"You will also need to review these, my lord," a clear crisp voice stated as more parchments where piled on his desk.
Groaning in pure agony, Harry felt like crying in tears of despair. Right now he was back at his family's castle, after he and Sirius were done going on their little tour of all the estates and lands of his family, it was time to come back home.
Packing up his bags and saying goodbye to everyone, he was ready to assume his role as Lord.
Now that he was here and took up the burden, he knew he bit off more than he could chew. All day, every day he is sitting on his desk and doing paperwork. Who knew that there was so much god damn paperwork to do.
Now, whenever he sees any sort of parchment he has a wave of burning anger in the pit of his stomach and he wishes he could burn them to a pile of ashes that could drift off into the wind.
He so wished that he could half-ass it or even skip it altogether, but Tobry his ever diligent pain in the ass always had his eyes on him like a hawk. Whenever he slips up or does not step up to the task the house-elf just looks at him with those infuriating disappointed look as if he failed himself and his family line.
"Can I get a break," Harry whined for the umpteenth time. He had the most splitting headache from doing all this desk job and his mind felt like it was filled with lead.
"Teatime will be in an hour, my lord, then you can have your break," the well dressed up house-elf answered.
Harry really felt like strangling him, but he knew that the little creature was just doing its job even if it made his life miserable. He couldn't wait until the week was out, then it would be to the Quidditch World Cup!
He would get the well needed break he deserved, and would be a whole week away from the life sapping work.
"Now," the house-elf continued as he started reading the messages and memo he got which he took up to doing to ease his work. "You got a missive from the Commander of the Legion asking if he could buy 1,000 different Spell Gauntlet."
"What are those?" Harry asked as he signed off on a parchment then sealed it with wax and stamped down on it with his lordship ring which changed into his family coat of arms as he pressed down.
Staring off in his most educator tone, the house-elf explained, "Spell Gauntlet are magical items that come premade with spells already woven into them. All you have to do is pour magical power into them and wa la."
"So it basically cuts down on spell casting time," Harry said cutting to the heart of the matter.
"Yes," the house-elf answered with a shake of his head.
"Approve of it, and tell him to continue with the good work with all the pleasantries of course," Harry said with a wave of his hand.
"I will get right to it, my lord."
Just then a blue-haired maid interjected with a, "more tea, Master~"
Not looking up at the Living Construct he brought along to the castle from the mansion, Harry just proffered up his empty cup and the maid got to filling it then adding his complimentary milk and sugar just the way he liked it.
Once she was done Harry took the steaming cup and took a sip, "Wonderful like always, Rem," he commented as he smacked his lips together.
"Thank you, Master," she uttered with a sweet happy smile as she curtsied for him.
Looking over at the other maid sister who was rearranging his large pile of parchments in an orderly fashion for him. Their eyes meet for a single moment and Harry gave her a playful wink, she quickly turned her gaze as a blush crept up her face.
Transferring them over to the castle was the best decision he made in all of this mess. Just this morning he and Ram shared a very intimate session and no matter how much she tried to deny him, she always came back for more.
Carrying on in his monotone, Tobry listed off, "The Head Assistant Researcher says her that she hired two dozen new apprentices to help around in the tower. Some are a very promising lot and might advance to aides. She is also requesting in this Rainbow Crystalline Sands."
"W-why are they bothering me with all this stuff?" Harry asked in a pleading tone as he put his head in his hands. "I gave them the money, why can't they just go ahead and carry on?" For as much as he enjoyed regular updates, he has been swamped by all these requests coming in.
Did he know anything about planting rare magical plants? No! Did he how to raise an army or train it? No! Did he know anything about what went into creating a new magical item? No!
But still his they asked for his opinion or his advice when he was clueless as a little babe.
"It is their duty to update you as their liege lord, and it is your duty to approve or disagree with that is going on, my lord." the house-elf answered as he pulled up his reading glasses up the bridge of his nose.
