Catri shook her head “I don’t think its something you would like me to go into over a meal.” she laughed, “suffice it to say, it involved a great deal of determination and a very, very steady hand.”

“Are your brothers always so lively? And how many did you say you had?”

“Yes” Catri replied “always extremely lively. And nine of them, all older, and all very protective. I didn’t even date properly until Poppa had me travel to other cultures to learn about the world.”

“I remember talk of Arabia when you cam to school. Is that were you had been prior?” Sev asked, remembering all too well Lucius’s comment about camel riding and belly dancing.

“Yes, I have family there. I was sent to learn their magic and understand the culture in a way studying a book could never duplicate.”

Sev smirked “Miss MacLeod, it seems you have family everywhere.”

“Pretty much” Catri replied softly “my clan tends towards large families. We visit each other often.”

Wiping his mouth and rising, Severus crossed over to Catri’s side. Taking her hand in his, he pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling tenderly against her neck. “Does that mean I should tell the elves to prepare the guest rooms? I would not want to offend your family. Lupin tells me they have a great deal of influence in regards to your choice of a husband.” . . .

“Mornin’ sleepy head” Cash smirked as the large, black dog leaped onto Harry’s bed, licking Harry’s face happily. Looking around to make sure the dorm was empty, Sirius reverted to his human form as Cash closed the door, locking it securely behind him.

“Harry, are you alright?” Sirius asked as he gave his godson a heart-felt hug, he had been terrified that something had happened to Harry. Sirius shivered as the thought of life without his godson flitted through his mind. Pulling away from Harry, Sirius blinked his eyes as he cupped his godson’s face in his hands, searching Harry’s eyes to assure himself that he was unharmed.

“Yes da” Cash sighed “our little boy is just fine. No one’s been near him all night, trust me.” he winked as Harry rolled his eyes.

“Yes, trust him” Harry agreed “he won’t tell me what’s going on, and he won’t let me leave my dorm. Poor Ron had to sneak food up from breakfast just so I wouldn’t starve.” Harry looked up at his godfather imploringly, hoping Sirius would intervene.

“Starve?” Cash replied, his eyebrows shooting up “becoming a bit melodramatic are we?” he teased “Or are you always like this in the mornings….”

“We have very good reasons for being so worried about you Harry” Sirius explained softly, “It’s not just Voldemort anymore, it’s the MoM, the Tremere, and heaven only knows who else.” Sirius looked at Cash for support, they both knew how headstrong Harry could be sometimes. Sirius sat on one side of Harry as Cash sat on the other. “Harry, we need to talk, something happened last night.”

Harry’s eyes grew wide as he saw the horrible sadness on Sirius and Cash’s faces. “No, not mum. Please, please… don’t”

Sirius wrapped Harry in a fatherly hug as he reassured him “No Harry, it’s not Cat. As far as I know she’s fine and she’ll be back soon.”

“The sooner the better, she shouldn’t be with him at all.” Harry said dejectedly “Sirius, why didn’t you tell her about Azkaban? Why did you let her think you were married?”

“WHAT?” Sirius nearly yelled “Does everyone know about this but me?” he asked as he held his head in his hands “Harry, I only found out after Cash accused me of misleading Cat. It never even occurred to me she thought I married Esmeralda Filch. If I had only known….” Sirius shook his head sadly, closing his eyes against the waves of emotions sweeping over him.

“Enough of that” Cash said softly “It was a mistake, a miscommunication to use the popular term. She comes back, we kill Gustavas, and we tell her the truth about you.. . Not necessarily in that order.” Cash added as he smiled and winked at Harry.

Becoming suddenly serious Cash continued “I’m actually glad I have you both here. I need to ask you something, something very important and very, very personal.” Pausing to take a deep breath, Cash thought of the best way to phrase his request. “I’m not sure if you realize how much power Angel has, actually I’m not sure if *I* realize how strong she really is. But we’ve, the Kindred Clans and I, have been keeping watch over the two you using Angel’s connection to you both.”

“Wait a minute Cash” Sirius interrupted “I can understand her connection to Harry, he’s her son, but what connection does she have to me?”

“She loves you Sirius, plain and simple, and I’m not talking romantic love here. You, Harry, Hermione, those Weasley kids, Albus, Minnie, Remus…. All of you, she carries a deep love for all of you in her heart. That allows her to ‘sense’ you at almost all times. Now, whether she’s consciously aware of this or not I’m really not sure, personally, I think its mostly subconscious. It’s simply her nature. . .”

“However, with her gone, its very hard for any of us to keep track of you. We have to be able to see you, and that presents several problems. As I’m sure Harry here will be the first to tell you.” Cash added as he tussled Harry’s hair.

Sirius chuckled as Harry rolled his eyes and tried to flatten his hair, it was positively scary at times to see how much he resembled James. “So what are you suggesting? Locking us up in Cat’s bedroom until she comes back?”

Cash shook his head “No, something a bit more permanent. I’ll save the locking up part for Sirius and your mum, just in case either of them do something stupid. . .like not telling each other everything about their past.” Cash replied, looking pointedly at Sirius.

Ignoring Cash’s barb, Sirius asked “What do you mean ‘more permanent’? Cash you don’t intend to embrace anyone, do you?” he questioned, feeling suddenly uneasy.

