A/N: I'm thinking this is going to be a chaptered story, but I plan to keep it under twelve chapters. Maybe I'll do one-shots throughout Harry's life after this introduction chapter. Check out my other two stories as well: "You Raise Me Up," which is a long story with multiple chapters. I'm still working on it, but I've almost written 40 chapters. "Heartbeat" is a one shot I wrote a couple of weeks back. Both involve a relationship between Sirius and Harry, and also include Remus. "You Raise Me Up," goes through Goblet of Fire to Deathly Hallows (or will when it's completed). Thanks! Don't forget to leave me a review for this.
Little seven year old Harry Potter sat sniffling in his dank and musty cupboard, cradling an inflamed wrist and wishing for a family member to come rescue him. He could hear Dudley's loud crying from the living room, due to his lack of dessert for the evening, and wished that his Aunt Petunia would console him the same way she was doing for her own son.
"Don't worry, Dudders," Harry heard her whisper to his cousin in a much gentler voice than she had ever used with him. "Tomorrow when you wake up to go to school, I'll have the boy fix you a stack of your favorite chocolate chip pancakes with chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Does that sound good? Mummy's sorry the freak forgot to make your special cake tonight, but daddy's punished him. Don't be sad anymore."
Harry winced as a fresh bout of wailing came from his cousin and covered his ears with his shabby, old pillow the best he could manage. Tomorrow would come and he would wake up, once again, in an old cupboard and be forced to cook for his "relatives," before attending a school where he had no friends or confidants. This was the only life he had known, and one he had come to accept; despite this, the young boy couldn't help but hope that, somewhere, somehow, there was someone who loved him and wanted him.
"Charlie, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, turning her attention away from her two youngest children to her fifteen year old son. "I know you really like taking care of magical creatures, but the house is definitely not a place to keep a dragon, regardless of whether or not it is a newborn. Your father has invited some men from the ministry to take it to a dragon sanctuary tomorrow. Okay?"
"But mom, I was named prefect and quidditch captain this year! You said I could get whatever I wanted," the older boy whined, though he was hesitant, not wanting to push his hot-headed mother too far.
"I know dear, but I was thinking more along the lines of a new racing broom or perhaps a less dangerous pet - maybe an owl?" Mrs. Weasley suggested, not wanting to deny her son something for working so hard, but also knowing that the dragon would not work around her six year old, adventurous daughter.
Before Charlie could respond, the baby dragon leapt onto the table and grabbed Percy's rat, Scabbers, out of his hand with it's mouth. Percy started to shout for someone to save his rat, but before he could, Scabbers had begun to grow to an abnormal size.
"ARTHUR - ARTHUR GET IN HERE!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked as she watched the small rat turn into a plump, blonde boy, appearing to not be much older than her eldest child, Bill.
Arthur Weasley ran inside the kitchen, only to stop dead in his tracks at the sight in front of him. By the sink, Molly was shepherding her children behind her. In front of them, a man was cowering away from the small dragon and attempting to nurse the injuries the dragon inflicted on his animagus form; this man was what made Arthur halt.
"Peter Pettigrew?" Arthur whispered, stepping closer, shock overcoming him. "No, you can't be, you're- you're supposed to be- Sirius Black killed…"
Arthur looked to his wife and children, who were all gaping at the odd sight in their kitchen. Finally, Arthur came to his senses. "Stupefy," he said, before heading straight to his fireplace and calling the Minister for Magic.
"I WANT MORE PANCAKES," Dudley shouted at his small cousin who was standing by the stove.
"You heard him, boy, get our Dudders more pancakes!" Vernon yelled at Harry.
"B-but I haven't had any breakfast yet," Harry mumbled, cowering away from his uncle as he advanced toward him. "A-and school starts soon, I need to g-get ready."
"I don't care boy, you can go in your pajamas! GET THOSE PANCAKES DONE." Vernon yelled, swatting at Harry before moving to kiss his wife and son goodbye. Harry watched Vernon hug his son in both disgust and jealousy - though he did not want Vernon to hug him that way, he did wish he had a daddy who loved him too.
After serving Dudley his fifth helping of pancakes, Harry rushed to put on his hand-me-down clothes and allowed his aunt to forcefully tug at his unruly hair for a few minutes to see if she could make it lie flat, before running out the door to get a head start and avoid his cousin's bullying on the way to school.
