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A Simple Change of Mind - Chapter 1
🕑 Added 2023-08-21 12:09:44 +0000 UTCIt has been a week since Harry returned from Hogwarts, and already he has finished almost all his summer homework. In his room upstairs, he was just finishing the last assignment.
For the past week, he has spent the entire day isolated in his room, working on his homework while completely ignoring his so-called family because he does not want anything to do with them. He only leaves the room to use the restroom, and when it comes to food, he does not have to worry because last year he bonded with Dobby, who had been pleading with him to do so. Harry is glad he did because the elf now brings him food on a regular basis, making Harry's life at Dursley much easier.
However, interacting with Dursley was not the only reason he wasn't leaving his room; it was also the fact that looking at their faces reminded him how close he was to leaving this shithole and being with someone who cared about him. Harry tries to forget the moment when Sirius asked him to come with him because it hurts him to think about how close he was to freedom with Sirius but could not achieve because of his own fault for showing mercy to his parent's betrayer.
The regret weighed heavily on Harry's shoulders as he replayed the conversation with Sirius over and over in his mind. He could not help but wonder what his life would be like now if he had made a different choice and the rat had not escaped. Would he be living a life of adventure and excitement, free from the constant torment of the Dursley? It was a painful thought, one that he couldn't escape no matter how hard he tried.
Harry sighed deeply and leaned back in his chair after finishing his last sentence and laying down his quill. The weight of his past decisions and the uncertainties of his future pressed heavily on him. As he stared out the window, his thoughts wandered to the brief moments he had spent with Sirius. The possibility of what could have been gnawed at him, filling him with a mixture of regret and longing. Harry realised, with a heavy heart, that he would never truly know what his life would have been like had things gone differently. All he could do at this point was concentrate on the here and now, make the most of the cards he was dealt, and find a way to pass the time until he could meet up with his friends and head back to Hogwarts.
Just as Harry was falling asleep, he saw a dark figure on the streets. On closer look, he was shocked to find it was a huge black dog, a very familiar dog. After pinching himself and checking to make sure he wasn't dreaming, Harry realised that the Grimm was still in the same spot.
"Sirius..."
Harry jumped out of his chair and ran as quietly as he could down the stairs, then out the front door and down the street, but the Grimm was nowhere to be found. However, after hearing a noise, he turned around and found the Grimm in the same alleyway as the previous year. His heart raced as he approached the alley, cautiously stepping closer to the creature. As he got closer, Harry could see that it was indeed Sirius, his godfather, in his Animagus form.
Harry whispered, "Sirius, is that really you?" in a trembling voice.
The enormous dog suddenly transformed into a tall, thin man, standing 6 feet tall and appearing quite weak, but Harry could tell he looked better than the last time he saw him.
"Of course, it's me, your handsome godfather, although not so much right now, but still-" Harry ran up to Sirius and pulled him into a hug, stopping him from saying anything else, and Sirius returned the hug with equal force.
They remain in the same position for a long time before Harry notices that Sirius, who should be hiding, is present and hugging him.
"What on earth are you doing, Sirius? You should be hiding instead of being visible to everyone like you are right now. If anyone does see you, you will be sent back to Azkaban." Harry cried out in concern and fear for his godfather.
"I'm here to see my handsome godson; what else do you think I'm here for?" Sirius spoke cheerfully and without fear.
Harry is baffled as to why Sirius showed no signs of fear when he should have; he fears that Sirius has finally lost his mind.
"Sirius, you can't be serious-"
"But Harry, I am Sirius."
"For fuck's sake, Sirius, this is not a funny situation. I'm worried that an auror will appear at any moment and take you back to prison or kill you right here while you act as if you don't care!" Harry screamed, having finally had enough of his stupid godfather's carefree behaviour.
"Ssh, stop shouting, or else you're going to wake everyone up." Sirius hushed Harry while looking around to make sure nobody heard them. "I'll answer all of your questions, but let's head to your room first, and then we will talk there."
Harry finally calmed down and realised that Sirius was right; there was no point in talking here, and they would be safer in his room.
