to his knees at his professor's side.

    "You know this guy?" Buffy asked, her nose crinkling as she stilled beside the two, her eyes taking in the man's weathered features.  She had been right about the wolf being older than Oz - the guy looking around Giles' age with hard lines cut into his face and a peppering of thick gray hair.  Thank God she gave up her cloak to him.  Not the first thing that she'd want to see in the morning.  Ewww.

    "This is Professor Remus Lupin - one of my guardians," Harry quickly explained, his eyes frantically searching the man for injuries.

    "And did you know that he's a werewolf?" she asked, a wry smile lifting her lips.

    "Of course," he returned, his gaze finally lifting to meet hers.  "That's why I'm out here this early," he explained, gesturing to the still morning around them.  "Ever since Professor Snape disappeared, Professor Lupin has had no one to make his wolfsbane potion and he's been forced to put himself in the Forbidden Forest on nights of the full moon.  He can't cross the barrier while a wolf-"

    "A lesson we learned the hard way," Buffy affirmed, wincing as she rubbed her still sore muscles.

    Confused, Harry stared at the girl for a moment before continuing on.  "It's safer this way," he added with a small shrug.  "And after the full moon I always come out here to meet them and make sure he's alright," he finished, a small frown pulling at his lips as his eyes returned to his friend.  From all appearances, he simply appeared to be sleeping.  "What did you do to him?"

    Smiling innocently, Buffy lifted the gun that she had dropped the night before.  "I used a tranquilizer dart on him... well, two, actually," she admitted, almost apologetically.  "But he didn't really leave me a lot of choice.  He did try to eat me," she added, pouting slightly as she crossed her arms defensively over her chest.

    Relieved, Harry nodded distractedly before turning his eyes to the dark woods spread out before them.  "I just don't understand," he murmured, shaking his head slowly.  "What on Earth happened to Sirius?  He should have prevented-"

    "Wait a sec," Buffy quickly interrupted, green eyes narrowing slightly.  "What does any of this have to do with your godfather?" she asked, a feeling of unease beginning to filter through her veins.

    "Sirius always follows Remus into the woods on the full moon," Harry explained distractedly.  "He keeps him in line."

    Confused, Buffy slowly allowed her eyes to follow Harry's into the dark woods.  "Is that a wizard thing?" she asked, her nose crinkling slightly.  After all, it wasn't as though she was new to this whole werewolf deal.  She had seen Oz, countless times, at his werewolf-y worst, and as far as she could see, there was nothing anyone could do to keep a wolf in line save drugging it or locking it up.  Before he could answer, Buffy quickly pushed on.  "Well, I didn't see your godfather anywhere," she stated, despite the odd feeling that she was getting - like perhaps she had done something really wrong, again.  "Just the wolf and a big, black dog.." she murmured, her voice trailing away as Harry's eyes snapped to hers at the last, his eyes growing wide.  Sighing, Buffy felt her worst fears confirmed.  Well, not worst.  Worst would be if Harry told her that his godfather somehow turned into a swamp-thing-like monster on nights of the full moon. 

    "Don't tell me that the pooch is-" she began, her voice trailing off as her senses started going wild.  Quickly she moved before Harry, placing herself as a shield before him as she raised the dart gun before her - only to drop it to her side as aforementioned pooch in human form stumbled out of the woods and towards them, a hand pressed against his head.  Sighing, Buffy slowly closed her eyes and stepped to the side, feeling sheepish once again.  "Why me?" she mumbled as Harry quickly launched himself at his guardian.

    As the teen began pummeling the older man with questions, Buffy looked down to the dart gun that she held in her hands.  Flushing, she quickly hid the weapon behind her back as the man's assurances washed over her, his blue eyes finally lifting from his godson and locking on her.  "Listen, about last night," she began weakly as his blue eyes swept over, his face going pale as he quickly brushed past his godson and closed the distance between them in a few long strides.  "It was a-" she broke off as his hands wrapped around her upper arms, gripping her so tightly that had she been anyone but the slayer, it probably would have hurt.  "Hey, it was an accident!" she protested as his eyes seemed to sweep over her again.  "Listen, I didn't know that you could go all doggy!" she added as Harry flanked the older man, his green eyes showing his concern and confusion.