Sighing, Harry grunted out a "Fine." Then in a more somber tone, he continued, "Give her my congratulations on hiring all those little helpers. Also, tell her that her request is approved, she can have this magic sand- though I really do not know what she needs it for."
"Now the Matriarch of the Greenhill tribe asked you...." with that the house-elf carried on and once again Harry really felt like strangling him.
---------------------------------------------
Sitting in the gardens out back, Harry was enjoying his tea and snacks while taking in the wonderful sights. However just then Tobry walked in with a bow of his head, "My lord," he said, "Lieutenant Alex is here out in the training yard."
Sighing Harry saw that all good things much come to an end, "Well then," he said as he got up from his chair, "let us not make the Lieutenant wait for us."
Nodding his head, the house-elf led him out of the gardens, down the many winding paths of the castle, and towards the training yard.
Before he even reached the place he could spot the militant man from the archways up above. Coming down the steps, Rem picked out his training uniform which was a simple baggy shirt and pants which were patted from the inside and a good pair of training shoes.
Putting them on and walked into the training yard, there were many training dummies scattered around, with two weapon racks to either side, targets ranges at the far corner, and even some muggle amenities like bench presses, weights, and other types of equipment.
Alex standing right in the center and once spotted him, he greeted with a bow, "My Lord."
"There is no need for all that Alex," Harry said as he waved it off. "You are my instructor after all for the day in the sword."
When Harry received a missive from the Commander that he would be sending the Lieutenant his way to teach him the sword, surprise was the least of his feelings. He just speaking in passing when he said the man had to teach him.
But for the last couple of days, he has been coming here to do exactly what he wished for.
"I will keep that in mind to be more casual, my lor-... Harry."
"Well, it is the effort that counts," Harry replied.
"Yes, let's began with the stretches," he said as they started to do a variety of different stances. Some were really easy as he just had to spin around his hands, others were taxing as he had to keep them up for a while, and some really pushed the limit of his bendability.
Then it was endurance training as Alex had him running some laps around the training yard. After that, it was strength training as Alex had him lifting some weights. Followed by...
Soon all of it blurred together as the man pushed him to his limits. However, that was only just the beginning, once all the exercises were done it was time for the real deal, what he came here for, sword training.
"Alright," Alex said as he passed him a wooden sword, "today we will be covering Sword Stances! Namely the 14 basic sword stances."
Listening up, Harry was at rapt attention as the martial man went off into a deep, detailed explanation. After that he had Harry try them out, "Yes, make your legs spread out like that. Back straight. Tighten your grip, but not too tight, or else it will be your sword controlling you, not the other way around."
"Like this?" Harry asked once he got it down.
"Yes, yes, good. Now can you tell me what it is?" he quizzed.
"An on-guard stance, correct?" he asked as if h already got it right. With just one explanation from the man, he already got all the basic stances down, plus now that he should him his muscles already memorized them as well.
He did not know what was at work here, but he was feeling pretty awesome with himself.
"Okay," Alex said, "show me the high guard stance."
Doing as commanded as he raised the sword high over his head like he was protecting himself from an eagle strick over head. Suddenly his new instructor drew out his own practice sword and before Harry could even shout a stop or flinch back. He jumped up into the air like a soaring bird and came down at him like a falling rock.
Practice sword banging against practice sword, it was only through some miracle or his feet freezing up that he kept still and in his sword stance that he blocked the blow.
"Good," Alex called out as he jumped back and landed a few feet away from him.
Harry was about to shout at the man and question if he lost his mind attacking his own life lord like that. Yet before he could even do that, he called out with a smile on his face, "Now shoulder guard!"
Reacting instinctively like an animal that wanted to preserve his or her own life, he brought his practice wooden sword over to his right shoulder and right in time. The armed and very dangerous man came at him with an upturned lunge.
Blocking the blow, he was pushed back a few steps in the sandy training yard as his feet dug across the sandy ground.