"You're right; follow me, but be careful not to make any noise." Harry said.
Harry quietly entered the house, followed by Sirius. When Sirius entered Harry's room and saw the state of the cramped space, he was appalled by the state of the room his godson had been living in for nearly 17 years.
"Harry, you've lived in these rooms your entire life!" Sirius exclaimed in a voice filled with rage.
Harry shrugs and says, "Not really prior to what I had before Hogwarts; this is much better."
Knowing that his godson had previously lived in worse circumstances than this, Sirius was now even more angry and refused to even think of what could be worse than this. He was angry and guilty at the same time. He is aware that if he hadn't been foolish enough to pursue the traitorous rat, his godson wouldn't be living in such poor condition and would instead be living in much better circumstances. His resolve to accomplish what he came here for becomes much stronger after seeing this.
Determined to make things right for his godson, Sirius pushed aside his guilt and focused on the task at hand. He now knows his decision is the right one to improve the situation and provide a better life for Harry. With each passing moment, his determination grew, fueling his determination to make his godson live the life he deserves. Sirius was ready to fight tooth and nail to ensure that Harry's future was brighter than his past.
"Alright, Harry, I think I promised you the explanation of why I am here, didn't I?" Sirius asked, ready to explain his reasoning and hoping Harry understood why he took such a big risk by coming here.
Harry nodded, eager to learn what prompted Sirius to make such a risky decision.
Sirius took a deep breath and started speaking. "Harry, since the last time we saw each other, as you are aware, I have been hiding while travelling with Buckbeak throughout the countryside, but throughout that entire time, I have only been thinking about you. I know what you are going to say, but first, please let me finish". Harry was about to interrupt, but Sirius cut him off because he knew he would disagree due to his selflessness. Harry reluctantly nodded and allowed Sirius to continue.
"As I previously stated, the only thought that ran through my mind the entire time I was travelling was how I had betrayed my best friends, who had given me a single responsibility that I had failed to fulfil: how I had failed to protect you, Harry." Sirius's voice trembled slightly, but he continued, "Because of my stupid rash decision, you have to suffer for it; because of me, you have to live in this hellhole with people I know despise you."
Harry was shocked. "Sirius, how did you-"
"How do I know that Dursley hates you? Lily, your mother, had told us how her sister has always been jealous of her and how much petunia hates her. Lily and James even came here to invite your aunt and her husband to their wedding, but that pig face and her oaf husband didn't even gave Lily a chance to invite and shut the door on their faces." Sirius said while barely holding his anger.
Harry stared at Sirius, his mind reeling with the new information. He had always known that his Aunt had a strained relationship with his mother, but he never realised just how deep her hatred ran. The thought of his own family treating his mother with such disdain made his blood boil. He couldn't understand how anyone could despise his kind-hearted and loving mother. Anger bubbled up inside him, but he knew he had to remain calm.
Sirius, too, seemed to be struggling to keep his temper in check, but Harry was still confused.
"But Sirius, that still doesn't explain why you are here right now."
"I'm here to make things right, and I'm here to take you along with me, so we can spend our summer break away from here, away from England," Sirius says solemnly.
Harry's face was filled with shock as he looked at Sirius. He can't believe what he just heard. He was silently expecting Sirius to tell him that it was all a joke, but after a brief silence, Harry realised that Sirius was not joking.
"You mean you're here to take me on a vacation for my summer break?" Harry asked, his voice filled with disbelief and hope.
Sirius nodded, a small smile playing across his lips. "Absolutely, Harry," he replied, his voice full of sincerity. "I've been planning this for quite some time. It's time to have some fun and forget about our problems." Harry couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement rush through him. A whole summer away from the Dursleys and with Sirius sounded like a dream come true. He had spent years longing for a normal childhood, and now it seemed like Sirius was offering him just that.
Harry, however, is still unsure. "Sirius, believe me, I want to go with you, but what about the fact that you have aurors looking for you? We can't go on vacation if there is a risk of you being caught, which is something I would never want."