    Ignoring her protests, Sirius finally found words for his fears as his blue eyes locked with hers.  "Did he hurt you?  Were you bitten?" he asked, his voice cracking beneath his desperation as his eyes locked once more on the unmistakable sight of dried blood that seemed to coat her skin and clothing.  It was as if his worst fears were coming to life, and Sirius felt himself being pushed beneath the heavy weight of whatever verdict she would bring.  If she had been bitten... if Remus had done the unthinkable... Sirius knew that his friend wouldn't be able to live with the thought.  It would destroy him and that, in turn, would destroy whatever sanity Sirius had managed to retain after eleven years in Azkaban.

    Confusion dying away, Buffy gently, but firmly pried Sirius' hands away and slowly stepped back.  "Once again, I'm fine," she said, her tone firm as she unconsciously crossed her arms over the mess that was her clothing.  "Besides," she added at his evident doubt, "it's not like this was the first time I've taken down a werewolf.  Trust me when I say that I've been playing this game awhile."  At her words, Sirius merely arched a thick black brow.  "What?" Buffy continued, her tone turning indignant.  "You don't think we have werewolves on the Hellmouth?" she asked, watching as he paled slightly at the mention of her hometown.  Apparently, he'd heard of all the fun that living on the mouth of Hell entailed.  "Nah, we've got it all, plus some," she added, enjoying herself immensely as she winked at Harry.  "Plus, one of my good friends was bitten by his werewolf-toddler-cousin a few years back."

    Smiling slightly at the girl, Sirius decided to let it drop and instead returned his attention to the red mess that she was literally caked with.  "So what's with all the blood?" he asked, nodding at her stained garments.

    Grimacing, Buffy turned her eyes to her wrecked clothing once more.  "This," she muttered darkly, "is living proof that I'm down by one outfit already."  Sighing dramatically, Buffy ran her fingers along the clean cut that cleaved the jean and shirt below, revealing her healing wound in all its grisly glory.  "While I've gotten quite good at getting blood and demon goo out of pretty much anything, that slice is pretty irreparable," she continued, almost oblivious to the guys' amusement.

    "Not completely," Harry returned with a small smile as he slipped his wand from his cloak.  "Reparo vestis," he said, waving his wand with a flourish and then flicking it slightly, his eyes narrowed on her clothes.

    Confused, Buffy followed Harry's gaze, her eyes widening as she noticed that not only was the rip gone, but the stains were as well.  Even the wrinkles from a cold night sleeping on the dewy grounds were gone.  All in all, the shirt and jean combo looked as good as new.  Better than new, actually.  Grinning, Buffy turned bright eyes to the lanky teen beside her.  "Thanks!" she chirped, hands patting down the unmarred material.  "You know?  That little trick of yours could have saved me a fortune in clothes over the past four years!" she added as Sirius rolled his eyes at their antics.

    "Well if you two are quite finished," he broke in, his eyes drifting down to take in his unconscious friend, "we better get Remus back up to the castle and to Madam Pomfrey."  Pulling his own wand from his robes, he quickly cast a clothing charm before tossing the dark cloak back to its owner.  Then, with another flick of his wrist, and a mumbled mobilicorpus, he levitated his friend and led the way back onto the Hogwarts' grounds and towards the castle which loomed in the distance.

    Startled by the sight of the man floating beside Sirius, Buffy shrugged the sight away and wearily began to follow.  This place was weird, granted, but she had to admit that she'd probably seen weirder over the past four years.  In the end, she had been desensitized to weirdness.  Nothing could really faze her - not for long, anyway.  "So who's Madam Pomfrey?" she asked, catching up to Harry and smiling at the sight of the old-fashioned broom perched on his shoulder.  She'd save that one for later.

