Harry shrugs. “I’ve probably done more dangerous things.”
Sirius shares an alarmed look with Remus, and Sirius clears his throat. “That might be, but it would gut me if anything happened to you.”
Harry gives Sirius a startled look. “Oh.”
“Yeah, oh,” Sirius replies. “You might have to do dangerous things. I might not be able to prevent it, or protect you. But I want you to take care of yourself as much as you can.”
Harry nods. “I promise.”
“Good enough for me,” Sirius replies. “I just need to know that you’re not going to hurl yourself into danger like a Gryffindor.”
Harry laughs. “I thought that was my job?”
“Try to think about it before you do,” Remus says wryly. “I think that’s all we can ask.”
--From Stronger at the Broken Places, "Part the First: In Which Sirius Begins to Prepare," by enigmaticblue (Part 3 of The Many Lives of Sirius Black series)
