Prologue

Sirius could count on one hand the amount of times he had been terrified in his life: Minnie catching him sneaking around with that Ravenclaw girl, the night his mother finally decided to evict him from the family, blasting him from the tree, when there were complications with Lily's birth and he thought he would lose his nephews. None compared, however, to the sick twisting of his stomach at the sight of Peter's hideout empty without a sign of struggle.

None would ever compare to the chilled dread creeping into his heart at the sight of Godric's Hollow in partial ruins.

He doesn't recall too clearly swinging off his bike parked haphazardly in the street, only feeling numb as he gently pushed aside the swinging front door, loose on its hinges. Sirius's movement seemed out of place in the dead air the smoothness in which he moved in opposition to the jagged ends of the chaos that was the sitting room, baby's toys lay scattered, furniture fractured, obvious signs of conflict covered almost every space. A bit in Sirius that hadn't already shriveled up and died cheered on James for putting up such a fight. Silently he passed by the couch he had been on only yesterday, entertaining the baby Harry as it now sat torn, hiding half of James' sprawled body.

The stairs strangely do not protest to his passing as he treads dreadfully upwards to the nursery. The door that used to bear decorations befitting a babe's room was scattered from the spell that blew it inwards. He passed by Lily who lay under a part of the ruins of the once cheerful home, headed to his destination, his source of ultimate fear.

The crib was perhaps the most intact structure of the whole house, standing there in the wreckage of the nursery ,only the gate laid half broken, keeping its precious cargo within. The muffled murmur that only infants could utter was the single most relieving sound Sirius had ever head in his entire life. Gently he reached inside and scooped out his nephews, lowering himself slowly to the ground he could only cry, softly cradling the one year olds' heads to his chest. The boys grasped tiny handfuls of their uncle's shirt as they recognized him, Aster gurgled reassurances while Harry patted his godfather's face with his free hand.

Sirius wasn't sure how long they stayed there before heavy footfalls came up the stairs behind and he stiffened, fingering his wand while pulling the twins closer to him. He needn't have worried the friendly face of Hagrid, though twisted in grief, appeared in the moonlight that streamed from the missing part of ceiling.

"Sirius," Hagrid greeted mildly surprised, Sirius supposed he hadn't expected anyone else to be there. The half giant awkwardly shuffled closer before offering a square of cloth fit for a wash cloth he supposed was a handkerchief that Sirius politely declined.

"I came as soon as I found out." Sirius murmured, "When I found him missing I figured the worst and came straight here. I was a fool." Aster and Harry gazed up at their uncle and Sirius mournfully brushed his fingers over identical marks on their soft foreheads. One of the twins giggled at the contact while the other trapped his hand and promptly stuck the offending digits in his mouth. The two men couldn't help but smile at the boys' simple innocence in the aftermath of the night that would undoubtedly change their lives.

Hagrid reluctantly broke the moment to inform Sirius that he had come for the brothers.

"Absolutely not," the animagus denied, slightly pulling Aster and Harry closer. "I am Harry's godfather, I'll take them to my flat and contact Remus, Aster is his godson. We'll," he choked, "We'll figure something out."

"Dumbledore sent me, 'e wants them ta go ta their aunt's house. Sid they'd uh, they'd be safe there." Sirius opened his mouth to argue again when the situation dawned on him. Peter was still out there somewhere. The little rat was probably waiting to strike, maybe even the twins. Part of him begged not to relinquish the boys, to keep them where he could see them, so he would know they would be safe, another called for the rat's blood.

"Alright, okay." Sirius carefully wrapped up the twins and settled them into Hagrid's arms. "This is Harry on your right, the other is Aster, they've got different patterns on their shirts so," really he was just stalling for some last seconds with his nephews. "Actually Hagrid," the half giant turned to face him, "take my bike. It'll be safer and faster. I won't be needing it; I have a – loose end to tie up."

He waited until the bike disappeared from sight into the starry sky before turning and changing into animal form, snuffling about. The little rat had been here. He followed the trail some distance before howling, he would hunt the little traitor down.

Hagrid would arrive at number 4 Privet Drive with his charges, tearfully handing them over, and remembering last second to inform Dumbledore and McGonagall of what had transpired between he and Sirius at Godric's Hollow. Not long afterwards it was discovered by aurors dispatched to the ruins of the Potter's home that James and Lily were in fact very much alive and were admitted to St. Mungo's and Petunia was informed. A day before Peter had been awarded a First Class of Merlin for his brave attempt to avenge James and Lily but died along with thirteen muggles at the hands of the notorious Sirius Black, right hand man of Lord Voldemort, prisoner of Azkaban.