Harry Potter: Eclipse.-Chapter 67:

Going into Diagon Alley the next day with Sirius in order to get Neville's birthday present was manic. The papers had circulated the news, meaning Sirius was able to go out, but the crowds were horrendous. It reminded Harry of his first time in Diagon Alley with Hagrid all those years ago. Strangers were coming up to them, shaking Sirius' hand and saying how they had never believed it.

"Such a shame!"

"Outrageous!"

Some people though, Harry noticed, turned the other way. He could hear whispering about cover-ups and guilt. Harry turned dark eyes on them, and barely stopped himself from hexing the crowd. Sirius took it all in stride though, making sure to smile and ask for privacy while he shopped. Hearing the negative whispers didn't haze him, he just shrugged them off. Eventually, the crowds seemed to thin out; the sycophants got used to their presence and left them alone.

"So, do you have any idea what you want to buy for your friend?" Sirius asked.

Harry frowned. He had been thinking about it all night but he wasn't sure. He knew Neville loved plants, but everybody knew that - he wanted to get the boy something special. "No," he admitted. "I don't want to get him something obvious. I want Neville to see that I really do care."

Sirius nodded and looked at Harry with thought. "He's just a friend? This Neville?" he asked.

Harry actually blanched at the thought of having romantic inclinations towards Neville. "Ew," he said with a shudder, making Sirius laugh. The man was probably thinking Harry was still too young, when in reality Harry saw his classmates as children.

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As his body was physically eleven, almost twelve, Harry wasn't yet suffering from hormones thankfully. He was not looking forward to going through puberty again; at least this time he knew what to expect and wouldn't have to stumble blindly.

"You know I wouldn't care if you like boys or girls or both, right?" Sirius said in a moment of parental brilliance.

Harry smiled. He had suspected Sirius was bisexual in his last life - surely his animosity towards Snape couldn't be anything but pent up sexual tension.

"I'm gay," Harry said plainly, shocking Sirius with his easy exclamation. Harry had never actually kissed a man, but as his soulmate was male he was pretty sure he was gay. It only added to the fact the two kisses he had shared with girls, Cho and Ginny, had been rather... lacking.

Sirius coughed slightly. He wasn't bothered about Harry preferences; homosexuality was accepted in the wizarding world. Nobody cared as the use of potions made it so family lines could continue. However, he was shocked at how easily Harry admitted his sexuality. Most young boys wouldn't openly say it - especially a boy who was raised by muggles. "That's good - fine, I mean, it's good that you know," Sirius stuttered out. "Being gay in the wizarding world doesn't matter, well not really - there's are always some idiot who won't accept it, but there are people like that everywhere, people who look down on family and blood status. I just wanted you to know, that nobody will judge you for being gay - if you were worried."

Harry smiled. He had never had a problem with people's sexuality, but the issue had never come up.

"Thanks, Siri," Harry said, spotting a small obscure knick-knack shop that looked promising. Entering the shop, Harry noticed that the wards must have been keeping the magical signature blocked as the shop practically hummed with latent magic.

Sirius followed Harry. "So when did you notice that you liked boys?" he asked, interested in getting to know more about Harry.

Harry shrugged. He didn't want to bring up Tom, so instead he turned and arched an eyebrow. "How did you know you liked both?" he asked instead, getting a roguish grin from Sirius.

"A bottle of firewhiskey and lack of propriety. However, that's a story for when you're older," he said with a wink. Harry chuckled under his breath at the answer. "I've never liked girls - not like that, at least. I just didn't realise that wasn't 'normal'," Harry said, his fingers curling into air quotes when he spoke.

Sirius frowned. "It's perfectly normal," he insisted, understanding what Harry meant but wanting to reassure the boy.

Harry smiled and noted something in the corner of his eye that caught his attention. There were two glass orbs and Harry could feel the impressive magic coming from them. Picking one up, he examined it.

"Are you interested in the message orbs?" asked a bored assistant, who materialized as soon as Harry picked up the orb.

Hearing that, something in his mind clicked and Harry realised what the ball was. "I think so. How do they work?" he asked.

The shop assistant looked at Harry properly then and did an almost comical double take when he realised exactly who he was talking to.

"They work a bit like muggle telephones. They're connected, you simply speak a message into your orb and the message can be played back in the other," the assistant said, staring reverently at Harry's forehead, where his scar was hidden by his fringe. Harry hummed. "How much are they?" he asked. They would be the perfect present.

"Twelve galleons."

Harry considered them again. They were a bit expensive, not that he couldn't afford them, however he knew that he wanted them.

"I'll take them, please," Harry said.

Sirius nodded. "Can you gift wrap one of them?" he addressed the shopkeeper. Turning to Harry, he asked, "I'm assuming that you're planning on giving one to Neville?" The shopkeeper let out an actual squeak when he spotted Sirius and, with shaking hands, took the orbs and ran to the back room after frantically nodding his head.

~

Once they were done with the gift shopping, Sirius and Harry wandered around the stores with their cloaks up, their faces partially hidden. Sirius had insisted on paying, claiming it was his job to take care of Harry.

There was a large crowd of children outside of Quality Quidditch Supplies, making Harry remember that Nimbus had just released the 2001.

Seeing the direction of Harry's gaze, Sirius grinned and asked, "Do you like quidditch, Harry?"

Harry frowned. He had loved it, but he honestly hadn't played in so long and never in this life. He settled with an, "It's okay."

"Just okay? dramatically.

Blasphemy!"

Sirius

said

Harry rolled his eyes at his antics. "I was considering trying out for the team," he told the dog animagus.

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