I don't own this.

Now
Summary: Sirius is back at Platform Nine and Three Quarters, where their story began, to witness the beginning of another story. Sirius raised Harry AU.
Characters: Sirius and young!Harry
Word Count: 504
Rating: K

"Got everything?"

"For the millionth time, yes," Harry groaned, pushing his glasses further up his nose as he craned his neck, standing on his tiptoes to get a look at the train over the droves of people. He was still so small for his age, Sirius thought, grinning as he ruffled his hair.

"Right, Harry, you listen to me," said Sirius seriously, crouching down and placing both hands on Harry's shoulders. Merlin, he looked so like James, especially today, on his first day of Hogwarts. If it wasn't for those eyes, Sirius would have thought he'd travelled back in time, to this day, when he'd met James Potter for the first time. "You do us proud, okay?"

Harry nodded, blinking back at him curiously.

Sirius cleared his throat. James should have been here. This should have been James' speech, Marauder to Marauder. Sometimes, Sirius really hated filling in for him. He carried on anyway. "I may not be able to see what you're getting up to all the time, but your dad can, and he'll be keeping an eye on you. So we both want plenty of mischief, you hear me?"

Harry laughed, and fiddled with his sleeves. His legs were bouncing slightly, and Sirius realized he was nervous, but the pep talk seemed to be calming him down a little bit.

"I want at least one letter a week explaining what you've done," he said, winking at him. "And make sure you tell McGonagall I said hi."

"Who's McGonagall?"

Sirius barked a laugh and clapped his shoulder. "Oh, you'll see, squirt. Now, Harry, this is important. You'll be fine. You're going to be great."

Harry blinked at him, and chewed on his lip, but Sirius just grinned encouragingly. "I know you're nervous, but don't be. Your parents were both naturals from the moment they set foot in Hogwarts. And they'd be incredibly proud of you."

Harry bit his lip and nodded, smiling as best he could. Maybe he wished his parents could have been there too. Sirius had told him so much about them, he knew them almost as well as Sirius did.

"There's just one more thing, okay?"

Harry nodded, listening attentively.

"You're a lion," Sirius told him. "Not an eagle, not a badger, and definitely not a snake. So if you don't get into Gryffindor, I'll disown you, okay?"

Harry laughed, nodding and taking a deep breath, pushing his glasses up his nose again.

"I mean it," Sirius insisted. "If you don't think your father would take my side on this one, you've got another thing coming. Go on, off you go," he muttered, pulling the small boy into a gruff, one-armed hug. "Don't let me down, okay? Cause some mischief."

Harry just smiled up at him, before pulling himself up onto the train. "No problem, Sirius," he said happily, jittery with excitement and nerves and a whole bunch of other things. He waved, and when he smiled, he looked just like his father. "Don't you know who my father is?"

Thanks for reading!