IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE: This story started off as a ficlet about a young Harry going back in time and meeting the Marauders in their 6th year, however I have expanded the plot and Harry will also be grown up in this. Basically the plot has thickened.

Warnings for this story: Mentions of child abuse/neglect, some strong language, maybe slight sexual reference.

Also, after the first few chapters the chapters get longer.

Please read, enjoy, and leave me a review with ideas, opinions and feedback!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plot.

Chapter One

Harry Potter had just turned four. At least, he was pretty sure he had. At nursery, they'd gone around a circle telling each other how old they were and their birthdays.

Harry's was the 31st of July, and he'd heard Aunt Petunia yesterday saying it was the 30th of July. And Harry knew that that meant today was the 31st, because 30 add one more day was 31. So he was four!

Harry had always been slightly jealous that his cousin Dudley was bigger than him, and older. Dudley had turned four last month. He was taller than Harry, and a lot lot wider. But now Harry was four too which must mean he'd grow as big as Dudley now. So Harry woke up smiling, before Aunt Petunia got up and knocked on the cupboard.

Harry sprung out of bed and turned on the light. He sat on the edge of his mattress and waited for his Aunt and Uncle to wake up because he knew he shouldn't leave his cupboard until they said so or he'd be in big trouble. He wondered momentarily what the time was. It was Saturday and his Aunt and Uncle usually stayed in bed at least an hour longer on the weekend compared to the weekdays.

Harry played with some mini soldiers he'd salvaged from Dudley's bin; his cousin had broken the arm off one and the head off a few others but Harry had picked them up and put them in his pocket hoping no one would know and tell him off. He pretended that the soldiers had missing limbs because they'd been fighting and hurt themselves and Harry was a doctor ready to fix him.

It was so entertaining it seemed like no time before Aunt Petunia knocked on his door.

"Up! Be quick about it!" She rasped before Harry heard her footsteps padding away. Harry quickly hid his toy soldiers under his pillow and pulled on some proper clothes as he knew he shouldn't go out in his pajamas still. He quickly threw on his socks before folding up his night clothes and placing them at the end of his bed. He then ran out of the cupboard and into the kitchen.

"Morning," He said brightly, because he was in a bright mood. He was four!

His uncle grunted in response. He was sitting at the table reading a newspaper.

"Make me a tea boy!" He said snappily, and Harry blinked.

"Okay." Harry said.

"Don't drop the sugar bowl like last time." His aunt said from where she was making Dudley breakfast, whom was yelling at the tv across in the living room.

"I won't," Harry said determinately. Harry stood up on his tippy toes, but still couldn't reach the sink. He pulled over a chair and climbed on top, turning the tap on. His aunt and uncle didn't seem to notice. Once he'd filled up the kettle, being careful not to drop it (it was really heavy and the water sloshed inside noisily) placed it on to boil. Afterwards, he decided to tell his aunt it was his birthday.

"So that means I'm for today!" Little Harry squawked whilst grinning.

"f-our," His aunt sniffed, "it's four not for."

"F-oor" Harry tried. His aunt merely pursed her lips.

"Yes I suppose it does," She said finally.

"Here, happy birthday." She said snappily, handing him a pair of glasses, "the opticians said you needed some." Harry remembered the optician was a kind lady with brown hair and brown eyes who'd put funny glasses on Dudley during his eye test and demanded to see Harry to because he hadn't had his scheduled one year test and later announced he really need glasses. Harry put on the little circular lenses he'd remembered being fitted for and grinned wider.

"Thank you!" He exclaimed, looking around in awe.

"'Ow come Harry gets a present!" Dudley yelled from the table, "I want one!"

"Awh little Dudders don't you worry! Mummy's going to buy you a massive chocolate cake all for yourself," Aunt Petunia gushed, pinching her son's cheeks.

"Harry can't have one! Harry can't have one!" Dudley chanted. Aunt Petunia laughed, and Uncle Vernon chortled,

"Little tyke," he said fondly, "Just like his father."

Harry, hearing the kettle go off, hurriedly reached a mug from the cupboard and put in a tea bag. Just as he went to pour the boiled water, Dudley came running out of no where into the chair Harry was perched on and Harry proceeded to spill the water all over his hand. He howled in pain.

"What?" Dudley laughed, "It's not even hot." He said, placing a finger tip in the water.

"Mummy!" He wailed, his fat cheeks red and wet with already gushing tears.

"Oh my!" Aunt Petunia cried, "Vernon! Vernon!" Harry's aunt and uncle ushered Dudley to the cold tap, Aunt Petunia cooing and rubbing his hair.

"YOU!" Uncle Vernon roared at Harry's teary figure, "CUPBOARD! NOW!"

Harry went to his cupboard, and Uncle Vernon locked it from the outside, yelling

"NO DINNER FOR A WEEK!"

Harry cried and held his scorched hand to his chest, his head hurt from crying and this was the worst day ever. He lay down and eventually feel asleep, his cheeks still wet.

It was two full days before he was given any food, yet still wasn't allowed to leave. Another 2 days past, and neither his aunt or uncle had come back with any more food, and Harry was only allowed to leave when he needed the loo. Harry sat on his bed, bored, hungry, very hungry, and lonely. At least his hand had settled down. He curled up, wishing to be anywhere else.

Little did he know.

Sirius Black raked a hand through his silky black hair and grinned rakishly at the blushing Ravenclaw as he walked past. He merely laughed when he saw her cheeks redden furthermore.