“Not exactly embrace, more like a quick peck on the cheek” Cash responded “I would like to forge a direct link with you both. Blood to blood, that way I can keep in direct contact with both of you at all times. I need to make sure you’re both safe, you two mean a great deal to me.” Cash explained as his eyes misted over with unspoken emotion.

Harry looked at Cash without any fear in his eyes and asked “How will sharing blood help that? It doesn’t last forever, does it? I mean, according to mum, the blood you drink only lasts a few days to a few weeks depending on the age and strength of the vampyre.”

“Normally that would be true Harry” Cash agreed “but remember, I’m not using this to feed, I’m using this to forge a bond with you. And even if it were for feeding….well Harry, I’m pretty near ancient as my kind go. I walked the earth with Napoleon, Da Vinci, Joan of Ark, Magellan, James Dean, Cleopatra, Constantine, Pythagoras,… blood lasts a very, very long time when you’ve made it to my decrepit age.” he said, winking at the look of pure amazement on Harry’s face.

“What exactly do you have in mind Cash?” Sirius asked, his brow knitted in obvious concern. “I don’t want Harry doing anything that might harm him. OR anything that Cat would disapprove of.. .”

Cash shook his head sadly “Gheez man, I haven’t even married the two of you and already she has you henpecked. ‘or anything Cat would disapprove of‘, Sirius Black, what had gotten into you?” Cash chuckled as he tried to keep a straight face, he had been doing fairly well until he caught the huge grin on Harry’s face, the kid was absolutely loving this discussion, and it showed. “And just so you know Sirius, Angel and I have done this several times, usually every year or so.” . . .

Harry laughed loudly at the conversation between Cash and Sirius, it was wonderful to see Sirius happy and laughing. Harry could almost see the man his godfather once was, the man from his parent’s wedding photo, the man Cat had fallen in love with. He sat back on his bed and watched the two men banter back and forth, teasing each other mercilessly until Cash had finally won by commenting on Sirius spending the night in Cat’s bed, causing Sirius to turn beet red and become extremely quiet.

“No need to ask what you dreamt of last night, is there?” Cash finished only to turn and wink at Harry.

Harry shook his head at the two of them “Do you two always carry on like this? It’s a good thing Remus isn’t here, I can’t even imaging the trouble the three of you could get into.” Pausing for a few moments as the three sat in relaxing silence, Harry finally asked “Will it hurt? I mean, . . .if I allow you to do whatever it is you’re asking.”

“Not much” Cash replied as he smiled warmly at Harry, leave it to him to be brave and trusting. “I just need to make a small puncture, and pull some of your blood into me. Then I need you to take some of mine” Cash laughed as Harry screwed up his face at the thought. “Don’t worry kiddo, it won’t even take a mouthful, you’ll get sleepy and nap for a bit, and you’ll be able to call out for me mentally of course. Aside from that, I doubt you‘ll even notice a difference.”

Seeing Sirius was about to argue, Harry spoke up quickly “So all it does is make a link between us? Like I have with mum?” He looked from Cash to Sirius, who Harry noticed still looked worried “Honestly Sirius, I don’t see anything wrong with it, and Cash is right, mum’s told me about blood bonding before, she mentioned I might be asked when I go home with her.”

“If you’re sure Harry” Sirius replied softly “it’s your decision, just remember, it can’t be undone, so make sure before you say yes.”

Harry gulped loudly as his godfather’s words echoed in his head “Is that true Cash?” Harry took a deep, calming breath as he saw Cash nod, thinking it over for a moment, Harry weighed his options. Without his mum around, Harry had to admit, he felt lonely, even when they were on opposite sides of the school, he could still feel her presence, he ‘knew’ she was there, keeping her eye on him. In fact, so far, this had been the calmest year he had ever had. He felt safe and loved, he knew he wasn’t alone anymore, but after Cat left, Harry felt their bond weakening, as if she was being distanced from him, it made him feel like he was floating on a vast ocean with nothing to rely on, nothing to cling to for support. It was exactly how he had felt all those years he had been forced to live with the Dursley’s, he hated that feeling, it tormented him to feel so vulnerable, so lost. “Do it Cash” Harry said softly. “I trust you. Mum trusts you, you’re family.”

Cash gave Harry a heart-felt smile as he ran his hand through Harry’s hair, resting his hand on the back of his neck. “Are you sure Harry? I don’t want you to feel pressured about this, it is entirely your choice.”

“I’m sure Cash” Harry replied as he exposed his neck and winced, waiting for Cash to bite him. Hearing soft laughter Harry looked up at Cash, whose deep blue eyes were sparkling with a mixture of love and laughter.

“No Harry, not like that.” Cash chuckled as he tussled Harry’s hair again. Picking up Harry’s hand, he pushed up the sleeve, exposing Harry’s wrist. “I only need a little, besides, you’re a little young for anything like that. That area tends to be a bit. . .Uhmm. . .intimate…for someone your age.”

Cash gently rubbed Harry’s wrist, bringing the blood to the surface “Are you ready Harry?” he asked, seeing Harry’s nod, Cash placed his mouth against the thin skin of his innner wrist. Biting as quickly and cleanly as possible, Cash’s sharp fang’s tore through Harry’s skin like razor blades, he heard one sharp gasp from Harry as the blood poured into his mouth and straight to his soul.. ..