Having no time at all to catch his breath, the sword wielding manic called out again, "Now Low Gaurd." As he spun around and came at him with a low sweeping blow.
It was only at the last few seconds that he brought his practice sword low, protecting his shins that he blocked the blow once again.
"Excellent," the man exclaimed, "Now center guard!" he said as he came at him with a thrust to his chest.
Harry knew that he wouldn't be able to block this blow as his arms weren't coming up to fast and Alex's thrust was already a few inches away from his ribcages. Seeing that wouldn't be the correct answer, he decided not to follow his instructions and dodge.
There was no way he was going that this blow head on, he wasn't sp sure that his poor ribs would survive that. Thus bending back all the way until he was forming an L-shape, and putting his back into it or for this matter- the leak of it. He dodged the thrust by just an inch of hair as the thrust came whistling right above his nose.
Getting back up, Harry did not expect the pat on the back he got from the Lieutenant as the man exclaimed, "Well done, my lor- Harry!" he said as he was still seemingly still getting used to calling him by his name.
"But, but I did not put up a center guard like you called out?" he worded into a question.
"So," he said with a shrug, "what matters is that you follow your instinct. They are what gets you out of trouble and saves your life."
"So what was that all about?" he asked. If the man was only testing his instincts couldn't he gave gone about it in a more simpler way? For a moment there he was sweating bullets as he blocked everything within an inch of his life.
"It was too fold," the Lieutenant answered as he stuck out two fingers. "One was to see if you can utilize the stances under pressure. The second as I stated was to see if you would follow your instincts."
Grumbling under his breath, Harry said nothing more about the matter. This was training after all and he was going to be pushed to the limit and be called on to dangerous things like always, but that did not mean he had to like it.
"Well let us call it a day," the sword wielding manic said as he put away his practice sword. "Tomorrow we can start with how to dodge and parry, how does that sound my lord.. I mean Harry."
"Sounds good to me," he said as he walked out of the training yard and back to the sidelines where Rem was waiting for him with a towel and some refreshments.
"Thanks," he said as he took the offered towel and wiped at his forehead. Then taking some of the freshly squeezed lemonade, he patted the cute blue haired maid on the head and whispered to her, "I think very dutiful and devoted maids like you deserve a proper reward from Masters, what do you think?"
Giggling delightfully in answerer, she used her hands to cover up the slight blush creeping up her face. Harry inched closer to her until his warm breath was beating against her ear. "Come to my rooms tonight, and I will show you how appreciative I am."
With that, he stepped back and called out to the Lieutenant, "hey Alex do you want some refreshments before you head out."
"No," the man answered with a shake of his head, "I best be going now, lot of recruits wait back for me at the Fortress and I got to get them ready in shape before they start any advance training at all."
"Okay, see you tomorrow then," he waved to the man as he seemingly jumped up on the railings on the second floor, then up on to the open roof of the training yard. Suddenly a big great Griffin of brown and white feather and fur appeared from the sky with a loud screech, jumped on it back both of them were away into the sky.
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Everything Harry sees that sword wielding manic take off on his mount, it is a truly a sight for sore eyes.
After his sword lessons were concluded for the day, it was a short lunch for him made by the maids then it was to his family's library. The place was big as the Black family's library with rows upon rows of books. The few differences of his family's library then the black was that this place had proper lighting for one, the stained glass windows shined down the bright warm rays of sun here.
There were soft golden lights that light up the place from the inside, with books on much lighter thoughts such as angelic magic, nature magic, elemental magic, light magic, chrono magic, solar magic, illusion magic, season magic, life magic, order magic, white arts, mystic magic, creation magic, and so forth.
However, as much as he wished it were, they were not what he was here to cover.
It seems like the learning never stopped for him. Every day Tobry laid out the reading materials he would be coving.
These were matters concerning the way of the land, the art of war, the method of administration, information on economics, points on maritime life, ways of ruling, the art of politics, forming alliances, reading treats with other races, the craft of intrigue, knacks of trading, making betrothal, and the list went on and on.
