He left, taking the privacy bubble down and leaving Sirius feeling like he'd kicked a puppy. Sirius made his way to Black Manor but immediately left again for Griffin House.
Remus and Harry were in the sun room and Sirius brought them up to speed as Dobby brought them glasses of lemonade and chocolate biscuits.
"Poor Lawrence." Harry said, compassionately. "Does he have family or…"
"A sister." Remus answered. "His wife died a few years ago and his daughter…she died during the last war at the hands of Greyback, the werewolf who bit me."
Harry folded his arms and frowned. "Why haven't I heard this story of the brothers before?"
"It's a wizarding story in a popular book called 'Tales of Beedle the Bard,' Harry." Remus explained. "Most wizarding children learn to read with that book. I certainly did."
"You did have a copy in your nursery," Sirius said thoughtfully, "if Bill and Caro ever make it actually into the house at Godric's Hollow they may find it. I'm sure James gave you the Potter copy passed down through the generations."
"But once I was living with the Dursleys there was no way they'd ever allow me to have a wizarding book or hear any wizarding tales." Harry nodded. "I'm really related to this Ignotus Peverell?"
"So it seems." Sirius said.
"I'll check." Remus offered. "But if both Bertie and Albus agreed that you are his descendant…"
"It's probable that I am." Harry said with a sigh. "I'm not having my cloak locked up."
"Nobody's suggesting that." Remus soothed him while sending Sirius a questioning look that clearly said 'are you?'
"Remus is right," Sirius quickly confirmed, "your cloak is your cloak but as your parent and an ex-Marauder I wish you'd use the thing for pranks rather than getting into dangerous situations."
Harry grinned at him. "You're so cool."
Sirius happily hammed it up and preened. "Thank you."
Remus laughed at his antics. "Only you, Padfoot."
Harry's amusement faded. "But you think the stone should be locked up?"
"The stone is…" Sirius made a half-hearted gesture and his hand fell to the table, "…a temptation to drive yourself mad."
"Like Cadmus the original brother who owned it." Remus said. "He wanted to bring his love back but Death tricked him. The stone brought back her shade but not her body. He couldn't kiss her or make love with her…"
Sirius almost snickered at the bright red colour on Harry's cheeks. There was a plan to give Harry and Neville the Talk in motion. They'd certainly do it before the boys went back to Hogwarts.
"…so eventually he realised he didn't have her back at all. She was still dead and he was still alive and never shall the twain meet for good reason." Remus finished.
Harry thought about Remus's words so hard Sirius could almost see them turning over in his head. "It must be like the Mirror of Erised."
"Hmmm?" Sirius murmured confused.
"The Mirror which the Headmaster used to hide the Philosopher's stone in showed you your heart's desire," explained Harry, "I found it at the Christmas break in my first year and…and it showed me Mum and Dad. We were together as a family and happy."
Sirius reached over and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I kept going back to look at them." Harry confessed sheepishly. "Just to look because I'd never seen them before and…it was before Hagrid gave me the album."
"What happened?" inquired Remus gently.
"The Headmaster caught me." Harry admitted. "He told me it didn't do to dwell on dreams. I guess he wanted me to focus on the present and not the past. I suppose he was right, I mean I would have stayed with the Mirror all the time if I could back then."
Sirius squeezed his shoulder.
"And…and I guess this stone is like that." Harry said, tracing a pattern on the table top idly. "If I…if I brought Mum and Dad back just to talk with them once…" he paused and ducked his head, "I don't think I could give them up again." He admitted in a pained voice.
"Me either." Sirius admitted roughly.
Remus sighed. "Me either."
They sat in silence for a long moment, all once again mourning James and Lily.
Sirius cleared his throat. "The stone stays locked up, then?"
Harry nodded jerkily. "I think I'll go up to my room and read a bit."
Or go up to his room and mope a bit, Sirius corrected in his head, not that he could blame Harry; he was probably going to do the same when he went up to bed.
He let go of Harry's shoulder and watched as Harry wandered back into the house. "Poor kid. If it's not one thing, it's another."
"You didn't have to tell him."
The rebuke was mild but it was there and Sirius glowered at Remus. "This from the man who encouraged me to risk him in getting the stone in the first place!? I won't keep secrets from him. He needs to know he's trusted to know these things and to make his own decisions."
"I don't disagree entirely," Remus began, "but sometimes I think you overestimate how much he can handle. He is only fourteen!"
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