The night of October 31, 1980 was a gruesome and fateful night. In the small village of Godric's Hollow, the Potter family's home exist in crumbling ruins. James and Lily lay dead on the floor as their one and only son remained in his crib, frightened and whimpering, as he stared down at his mother's lifeless body. The night carried on and little did the child realize that multiple people were coming to his rescue. A twenty one year-old Remus Lupin apparated before the house and was horrified to see the broken door, which ostensibly implied that the dark lord had already paid his visit. Dressed in his typical brown pants with a grey sweater overtop, through the house he raced before he came across the lifeless body of his best friend, James.
"James," sobbed Remus as he placed his hand on his chest while his heart pounded within it. He nearly fell to the floor, but his backside leaned against the hallway's wall, saving him. "James…"
On Remus went, making his way to Harry's room where he saw Lily on the floor and the tears began to pour from his eyes even harder than they already were. He held his hand against his short, brown hair, pushing it back as he stared in utter bewilderment at the dead body before him.
"Lily, why couldn't I save you?" as he fell to his knees and stroked her beautiful red hair through his shaking hands. Remus turned his head in time to notice the spot where a whimpering Harry lay. Raising himself to his feet, Remus walked over to Harry. "Harry, my boy. I can only imagine what you've witnessed tonight. Let Uncle Remus take you away from this place," he consoled as he gently lifted Harry and cradled him in his arms. "Harry…"
Remus rushed out of the house to the dark street below. In the moonlight he stood, unsure of what to do next. He held Harry against his chest, breathing heavily. A gust of wind blew against his brown hair, pushing it away from his eyes, and he ran down the empty street before being stopped by someone who cared for Harry just as much as he did The man, initially startling Remus, was clothed in a black trench coat. His long, straight, black hair draped beneath his shoulders as he stood, staring at his best friend. The man was Sirius Black.
"Remus?"
"Sirius! They're dead! James and Lily! I rescued Harry, but I don't know how . . . how he's alive. The dark lord was nowhere to be seen. Sirius!" sobbed Remus as he stood near his former lover.
"Remus, you can't be serious. They can't be de… dead. I just don't believe it. Remus, tell me you're joking. Please, tell me you're joking!"
"I wish I were, but I'm not, Sirius. He killed them. Voldemort killed them."
"And what is to become of Harry?" questioned Sirius, whom was staring down at the fragile child's tiny body in Remus' arms. Remus looked in to his eyes - green to grey, and inhaled the cold autumn air in to his lungs, prepared to answer the fateful question in the most arbitrary way possible.
"I will take him and raise him, at least for now."
"Remus, he's my godson. If anyone should raise him, it should be me."
"Sirius…"
"Remus, James and Lily wanted him to be in my hands and I think that we ought to honor their will," said Sirius as he extended his arms out, but Remus was reluctant.
Sirius and he shared some what of what could be called a romance, from time to time, and this unfortunate circumstance provided the opportunity for the two men to truly and fully become a couple. This idea seemed to be the only joyous thought in Remus' head in the sea of darkness which flooded all the light from their lives in the current moment. He longed for Sirius' love, but due to personal problems and the war, their relationship seemed to be severed. Oh, how Remus longed for Sirius' mutual affection. Losing his train of thought, he nearly cursed himself for being so selfish at the present moment. How could he be worried about his feelings of lust and love in a time like this? Despite it, he still saw Harry's wellbeing as his priority. He tightened his hold over the tiny body in his arms as he began to speak.
"Sirius, you and I have shared a bit of what some may call a romance. Whether or not you still have feelings for me, I want to take care of Harry. I understand your protest and maybe, as a compromise, we can raise your godson together. We both can protect him as his sworn guardians. Even if you are not interested in my love, Sirius, I ask that you at least allow me to have a hand in raising the boy whom is just as much a godson to me as he is to you. Please, Sirius. At least consider what I am asking."
Sirius looked at the cold, stone pavement of the street as he took in his former lover's words. Shocked as he was from the current circumstances, Sirius did wish to protect Harry at all cost and with a bit of reluctance, gave in to Remus' plea.
"Remus, if I agree to this than we are doing this for Harry and not for our own selfish desires."
"I understand," said Remus. Although Sirius' words nearly struck his heart like a blade coated in venom, he still rejoiced at the thought of being able to raise his best friend's son as his own. "I won't allow what is between us to effect Harry. He needs both of us, Sirius. Seeing as though you are currently homeless, we must stay at my cottage in Yorkshire. It's not much, but it's enough and I believe that Harry will be safe there. First and foremost, we need to take him to Dumbledore and explain what's happened tonight."