Sirus chuckled. "Didn't I tell you we were leaving England for a vacation? Since I was sentenced to Azkaban without even a trial, the magical communities outside of England do not recognise my arrest, and I am a free man there. Even an English officer cannot arrest me because I will be protected by that country, and neither can the British Ministry do something."
Harry can't believe he was given the option of leaving Dursley and spending the summer with Sirius without having to worry about anything except one thing: "What about Dumbledore, Sirius? He'll be upset if I leave this house and go with you."
Sirius scowled when he heard the name Dumbledore "Harry, you've spent nearly your entire life at this place you despise, and you've tried for the past three years to persuade Dumbledore to let you spend the summer somewhere else, but he hasn't let you. Do you still care what Dumbledore thinks, or will you do something you've always wanted to do for once? Harry, you'll be 17 this year; it's past time for you to start living your life the way you want to." Sirius pleaded with Harry to understand. He understands that Dumbledore did not place Harry at his aunt's house knowing he would be mistreated, but he still dislikes how Dumbledore tries to control Harry's life the way he wants.
Harry listened intently to Sirius's plea. He has always trusted and respected Dumbledore, but a part of him is frustrated by his constant control over his life. Standing up to Dumbledore and finally making a decision on his own felt liberating. Harry made up his mind with determination in his eyes. He would break free from the shackles that Dumbledore had unintentionally placed on him and embark on a summer adventure of his own choosing.
"You're right, Sirius. It's past time for me to live my life the way I want to live it, not the way others want me to live it." Harry stated it firmly.
"Now you're speaking my language, Harry," Sirius said with a grin.
"I know," Harry chuckled, "but what should we do now?"
Sirius has a mischievous smile that Harry isn't sure is good or bad. "Now, my dear godson, we will begin our summer vacation, and for that, you should begin packing all of your belongings so that we can leave this hellhole as soon as possible." Sirius spoke with a new zeal that he had never seen in him before.
Harry nodded and began packing all of his belongings, saying, "Okay, but do I have to pack everything? What if I have to come back here again next year?"
"Believe me, Harry, until the day I die, I will never let you come back to this place," Sirius said, his face strangely expressionless.
Seeing the state of his clothes, Sirius asked, "Are these all your clothes, Harry? They don't seem to be your size."
"No, only the Hogwarts uniform is mine, while all the casuals are Dudley old ones," Harry replied without turning back.
Sirius was furious when he realised Harry had been wearing his fat cousin's clothes his entire life, and he couldn't take it any longer. "Harry, except for your uniform, leave all of your clothes here."
The anger in Sirius' voice confused Harry, who asked, "But if I leave all of this here, I'll have nothing else to wear."
Sirius took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself, before responding, "I'll buy you some new clothes, Harry. You deserve to wear clothes that fit properly and make you feel confident. Dudley's hand-me-downs are unsuitable for someone like you." Harry looked up at Sirius, his eyes filled with surprise and gratitude. He finally realised that he deserved better than to be dressed in clothes that were never meant for him.
Sirius noticed a shift in Harry's expression; a glimmer of self-worth was beginning to emerge. It hurt him to think that Harry had spent so many years feeling unworthy of even the most basic of things, such as his clothing. It was time to prove to him that he deserved so much more.
He placed his hand gently on Harry's shoulder and spoke softly. "Harry, you're a remarkable young wizard, and it's time you realised it. Allow me to take you shopping, and we'll find clothes that truly reflect the amazing person you are. You deserve to be confident and proud of yourself, both inside and out. We'll find clothes that not only fit you perfectly but also make you feel like the incredible wizard you are. You deserve nothing less than the best, Harry, and I'm here to make sure you know it."
"You're right, Sirius," Harry said, his voice heavy with emotion. "In that case, my packing is done; what are we going to do now?"
"What about Hedwig, Harry?" Sirius asked, having noticed the absence of his godson owl.
"She's out hunting. Don't worry, she'll find her way to me; she's a smart girl." Harry spoke reassuringly, his voice full of pride.