Slowly, but assuredly he was learning everything that a lord had to do and be. Even if this was a life time of learning that most noble children would have been drilled into since their birth, he devoted it all like he was going through a feast.
Once that was finished up, the three tiny little fairies would come fluttering into the library to begin his lessons on the Fey Language.
Recalling their conversation a few days ago...
"So what did you guys want to teach me?" he asked as stood right before him with their butterfly-like resting.
"We are going to teach you how to make better use of your magic," the goth looking fairy answered.
"What do you mean?"
"We are talking about the pig gibberish that you European wizards like to use," Bravegrass stated, cutting to the heart of things.
"What wrong with my Latin?" Harry inquired in an offended tone. That took him a hard long year to master back in his first year all the while he had to play catch up with pure bloods who already were fluent in it.
"No it is not that," the shy fairy answered.
"Yeah," Twistyweb said with a sigh as if she just hated the fact that she needed to talk to communicate. "It is just your wizarding language is very common and it's that close to the source of magic."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked for the second time as if he sounded like a broken recorder.
***
"It is just your wizarding language is very common, and it is not that close to the source of magic."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked for the second time as if he sounded like a broken recorder on repeat.
"What she means is that all language is derived from the Words of Creation, this is the first words ever spoken and is the very language of the universe. Just speaking one word of it has very powerful effects," Fluttershy began to explain and as she spoke each word her confidence built up until she was speaking clearly and confidently.
He never knew that she was a scholar but now that she was in her role, she was rocking it. "Every language out there whether it be the Celestial language, Dark Speech, Old Tongue, Draconic language, or even God Speech tries to replica the Words of Creation and they come out with a varying degrees of successes.
Your Latin that most of you European wizards and witches use is common because it is far away from the true essence of the Words of Creation. Thus to better streamline and optimize your magic you need a better language."
"So the Fey language it is," Harry finished for her as he finally got the full picture.
All of the sudden, realizing she had spoken more than a few words, the little scholarly fairy went back to being her sky old self. All she squeaked out through the folds of her butterfly like wings that covered her up was a, "Yes."
"Mhm," Harry said as he rubbed at his chin while giving the three fairies a once over. Then finally speaking up, he stated like it was a fact which it was, "but you are not fey, right? You are fairies, don't you have your own tongue you speak?"
"Yes, we have our own language," Fluttershy answered as she went slightly red in the face.
"But you are an outsider," Bravegrass simply stated.
"Anyways, the Fey langue is still more powerful than ours," Twistyweb answered with a sigh. "It is the language that nearly all creatures that inhabited nature use."
"Okay," Harry said, he could understand wanting some privacy especially with his kind, wizards, going around enslaving them and a whole bunch of other creatures. Regardless they are still kind enough to teach him tongue which in this case equates to more power.
"Okay let's began," Fluttershy said, "the language of the fey is called Sylvan. It was created by...."
---------------------------------------------
Coming back to the hear and now, Harry sounded out the alphabet of the language out loud with the fairies correcting each mistake he made. He was a bit frustrated that he was still trying to master the alphabet of this weird tongue which were strange shapes.
However, as the tiny little fairies put it he was making excellent progress. The more powerful a language got the more difficult it became to learn and master. Even they, who have been speaking this language for numerous years have a long way to go to master it.
One example that they gave him was about an order of monks that live high on top of a mountain, secluding themselves for countless years there just so they could learn a single shout, i.e dragon word.
Harry really had to praise them for their dedication, he knew for sure he couldn't commit himself to do that for years on end. Nevertheless, it really put into perceptive everything, no wonder wizards choice a much easier language- it sure as hell gets the job done much quicker. Still, they are giving away that much needed potency he desperately required if he wanted to defeat Voldywonks once and for all or go toe to toe with that old fool.
Once his lessons with the fairies were done it was right back to the paperwork for him. After that, he had dinner which was a fine affair as the day was coming to a near end.
