"Lily!" exclaimed James, "I don't know how it happened, but Harry's taken down You-Know-Who!"
"What? How do you know that?"
"I found this weird mirror thing and you can use it to watch those still among the living. I'm just waiting to see what happens to Harry – what if no one finds him? What if he's left there all by himself -"
"James" Lily interrupted, "I arranged for Sirius to come and visit today. You were looking a bit down and I know you hate being cooped up, I thought seeing him would help cheer you up."
"You're the best" said James, "too bad I won't get to see him though."
"Yeah. Let's get back to that mirror thing you mentioned"
James took his wife's hand and led her to a large house. A plaque on the door was emblazoned 'James and Lily Potter'. He led her through a large, cozy-looking lounge room and up the stairs. Entering a large master bedroom they turned. Two doors faced them, one leading to a huge en suite and one leading to a smaller sitting room. There was a blue couch and a large silver coffee table. The top of the table was adjustable and it had already been adjusted so that it was almost vertical to the gorgeous hardwood flooring.
"Here it is." said James, taking his seat on the couch and motioning that Lily sit by him.
James tapped his wand on the shiny surface and said "show me Harry Potter."
Harry was still sitting in the cot, his tiny hands grasping the railings. On the floor lay the body of Lily Potter, and the boy was staring at her, apparently waiting for her to move, to show signs of life.
"Where's You-Know-Who? I thought you said he was dead?"
"Well, after he killed you he tried to kill Harry, but the killing curse bounced off him and hit him full on – he never saw it coming. Then he sort of disappeared, but I'm positive he's dead."
"I think he's gone, but he'll be back. Hopefully not for a long time."
A motorbike sounded outside, followed by the thud of two feet hitting the ground, apparently having jumped from a height.
"Sirius is here." stated James unnecesarily.
There was a knock at the door, followed by the creak of the hinge. The viewpoint moved downstairs, where Sirius was pushing the door open cautiously.
"James! No! No! This can't be right! James! Wake up! Please! You can't leave me!" sobbed Sirius, fat tears rolling rapidly down the length of his handsome face.
James allowed a few tears to roll down his own face.
"He hasn't cried this much since he got that howler in his first year y'know – disgracing him from his family. He was a laughing stock for the Slytherins."
"Oh, James!" said Lily, wiping the tears from under his eyes, "Don't cry. I'm sure everything will work out."
Sirius stood up, his features marred with unbearable grief.
"I'm so sorry Prongs. I failed you. This is all my fault."
He continued into the lounge room, mostly to avoid stepping over his friend's body.
On the coffee table he found two wands, which he immediately recognised as Lily and James's.
He picked up his best friend's wand, turning it over carefully in his thin (though not as thin as James's) fingers.
"Coward." sneered Sirius, "Attacking an unarmed man. Makes sense, James could have beaten him in a duel anyday"
Sirius pocketed both wands.
He heard a scared cry from upstairs.
"Thank goodness one of you is alive." he muttered, sprinting to the staircase and taking the stairs three at a time.
The first thing he saw apon entering the room was Lily.
"Not Lily too!" he said.
He crossed the room in a few long strides and peered into the cot, making sure his little Prongslet was okay.
"Pa-foo, Pa-foo" cooed the child, holding out his chubby arms to the older man.
"Harry! Thank goodness you're alright! Though not completely unscathed ..." said Sirius, noticing the newly formed scar on the boy's forehead.. He lifted the child up into his arms, quickly checking for any other injuries.
Harry snuggled into Sirius, cooing the name he'd come to know the man by.
"Looks like it's just you and me, Prongslet" he whispered, "let's get out of here."
"See, James? Everything is going to be okay."
James wiped his eyes, nodding slightly, "Sirius thinks this is his fault."
"I know. I'm sure he'll come around eventually."
"Wait! We didn't tell Dumbledore that we changes secret-keepers! He'll think Sirius betrayed us! This is awful!" fretted James.
"Everything will turn out okay. Sirius didn't do it and if he keeps his head and talks reasonably with Professor Dumbledore he can't possibly be accused"
"You're right," said James, rubbing his eyes, "I just can't believe we're not going to be there for him"
"Yes, but I'm sure he'll be just fine with Padfoot and Moony raising him."
"Unless they spoil him. You know how they are, or how Padfoot is, anyway."
"Hagrid! What're you doing here?" said Sirius, looking up from the small child now almost asleep in his arms.
"Wha' 'appened 'ere? Where's Lily an' James? Is it true they're-"
"Yes." Said Sirius, immediately feeling sick with having admitted it. He hadn't even realised he'd begun to cry again as he clung on to Harry for support.
"Wha' 'appened?"
Sirius took a deep breath and recounted the story. By the time he was done he was sobbing so hard he could hardly talk.
"There, there" said Hagrid, patting the grieving man on the back so hard it was all he could do not to fall forward and crush Harry.
"So, what're you doing here?" he asked once he'd stemmed his crying enough to.
"Pr'fess'r Dumbledore sent me ter get little Harry 'ere"
"Why?" asked Sirius, completely not on board with letting go of one of the few things he still had left.
"He said I were ter take 'im ter his relatives. Said he's ter live with them 'til he's ready fer Hogwarts"
"His relatives? I'm his godfather! Why can't I take care of him? Does Dumbledore not think I can handle it?"
"No! Harry can't live with your sister and that awful man! Who knows what they might do to him!"
"I'm sure 'Tuney won't let anything happen" she gave her confidences.
"Alright." said Sirius, "If you're going to take Harry take my bike as well. You'll get there faster"
"Really, yeh mean it?"
"Of course. Can I … can I say goodbye first though?"
"Yeah, course yeh can" Hagrid lumbered away to inspect the large motorcycle.
"Harry, stay strong, please. I love you, Prongslet. Don't let the Muggles get to you. I'll always be thinking of you. I'll come and get you the moment Dumbledore gives me the clear, and he will, I'll make sure of that. One day you'll understand what your parents have done for you. I don't trust that pair of Muggles in the slightest. Don't let them break you Harry. Please. I don't know if I could live with myself if they hurt you in any way. One day you'll make your parents proud, like I never could make mine. You are loved, Harry. Never forget that. I love you. Goodbye."
Hagrid came back over and Sirius kissed Harry on the forehead, lingering for as long as he could with the comfortable weight of the boy in his arms. He never wanted to let go.
"Come on, give 'im here. I'm sure yeh'll see 'im again one day, Sirius. Good luck"