"Arthur, it can't be Peter Pettigrew - it just can't be! Sirius Black, the lunatic, blew him up! All we found was-"
"A finger," Arthur said calmly, interrupting the minister as the auror's examined the still stunned man lying in the kitchen floor of The Burrow. "And if you didn't notice, this man is missing a finger. I'm not saying Sirius Black is innocent, but I think it would be worthy to use veritaserum on this man to be sure."
"And I completely agree with Arthur, Minister." Dumbledore said confidently, walking through the floo in the burrow, his blue eyes twinkling. "We wouldn't want an innocent man kept in prison, would we? Imagine the scandal that would cause for the ministry, should Pettigrew's strange appearance be brought to the light by the Daily Prophet."
As the headmaster said this, another tall man, with dirty blonde hair and amber eyes, stepped out of the floo. "Ah, Remus," Dumbledore said kindly, gesturing the man towards kitchen floor where the supposed Pettigrew lay. "Could you identify this man, for me?"
Remus Lupin stepped forward shakily and swallowed past the lump in his throat. "T-that's impossible," he mumbled, looking away with tears in his eyes.
"Why is it impossible, Remus?" Dumbledore asked gently, as he simultaneously pulled out a vial of veritaserum.
Remus shook his head as his emotions overtook him - if Pettigrew was alive, could he dare to hope that he had a friend back, after six years of being alone? Or could this mean that Sirius himself was innocent? Perhaps there was a big misunderstanding, and three of the four Marauders could be together again? He pushed these thoughts away, refusing to accept anything until he heard the facts.
"Here, Minister - use this on Mr. Pettigrew and ask his perspective of that night in Godric's Hollow six years ago. I believe it will be most enlightening." Dumbledore said, handing Fudge the potion and stepping back to place a hand on Remus's shoulder.
Shakily, Fudge poured the potion down the stunned Pettigrew's throat, then allowed the auror's to revive him so that he could answer their questions.
"Are you Peter Pettigrew?" Dumbledore began, noticing that the minister was too shocked to speak.
"Yes," Pettigrew answered in a raspy, broken voice.
"When did you become an unregistered animagus?" Fudge managed to blurt out, stepping slightly closer once he accepted the man's identity.
"My fifth year at Hogwarts. James and Sirius helped me, we decided to do it to help Remus's werewolf transformations, since he was no danger to animals when transformed."
Dumbledore sent a small smile to a guilty looking Remus before continuing. "What happened on the night that Lily and James were murdered?"
"I fled," Pettigrew began, looking around nervously. "Sirius chased me to try and avenge their deaths."
"Why did you flee? Why did Sirius chase you?" Remus finally spoke up, unwilling to believe that he had assumed wrong, that Sirius wasn't the traitor.
"I was James and Lily's secret keeper. Sirius and James decided it would be better if Sirius led Voldemort to believe he was the secret keeper - that way James, Lily, and I would stay safe while the death eaters went after him and I was to go into hiding. However, he didn't know that I was a death eater and the Order of the Phoenix traitor - I told Voldemort the Potter's location and led him to them." Pettigrew squeaked out.
Dumbledore looked at the man with disgust and Remus dropped to the floor out of shock. The Weasley's were all huddled in the corner, watching the exchange with wide-eyes. Percy was in tears over the rat, and Charlie was praising his dragon for catching a criminal.
"And what happened after Sirius cornered you on that muggle street?" Fudge asked through gritted teeth.
"I framed him - I announced that he betrayed Lily and James and then blew up the whole street to make my fake death look more realistic. Then I turned into a rat and traveled here to see if a wizard family would take me in, so I would know when Voldemort returned." Pettigrew said, before an auror stunned him again and he was out cold.
"Shacklebolt," Fudge said quietly, summoning the head auror to him. "Go straight to Azkaban. Take Pettigrew there and prepare him for trial."
"And Sirius Black, Minister?" Kingsley asked.
"Bring him to my office so that he may receive compensation for what has been denied him for the last six years." Fudge mumbled, looking indecisive over the entire situation, but determined.
"W-what will that include?" Remus asked, moving forward.
