Squib On The Run (sequel to Squib In The basement)

45. Prison Or Sanctuary

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause you any upset" apologised Dumbledore.
"If you knew half of the things we've been through, you wouldn't have suggested such a thing" spat Sirius.
Cassiopeia extracted herself from Sirius's embrace, and faced Dumbledore.
"My mother turned that house against me. She locked me inside, and without magic, I was unable to escape. I was beaten in every single room in that place. It holds no happy memories for me. Even when I was on the run and sleeping on the cold hard streets, I never even considered going back there. For I would rather die than spend the rest of my days trapped inside 12 Grimmauld Place" announced Cassiopeia.

"I know you suffered under your mother's rule, but if you returned to Grimmauld Place, you could reshape the building to be whatever you wanted it to be. You could make it your own. You could turn it into a home for you, Sirius, and Harry. And you would be safe from Voldemort and the Ministry" insisted Dumbledore.
"I said no. I'm not going back there!" Snapped Cassiopeia.
"I know the idea of being back in your childhood home does not exactly fill you with glee, but this is not about you, it's about Harry. The three of you are very close, and I know he worries about you a great deal. We all know how reckless he can be, when people he cares about are in danger, and now that Voldemort is back, we can't have Harry taking risks. If he knows you are safe and sound inside a magical house, he won't need to worry about you, because no one can reach you inside Grimmauld Place" replied Dumbledore.

"Harry knows me and Cassie can take care of ourselves. We've been on the run for years now, we know how to stay hidden" reassured Sirius.
"I don't doubt that, but Voldemort's return changes everything... The connection between Harry and Voldemort will be even stronger now than before. I am going to keep my distance from Harry this year, as I don't want Voldemort using the boy to get to me. I don't want Voldemort twisting Harry's mind, and making him do things he has no control over. I also don't want him putting false images in Harry's mind to try and lure him into a trap. Voldemort is a skilled Legilimens, which is why we will have to be careful with what we tell Harry from now on. Any information Harry has, Voldemort may be able to access it, through the shared connection their minds have. Which is why I want Harry kept in the dark about what the Order is up to. For we just can't risk Voldemort finding out about our plans" admitted Dumbledore.

"I'm not keeping my distance from Harry, and I'm not going to lie to him either" announced Cassiopeia.
"I'm not asking you to. I don't need you to lie, I just need you to not tell him certain things. Hiding things from him, isn't the same as lying to him... And if you move into 12 Grimmauld Place, the three of you can live together for several weeks, before Harry returns to Hogwarts. Imagine that, the three of you living together like a real family. Waking up together, eating meals together, and truely being a part of each others lives, for the first time. Isn't being able to be with Harry, worth being temporarily uncomfortable while you turn Grimmauld Place into a proper home?" Asked Dumbledore.

There was silence in the house as everyone weighed up Dumbledore's suggestion.
After a few minutes of silence, Sirius was the first one to speak.
"Alright, I will do it. But I'm not letting Cass step foot in that place again, she's suffered enough already. I will go alone, and Cass can stay with Andy. I also want you to turn 12 Grimmauld Place into the new headquarters for the Order. That way I won't have to be alone in that hell hole, as there will be lots of people coming and going. It will also piss off my mother to know that her ancestral home is being used to house the Order".

"That is a very generous offer, and one I will definitely take you up on, as I need a safe place for the Order to meet up... I might send the Weasleys to stay with you if you like, to help you get the place fit for human habitation. That way you won't be so alone, and Harry won't have to worry about splitting his time between you and the Weasleys" said Dumbledore.
"Sounds good to me" sighed Sirius, as the full weight of what he had agreed to, began to hit him.
"I will make the arrangements then" replied Dumbledore, as he stood to his feet and began to head towards the door.

"Wait! I'm going to go with Sirius. I will return to Grimmauld Place" revealed Cassiopeia.
"Cass, are you sure about this?" Frowned Sirius.
"No" admitted Cassiopeia.
"Then why do you want to put yourself through this?"
"For Harry... There is nothing I wouldn't do for that boy. He's just seen a friend of his die, so he is going to be more anxious than ever before. If I can take one thing off his plate, and give him one less thing to worry about, then that is what I'm going to do. If Harry knows we are safe, then that is one less thing to make him stressed".

"I'm glad you came around to my way of thinking" smiled Dumbledore.
"I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for my godson" snapped Cassiopeia.
"I know. And I'm glad that you are sacrificing your freedom for your safety. Harry will sleep better at night knowing you and Sirius are not on the run anymore" replied Dumbledore.
"I'm not making any promises, Dumbledore. I don't know if I can step foot in Grimmauld Place without losing my mind. I am going to try, but I don't know what being locked up in that place again will do to me".

Sirius stepped closer to Cassiopeia and took hold of her hand.
"You won't be alone, I will be by your side every step of the way. And I won't leave you like I did last time" promised Sirius.
"Good. Because I cannot withstand the horrors of that place without you there" admitted Cassiopeia.
"Well, I'm not going anywhere" replied Sirius.
"I should hope not".