"All right then, my dear godson," Sirius says with a Cheshire cat grin, "we're off to Gringotts to start our vacation." He began making his way down the stairs and out of the house, with Harry close behind.
Harry began to feel excited at the prospect of finally leaving this place and spending the entire summer with Sirius, but there was still some uncertainty.
"Sirius, how will we get to Gringotts? Please don't tell me we're going to take the knight bus." He begged, recalling his previous years’ experience.
Sirius began snickering. He was having too much fun. "No, my dear godson, we are going to use a mode of transport that you've never experienced." He then extended his arm to Harry and said, "Hold on to my arm, Harry.""
"Wait, why?" Harry asked, perplexed.
Sirius just kept smiling.
Knowing he wouldn't get an answer, he sighed and gripped Sirius arm tightly, saying, "I really hope this mode of transportation is better than the knight bus."
"Don't worry," Sirius winked, "though I would advise you to hold your breath."
Harry opened his mouth to ask why, but before he could say anything, he felt sensations he'd never felt before. He felt as if he were being squeezed in a tube, and just as it began, it ended, and he began heaving for breath.
While Harry was trying to get air into his lungs, Sirius was laughing like he hadn't in a long time.
"Sirius, you bastard, you could have at least warned me before, you stinky mutt." Harry spoke with a scowl on his face.
Sirius, while still laughing, said, "Harry, y-you h-have to agree t-that was f-funny."
"Haha, I'm glad you find it amusing, Sirius, but will you stop laughing now?" Harry sarcastically stated, rolling his eyes.
Sirius regained his composure, wiping away tears of laughter. "All right, all right," he said, trying to catch his breath. "But you have to admit, that was a good one." Harry couldn't help but smile, grateful for the chance to see Sirius' genuine joy and catch a glimpse of a man in his parents' wedding photos.
Sirius still can't help but ask, "So was it better than Knight bus?" Harry scoffed and muttered half-heartily, "I swear, If the third magical transportation I take is as bad as the first two, I'll just use muggle means to get everywhere."
Sirius tried hard not to laugh again, lest he let out more than he wanted to, but he couldn't help but tease Harry. "Well, I guess keep that thought in mind for a while." Harry narrowed his eyes at him, sensing there was something he was hiding, but he let it go for now.
Harry looked around at his surroundings where they had appeared and found they were in a familiar dark alleyway and asked, "Sirius, why are we in knock turn alley?"
Sirius looked at him sharply. "How do you know this place?"
"In my second year, I accidentally flooed here," Harry shrugs, "but that's not the point right now; how are you going to enter Gringotts when there are people here even at this hour?"
"Do you have no faith in your godfather, Harry?" Sirius exclaimed with puppy dog eyes in a mocking, hurtful tone, but Harry just looked at him with a deadpan expression. He dropped his act after realising it wasn't working and sighed, "Give me your invisibility cloak. I'll hide in it while you pull the robe's hood up so no one can see you."
Harry facepalmed and felt foolish for not remembering this himself. "Shit, you are right; I guess you do have something in your brain there, you mutt."
"OI!"
"Here, put it on quickly." Harry handed him the cloak while pulling his own hood up, and the two of them began walking towards Gringotts.
As they made their way towards Gringotts, Harry couldn't help but feel a mix of nervousness and excitement. He was nervous about what would happen if they got caught, but more than that, he was excited to enjoy his summer in a new place with someone who truly cared for him. Something he has always imagined but has never experienced until now.
When they enter the Gringotts, they notice that no humans are present at this time of night, only the goblins who work there. Sirius then emerges from the cloak, and despite knowing that Sirius had assured him that goblins would have no problem with him, Harry was still nervous. But when he looked around, he noticed that not a single goblin was looking at the wanted Azkaban escapee standing in their bank.
Sirius walks over to the nearest goblin with Harry in tow and clears his throat to get the goblin's attention. The goblin with the nasty scar on his face looks up at both of them, and Harry begins to fear again, but what the goblin says next surprises him.
