"HP: Too Late, System!"Chapter 361: Sirius's Performance
The tip of Sirius's wand finally came to rest over the dungeon classroom.
"Victoria, I'm giving you the most challenging task—mediate a little disagreement between Professor Holmes and your Head of House. Professor Holmes wants to borrow some sixth- and seventh-year students to help brew a new kind of Wolfsbane Potion. But you know... Doug's potion methods. Your Head of House doesn't think much of them, so he's refusing to let his students participate."
Victoria narrowed her eyes and let out a cold laugh. "You can't be serious. You want me to convince Professor Snape to agree to Professor Holmes's request?"
Sirius put on his best serious face. "Of course! Snape recommended you, after all. I'm sure he won't lose his temper with you... probably..."
Even as he spoke, Sirius sounded anything but confident.
Victoria rolled her eyes. "You just want to watch the fireworks."
Sirius spread his hands in an innocent gesture.
Emily pointed at the activity map on the wall. "Director, there's a student coming up."
This simplified version of the Marauder's Map only marked students as moving ink dots—no names attached, out of respect for privacy.
Turning to look, they could see a single ink dot already climbing the third-floor stairs.
There were two offices on the third floor—Douglas's Defence Against the Dark Arts office, and the Administrative Office next door. No telling which one the student wanted.
Sirius clapped his hands. "All right, that's settled. Your tasks begin now—good luck!"
The ink dot heading for the third floor was, of course, Harry.
After all, what kind of model student would be wandering the staff floor early on a weekend morning after exams—especially the one with the Administrative Office?
His nerves were jangling. At first, he'd planned to talk to Sirius directly.
But Ron's words kept echoing in his mind, pounding away like a little mallet.
"He's been after you lately, always finding an excuse to dock your points in public. If you talk to him, you'll probably lose next term's points before you even leave the castle."
As he set foot on the third-floor stairs, his goal was clear: go to Douglas—his blood-related cousin-uncle.
He'd just reached the corner when he saw the Administrative Office door swing open.
He stopped short.
Sirius was escorting the four assistants to the door, offering a few last words of advice.
Watching them head for the stairs, a mischievous curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"I can't be the one to give you trouble, but others certainly can!"
He muttered to himself, debating whether to pop by Douglas's office for some decent tea, when he spotted a familiar figure peeking around the corner—who promptly ducked out of sight.
Harry had seen Sirius chatting with four student-aged assistants, wearing that familiar smile.
He hadn't smiled at Harry like that in ages...
He quickly slipped back behind the corner.
The four assistants passed by, glancing curiously at Harry.
Jack Williams was about to ask what he was doing hiding there, but Harry pressed a finger to his lips, signaling him to keep quiet.
Jack glanced at Sirius still standing in the doorway, then back at Harry, and chuckled, nodding in understanding.
Poor kid—his own godfather had made him a living target just to set an example.
At first, Jack hadn't understood why Sirius was so hard on Harry.
It was only after talking to Percy that he figured out the tangled mess behind it all.
But Percy had made them promise not to tell Harry the truth.
As Victoria passed by, she gave Harry a good, hard look—her eyes gleaming with a mix of sympathy... and a healthy dose of schadenfreude.
"Potter!"
Sirius's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a weight no one could ignore.
"You're just in time. I was about to come looking for you..."
Harry: "..."
Brilliant. No way out now.
He braced himself and walked toward Sirius.
Passing Douglas's office, he even considered making a desperate dash inside to save himself.
The door slammed shut behind him.
The office was filled with the scent of parchment and old books.
Sirius didn't sit down right away. Instead, he stood with his back to Harry, gazing out over the distant Hogwarts grounds as if lost in memory.
"Is there... something you needed, Director Black?"
Harry tried to keep his tone steady, but the words "Director Black" came out so stiff, he nearly winced.
Sirius spun around sharply. His grey eyes swirled with emotions Harry couldn't quite read—disappointment, hurt, and maybe even... exhaustion?
"Director Black?" he repeated, a note of self-mockery in his voice. He raked a hand through his hair, ruining its neatness; paired with his current look, he seemed even more haggard and dejected.
"Harry, when did we get so formal with each other?"
Harry instinctively took a small step back, mouth opening and closing without finding any words.
How was he supposed to say, "You've been docking my points and making life difficult for me lately"?
Sirius strode over, his gaze sharp and searching, as if he could see right through Harry.
"You think I've been targeting you lately, don't you?"
Harry pressed his lips together, silent—but his expression said it all.
Sirius ran both hands through his hair in frustration, his voice a mix of anger and wounded pride.
"Merlin's beard, Doug—I knew it! I knew you'd think that!"
He began pacing.
Harry was stunned.
Sirius fixed him with a look, voice low and tight, anger barely masking a deep sense of helplessness.
"Dumbledore trusts me. He gave me this position.
If I'm always soft on you, if I turn a blind eye to your mistakes, what will people say?
They'll say I'm corrupt! That I'm showing favoritism to my godson!
Maybe the Gryffindors would understand, but the Slytherins? The other Houses? Would they accept it?"
Harry felt his mind go blank.
This script, this routine, this speech...
It was just like that man who'd once claimed to be his cousin-uncle...
Sirius threw himself into his performance.
"I have to be strict with you, Harry! I have to make you an example!
It's the only way to silence the whispers, to show everyone the Administrative Office is fair, that everyone is equal under the rules!
It's for your sake, for mine, for all of Hogwarts!"
Harry regarded Sirius with a strange look, but replied,
"But... but your point deductions are just..."
Sirius arched a brow, his tone softening a touch, though it still carried a hint of disappointed exasperation.
"Too harsh, right? You think I enjoy it? Every time I dock your points, it hurts me more than it hurts you! But it's all for show—don't you get it?"
He sighed, slumping into his chair behind the desk, his whole posture radiating fatigue.
"I thought... I thought you'd understand, Harry."
Sirius's voice dropped, tinged with genuine sadness.
"Doug always jokes around with you, but when it matters, he's tougher than anyone—and you all trust him.
Why is it that when it's me, you can't manage even a little trust?"
He sneaked a glance at Harry.
But instead of the guilty look he'd expected, Harry was watching him with a half-amused, half-exasperated smile.
Then, in a voice full of mock disappointment, Harry said,
"Sirius, you've gone bad! You've picked up all the wrong habits from Professor Holmes..."
Sirius: ???
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