Chapter 434: An Awkward Sirius
With their plan set, the group made their way back through the tunnel, preparing to head to Hogwarts under cover of night. Harry pulled out his Invisibility Cloak, ready to drape it over Black when they reached the castle. It was already curfew, and though students were unlikely to be wandering the corridors, caution was necessary until Black's innocence could be proven. After all, Filch was still lurking around the castle.
Their journey back was much more relaxed than the tense, frantic trip they'd made earlier. Professor Lupin led the way, followed by Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who kept glancing over his shoulder, grinning whenever he looked at Black, who carried the cage with Peter securely in his arms. Kyle brought up the rear, making sure there was no chance of Peter breaking free, though he considered the possibility laughably slim. If a rat could escape so easily from one of his cages, he would have felt obliged to return his Order of Merlin, Second Class, in embarrassment.
As they walked, Black, looking down at Harry, spoke quietly, "Once we get Pettigrew to Dumbledore, do you know what that means?"
"You're free," Harry said, a smile growing on his face.
"Yes..." Black murmured, his voice a little choked. "But there's more. I... I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, but... I'm your godfather."
"Oh, I know," Harry replied. He'd overheard Fudge mention it at The Three Broomsticks, though back then it had felt more unsettling than anything else. Now, though, hearing it directly from Black filled him with a strange happiness. For the first time, it felt like there was a world for him beyond the Dursleys.
"It's true... your parents named me as your guardian," Black continued, sounding uncertain. "You can think about it, of course, but... if I'm cleared of the charges, and if you want a different home..."
Harry's heart pounded as if he'd received another Hogwarts acceptance letter. "You mean... live with you?" he asked eagerly. So eager, in fact, that he accidentally hit his head on a low-hanging stone in the tunnel.
"Of course," Black replied quickly, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness. "But if you'd rather stay with your aunt and uncle, I understand. I just thought—"