    "She's the mediwitch at Hogwarts," Harry explained as he followed his godfather.  "A sort of nurse."

    "Oh," Buffy mumbled as her eyes slipped back to Sirius.  "But your friend doesn't really need to go to the doctor," she offered as his blue eyes turned to her.  Stumbling slightly at his intense gaze, Buffy hurried on.  If she was to be honest with herself, there was something in the older man's gaze that threw her a little - something that looked so haunted.  Maybe it threw her so much because it was a look that she often saw in her own eyes.  Shrugging the thought away, Buffy nodded at the floating man beside her.  "I only tranqued him."

    "She used a tranquilizer dart," Harry quickly supplied, forestalling his godfather's confusion.  "It's a muggle type of sleeping potion," he explained as Buffy's startled green eyes turned to him.  Shrugging at her wide-eyed gaze, he ran a hand through his unruly black hair.  "I was raised by my aunt and uncle," he added as a frown twisted his lips.  "The worst sort of muggles."

    Grimacing slightly, Buffy faltered beside Harry as she slowly turned her eyes away.  "I've probably met worse," she muttered, almost too softly to hear as she forced herself to turn away from thoughts of Lyle, Raines, and all of the 'muggles' that had done so much to her for so long.  Sighing, she slowly lifted her eyes once more, only to find herself in the large foyer of the castle.  Turning, she watched as Sirius floated Remus away, trying and failing to hide her snicker at the amusing sight - a snicker that was quickly muffled by a large yawn.

    "You look tired," Harry noted, frowning softly as he took in her haggard appearance.  While he had managed to help her make her clothes look as good as new, from everything that Percy and the others had said the night before, there was no magic he could produce to reduce the dark bags under her eyes or return the color to her pale skin.  At least the blood on her abdomen was hidden.

    "It was a productive night," Buffy returned nonchalantly as she moved towards a suit of armor beside the door, the metal shining brightly.  Sighing, she leaned forward and grimaced at her reflection.  Giles would have her hide if she returned looking as she did.  Frowning, she began scrubbing at the blood that caked her chin from her busted lip, almost completely healed now.  What Harry had been too polite to say was that she really looked like shit.

    "Here."

    Surprised, Buffy looked down at the damp cloth that Harry was holding out to her.  For a moment, she thought to ask where in the heck he managed to come up with that, but instead just smiled gratefully and used it to wipe away the rest of the evidence of her night's activities.  No reason to have Giles go ballistic quite yet - especially if she ever wanted to patrol solo again.  He had never seemed to mind so much back in Sunnydale, but that was when Faith was by her side.  He didn't even have to say anything for Buffy to realize just how much things had changed between them - how protective of her he had become.

    "Listen, do you want to grab some breakfast before turning in?" Harry asked suddenly, pulling Buffy from her thoughts as she finished smoothing her hair back into a semblance of order.

    For a moment, Buffy considered turning down his invite, if for no other reason than the sound of a nice, long soak in that ancient bath tub sounded even better - until her stomach gave its vote.  Blushing slightly at her tummy's rumblings, the small blonde shrugged her shoulders before smiling cheekily.  "I think that was my answer," she replied as Harry matched her grin and led her towards the open doors of the Great Hall.

    Despite the early hour, the large room was as packed as it had been the night before, many families dining together before those who were able to left for work.  As the din of the breakfast hour encompassed them, Buffy allowed her head to tilt back and take in the bright morning sunshine that filtered down through the enchanted ceiling high above.  She didn't think that she'd ever tire of that sight.  Smiling slightly, she followed in Harry's wake, grinning at the many looks that she was drawing, same as the night before, her eyes drifting forward to take in their destination... and her Watcher who was busy glaring at her.  Faltering slightly, Buffy quickly pasted on a bright grin, steeling herself as Giles abandoned his seat to tower before her.

    "Where have you been?" he hissed, his voice low and obviously attempting to be subtle - and very much so failing.