"A pardon, for one thing, with compensation." Fudge said, turning toward the werewolf and headmaster. "An Order of Merlin as well, for standing up against a death eater, like what we gave Pettigrew when we thought the situation to be different. We also will include whatever else he requests of us, if possible."
"I think I know exactly what he'll want, Minister, so I will accompany you to your office to meet with him. I request that Remus joins us as well." Dumbledore said confidently, moving forward to meet the officials. "But that will do to be getting on with, thank you Arthur and Molly for informing all of us of these events."
"Oh of course, Headmaster!" Molly said, stroking Ginny's hair and attempting to comfort a still distraught Percy.
"Please inform us of what comes of this, Minister," Arthur said as the officials prepared to floo away.
"Of course, Weasley. Thank you again." Fudge said as he lead the auror's into the floo.
"Harry, can you read the paragraph for us on page 10, please?" Mrs. Smith asked the young boy. Mrs. Smith was Harry and Dudley's english teacher, and she was young with a kind face and bright blue eyes.
"N-no, I can't." Harry mumbled, a fierce blush coloring his cheeks.
The class broke out into laughter, orchestrated by Dudley. "The freak's so stupid he can't even read!"
"That's enough!" Mrs. Smith yelled, walking over to the boy's desk. "Harry, why can't you read it?" She asked gently.
"I-it's all b-blurry." Harry mumbled, upset at the other's kids taunting, but refusing to cry in front of everyone.
"See me during recess, please," she said quietly and the kids started laughing again at the thought of Harry possibly being in trouble.
When everyone had left to go to the playground, Harry walked up to his teacher's desk with his head down.
"Harry, sweetheart, you aren't in trouble. I just want to ask you a couple of questions - is that okay?" Mrs. Smith asked kindly, motioning for Harry to sit in the seat beside her. Harry nodded and accepted the invitation. "How long have you been having trouble reading?"
"A-a few years," Harry answered honestly, looking down at Dudley's old trainers that he wore.
"Have you told your aunt and uncle?" She asked the child.
Harry nodded and his teacher frowned at him. "Why haven't they taken you to get your eyes checked?"
Harry sniffled and didn't meet his teacher's gaze. "Good-for-nothing freaks don't deserve glasses or nice things."
Mrs. Smith opened her mouth in shock and shook her head. "Who has said that to you?"
Harry realized he had said too much and knew he would be in major trouble at home if he continued. "N-nobody."
Mrs. Smith frowned. Little boy's didn't get the idea that they were "good-for-nothing freaks" out of nowhere. "Harry, I can help you."
Harry stood up and shook his head, but still didn't meet his teacher's eye. "N-no one has said anything to me, Mrs. Smith. I d-don't need help, thank you. C-can I go outside now?"
Mrs. Smith sighed but nodded. "Yes, you can go outside, Harry. I'm going to send a note to your aunt to let her know that she needs to have your eyes checked."
Harry felt as if his heart stopped. "No!" He shouted without thinking. At Mrs. Smith's look, he attempted to mend the situation. "I-I'll tell her, you don't have to-"
"Harry, come with me." Mrs. Smith said, extending her hand for him to hold. "You're not in trouble, I promise."
Harry was shaking as they walked down the hall, mentally preparing himself for a beating that was sure to come when his aunt and uncle found out what he had said to his teacher. He winced as his teacher pulled on his hand, irritating his injured wrist; however he refused to cry out, he didn't want to give his uncle more of a reason to punish him.
"Sirius, I want to let you know that the Ministry is sincerely sorry for what you have endured for the past six years, and to extend our apologies, we will grant you whatever you would like, on top of the money and Order of Merlin, First Class." Fudge said nervously, eyeing Sirius who was sitting in front of his desk.
Sirius was quiet and looking down at his lap. The day had gone by in a blur - the aurors had come and removed him from his cell, then had forcefully poured veritaserum down his throat to confirm his innocence. After this, he was allowed his first shower in years as well as a decent meal. His mind was still trying to wrap around everything that had happened - the only reason he knew he wasn't dreaming was because being around dementor's prevented good dreams. However, when Fudge mentioned that he could have anything he wanted, his muddled mind cleared: he wanted his godson.
"I want custody of Harry, sir. That's it." Sirius croaked out, looking nervously between the minister and Dumbledore.