Once he was finished eating, Sirius would come by for his Battle Magic classes. He did try to invite his godfather over to his family's castle, in his opinion it had much better lighting. That ancestral; home of the Blacks was really more akin to a haunted house than anything else.
However, the older wizard would always go weird when he raised that question and simply answers that he was needed at the house. Plus he had to take care of some price matters.
He wondered what the hell had him hanging around that place for since he knew he hated the house. Moreover, his mother was still around at that place.
To call her still around would be sending the wrong message since she is as dead as a doorknob could be, and was buried long ago. However, it is her portrait that still keeps a part of her bound to this material world.
If anything that more than anything made him glad he was far away from that place, always walking up to her shrieking and curse is no way to get by.
Still, the older man came by every day to carry out his training, and today he came out to the courtyard to wait for his arrival.
Just then he saw a creature zipping by across the sky like a lightning bolt, immediately he could tell what it was, a Hippogriff. Considering all the time he spent visiting the Roost so much these past couple days, and now he basically knew all Griffin-kin creatures there were like the back of his own hand.
However, this was not some random Hippogriff from the Roost, no, from its Stormy Grey feathers, its snowy white claws, and hind legs. He knew who it was, Buckbeak!
Landing in the courtyard the Hippogriff let out a happy chip when he saw him, and Harry smiled back at it. He remembered the times he would come visit it in the rooftop abode it made its nest in.
Making his way over, Harry spotted his godfather on the Hippogriff back and watched as he jumped off.
"Hey," Harry greeted as he stood at the precipice.
"Ah, bring it in," Sirius said as he gave him a bear of a hug.
Returning it, they broke off and Harry turned to the Hippogriff, "How are you doing, Buckbeak?"
Answering with a chitter, the eagle/horse hybrid held itself a loft, but Harry could see how happy it was to see him and to be here as well.
Looking around, Harry did not spot the person he was looking for, thus he turned to his godfather and asked, "Is she still not coming?"
Understanding who he was talking about, the older man answered with a sad shake of his head.
Sighing, Harry really did not understand how women even though one second they were perfectly happy with you the next they were brewing up a storm. It was like they were a whole different creature on to themselves.
After that intimate night that they shared on his birthday, Tonks was a no show for the last couple of days for their battle magic training sessions. He would admit he might have entrapped her with his wicked ways, but there was no denying that they both came out satisfactory.
Deciding no to keep his mind stuck on her, Harry's eyes drifted back to Buckbeak, at least he would not be changing his mood with the wind.
Seeing that the creature's eye was glued to the massive mountain right to the back of the castle, he asked with a grin, "You want to go up there?"
Answering for him was Sirius, "Yep, this is best for him he could be with his own kind and doesn't have to be cooped up in the attic anymore." Even as he said that, Harry could see that his godfather was saddened to see his friend go.
They must have been through a lot ever since they got away from Hogwarts. Him escaping the dementor kiss, and it escaping the ax.
Giving a sad whine, the Hippogriff looked torn, slapping it on the rump, Sirius stated, "Go on, I will visit when I can," as he did his best to present a smile.
Giving him one final look, Buckbeak took off into the air and they both watched as it flew towards the mountain.
"Must have been hard to let him go, huh?" Harry tried to comfort.
"Isn't always," he answered as he gave the creature's figure a final wave. "Now," he said as he spun around to face him with a pleasant grin back on his face. "How has Lordship been treating you?"
Harry nearly did a double-take at the 180 degree flip, but at this point, he already got used to his godfather's personality. "Tedious," he simply replied.
"Hahaha," laughing uproariously, the older wizard smacked him on the back to comfort him. "Well, I know what will cheer you up, some good old battle magic training."
"Sounds good to me," Harry said as he cracked his neck, this was really one of the only things he could look forward to. "Kicking your ass, is one of my favorite past times."
