They'd arrived early at the platform disguised to ostensibly drop off a child; check. They then warded Harry's compartment to the hilt and made it so only his friends could enter; check. They notified a few of his closest friends so they could find him; check. They took up a position in the next compartment which they made all but invisible to everybody just in case someone had sussed out the rest of the plan; check.
The latter was handy because they had to go to Hogsmeade anyway and move into the new house. Sirius wasn't actually looking forward to that. He loved Griffin House. The new house wouldn't have memories of Harry sprawled on the living room floor watching a movie, sat at the dining table eating treacle tart, or curled up in an armchair by Sirius's desk reading while Sirius worked.
On the other hand, regardless that Griffin House was a floo away from Hogwarts, Sirius was comforted with the knowledge that he'd be physically closer to Harry with the new house. If anything happened…
And he couldn't shake the feeling that something might happen.
Noshi's warning kept ringing in his ears; how Harry would be injured and Sirius would take him back to Noshi to heal.
No.
No, it wasn't inevitable. Hadn't he and Noshi discussed how prophecies and visions might give the impression of things that really weren't what they seemed?
Sirius would never stop believing that he could keep Harry safe. But he had to admit that he hated turning Harry over to the care of Hogwarts; of Albus Dumbledore who had already failed on so many levels to keep Harry safe.
Not that Sirius thought he was doing a bang up job of it himself either since Harry had almost been kidnapped at the World Cup.
He sighed.
He'd admitted his mistake in leaving Harry at all and not getting him away as soon as the news of the stadium fire had reached him. Harry had admitted his mistake in running after the bastard that had attacked them. They'd both learned. And it was a major part of why Sirius felt he was making another mistake, he acknowledged to himself. Hadn't he learned leaving Harry in someone else's care meant that he wouldn't be there to keep Harry safe? But Harry had promised – promised – that he only wanted a quiet normal school year; that he had his animagus project to keep him occupied; that if anything strange or unusual or mysterious occurred that got his attention he would tell someone – he wouldn't go charging in himself.
"Will you stop worrying? I can hear your mind whirling from here!" demanded Remus, looking up from his book to glare at Sirius. "And for Merlin's sake, finish your sandwich!"
Sirius did the mature thing; he stuck his tongue out.
His mirror buzzed.
Sirius immediately dumped the sandwich on the seat beside him and yanked the mirror from his inside pocket. "Padfoot here."
Minerva's face appeared in the mirror. "Sirius."
"Minerva." Sirius said brightly, inwardly wincing.
"The Headmaster has asked me to contact you regarding Harry's arrival."
In other words, Albus was bugging Minnie about when Harry was expected to arrive and by what method since Sirius had point blank refused to tell him.
"We're on the Express." Sirius informed her briskly. "Harry's in the next compartment." He continued cheerfully. "According to Remus we can't travel with him or he won't experience the full Express, um, experience."
Minerva closed her eyes as though trying to remain calm. She opened them again to glare at him. "Then he'll arrive with the other students?"
"Yes, that's the plan. Remus and I will disillusion ourselves, see him onto a carriage and follow it up to the gates." Sirius said firmly.
"You do know the press is going to have a conniption fit." Minerva sighed.
"Serves them right for printing rumours and leaked information!" Sirius retorted. That had pissed him off although it was part of the plan.
Minerva nodded. "I'll be at the doors to make sure he gets inside safely."
Sirius nodded back, his eyes roaming over her tired features. "How are you, Minnie?"
She sighed. "I'm all recovered." Her features softened a touch; the stern lines easing. "Try not to worry, Sirius." The mirror went blank.
Sirius tucked it back into his pocket. He picked up his sandwich and discarded it again. He shifted restlessly, an urge to sneak to the compartment next door and just check on his son. Of course, he reflected, he would probably have to stun Moony first.
"You're not stunning me and checking up on Harry." Remus said, startling Sirius. He looked up in amusement at Sirius's shocked face. "You're very predictable, Padfoot. Eat your lunch and do your correspondence. I thought you wanted to write some letters?"
"How am I supposed to focus on letters?" Sirius complained forcefully. He got to his feet and paced. He hadn't felt so adrift since…since he'd lost Lily and James and Harry. He lurched to a stop. "It's like I've lost him again, Moony."
The wave of emotion as he confessed the truth of the sick aching feeling in his gut had him immediately seeking a refuge…his usual refuge; he turned into Padfoot, slumped to the floor and gave a miserable whine.
Remus immediately set aside his book and dropped to the floor of the compartment. He patted the floor next to him and Sirius sidled up to him, eventually settling with his head on Remus's thigh, Remus's strong hand stroking his head gently.
"Forgive me, old friend," Remus said softly, "you've been doing so well, I forgot you see. You've hardly done this since you came back from the States."
Sirius knew he'd been Padfoot a lot at the beginning of the Summer when he'd had too many painful emotions to cope with despite his want to be there for Harry. But once he'd been given Harry coupled with the healing he'd had…he'd needed to be Padfoot a lot less. Moreover, he hadn't wanted to be Padfoot. But right at that moment…Padfoot was safe.
"You're doing brilliantly." Remus said firmly. "You've given Harry a home and he…he loves you beyond anything, Sirius. He's going to come home; you're not going to lose him; I promise."
But Moony couldn't promise that, nobody could promise that. And that's what scared Sirius.
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