Remus stood to Sirius's right in silent support of his long lost friend; they had an emotional reunion a few hours earlier and Remus tried to explain the day's events to his friend without overloading him with information. He had a feeling Sirius didn't take in much of what he was saying, but Remus was reassured with the fact that he at least had one of his best friends back and he wouldn't lose him again.
Dumbledore smiled and looked to the Minister. Fudge hesitated, knowing that the public would be in outrage over the idea that their savior would be with a supposed criminal; however, he had promised Black anything he desired, and with Dumbledore backing the man, Fudge had no choice but to comply. "Very well," Fudge mumbled reluctantly.
Sirius's face broke into his first real smile since being in prison. "Really?" He turned to Dumbledore as if worried the opportunity would be taken away from him. "You mean it? Harry can live with me?"
"Absolutely, Sirius. However, there are some things concerning the blood wards that I need to speak with you about before I can allow you to go and get him. I believe Mr. Fleamont Potter had a house that you two can live in until you can make other arrangements. For now, let us leave the ministry and prepare to go to Number Four, Privet Drive." Dumbledore said, motioning for Sirius and Remus to follow him.
"Mummy!" Dudley yelled once he had chased Harry into the house and pushed him into his cupboard. "Mummy, daddy, Harry got in trouble today!"
"What did the freak do?" Vernon asked his son angrily, edging towards the cupboard door. Harry began to shake as he heard his uncle approaching. He had managed to convince his headmaster that he was happy at home and things were fine, but his teacher and headmaster spoke to one another in quiet voices after he had stepped out of the office and he was worried that they would still send a letter home to his aunt and uncle.
"He couldn't read today in class and then had to miss recess and go to the headmaster's office!" Dudley said cheerily.
Harry whimpered as he heard his uncle make the last two steps toward his cupboard, and he curled up into a ball, preparing to be yanked out. However, his uncle never made it to the door - by some miracle, someone had knocked on their front door, distracting Vernon.
"I'll deal with you later, boy," Vernon whispered menacingly through the cupboard door, before standing up and going to answer.
"How can I help- you!" Harry heard Vernon yell as he answered the door. He wondered who his uncle hated so much to use that tone of voice; so far, Harry had only heard him talk like that to him.
"Hello, I trust you remember me. I am Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. May we come in?" Harry heard the stranger ask, his mouth open wide. Did the man say Witchcraft and Wizardry? It couldn't be true, magic wasn't real!
"Absolutely not! I will not have this freakishness in my-" but before Vernon could finish his sentence, there was a loud bang, followed by a crash. Harry heard Dudley begin to whimper and he too began to shake - who were these people, and why were they here attacking his uncle? Surely they would discover his cupboard soon and maybe hurt him too?
Harry heard what sounded like the Dumbledore man mumble something, then "Fine, I see we'll need to get right to the point then. I'm Sirius Black, and I'm here to take custody of my godson. Where is Harry?"
Harry felt his heart stop for the hundredth time that day. Did he hear that man right? He had a godfather? He was being taken away?
Harry heard Vernon whimper, then listened as steps came close to his cupboard. He began to shake - he didn't know these men, and regardless of whether or not one was his godfather, he was scared. They hurt his uncle, who was huge, who knows what they would do to him?
The cupboard door open and Harry was face to face with a gaunt, skinny man with kind grey eyes. His black hair was neatly trimmed around his shoulders and he wore a broad smile as he surveyed Harry. "Hi kiddo, I'm Sirius, your godfather."
The man seemed nice, but sometimes Vernon acted nice to get Harry's guard down, then hurt him; this made Harry suspicious, so he whimpered and moved farther back in his cupboard. The man frowned slightly before extending his hand.
"I'm not going to hurt you, puppy. I was best friends with your mummy and daddy. I'm here to take you away from here if you want me too." Sirius said gently.
After a moment of quiet contemplation from Harry, he smiled and took the hand that was extended to him. Anyone that was a friend of his mummy and daddy, he decided, would be a friend of his - not to mention, he had hoped his entire life that someone would rescue him from the Dursley's. Perhaps his godfather would finally fulfill that wish?
The man smiled and gently pulled him out of the cupboard. "Is there anything you would like to take?" He asked kindly.
