For Amy...
13 Years
It's been 13 years since Sirius Black last set foot in this house. 13 and a half years since his last happy day.
Lily Potter is smiling as she opens the door, baby Harry on her hip. Harry gurgles at the sight of Sirius, reaching out until he's almost falling from his mother's arms. She sighs, bending at the knees in order to let her son pat the doggie. Laughing, James appears from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a tea towel.
'Honey, I found a stray? Can we keep it?' Lily whines as her husband approaches, sweeping their son out of her arms.
'I don't know' James muses 'it's probably got hundreds of fleas. Not to mention all the neighbourhood dogs would be pregnant in a week.'
'Nice to see you too' Sirius laughed once he'd transformed. Harry gave a little squeal of excitement as he saw his godfather.
It feels like only yesterday. It's like any minute now, James will walk through that kitchen door, or Lily will appear with Harry. The sunlight streams through a broken window or for a minute, he's back there. For a minute, he's happy. For a minute, they're alive again.
Remus and Peter arrive minutes after Lily's put Harry down for a nap. They sit around the living room, talking about their old school days, trying to forget that most of those people have gone.
'Did you guys hear? The newest Weasley boy is going to be alright!' Lily tells them cheerfully as she brings out the coffee. They all exclaim over this, happy for Molly and Arthur. It'd been weeks after the birth before they even knew if he was stable, but he'd had to remain in St Mungo's for months to be safe.
'Just think, that boy may grow up to be Harry's best friend. Harry and what's-his-name. Donald?' James says thoughtfully.
'Ronald, dear' Lily tells him 'and he might not be. They might end up hating each other.'
'A Potter? Dislike a Weasley or a Prewett? Never!' Sirius exclaims, trying to imagine a world where the three families don't know each other.
'So, how much longer are you guys under this house arrest?' Remus asks, his voice too carefully casual.
'Until Dumbledore says we're allowed out. Who knows when that'll be' Lily answers staring wistfully out the window 'I hope it's soon. I haven't seen Petunia in months. Or anyone else. I haven't even met my nephew.'
'Don't worry Lil, it'll all be worth it in the end, when we've won. Just think, the world will be a better place one day, and we'll have been a part of it. Harry will live to see our brave new world, and we'll all be famous.'
Months later, Sirius sprinted up the street, shedding parts of his costume as he went. As soon as he reached the corner, he knew he was too late. The door had been blown off its hinges, the Mark was sending an eerie green light over everything.
'James! Lily!' he screamed, although he didn't know why, because he knew they were gone. He knew they wouldn't answer. Harry. Oh god. Where's Harry. He entered the house, not stopping to look at his friend's body, knowing that'd only slow him down. He stopped dead however when he reached the door to the nursery. Lily Evans Potter lay dead on the floor, her red hair spread all around her like a fan. Sirius Black fell too his knees, sobbing over the body of his best friend's wife.
'Oh god Lily. This wasn't meant to happen. Not to you. Not to anyone' he whispered, brushing her hair off her face. Then, he heard a sound he'd heard many times before. A tiny gurgle from his godson's cot. He stood on shaky legs, taking him into his arms, carrying him away from the room where his mother lay, carrying him down to the bottom stair. He sat with him for hours, body shaking with silent sobs. Hours, days maybe even weeks seemed to pass before Hagrid arrived. They had a conversation, brief, but a conversation none the less. Then, Harry was gone, away from this place. Sirius half crawled, half dragged himself to James' body. He took his friend's cold hand, and whispered a short goodbye. Then, he left, off into the night.
It'd been 13 years since that night. 13 years sitting in Azkaban, with his only thought being that of revenge. 13 years wondering if he could have saved them. If he'd been a minute earlier, even a second, would they have lived?
13 years since he last saw Harry. 13 years too long. He turned to leave, his message written on the wall, a goodbye he never finished saying.
'One day Prongs, there'll be a brave new world and we'll be famous. Harry will live in it. Because of you and Lily.'
13 years was a long time to wait to say that.