"Oh-ho-ho," Sirius laughed in one that didn't sound that pleasant, "You sure have gotten a bit mouthy with all that power huh? Well as your guardian it is my duty to get rid of that insufferable grin."
"Ow, this one," Harry asked as he pointed to his face where a shit eating grin was plastered to it, "oh this just my victory smile. If it makes you uncomfortable just tell me, I can understand not wanting to live with the shame."
Patting him on the shoulders, the older wizard gave him a hard squeeze which nearly got a grimace out of him and he whispered to him with that smile still on his face which really did not fit with his cold eyes that promised a whole lot of pain. "Let's get to the training mats, huh! We will see who can not live with the shame of 117 defeats to only 3 victories."
"Ahh, you admit it," Harry exclaimed as he pointed his finger at him in triumphant. "I knew those three matches were mine."
"My mistake," the animagus tried to correct, but it was too late as his younger counterpart was doing a little victory jig.
Glancing at how happy he was, the Black family head decided to just give him the small victory, however soon he would be wiping off the grin from his face.
------------------------------------------
Dodging the Bombarda that came hurtling towards, Harry rolled on the ground, and glanced over at the wall the training room's wards absorb the spell. He had to say that was a very close one indeed as he only ducked under that by the hair on his head.
Today it seemed like Sirius was going nearly all out on him as he pulled out all the stops. Maybe it was the taunting he did earlier, but he and his godfather always kept up that sort of relationship where they joked and quipped around.
No, something else seem to be on bothering him and at the forefront of his mind.
Coming up from the floor, Harry shouted, "Wait, wait," as he held his hands out right in time since the tip of Sirius's wand was lighting up with a spell at the ready and pointed right at him.
Magical light fading as the older wizard drew back his spell which had to be really advance stuff since he was sure as hell did not have any clue how to take back a spell he already cast.
"Is that it?" Sirius asked as he seem to come back into focus as a grin split his face, however, somehow it looked a bit off as it didn't have any of that life it usually does. "Are you giving up already? Where was all that trash talk a few moments ago."
"No, it is not that," Harry said as he tried his best to collect himself. The older wizard really put him through the wringer.
"What is it then?" Sirius posed, this time with a raised eyebrow.
"Something is off with you today," the younger wizard answered as he narrowed his eyes at his older counterpart.
"What do you mean?" he demanded as his eye narrowed a bit in of an affront. "I am perfectly alright. Let's go back to our match, I will be kind enough not to count this as your loss."
"No," Harry said with a shake of his head, refusing to budge an inch. He hated confronting the very man who took him in and took on the task of raising him. But deep down, somehow, he knew he had to.
"I do not know what going on, but you have been off these last couple of days and acting weird," Harry pointed out.
"Pfft," Sirius said as he waved his accusation off with a laugh and a wave. "There is nothing wrong, pup, trust me, okay."
"NO," Harry repeated, this time in a near shout. He knew his godfather real well, and when he was hiding something he would always hide it through a laugh or a joke. And if that response didn't send clear signals, then he did not know what did.
"You come by every day like your mind is somewhere else and, and... You refused to stay here."
"What does that have to do with anything?" the older wizard asked with hands upraised.
"Everything," he answered, "when you came here I could tell how much you loved this place. It has all the good memories you could ever what, but nooo. You decide to stay at the one place where you hated to your very core, the place wh-where she was," he said, not needing to mention who she was since they both clearly knew.
"Come on, pup," Sirius said as he tried to dissuade him, "I- I...."
"I what?" Harry demanded, "I know you were hiding something."
"No, I am not," Sirius insisted.
"Yes, you are," Harry declared.
"No, I am not!"
"Yes, you are!"
"No, I am not!"
"Yes, you are!"
"No, I...."
"AAAA," Harry shouted as he rubbed his forehead, "this is not getting us anywhere." Turning back to face his godfather, he decided to take a different tact, placing his hand on the man's shoulder, he comforted, "Come on, Sirius, you know you can tell me anything right? It is me and you against the world, really!"
