Chapter One

Remus Lupin paced the living room floor of number 12 Grimmauld Place. There was something wrong, but he couldn't place it. Sirius Black was watching him exasperatedly from the bottom of the staircase.

"For the last time, Remus, it is nearly midnight. If you do not come to bed, I am going by myself," sighed Sirius, although he was a bit worried. He had never seen Remus this nervous before.

"I am telling you, there is something wrong."

"Fine then, good night," said Sirius with a yawn. He turned to head upstairs, but froze when he heard a knock on the door. Who on earth could that be? Never mind the time, only a handful of people could even find the place. Suddenly a wave of fear washed over him. Was there something wrong? He glanced at Remus, who had also stopped in his tracks. The knock came again, louder and more insistent this time. The two men walked to the door at the same time. If someone were calling this late, it would be important enough for both of them to be there. Peering out the peephole, Sirius saw the face of Albus Dumbledore gazing sadly back at him. Opening the door, he asked worriedly, "What is it?"

"I am afraid that I must be the bringer of sad news tonight," replied the wizard mournfully, "It appears that the secret keeper for the Potters has betrayed us."

"No! What happened? Are they all right? They're not…" Sirius let his sentence trail off. They couldn't be dead. Not the Potters. Not James.

"I am sorry," said Albus softly. "There are others who need to be informed." He disapparated with a small pop.

Sirius looked over to Remus, who had tears streaming down his face. "I have to go," said Sirius simply. Remus understood and nodded to Sirius, saying only, "Don't do anything stupid." Sirius said, "I wont, I promise," as he apparated to Godric's Hollow.

As he appeared in front of his best friend's house, Sirius's eyes widened slightly in shock. The house was practically in ruins. Sirius began to have the distinct sensation that three murders were not all that had happened in this house that night. There must have been a huge fight to destroy so much. He shook his head with a sad smile on his face. Trust James to blow everything up like this. He had always said that he would go out with a bang. Sirius, coming out of his reverie, was startled to find himself in the Potters' living room, and even more startled to find someone else there as well.

"H-Hagrid?" stammered Sirius, "What are you doing here?"

Rubeus Hagrid turned around to face Sirius and said with a shaky voice, "Dumbledore asked me to fetch young Harry here." Sirius noticed for the first time that Hagrid was holding a small bundle in his arms.

"But… why?" asked Sirius. What did Dumbledore want with the body of Sirius's godson?

"Well, blimey, someone's got to take him to his new home, haven't they?" replied Hagrid patiently, as though he were speaking to a small child.

"His new… home?" answered Sirius shakily, "but… he's dead. Isn't he?" A glimmer of hope flew across his mind. Could Harry be alive? No. It was ridiculous. He couldn't be. Could he?

"Blimey, Sirius, didn't you hear what happened?" asked Hagrid incredulously. At the blank look he received from Sirius, he gestured to the chairs behind them and sat down, proceeding to tell Sirius the whole story: the Potter's had been betrayed, the Dark Lord Voldemort himself had shown up at their doorstep, Lily had given her own life to save Harry, Voldemort had killed James and Lily and tried to kill Harry, Harry had survived, and Voldemort had disappeared. Sirius sat stunned.

"Harry's alive," he croaked, "and Voldemort is gone. How…?"

"Well, no one knows," said Hagrid, "it has ter be impossible, doesn't it. No one can survive the killing curse."

Sirius sat for a few seconds until a small smile crept over his lips. He chuckled softly with his head in his hands. "So Harry caused this mess, then? He must have, deflecting a curse that powerful. He takes after his father. Blew up half a house already, and barely a year old. Well, I'll be taking him of course."

"No yeh wont. I have orders from Dumbledore to take Harry to him and no one else," said Hagrid.

Sirius just laughed again and said, "Oh don't be ridiculous, Hagrid. I'm his godfather; Dumbledore's just going to give him to me anyway."

"No he isn't," replied Hagrid, "he's leaving him with his aunt and uncle."

"The muggles?" gasped Sirius, "He can't do that! Harry will be miserable there! They hate magic! They wouldn't even come to Lily and James's wedding!"

Hagrid just walked off, saying, "Take it up with Dumbledore, then."

Sirius would take it up with Dumbledore. Oh, he would.