On October 31, Sirius Black stood in front of the Potter's house, staring in shock at the remains. A baby boy, just over a year old lay in his arms, exposed to the night air. His best friend's son. The only survivor. He shook with grief, trying to understand— James and Lily— gone. It didn't seem possible. How could everything have gone this wrong?
A loud sob from somewhere behind him shook Sirius from his thoughts, and he looked up to see a giant man with a wild mane of hair. Hagrid walked slowly forward and put his hand on Sirius' shoulder.
"Lily an' James... It's terrible. Dumbledore- he wants me to take 'Arry..."
"Let me keep him." Sirius spoke quietly and sure. "Let me raise him, I can take him in and teach him. I am his godfather, after all."
"Dumbledore's orders..." Hagrid said, apologetically. "'e wants 'im to be raised with Lily's sister, safe in the muggle world."
Sirius was numb. "Then take my bike. It'll get Harry to safety more quickly." He wouldn't need it after he killed Wormtail, the traitor. A plan started forming in his head, the anger rising out of the shock of his friends' deaths.
Hagrid shuffled over to the crib and lift the one-year-old child out. He wrapped him snugly in his coat and was off into the night.
Sirius stared blankly at his hands. It was his fault. He never should have told the Potters to trust little Peter. He had betrayed them! With his best friend dead, there was nothing he could do but exact revenge. He could track Wormtail down... Make him pay for everything. Settle part of his guilt that Lily and James were dead.
Sirius turned away from the wreckage, pulling his wand out, his mind set on the task ahead. But just before he could apparate, a small cry brought his attention back to the ruined house. It was coming from the rubble of the house.
Without thinking, Sirius rushed back to the broken house, and entered, following the sound as it grew louder and louder. His mind started racing through the possibilities... someone was alive in the house. But who? He knew for a fact James and Lily were gone. He had seen them as he rushed in to pull Harry out of the wreckage. He passed the living room and Harry's room, not looking. He didn't want to see them again, his closest friends, lying broken, empty on the floor. If he would have turned his head even slightly, he might have seen a hook nosed man cradling a redhead in his arms with tears running tracks down his pale face, deaf and blind to all else, but he was focused on finding the source of the cries, which were growing louder and louder.
Sirius carefully pushed open the bedroom door, and it fell off it's hinges with a crash. He flinched at the noise, and the crying stopped.
His eyes scanned the room where he had once stayed as a guest, and found a small cradle where the bed used to be, a small infant inside. She couldn't be more than three months old. Sirius walked closer, and found a letter addressed to him, laying on the dresser, as if it was to be sent when the next owl came. His hands trembled slightly as he saw Lily's handwriting.
"Dear Sirius,
I wish we could send more letters, but Dumbledore says all correspondence is being watched. James has been so restless, if he had his cloak, I know nothing would stop him from wandering outside the house. We missed you at Christmas, but it's too dangerous for a visit now. Harry is doing great, and seems to have the same mischievous curiosity that you and James share. Did you get the picture of him with the broomstick?
I can't believe it's been so long since we last spoke. The times have grown so dark. When this war is finally over, we will have much to celebrate.
There is something we've been dying to tell you. We've recently added someone to our family- Violet Lily Potter. She is so beautiful, and when things are safe again, you will be the first to meet her. She already looks at Harry as if he is everything. When she learns to walk, we will surely have two little mischief makers running around.
I'll send this letter with Dumbledore when he visits next. We hope you're doing well, and we can't wait to see you again.
With lots of love,
Lily and James"
Sirius stood in shock for a moment, holding the last remaining words of Lily Potter. He set the letter down, then turned to the cradle. He gazed down into the face of the baby. Violet. He carefully lifted her out, and her face lit up. He should tell Dumbledore, have her taken with Harry. But he couldn't- something in him couldn't let go of the baby girl. He would take her home, and raise her with magic as if she was his own.
Harry, lying on the steps of Privet Drive, had no idea that glasses were being raised to his name all over the country, and Violet, asleep in Sirius's arms, had no idea how intertwined her life would be with the most famous boy in Wizarding history.