Harry looked back into the cupboard and pulled out the small blanket in which he had been brought to the Dursley's house.
He stood and grabbed the boy's small hand, then turned to Vernon, who was lying in a heap against a now cracked wall. "I'm taking him with me. You didn't deserve my godson. This won't be the last you hear from us."
With that, Sirius gently led the boy out of the house, Dumbledore following closely behind. Once they reached the end of Privet Drive, Sirius turned back to face Dumbledore. "The wards are in place then?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Everything should be perfectly safe. I will leave you now and send owl for when a good time for us to meet will be."
Sirius watched as Dumbledore apparated away. Harry's eyes almost popped out of his head. Sirius turned and kneeled down in front of his godson, grinning at the astounded look on the boy's face. "Can I pick you up? I'll explain everything once we get home. We're going to apparate."
Harry nodded shyly and allowed his godfather to lift him into his arms - he hadn't been picked up since he had learned to walk, and the feeling of warmth and love was new to him. He sat stiff against his godfather, not wanting to squirm too much and annoy the man.
Sirius raised an eyebrow at his godson. "Are you uncomfortable?"
Harry shook his head, confused. Sirius smiled and held the boy closer, putting him into a position where he could rest his head on his shoulder. Harry tried his best not to, not wanting to do anything wrong and make his nice godfather angry at him, but when Sirius continued to look at him expectantly, he finally obliged. He felt his godfather hug him and was surprised by the display of affection - it was foreign to him. However, the nice feeling the hug brought was soon taken away by a suffocating darkness that made the small boy feel like he was being squeezed through a tube.
When they arrived in the living room of the small cottage, Harry had his face buried in his godfather's robes and was sniffling quietly.
Sirius stroked the small boy's hair gently in an attempt to soothe him. "I'm sorry kiddo, we won't do that again if you don't want to - I didn't meant to scare you. Please don't cry, you're safe here."
Soon his crying had ceased, and Harry looked up at his godfather curiously. Sirius smiled down at him. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions."
The boy nodded but didn't ask any. Sirius walked over to the couch and sat the small child on his lap, pulling him into another hug. "Ask anything you want, and I'll answer."
Harry was worried - whenever he asked questions at the Dursley's he was punished. This man, however, seemed nice, and he had hugged him twice in less than an hour, more than the Dursley's ever had. After having an inner argument with himself, Harry finally decided to trust him. "Who are you, sir?"
Sirius smiled warmly at Harry before answering. "I'm your godfather, Harry, which means that under no circumstances are you to call me 'sir,' okay? I'm not a sir yet, I'm still far too young and handsome for that title."
The small boy giggled a little bit before asking shyly, "What do I call you?" He didn't want to make any mistakes and make the man not want him anymore.
"Hm… whatever you want really. You can call me Sirius, or Siri if that's easier. You could call me Padfoot, Snuffles… Whatever you want, just not Mr. Black or Sir. Got it?" Sirius said.
Harry nodded and thought about another question. "How did you know my mummy and daddy?"
"Your daddy was my best friend, and once he married your mummy, she became my second best friend. We had another friend named Remus, and I'm sure you'll meet him soon. Your mummy and daddy loved you very much and wanted someone who loved you just as much to take care of you if something happened to them; that's why they asked me to be your godfather." The little boy was staring at him with wide eyes and shock playing all over his expression; Sirius had to review exactly what he had just said to make sure he hadn't accidentally let out a swear word. Why was Harry so surprised? "What is it puppy?"
"Y-you love me?" Harry asked shyly.
Sirius smiled warmly at him again. "More than anything, kiddo."
This caused Harry to smile the biggest he had in his entire life. He wrapped his arms around his godfather's neck, something he never would have done at Privet Drive, and mumbled a "thank you."
"Thank me? For what, kiddo?" Sirius asked, bewildered, but returning the hug with equal gusto.
"F-for saving me." The small boy replied simply. "Uncle Vernon w-was gonna h-hurt me today."
Sirius knitted his brow in confusion, but nodded nonetheless. Albus had planned a time in which they could discuss Harry's time with the Dursley's and how they would be punished for the mistreatment of their nephew; in the meantime, Sirius was going to show Harry how loved and wanted he is.