"Ah, Lord Black, it's good to see you. I've been waiting for you. Your rescue mission appears to have been a success." The goblin said the last bit while looking at Harry.
"Good to see you too, Riphook; yes, I was successful in bringing my godson without any problem. Now have you done all the things I asked you to do?" Sirus replied in a polite tone that surprised Harry since he had never heard Sirus talk like that, but then again, he knows that talking politely with goblins is the best way to get the job done.
"Of course, I have done everything as you ordered," Riphook said with a scary smile on the scarred goblin's face. "Your back account has been opened, and the villa has been cleaned and repaired to its original condition, complete with goblin's wards, as you requested. And this is your one-way portkey to your villa, with the activation code 'gold'." He said this while pulling a goblet from under the table, which confused Harry.
Sirius tried his best not to roll his eyes at the typical goblin code, "Thank you very much for your assistance, Riphook. I'm assuming you've deducted your fees from my account?" The goblin's scary smile was enough of an indication for Sirius. "Then my godson and I will now take our leave. Thank you once again for your help." Sirius nodded to the goblin and began walking outside, with Harry trailing behind.
Harry was not sure what was happening. "Sirius what -"
Sirius cut him off before he could ask. "Harry I know you have a lot of questions right now, and I'll answer them all, but first let's get to a safe place." He whispered, put on the invisibility cloak once more, and began walking down a dark alleyway.
Once they were in the alleyway, Sirius put a strong notice-me-not charm around them and said, "Alright, Harry, now you can ask your questions."
Harry took a deep breath and asked, "Sirius, what are these bank accounts he was talking about? Also, what villa? Where exactly are we even going? And lastly, what the fuck is a portkey?" He exclaimed, his confusion growing with each question.
Sirius chuckled and began to explain. "Well, Harry, this bank account is something I ordered to be opened at the place we're going, and we can use it in both the muggle and magical worlds. The villa, on the other hand, is a lovely country home where we'll be spending our vacation. And, before you ask, it's mine, as in, it's one of the many properties House Black owns around the world, which you also do, but that's a conversation for another time. It's a safe haven for us and the ideal location for us to spend our summer. And, my dear godson, a portkey is a magical object that can instantly transport us to a specific location. It functions similarly to a teleportation device, but it can only be activated when touched by an activation code. To get to our destination, we'll use a portkey. Is that all clear now?"
Harry nodded, his mind racing with anticipation and curiosity. The prospect of using a portkey to travel instantly to their summer vacation seemed both exciting and unbelievable. But one question remained unanswered: "That's fine, Sirius, but you still haven't told me where we're going?"
Sirius grinned mischievously, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "That, Harry, is the best part! We're off to 'Plovdiv,' the lovely city of 'Bulgaria!'" Harry's eyes widened in awe.
"Now, I think we have wasted enough time and should be going." Sirius then took out the goblet that the Riphook had given him and said, "Come here and touch this portkey, Harry."
Sirius muttered "gold" as Harry touched the goblet exactly as he instructed.
Harry felt a sensation he had never felt before for the second time in less than a half hour. He felt like he was spinning in a vortex this time, and before he knew it, he had fallen flat on his face and landed with a thud on the hard ground.
Sirius tried and failed to suppress his laughter. While Harry was muttering, "It's confirmed, I hate all magical transport," he heard Sirius laughing at him again. "Stop laughing, you mutt; you knew this would happen and didn't even warn me again!" Harry exclaimed at Sirius after he got back on his feet.
Sirus kept his cool enough to say, "Sorry, Harry, but seeing you fall like that was so funny," before bursting out laughing again.
"Well, I'm glad you can find joy in my suffering," Harry muttered sarcastically.
Sirius finally calmed himself down. "Don't worry, Harry, this was your first-time using portkey; you'll get used to it; in fact, you know Lily was the same as you."
Hearing his mother's name, Harry looked at him and asked, "Really?"
Sirius nodded, "Yep, she used to trip and stumble every time she used the portkey, but she got better with time and with your father's help, as would you, I'm sure." Harry was happy to know that aside from their eyes, his mother and he had more similarities.