Remaining silent for a long time, Harry thought for a long moment that he was not getting anything at all from him, until he broke it with a near whisper of an answer. "I have been learning from my mother a bit here and there."
"You have been WHAT?!" Harry exclaimed as he heard his answer.
What came next was something Harry never expected, Sirius's face seem to go through numerous expressions until it settled on ire. "Now you listen here," he said as he wagged his finger at him, his mannerism totally reminded him of Mrs. Tonks, his cousin who he was so different from.
"I will take no back talk or any nonsense from you, Harry James Potter!"
"Okay, okay," Harry said as he held out his hands to try to calm him down, "I was just a bit surprised, that all and...."
"And what?" he asked sharply still irritated with him.
"Well," he answered as smooth faced as he could be, "I never pegged you as the sort of man who would be running back to his mother's skirt."
Pausing for a long while as they stood face to face, Sirius finally burst out, "Ow, why you little shit. I am going to crack your back until you are crying to the high heavens for forgiveness."
Breaking out in laughter, Harry couldn't help himself when he saw that very much peeved expression on his godfather's face.
Settling down, Sirius once again spoke up, clarifying himself, but somehow Harry felt like he was doing it for himself as much as he was doing it for him. "I have been back at the ancestral home these past couple of days with my mother's portrait. You could say we came to a sort of agreement- if she did not want me to drag the family's name in the dirt anymore or have it taken over by Malfoy upstarts, she would have to teach me how to be Head of the House and all the duties and tasks it entails."
Saying nothing, Harry wondered how the man went about doing that, from the few encounter he had with that witch back at the estate, she was nothing if not unwavering especially with the way she cursed and screamed at them day in day out.
"So I have been learning from her if you would and I visited all the estates, lands, and other assets we had in Great Britain."
"Why?" Harry asked, cutting off the older man.
Turning to look at him, Sirius asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"
"I mean why would you do all that? I know you, and you hate anything that has to do with the Black Family written on it. Why would you put yourself through all this?" No matter how many times he thought it over he could fathom why the man would want to be even seven feet near all this.
From all he knew about his godfather, he has always been running from his family all his life. Even back at Gringotts when Gorkit offered the Balck family Lordship ring to him to prove that his now the rightful master of the house, he still ran from it under the guise of later.
So why in god's name would he start getting into the affairs of the family he wanted nothing to do with?
Sighing, Sirius face him head-on right in the eyes and simply answered, "For you, pup. I say how you were ready to tackle your duties while all I can do is hide from them. Now there will be no more of that.
Plus I know you need as much help as you could get for this coming war, and if it means taking up the mantle of the Black family, then I would do it," he said as if resid to his fate.
Harry had no words to express himself, the man always went above and beyond for him l-like a.... father would for their own son.
"Thank you," Harry simply said as he hung his face low to hide his expression.
"Don't worry about it," as the man did a 180 degree flip once again from somber to cheerful. "We both can suffer together, so there is that at least. Plus," he added, "we can get away next week for 5 whole days as the World Cup is coming up soon."
"Yea," Harry hoarsely replied as he quickly dabbed at his damp cheek. "That sounds good to me!"
*OMAKE*
Lying in bed as Harry was reading up on some stuff that Tobry assigned him, he heard a slight knock at his door and looked up from his book.
"Who is it?" Harry called out.
"It's me, master~ a voice he knew very well called out from the door.
"Come in," Harry said as he closed his book shut.
Walking into his room was Rem and the first thing Harry noticed was how little clothing she was wearing. All she had on was a light blue pair of panties and bra which only hid her nipples and did nothing for everything else.
"What's the occupation?" Harry asked with a grin.
Pouting, the blue haired maid answered back, "did you forget your promise, Master! I came for my reward for being a good little maid~"
"Ow, yes, how could I forget. Well," Harry said as he threw his sheets to the side, "I will just have to make sure to reward you doubly for remaining me!"