    As Harry settled into an open spot between his two friends, Buffy felt every eye on the table lock on she and her Watcher.  "I couldn't sleep and went back to the Forbidden Forest for another patrol," she replied, her voice steady as her green eyes met his.  She tried to hide her frustration at the third degree, reminding herself once again that he was only concerned about her.  Then again, it was a little more difficult to remember that when it was still too easy to remember the free reign he had always previously given her.

    "All night?" he asked, taking in the clothes that she had been wearing the night before.  Sighing, he knew the answer to his question even as he asked it, his hand reaching out and his finger trailing lighting over her lip.  "That wasn't there before," he said, trying to remain calm even as his eyes swept over her for evidence of further injury.

    Brushing his hand away, Buffy forced a bright smile for her watcher.  "I found one of those nasty creatures you were talking about," she explained casually, purposely avoiding mention of her much larger and more painful wound.  The less he knew about the night before, the better, she figured, all the while hoping that Harry would follow her cue and keep his mouth shut.  "But hey, no worries," she quickly added, turning her smile up a notch or two in a way that only she could manage.  "I won, demon's dead, and I even managed to find Harry's guardians for him," she added, grinning broadly at her version of the previous night's events before purposely turning away and settling into a vacant seat.

    Sighing, Giles slowly shook his head, his eyes meeting with both Molly and Arthur Weasley who seemed to be commiserating with his frustration.  Then again, he supposed that they could relate - although he doubted that any of their children could even compete with the troubles that his small slayer provided.  The headaches and the frustrations were astounding for one so small.  Shaking his head, Giles slowly turned and settled beside his slayer, watching as she dug into her food, seemingly oblivious to the uncomfortable silence that had fallen over the table.  Seemingly being the key word.

    Eyes locked on the plate before her, Buffy felt her face grow hot as she silently wished that Giles would have held off the confrontation until later.  She was going to have to see these people on a daily basis, and she already felt like the new kid on the block.  She didn't need her watcher adding to the embarrassment.

    As though reading her mind, Ron quickly smiled and leaned forward, his eyes searching hers out.  "I think that it's wicked cool that you're a slayer!" he said, a large dimple appearing in each cheek as Hermione rolled her eyes.

    Unable to resist returning his infectious smile, Buffy smirked at the tall redhead.  "Well, it does have its moments," she allowed as someone settled in the vacant seat beside her.  "And the Chosen One has such a better ring to it, doesn't it?" she added, forcing a bright smile as she ignored the memories that the single title brought.

    "Although it does seem to land me on the wrong side of you all too often," Sirius quipped as he folded his long frame onto the bench beside the small blonde.

    Grinning, Buffy lifted her fork to point it accusingly at the man beside her.  "Well, if you'd quit starting things then you'd stop ending up all bruised and unconscious!" she said, accidentally flinging bits of eggs in his direction as Sirius flushed at her words, laughter ringing out around them - laughter that faltered as Remus wandered over to the table, obviously distracted, and settled in the vacant seat beside Giles.

    Amused, everyone at the table watched as the professor reached for his fork, faltering when he finally became aware of the strangers sitting beside him.  Startled, he quickly dropped the utensil and turned to the older watcher, his confusion turning into a warm, welcoming smile.  "I'm so sorry - my head isn't quite straight this early, I'm afraid," he said as he held out his hand to the watcher.  "Remus Lupin," he said by way of introduction as the two men shook hands.

    "Rupert Giles," Giles returned with a small smile as the man then leaned across Giles to shake Buffy's hand.

    "Buffy Summers," she added, blushing slightly.  "And we've already met."

    Confused, Remus looked at the girl, gray eyes taking in the green eyes, blonde hair, the slightly swollen lip and the strange muggle clothing.  She was American, he was sure of that.  And he was also sure that he'd never seen her before in his life.  "We have?" he finally asked, his confusion evident.

    Startled, Buffy turned wide eyes to the dark-haired man who was smirking beside her.  "You didn't-" she began, her question dying as Sirius smiled mischievously, quickly leaning back to slap his friend on the back.

