Evening.
Sirius picked up the wineglass from the table with his left hand and drained it.
A newspaper lay on the table, but he could not bring himself to read it.
Restlessly turning the glass in his hand, he stared at the phoenix feather beside the newspaper, occasionally glancing at the wand on his right.
His former companions were fighting a life-or-death battle, while he was here doing nothing but reading the newspaper.
It made him feel ashamed.
Had I really become weak?
Was I merely using Harry as an excuse to avoid my own responsibilities?
Harry had not come by his current life easily. Sirius tried to convince himself: Did he really want to leave that child adrift again? Send him back to that "home" where he had been treated like a freak?
After losing his parents, did James and Lily's only child have to lose his Godfather too?
Death was not frightening. He had even endured Azkaban. But if his identity as a member of the Order of the Phoenix was exposed, he would face separation... or have that boy flee with him.
Uh... flee together?
In that instant, Sirius suddenly thought it was an excellent idea.
Images even flashed through his mind: riding his flying motorcycle, with those Aurors and Watchmen never managing to find them.
Wandering with Harry... it felt almost like traveling with James back then...
Oh, they could go find Lupin too. Who knew what remote forest that guy was hiding in now? Living with a werewolf for a while would surely be interesting!
Then they could bring him along on their travels too!
This was... fantastic!
No, no. Sirius quickly shook his head, trying to drive that terrifying thought away.
*You're just drunk. What responsible guardian becomes a fugitive and takes a child