He'd just got back from detention with Filch all thanks to that interfering fucking cat Mrs Norris. Whatever. It had been long and overbearingly boring- writing lines. Three-fucking-hundred of them. Ugh. It was late now, a little to late for that Ravenclaw to be hanging around.

Naughty little Ravenclaw Sirius thought amusedly. He turned, thinking perhaps he'd take her to a broom closet for a quick snog, only to find she'd disappeared. Probably on her way back from the library, realising it was past curfew. Sirius shrugged.

He decided he should probably get back to the Gryffindor dorms, Moony and Prongs should be there anyway. Wormtail to.

However, something stopped Sirius from carrying out his task. A yawn. A very childish yawn. It sounded from a cupboard next to him. Stopping, Sirius pressed his ear to the door. He heard another yawn, and then a squeak. Officially intrigued, Sirius burst in.

"Haha!" He yelled, pulling out his wand and pointing it out with a cocky grin. His grin faltered however, at the sight in front of him.

"Hello," He said, lowering his wand. Sirius was shocked. Which said something, because few things shocked Sirius Black. His initial thoughts were that Prongs had some sort of ageing backwards hex cast on him, because the young boy in front of Sirius looked uncanningly like his best mate.

His theory was discarded however when he noted the child didn't have hazel irises. Sirius grinned again. This definetly made him forget about his boredom.

"Who are you?" The child, toddler even, asked in a childlike baby voice. Sirius's grin grew. The boy was curled in the corner, wide green eyes shy behind glasses (bespectacled, like James).

"I'm Sirius." He said with a smirk.

"Serious 'bout what?" The little boy asked innocently. Sirius barked out a laugh.

"No," he said amusedly, "My name is Sirius, as in that's what I'm called"

"Oh." The child let out, "That's a funny name."

"Yeah I guess." Sirius said, "For a funny person." He winked. The small child giggled. Merlin that was so sweet, Sirius thought, and that was so girly Sirius, he told himself. Okay I'm going to have to bring this cute as fuck mini Prongs back to the dorm, Sirius decided.

"Wanna come meet my friends?"

Harry didn't want to get into even more trouble with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, but he liked the funny man and decided he was already in so much trouble already a little more couldn't hurt.

"Sure." The young boy said eagerly. Sirius grinned,

"Want me to carry you?" He asked.

"I can walk!" The boy quipped.

"I know, I just thought it's fun to be carried." Sirius shrugged with a smirk.

"Okay." So Sirius leant down and picked the smiling boy up from the ground. He was light, perhaps a little bit to light, and warm.

"So," Sirius said, walking out of the cupboard, "What's your name, my prince," The kid giggled that too adorable to be legal giggle again and answered.

"Harry!"

"Sweet name kid." Sirius smiled, shifting Harry more comfortably in his arms. He was like a bundle of warmth in his robes. Sirius didn't think it would be a good idea to be caught with a small child with him, so decided to hurry back to his dorm.

"Wow!" Harry exclaimed, "That portrait just moved!" Sirius chucked.

"Magic." He said, and Harry looked at him with wide eyes.

"No way," he whispered, eyes darting around. Sirius laughed at ruffled his black hair. It was eerily like James, untidy, and it even seemed to stick up in the same places.

Sirius made sure that Harry was concealed when he got to the Fat Lady, and she promptly let him in, blushing and stuttering. She'd always had a thing for Sirius, he was sure. Luckily, the common room was empty.

"Time to meet my friends." Sirius smirked, eyes turning to the smiling boy in his arms.

"So that's why it works." Remus explained for the 50th time. Peter's face scrunched up in thought, and Remus stared hopefully.

"Nope," he exclaimed finally, "I still don't get it."

"Ugh!" Remus fell back on his bed in exasperation, "Why do I even bother?" He huffed. In the opposite bed, James laughed.

"Told you it wasn't worth trying Moony." He said from where he was lounging back on his covers, throwing a small rubber ball at the wall and catching it as it bounced back. "I spent ages yesterday explaining didn't I Wormy?" Peter muttered something incomprehensible, his cheeks burning. Remus sat up, and James's ball missed it taget and rolled away. He huffed, and sat up to.

"Okay I'm so bored. When the fuck will Sirius get back already." James said grumpily. Remus shrugged, shoving his Charms book back in his trunk. James jumped up and fell down next to Remus. The bed springs groaned in protest and the bed shook. Remus huffed, but didn't voice his annoyance.

"You alright there Moony?" James smirked, in a I-Know-Exactly-What's-Wrong manor.

"Just peachy Prongs," Remus replied, and James didn't stop smirking.

"Shit!" Remus heard a loud curse from outside, followed by another bang. Remus and James looked at each other.

"Sirius." They said together.

And not to disappoint, the very man burst in 3 seconds later.

"Moony!" He exclaimed, catching Remus's eyes.

"Hello," Remus greeted cautiously.

"So..." Sirius started with grin he was obviously trying to hold back, "There I was, walking ever so casually back to the dorm, when I came across a little prince hiding in a cupboard," Remus heard a giggle, and stared wide eyes at his best mate.

"Padfoot did you just giggle?" James asked incredulously.

"Nope!" Sirius said, and the grin he'd been trying to hold back broke and he smiled widely.

"But baby Prongs did!" He exclaimed, pulling out a messy haired toddler from beneath his robes and holding him at at arms length.