"Enough with the past, Harry. Let's talk about the present, and let me be the first to welcome you to Bulgaria's magical land." Sirius said, spreading his arms around in a grand gesture.
Harry took in his surroundings in awe. As he looked down to see the many lights blinking, he knew they were on a hill on the outskirts of a city. The location was surrounded by nature, which made it feel very calm and relaxed, which Harry didn't realise he needed.
But a puzzled frown appeared on his face when he noticed something was missing and asked, "Sirius, this place is amazing, but I thought the portkey was supposed to drop us at this villa you were talking about, but I can't see anything here except trees."
"That, my dear godson, is because the villa is under the wards the Riphook told us about, so no one knows about it except the owner, which is me," Sirius said, smiling. "Now you do, too," Sirius said, touching his shoulder.
A shiver ran through Harry's body, and something changed around him. When he looked ahead, he was surprised to see a large villa standing in place of the row of trees he knew were there.
Sirius then started walking towards the villa, saying, "This is the Cassiopeia villa named after my great grand aunt, who I actually found out died two years ago. Good riddance, I would say, but you don't need to know about that. Come, let me show it to you from inside."
As he got closer to the villa, Harry noticed that it was bigger than he had expected. It was a white-coloured, 3-storey villa of old Roman design with intricate carvings and a grand entrance. The front yard was immaculately landscaped, with vibrant flowers and lush greenery.
As Sirius opened the front door, Harry's jaw dropped in awe at the sight that awaited him inside. The spacious foyer exuded elegance, with marble floors, a grand staircase, and chandeliers that sparkled in the sunlight. It was evident that this villa held a rich history and was a place of grandeur and luxury.
Sirius chuckled at Harry's reaction: "It's impressive, isn't it? As much as I hated my family, they do know how to build a grand house." He said with a bit of pride in his voice that Harry never heard since he always thought Sirius hated his family, "This is just the entrance hall; come, I will show you the rooms now." He then led Harry upstairs to the first floor.
On the first floor, Harry noticed there were four doors. "As you can see, there are four rooms on this floor, though we'll skip the first two," Sirius said, pointing to the two doors at the beginning of the floor.
At Harry's raised eyebrow, he explained, "These two were my grand aunt's rooms, and I want nothing to do with them. Knowing my crazy dear aunt, there would be something harmful in there, so I warn you not to go into those rooms ever." Sirus warned him, and Harry nodded, understanding that if Sirus is warning him about something, it must be very dangerous.
Sirius then went back to his cheery mood, saying, "Good, now these two will be our rooms; you can take the left one; that room has the better view." He then opened the door and entered the left room, and once again, Harry was shocked by what he saw.
The room was lavishly decorated with beautiful tapestries and elegant furniture. The view from the window was indeed breathtaking, overlooking a lush garden with vibrant colours and the whole city too. Harry couldn't believe his eyes, as he had never experienced such luxury before.
Sirius chuckled and patted Harry on the shoulder, saying, "It's impressive, isn't it?" He could only nod, unable to form words.
"You should rest now. I know it's been a long day for you, and you'll need all of your energy for our adventure, which begins tomorrow." Sirius said.
Harry surprised him by hugging him and whispering, "Thank you so much, sirius."
Sirius returned his hug and replied, "Never thank me for doing what I should have been doing all along, Harry. I promise to always be there for you, no matter what. Now get some sleep; we have a lot to look forward to tomorrow." With a sense of relief and gratitude, Harry finally let go of Sirius and watched him walk into his room.
As Harry lay in the most comfortable bed he ever had, he couldn't help but be excited for the adventures that lay ahead of him, especially knowing that he'd have someone like Sirius by his side.
He was ready to let go of his previous self and live his life the way he desired, to become stronger and better than before, because he knew his life was full of danger, and the next time he wanted to be prepared to solve anything on his own.
Harry smiles as he drifts off to sleep, thinking about what lies ahead for him.
