"He will want to be addressed as Lord Black, it's very formal I know, but it's just best to be safe" she began.
Harry nodded his understanding. "Do not insult anyone, just bite your tongue as much as you can and you'll be fine" she concluded warily.
"So basically, pucker up and kiss his arse and hope he doesn't kick yours" Sirius cut in.
Dorea shook her head.
"You know, it's not too late to drag you along too" Dorea mused aloud.
"I've suddenly come over all weak" the boy declared, clutching his stomach.
"So you won't be wanting this then" James exclaimed, stealing the bowl of ice cream in front of the boy.
"You'd better give it back" Sirius warned. "Don't even think about it" he added as James raised a full spoon of the dessert to his mouth.
Dorea summoned the bowl away from James and handed it back to Sirius giving them both a glare. "I swear that you two are still the same eleven year olds from the day you met" she stated.
"5 year olds more like" Harry interjected. "Says the one who tried to curse me because I wanted the last piece of treacle tart" Sirius returned.
"It was mine, you didn't even want it, same as McKinnon, maybe I will have a go after all" Harry threatened.
Sirius scowled and gritted his teeth.
"Who's this McKinnon?" Charlus piped up. "The love of Sirius's life, but he won't admit it" James answered.
"What's wrong with her?" Charlus asked confusedly.
James shrugged.
"There must be though if she's interested in him" he added, gesturing to the other boy. "Can't be that interested if she turned him down for a date" Harry muttered.
"She did not turn me down" Sirius whined. "She just said I have to stay away from other girls" he mumbled.
"And why is that a problem?" Dorea questioned with a frown.
"Don't ask, for Merlin's sake don't ask" James pleaded. "You will get a long and pointless explanation as to why he is every witches dream and it would be unfair if he was tied to one" he explained.
Charlus chuckled.
"We all think that way when we are sixteen" he deadpanned.
"Just because you've dedicated yourself to one girl who's not interested" Sirius pointed out, looking directly at James. "She'll come around eventually" James replied confidently.
"And what about you Harry, any girls you're interested in?" Dorea asked.
"All he does is train, read and play qudditch" Sirius broke in. "You need to have some fun".
Harry just shook his head.
"I have more important things to focus on" he shrugged.
"It will happen when the time is right, you boy's are all still young" Dorea pointed out.
It wasn't until Harry was laid awake in bed later that night did he think about what Sirius had said.
True, he did only train, read and play quidditch, but he did not have the luxury of a normal life and he couldn't put himself in a situation where he would end up in a serious relationship, it simply would not be right, right now. It was then that another thought, a more comical one struck him. Other than Lily, the only other girl he had spent time with was Bellatrix, a thought that certainly didn't do much to comfort him as he fell asleep.
(BREAK)
He awoke as early as he ever did but decided to skip the majority of his physical exercises in favour of preparing himself mentally for the day ahead.
He took his morning run while working through his occlumency exercises, both reinforcing and strengthening his shields and finished up with some weight training. The spell work was always the most demanding part so he cut this part out of his routine, promising himself that he would make up for it the next day.
He spent the rest of his morning showering, dressing himself in a set of formal robes and reading through some of the books that Charlus had given him, finding himself very impressed by the spells and keen to begin trying them out.
It was at midday that Dorea called him into the lounge area to give him the once over before they were to head out. She gave him a simple nod of approval and led him through the front door of the manor.
"We can't go through the floo because you aren't registered in the wards, so we will have to apparate" she explained. "Do you know where Grimmauld Place is?" she asked.
Harry nodded and swallowed deeply remembering that the last time he was there was with Sirius the Christmas before he had been killed.
"Ok then, take my arm" She instructed, offering the teen the limb. "It will be ok, I promise" she added before disapparating them away. The arrived in the familiar square that was situated in the centre of Grimmauld Place and Harry could already see the house marked number 12, clearly it was not under the Fidelius Charm at the moment.
As they approached the house Dorea pulled Harry back, drew her wand and began muttering several spells in various languages.
"You can only be taken through the wards by a willing member of the Black family" she explained. "Unless my brother adds you to the scheme permanently then it must be done this way every time" she added warningly.
Harry just nodded and allowed the woman to lead him through the front door and into the hallway.
It looked exactly as Harry remembered down to the heads of former family elves mounted on the wall and even the troll leg umbrella stand, though it was not dilapidated at this time. Dorea paused as they reached the kitchen door and gave his hand a gentle squeeze of encouragement and a warm and slightly apologetic smile before she entered the room with Harry in tow.
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