His Biggest Mistake

Team: Chudley Cannons

Position: Chaser #3

Brachiosaurus: Write about a character who's attempt to help ends negatively for the recipient/s.

Optional Prompts: (word) ancient, (colour) forest green, (colour) turquoise

Word Count: 1,495

"Vol-Voldemort wantsss mah son. He wants to kill Harry," James slurred, talking for the first time since he had stumbled in Sirius Black's apartment two hours ago. Sirius had taken in his red rimmed eyes and pale visage, and silently brought out his fire whiskey. Now, five glasses later, James is talking and it has to be the last thing that Sirius would ever expect.

The breath was knocked out of him. All he could do was stare at his best friend of eleven years in disbelief.

"You can't be serious." For once, the pun wasn't intentional, and neither of them cracked a smile at it.

"I- I would n-n-never joke about my son's life." James's fingers turned white as he clutched the glass.

"I know." For all that Sirius and James liked to joke around, Harry was one area they never messed around with. "I-Harry's a baby," Sirius said, feebly.

"There's a prophecy. A stupid prophecy."

"Voldemort believes in it?" Sirius asked, horrified.

James nodded his head, a couple tears slipping down his face. "Dumbles told us. Could- could be Harry or Neville Longbottom."

Sirius was still plenty confused on the details, but a sick hope surged up inside of him. Should he dare voice it? He knew James was the one person that wouldn't judge him no matter what.

"Maybe," he cleared his throat. "Maybe it won't be Harry then."

James sobbed a little, shaking his head. "That doesn't help, at all."

He hated that it had helped him just a little bit. To help the familiar feeling of self-disgust, the tiny voice that loved to whisper in his mind, "Maybe you are a Black after all."

He put his hands on James's and said fierce and sure, "We won't let anything happen to Harry, Prongs. We'll come up with plans to protect him and make everyone rue the day they decided to mess with the Marauder's family."

James stayed silent swaying in his seat, tears steady dripping down his face. Sirius said no more, simply lead him into the guest room that he hadn't used since before he had married Lily, and made sure to take off his shoes before he tucked him in. James didn't say another word and fell asleep before Sirius got his first shoe off. He had always been a sleepy drunk.

Sirius found himself too full of energy to follow his friend's example. He was practically vibrating with his need to do something. First, he decided to firecall Lily.

"Is he asleep then?" Were the first words out Lily's mouth. She was sitting on the couch with only the table lamp. A pile of tissues was scattered around her. Her mascara had run down her face, and her nose and eyes were red. In her arms lay Harry, his godson, sleeping peacefully.

"Yeah. Do you want some company?" he asked, feeling bad she had been left all alone to deal with everything.

"I don't think I would be great company right now," she said. "Just make sure James is okay for me, alright? Don't go out and do anything foolish."

She knew him too well.

"I'll look after him," he promised. "You take care of yourself."

Lily smiled feebly, and Sirius disconnected the floo. He sat in front of the fireplace for a moment before swiping at his own eyes and going to his bookshelf to look at his Defense books. There must be something in there that could prove useful.

It was Dumbledore who suggested the Fidelus charm. Lily and James picked out a new home in Godric's Hollow, and they wanted Sirius to be their Secret Keeper.

"There's no one else I trust," James had exclaimed with a pat on Sirius's back when Dumbledore had voiced concerns.

At the time, Sirius had grinned, grateful for his friend's trust in him, but now, hours later, he couldn't help but wonder why the Headmaster and Leader of the Order of the Phoenix had concerns at all. They knew there was a spy among them, but did that mean Dumbledore thought the spy was him? "Why wouldn't they, coming from a family like that," the voice in his head whispered viciously.

Sirius closed the book on protective warding he had been reading and strode over to his fireplace. He grabbed a pinch of floo powder and tossed it into the flames turning them green.

"Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office," he said, stepping inside.

A few short spins later, Sirius was spat out of Dumbledore's office. The Headmaster himself was sitting calmly behind his desk looking as if he had expected this meeting.

"Do you think I'm the spy?" Sirius blurted out.

Dumbledore slowly put down the quill he was holding and folded his hands together. "And what brings this question about?"

"You don't want me to be James and Lily's Secret Keeper," he said. "You don't trust me."

"It's not that," he said, peering over his spectacles. "It's simply an obvious choice. Everyone who knows you two knows how close you are."

"I would die before betraying them," Sirius stated, perhaps a little louder than he intended to.

"I believe you."

Sirius stared at Dumbledore his mind and heart racing. Dumbledore stared back looking for all the world as if he was having a calm cup of tea. Without another word, Sirius strode toward the fireplace, this time his destination was his best friend's house.

"Sirius!" James grinned. He was on the floor with Harry doing what Lily called tummy time. Lily sat on the sofa with a book on Charms on her lap. "Wasn't expecting you, mate. What-"

"I don't think I should be Secret Keeper," he said, starting to pace back and forth.

James's grin slid off his face "What-"

"It's too obvious. I think you should bring Peter into this. No one will think of him. They will come after me, and I won't be able to spill even unintentionally. It's perfect. This way you'll be doubly safe."

"I-" James glance at Lily who looked thoughtful. "That might work. Are you sure about this Sirius?"

"Yes," he said firmly. "What could go wrong?"

James was dead. His body was draped across the floor, his hazel eyes glassy and lifeless. Sirius knelt beside him feeling both numb and like he was suffocating all at once. He didn't know how long he was there begging him to wake up to be playing a prank before Harry's cries pierced the fog that he was in.

Sirius ran up the stairs and entered the nursery, ignoring his surroundings that were crumbling around him like ancient ruins. The first thing he saw was Lily, sweet Lily, crumbled in front of the crib. Her forest green eyes opened wide, terror scrawled across her face.

"No, no, no," Sirius whispered.

James, Lily, the two best people in Sirius's life. Gone. A cry brought him out of swirling thoughts. Sirius couldn't believe he had ignored his godson, his beautiful godson that sat wrapped in the turquoise blanket that Sirius had gotten him when he was born.

"Harry," he whispered, stumbling forward. Harry held out his arms, crying silently now that he had someone's attention, the way he had always done ever since he was born.

"Oh, Harry." Sirius spied blood on the boy's forehead. He took the blanket and wiped it off of him. "I'm so sorry Harry. This, this is all my fault. I shouldn't have trusted anyone else. I had only wanted to help."

A wail similar to a hurt dog pierced the air. Sirius tensed, gripping his wand. Slowly, he walked down the stairs toward the noise and only relaxed when he saw Hagrid's shaking form. Sirius determinedly did not look at the body Hagrid was bent over.

"Hagrid, what are you doing here?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, Sirius," he sniffed, blowing his nose on a dirty handkerchief. "Dumbledore sent me to get baby Harry. I just saw-"

"What's he want with Harry? I have him. I'm his godfather."

"Dumbledore's orders. I have to take him," Hagrid said, stepping toward them. He still looked weepy, but there was determination on his face. Sirius knew he would do whatever it took to not disappoint Dumbledore.

Sirius didn't know what he needed Harry for, but it suddenly occurred to him that no one knew about the switch. Peter could get away! Sirius had to find him. He needed to help bring James's murderer to justice. He glanced down at his godson, snuggled so comfortably against his chest, and kissed his forehead.

"I'll come get you soon, okay?" He whispered into his messy hair. Harry looked up at him with the utmost trust, his forest green eyes so similar to his mothers.

"You can take my bike," Sirius said, handing over Harry to the giant.

Hagrid nodded, completely set on his mission now. Sirius watched the two as they started to fly away, before disappearing with a sharp crack. It was time to go rat hunting.