    "Remus, why don't you tell our new friends what you do," he said, his smile innocent.

    Confused, Remus shot his friend a suspicious look before turning back to the man who sat beside him.  He recognized his friend's look all too easily, and he quickly wondered what he was setting himself up for.  "I was the Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts until the school's closing," Remus returned, shrugging slightly.  "Since then I've stayed on to help Professor McGonagall to continue teaching the students that remain."

    "The DADA professor?" Giles interrupted, his smile growing.  "Well it seems then that we have a lot in common," he stated, even as Buffy was busy rolling her eyes dramatically beside him.  Then again, perhaps she should be grateful - after all, if she was really lucky, Giles would be so distracted with this new find that she would be free from scolding for just a bit longer.

    "We do?" Remus queried, obviously growing more suspicious by the second.

    "More than you could possibly know," Giles assured, his smile growing at the man's confusion.  "So tell me, what do you know of the methods for dispatching the red-tipped horning tail?"

    Pausing on the familiar threshold to the headmaster's office, Sirius took a moment to wipe the stupid grin from his face and school his amusement from breakfast a few minutes before into something far more appropriate.  Defeat.  Sighing wearily, Sirius felt his previous anxiety swarm back until the sound of his blood rushing through his veins filled his ears.  His task had been long, arduous, and without question, extremely dangerous.  And for all of the long weeks and months that he had been forced to be away from Harry, it was all for naught - and that was the worst feeling of all.

    Shaking away his thoughts, Sirius slowly reached forward and pushed the door open, knowing that he had kept the beloved headmaster waiting long enough as it was.  Lifting tired blue eyes, the ex-prisoner allowed his gaze to drift around the unchanging office until they locked on the warm eyes of Dumbledore, seated behind his desk with hands folded primly before him.  "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," he offered, repeating his thoughts as he crossed the office in a few long strides before folding his weary body into one of the plush chairs that faced the headmaster's desk, jumping slightly as he noticed Arthur Weasley for the first time, sitting in the high backed chair beside him.  Offering a small smile to the older man, both shared a brief nod before turning their eyes back to the Headmaster.

    "You had other matters to attend to," Dumbledore said, dismissing the other man's words with a small wave of one pale, wrinkled hand.  "It just does my heart good to see that you have finally returned to us.  You have been away far too long," he murmured, his usually bright and twinkling eyes now shadowed beneath the oppressiveness of the great weight that they all shouldered.

    "I ran into some... resistance upon my return," Sirius acknowledged, knowing that he needn't explain further.  After all, in dark times such as these, the mention of the Death Eaters that had been lying in wait for his return to their shores was hardly a surprise, nor even note-worthy.  All that mattered was that his many long years as one of the Marauders, schooling himself in mischief and ways to avoid the angry hands of McGonnagal or Filch, had come to his aid once more as he had miraculously avoided capture - and worse.  Then again, he supposed that his relatively few years as an Auror for the Ministry after his graduation from Hogwarts probably helped as well.

    "I see," Dumbledore responded, his voice far too grave for such a powerful wizard.  One who had power such as he should never have to sound so resigned nor so weary of a world that was once more being cast into darkness - all powerless to stop the onslaught.  In the end, it didn't matter if every single Death Eater was captured or killed, because until Voldemort himself fell, the darkness would never leave their world.  Voldemort was the glue that held the darkness together and until he was eliminated, the threat would never be over.  But this darkness wasn't something that a few strong and brave people could fight and defeat - a fact that Sirius was only too well aware of.

    "What did you learn?" Arthur asked, pushing other questions aside and focusing on the matter that brought them to the office that morning.  In truth, there were others that should have been there as well, other key members of the Order of the Phoenix... but that morning, they were all that could be gathered.  The Order had been created by Dumbledore in the dark times during Voldemort's first rise to power, taking on the Dark Lord when the Ministry was found lacking.  It was a hard truth to realize that the Order was needed once more, but a truth that none of their members were willing to ignore - unlike some of the higher echelon of the Ministry of Magic.

