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After two days, Hermione finally removed the metaphorical leash. It couldn't have happened a minute sooner. Harry appreciated the concern and liked having Hermione around, but at a certain point her worrying grated on his nerves and if she hadn't let him out of her sight, he would have snapped. He didn't want to, and had already said a few

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[little_moons]

I recognize him immediately. From the bits of that movie I saw, once. From the vague descriptions Sirius has given me over the years, the memory of it fresh in my mind since Sirius told me he was here, a few days ago while we were stuck under the mistletoe. More than that, he looks so much like his dad, a man that I met only a handful of times, but has managed to have a lingering presence in my life, regardless.

"Need some help?" I ask with a playful twitch of a smirk, pushing away from the door frame and crossing the room toward him.

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"Yes, actually," Harry admitted, glancing at the man with the barest attempt at a grin. He didn't like asking for help, unless it was of Hermione on a difficult assignment. But he didn't think working an old projector was something everyone knew how to do.

"I've never even seen one of these up close," he said with a helpless shrug.

[little_moons]

"I've been here a while. I'm kinda used to it," I say with a shrug, taking the reel from him so I can show him how to load it onto the spools.

"You're Harry, right?" I figure the chance that this is just some clone is pretty fuckin' slim.

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He let go of the reel without hesitation. It wasn't like Harry was going to do anything with it. But at the mention of his name, he froze. How could he have known Harry's name? Had he been wrong in thinking that they were safe here? He didn't think the other man was a Death Eater or anything like that, but how could he have guessed that he was Harry, Undesirable Number One?

"I am, yeah," he said, forcing his voice to stay even. "What of it?"

[little_moons]

"I know your godfather," I answer simply, snapping the reel in place and leaning in close to feed the film through the spools and gears on the projector. Turning to flash him a crooked grin, I say, "He's my best friend. He kinda told me you were here."

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"Oh." Now Harry felt like a right idiot. He didn't think he had been wrong in preparing for a fight, but such a simple explanation took the wind right out of his sails.

"Who are you then?" he all but demanded. He needed to check his tone, maybe, but he couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable about some bloke he had never met claiming to be best friends with Sirius. James, Harry's dad, was Sirius' best friend. Remus was Sirius' best friend. Not this person.

[little_moons]

Feisty.

Before I can stop myself, I cough out a laugh, knowing immediately that was probably the wrong fucking thing to do. It's been a while since I've felt like somebody was looking at me like I was completely unworthy, but it's not somethin' I can get angry over now.

"Neil Pinocchio," I say, snapping the film into place and dropping my hands away from the projector. "I've known him... I dunno, two and a half years, I guess." Longer, if I count the other version of him, but I'm not sure it's real wise to get into that right now.

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Laughing really was the wrong thing to do. A frown settled deeply on Harry's face. "What's so funny exactly?"

Two and a half years was longer than Harry had known Sirius, in point of fact, which only made Harry dislike him more. Not only had his father and Remus known Sirius longer, but this Neil had the luxury of knowing Harry's godfather longer than Harry had. How was that fair?

[little_moons]

It kind of trickles in slowly -- the realization that this could be very, very bad. It's instinct to snarl back, puff up on the defensive, roll my eyes and mutter something careless and dismissive, but it's worth it to be contrite. For Sirius's sake, I can't fuck this up.

"Nothin'. Sorry, I just... He's important to me, and he fuckin' adores you, so I just... wanted to meet you, I guess," I admit with a shrug, figuring I might as well tell the truth. There's no reason not to.

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Harry wasn't used to such blunt honesty, especially about emotional matters. Hearing that Sirius adored him, from another person's mouth no less, mollified him slightly, but it was still a hard pill to swallow. Sirius' life had always been inextricably connected to Harry's. Before he met Harry, he had been James' best friend. After he met Harry, he had been Harry's godfather and guardian. He didn't like this idea of Sirius having a life that Harry didn't know about.

"Well, mission accomplished," he said dryly, but noticeably less snappish than before. Harry also wasn't used to stepping down from a fight, even if it hadn't started yet. He shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot before adding, "And thanks for the help with the reel."

[little_moons]

"No problem," I say, the projector roaring to life with a flick of the switch. I've got this almost overwhelming urge to poke and prod at him, get under his skin just to see how far I can push, but I scrounge up some self control from somewhere and back a step away. Those I don't want to talk to you vibes of his couldn't be any clearer.

"That's a good one," I say, jerking a nod toward the screen when I'm halfway to the door.

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He didn't know what to say in response. It was like all the tension in his body was choking him, keeping him from speaking or coming up with something to say. Even if Harry wanted to be nice, he wasn't sure he could have been.

"Thanks," he said again as he moved to the couch. It wasn't an offer to join him or an apology. It was just something to say.