"I agree. Let's apparate to Hogwarts now," declared Sirius.
The two men apparated and stood at the gates of Hogwarts' entrance courtyard. The castle they oh-so-loved was before them, under the light of the moon. Harry, still in Remus' arms, lay in absolute confusion as to where he was and what had become of his beloved parents. The familiar faces Moony and Padfoot seemed to comfort the infant to some degree or another for his whimpering had ceased. Remus kissed him on the forehead, still holding him tightly. Before the two men could even ring the doorbell, the grand doors opened and there stood Albus Dumbledore, the greatest sorcerer in the world. Dumbledore stood in his misty, grey robes with his hands delicately folded at his waist. He looked up at the two men as gaze of dissatisfaction and sorrow cursed his face. Remus and Sirius both knew that somehow, someway, he knew that James and Lily were dead.
"Come inside, my friends," spoke the great wizard as Sirius and Remus entered the entrance hall. "I see that you are holding Harry in your arms, Remus. I thank the two of you for retrieving him from the horrible scene. Come, I wish not to wake my students," said Dumbledore as he led the two of them to his office. Before stepping foot on the grand staircase, Sirius stopped Remus dead in his tracks.
"Remus, I wish to hold my godson," confessed Sirius in a voice which seemed to be attempting to conceal potential sobs. Remus complied, gently handing over Harry to his godfather. Sirius' stared down at Harry and with a sigh, he spoke to him. "Harry, I'll never let him hurt you. I'll never let Voldemort hurt you…"
Once in Dumbledore's office, the great wizard took a seat behind his desk. He gestured to the two men to sit in the two seats in front of the desk. Dumbledore paused for some few moments. The silence screamed the truth - James and Lily were dead and their one and only child was orphaned. In all the dark nights of Remus' life, never had his own issues brought him to such anguish. Sirius' grey eyes concretely focused on Harry, whom was now sleeping in his arms. Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak.
"I was a fool to consider sending Harry to his aunt and uncle's house. Oh, what dreadful people they are and their son, he's a lost cause. I've never heard of a child so abominable. My dear friend and your former professor, Minerva McGonagall, has spent time spying on them recently and that is how I know of their true nature. I can not put Harry in such a horrible home and live with my own conscience. Because of this, I see fit that Sirius raise the boy for he is his godfather after all."
"Harry is just as much a godson to me as he is to Sirius," asserted Remus in protest.
"I agree," said Dumbledore. "That is why I want both of you to raise the boy. I know that the two of you have been known to have an on-again/off-again relationship of sorts. I, myself, have no problem with such a thing. I, myself, can even, in some ways, relate to such a relationship," said Dumbledore as he looked to the picture, which sat on his desk, of his younger self standing next to his former friend, Gellert Grindelwald. Upon hearing that, Remus' and Sirius' eyebrows rose in a synchronized action. "It is none of my business what the two of you do in your personal lives, but my concern is for Harry and I feel it best that he remain within the guardianship of the two of you. Both the parents of James and Lily are dead and James was an only child, as you know, and Lily's sister and her family are absolutely appalling. That is why Harry can not be sent to live with them."
"Albus," began Sirius. "Per the will of James and Lily, I will give my life to protect and raise Harry and I know that Remus would do the same. My good-for-nothing parents and brother are deceased and I may enter my old home, Grimmauld Place, at any time. I've been avoiding that place out of my own pride and grave disdain for my former family, but if it is a safe place to raise Harry than I will settle there and Remus may join me."
"That is very kind of you, Sirius. I want the two of you to be the fathers to Harry that James can no longer be."
"I will first need to go to my old house and renovate it for the sake of catering to a child and in that time, Harry will have to stay with Remus."
"He will safe with me," assured Remus. "All that I am afraid of is that the ministry may frown upon someone like me raising a child. Someone with my condition," confessed Remus.
"Why should the ministry have to know about you raising Harry, Remus?" asked Dumbledore. "Just because you are a werewolf does not mean you are unfit to be a parental guardian. I trust you and I am sure that Sirius trusts you too."
"Thank you, Albus," said Remus, gratefully. "But how will we hide that from them. Surely, the media will be all over this story by morning."
"I will handle such burdens while you two focus on being good uncles to Harry," assured Dumbledore.
"Remus, I trust you completely and I will need your help in raising my godson. There's no reason why you should not be a part of his life," confessed Sirius. Remus smiled at him and it was the first and only time that Remus smiled all night.