    "The French, Belgium, and German Ministries of Magic have refused to send aid," Sirius responded grimly, getting straight to the point of the matter.  "They have all stated that Voldemort is our own problem and they refuse to involve themselves in a matter that they believe belongs solely to Great Britain."

    "Then they're even blinder than Fudge had been," Dumbledore returned, his voice a weary sigh as his shoulders slumped beneath the weight of Sirius' grave words.  He would be lying if he were to say that he had expected anything different, but such a hope couldn't have been ignored.  Someone had to try.  "What they refuse to see is that once Voldemort has conquered our isle, he'll soon turn his attentions to the magical communities that surround us.  He won't stop until he rules everything," he murmured, his voice growing soft as his blue eyes drifted until they locked on Fawkes shining figure on the post beside his desk.

    As a thick silence fell upon the room, Arthur turned tired eyes to the ex-auror beside him.  Sirius had been away from the castle for a long time and there was much that he had missed - much that he needed to know.  "t;The emissaries that were sent to the other ministries in Spain, Russia, and even Ireland have all responded similarly.  The emissary who was sent to Italy, Fitzhugh, never returned," he added, his voice low.

    "Only the Americans, it seems, have shown an interest in our plight," Dumbledore added, smiling wanly at the rueful expressions on both mens' faces.

    "And that's only because it's in the Americans' nature to have a hand in everything that happens in this world," Sirius added, smiling wryly at the thought of the new American that even now had joined in their battle.  A very young, blond, and strong American.

    "Nonetheless, they have stated that they will not directly aid us in our fight against Voldemort unless the request comes through the official channels," Arthur added, grimacing slightly at his words.

    "Which, seeing as how Voldemort already practically owns the ministry, isn't likely to happen," Sirius sighed, voicing all of their thoughts aloud as he wearily lifted one hand to rub at his aching head.  "And what of Hagrid and the giants?" he asked, turning back to his two comrades.

    "We lost contact with Hagrid a few weeks back," Dumbledore responded, his face becoming even longer as his gaze once more drifted to his trusted phoenix.  "I am beginning to fear the worst," he sighed, his eyes closing wearily before turning once more to the men that sat before him.  "We are indeed living in grave times," he murmured before a small smile began tugging at the corners of his lips as he couldn't help but think of the small slip of a girl who had occupied Sirius' seat just the night before.  "Yet there is always hope to be found," he added, forcing his despair away and focusing on what he knew to be true.

    "And while there's still hope to be had, I will continue to be in your service," Sirius added, smiling softly despite the pain those words brought.  His commitment to Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix ran deep - a commitment that he had first made all of those years ago when he, Remus, Peter, and James and Lily Potter had pledged to join the fight against the Dark Lord.  In the passing years he had lost two of his very best friends and was betrayed by a third - a series of dark events that no one could have predicted, and events that had led him to a third commitment that he had been unable to see to for far too long.  And this commitment was the one that he had to forsake every time Dumbledore needed him for one mission or another - and that was the commitment that he had made to James and Lily when he became Harry's godfather.  "Is there anything else that I can do?  Anyone else I can visit?" he asked, forcing himself to say the words even as he could almost feel Harry's disappointment at his imminent departure.  Sadly, Sirius knew that Harry would understand and would make his sacrifice the same that he made every sacrifice for their cause - quietly and without protest.  And that acceptance was almost harder to take than anything else, for Harry was used to being pushed to the side far too often.

    As if reading his former student's mind, Dumbledore smiled softly and slowly shook his head.  "I think it best that you remain at the castle and rest.  You have been away a long time and I know that both Harry and Remus have missed you - especially Harry," he said, a twinkle sparkling in his blue eyes once more.  "It would do them both good if you remained here for awhile.  Besides," he added, his smile dimming, "something tells me that you'll be needed far more at the castle in the coming months than anywhere else."

To be continued...