A/N: Prompt #11 - Hope.
If Sirius had just gotten a good look at Harry, he would have gone on. Hunted Wormtail down and been done with it.
But the pup had been swaddled up and tucked against Hagrid, and there were rumors floating around the parties on the streets that he was shoving through that Harry had been injured.
He wanted to hunt that rat down and deal with the rest after.
But. But James would never have forgiven him if Harry was hurt and Sirius ran off.
So - Harry first. Then . . . Then he'd do whatever he had to. He couldn't plan beyond that.
Hagrid had said he was taking Harry to his aunt and uncle's. Sirius had no idea where that was, but that didn't matter. Hagrid had taken the motorbike, and Sirius had a tracking spell on it.
He ducked out of the fringes of the party he'd been stalking through and into a grim little alley lit by a neon sign. A quick rummage through his pockets produced a scrap of parchment. He pinned it to the crumbling brick wall with one hand and tapped his wand against it with the other.
"Show me," he breathed.
Black lines spread from the wand tip. A map quickly formed. A dotted line raced across it and came to a stop at Privet Drive.
There. He knew a place nearby. He could apparatus to that point and walk the rest of the way.
The alley was deserted. He apparatus quickly and began his walk.
He kept the map handy. Even as he watched, the bike began to move again. Hagrid's errand was complete.
That was alright. He knew where he was going now.
At least in general. When he finally reached the neighborhood, he realized he had no idea which it was.
Maybe he could tell by the lights? Surely the family wouldn't have gone back to sleep yet.
None of the lights were on.
He paced the street helplessly, holding back a snarl of frustration.
Wait.
There, on number four's doorstep, was a small bundle.
Surely Hagrid wouldn't have just left him there. Surely.
He all but crept up to the little bundle.
Harry, now with the addition of a puffy red lightning bolt on his face, slept inside. An envelope was tucked beside him.
Sirius's knees gave out, and he collapsed onto the stair. He settled Harry onto his lap with shaking hands and reached for the letter.
It was hard to read by the light of the street lamps. It was harder still to accept.
Dumbledore thought this was enough of an explanation?
A breeze blew down the street, and Harry shivered.
Abruptly, Sirius decided he didn't care what Dumbledore wanted. If this was Dumbledore's idea of infant care, than he was obviously better off sticking to older children. Just because the professor believed he knew best didn't mean it was the truth.
Sirius would take Harry. They would go to . . . Andromeda's, yes, that would work. He could come back tomorrow and break the news to the Dursleys. Tell them that he would take custody of Harry.
Lupin. Lupin could help him with that.
After Sirius broke the news, that was. He shuddered as the memory ripped back through him.
That still left the rat, but - Harry first.
That decided, he pocketed the letter, secured his grip on Harry, and apparated away.