"Now, I wish to discuss with the two of you the reason for why I believe that Voldemort was unable to touch Harry. It was love. When sweet, sweet Lily Potter cast herself in between her only son and the dark lord, she transferred to Harry every ounce of her power. I can sense the trace of the magic transfer upon Harry. By laying her life down for him, it unlocked a very deep magic, a very ancient magic… That magic which I speak of is love. Love, itself, is the very reason why Voldemort was unable to touch Harry. When he cast his signature curse from his wand at the poor child, the great magic which Lily had summoned, protected Harry and the curse must have rebounded, killing Voldemort. Now, I will admit that I do not believe him to be gone. He is broken, but not destroyed. I would not surprise me if he had made horcruxes in the potential case of his downfall. His spirit still lingers this earth as he waits for one of his servants to find him and restore him to his former self. That is why the two of you must guard Harry with your lives. The charm I placed on Lily and James, the fidelus charm, was not to be broken except in the case of the secret keeper's betrayal. I believe we know who it was that betrayed the Potters."
"Peter!" snapped both Remus and Sirius, simultaneously. After cursing his name, tears formed in Sirius' eyes. "It's my fault. It's my fault!" sobbed Harry's godfather. Remus placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Now, my dear Sirius, just tell as to why you feel it is your fault," said Dumbledore.
"They… James and Lily… originally wanted me to be the secret keeper, but I was afraid that because of my lineage and the fact some of my relatives are Death Eaters, that I was too dangerous and target and that Voldemort would surely hunt me down and so, I rejected the opportunity and they made Peter the keeper. If I would have been the keeper than they wouldn't be dead!" shrieked Sirius as tears streamed down his face. Dumbledore's expression grew sad. It was lucid to all that Sirius was in grave pain for he felt responsible for a sin which was not of his committing.
"Don't fabricate the truth to blame yourself, Sirius," spoke Dumbledore, his words so soothing and delicate as they abraded against Sirius' crying.
"I... they're dead!"
Dumbledore raised himself from his seat and made his way to Sirius' side. He knelt down by his former student and wiped away the tears from his face.
"Sirius, my good man, there is no need for you to cry. It is not your fault. Peter was the one who betrayed your friends, not you. Don't cry, my friend; you might wake little Harry."
Upon those words, Sirius expression changed to one of determination and he stared down at the child, cradled in his arms, and vowed to guard Harry at all costs. "I promise you… that you'll grow up strong and happy with me and your parents will be so proud of you. I'll never let you out of my sight. Harry, I love you."
Dumbledore walked to the nearby window and gazed out it in to the night sky. His brilliant blue eyes glistened in the candlelight of his office and it reflected in the glass of the window. After a moment of silence, Dumbledore turned around and beside Sirius. He stared down at Harry.
"I will make it so that no Death Eater may touch Harry," said Dumbledore as he took his wand out of his robes. He then pointed the Elder Wand at Harry and began enchanting incantations of great complexity. These special charms, according to Dumbledore, were bound to protect Harry. "I can assure the two of you that my wand is no ordinary wand and that it's power can not fail. No Death Eater will be able to touch this child and if they do, they will receive excruciating pain. I will handle the ministry and all their nonsense. You two must protect Harry at all cost and raise him away from the prying eyes of the media. I want this boy to have a happy and normal life and you two will make excellent father figures to him. Harry will need the emotional support and I will warn the two of you that parenting is no easy task, especially to a child as young as Harry, but I know that you two are perfectly capable."
"Thank you for believing in us," said Sirius with a half smile on his face.
"You are welcome, my friend. Now, I have said all that must be said to the two of you tonight. If your plan is to move in to Grimmauld Place and raise Harry there, Sirius, than so be it. Until you fix the place to accommodate a small child, he will be in Remus' care. Remus, if you plan to move in with Sirius than so be it. All will be well and I will always watch over Harry, myself, from afar. Also, I will attend to James' and Lily's bodies. They will be buried in Godric's Hollow in a matter of days. It is getting late, so I now dismiss the two of you, but I will always be around. Remus, take Harry and care for him tonight and tomorrow. Sirius, do what you have to do and then meet up with Remus."
Both men nodded their heads and left the office. They said little to one another on the way to the entrance courtyard, further contributing to the dead silence which the night had already bestowed upon the land. Once there, the two men gave each other an apprehensive look.
"Promise me that you won't take him out of your sight," begged Sirius.
"I can assure you that I won't," confirmed Remus. Upon those words, Sirius looked down at Harry for the final time tonight. He kissed him on the forehead as he handed him to Remus, whom bid him farewell before apparating away from this place. Sirius stood alone in the moonlight as a single tear ran down his cheek.
"Harry…"
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