Sirius's lips twitched because he had a feeling Albus thought he was comforting him or guiding him. He shook his head. "I'm comfortable that I told him soon enough." He gazed over the desk at Albus. "But this conversation does segue nicely into what I actually wanted to talk to you about in the first place."
"Oh?" It wasn't very often that Albus Dumbledore looked confused and the Marauder part of Sirius took pride in the achievement although the adult part of his brain (the part that sounded remarkably like Remus) remonstrated with him lightly that he needed to focus. He ran over the strategy he and Remus had discussed again in his head. It was a good strategy; it would work to get through to Albus. Sirius was sure of it.
Sirius sipped his tea and set it aside. "Why haven't you offered to tell me the details of the prophecy yet, Albus?"
Albus paused mid-chew of his English muffin and he finished rapidly, patting his mouth with a bright green napkin that matched his robes. "Do you really need to know the details of the prophecy?"
"I'm not sure," Sirius lied lightly, "do I?"
The older wizard picked up his tea and sipped it, evidently disconcerted by Sirius's request and playing for time.
"After all, Albus," Sirius pointed out dryly, "it's rather hard to make that determination when I don't know the details."
"Sirius…"
"Did you tell James?" asked Sirius sharply. "How about Lily?" His grey eyes darkened at Albus's chagrined face. "Did they know the details of why their son was targeted? Why they were in danger?"
Albus paled and his gaze jerked away from Sirius.
Fawkes gave a mournful trill.
"I did not tell them the specifics." Albus admitted when Sirius refused to fill the silence. "I told them that there was a prophecy that related to Harry or Neville; that either boy could be the one to vanquish Voldemort. That there was more but that what I had told them was as much as Voldemort himself knew." He raised his eyes. "It was a war and I could not risk even them knowing more than that."
Sirius sighed heavily and clasped his hands on his lap. "And now?"
"The risk of Voldemort finding out…" Albus began.
"Do you honestly believe that I would tell Voldemort anything if he captured me?" Sirius asked incredulously.
"He is a Master Leglimens." Albus countered.
"And my head is protected." Sirius shot back.
"It is not an acceptable risk…"
"That isn't your decision to make this time round, Albus." Sirius snorted. "It's arguable whether it was your decision alone to make back then."
They both looked at each other. The fire crackled breaking the tense silence.
Albus sat back, defeated. "I can show you the memory of the prophecy in a pensieve. Will that be acceptable?"
Sirius sighed. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…"
Albus's eyes widened comically fast.
"…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives." Sirius completed.
"How did…" Albus began before he stopped and closed his eyes. "There is only one way that you could have listened to the prophecy."
"Yes." Sirius said simply.
"Harry knows?" Albus's eyes reopened to look sorrowfully at Sirius.
"He knows." Sirius confirmed.
"Voldemort…"
"Harry is trained in Occlumency and has additional protection thanks to his family rings. Besides, if Voldemort is close enough to Harry to read the entire prophecy out of his head then it's likely to be the culmination of the prophecy one way or another." Sirius argued. "The only other people who know are Remus and Bertie, both of whom also have mental protection."
Albus drew in a sharp breath and exhaled loudly. "I still cannot agree with your decision to allow Harry to hear the prophecy, Sirius. He should not have to bear such a burden at his age."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to agree since it was my decision to make," he said firmly, "but let me ask you this; before my escape from Azkaban, when were you intending to tell him, Albus?" He shifted forward as Albus's gaze fell once again to his desk. "I know he asked you why Voldemort was after him at the end of his first year. I know you had a second opportunity to tell him at the end of his second year when he fought the basilisk. You could have even told him during his third year had you taken the time to explain to him why everyone thought Sirius Black wanted to kill him."
"He was too young…"
"At eleven I perhaps would have agreed with you. At twelve, having faced Voldemort twice in as many years, he deserved to know why in general terms at the very least. Certainly, at thirteen and with the knowledge that a mass murderer was supposedly wanting to kill him, he definitely deserved to know why even if you didn't tell him the exact words of the prophecy." Sirius argued.
Albus shook his head stubbornly.
"Harry's right, Albus," Sirius continued, "he's not a child and the events of his time in the wizarding world to date have eroded any sense of his having a normal childhood." He stared down Albus. "He saw a man burn and die under his hand. He killed a monster and almost died himself in the effort. He confronted the man who handed him and his parents to Voldemort. As much as I hate that these things happened to him, they did, and because of that, he is not a child."
"He is not an adult either." Albus countered, his hands holding tightly to the edge of his desk.
"No, he isn't," Sirius agreed, his own argument to Harry echoing in his head, "and, accepting that perhaps it was your decision to make prior to my being awarded guardianship officially, as I've already said; what Harry should and should not know is not your decision to make now – it's mine. I also recall a promise to help him that you made at the start of the Summer, Albus. Keeping him in the dark doesn't help him, you have to see that."
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