Chapter One: A Daring Rescue
Harry perched uncomfortably on the camp bed in his room under the stairwell. He pressed his ear to the wall and tried in vain to listen in to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon in the sitting room. The groaning creak of the stairs told him that Dudley was on the stairs listening in as well.
The bell sounded and Harry tensed when Uncle Vernon's loud footsteps thundered past him room and down the entry hall. The door had barely creaked open on its damp hinges when Uncle Vernon gasped out a strangled sounded,
"YOU!"
~.~.~
Today was the day, Sirius thought anxiously, the day they would go and pick up Harry. Fidgeting nervously he snuck a glance at the clock Dumbledore had said to meet him exactly at noon, it was five till.
He was excited and terrified. Odds were the child wouldn't remember him, but what if he did? What if he wanted to know where he had been for the last three and half years? What if he didn't like him? What if he didn't want to come live with them? What if-
His runaway train of thoughts was interrupted by Remus' voice in his ear.
"Padfoot, you're thinking too loudly. Sickle for them."
"I'm worried about Harry, Moony. What if he doesn't like us? What if he and Dani don't get on? What-"
Remus held a long finger to Sirius' lips, forestalling any further questions from escaping.
"Sirius stop. You're borrowing trouble. I'm sure Harry will love you, and I'm sure he and Dani will get along just fine. They're the second generation of Marauders after all."
Fears temporarily assuaged, Sirius let himself be dragged off to join Andromeda and Ted in the kitchen. Despite having lost contact with them well before his imprisonment- sometime after she had been blasted off the family tapestry- he was pleased to discover that they got on as well as ever. The older couple provided a sense of stability he so desperately needed after his horrible ordeal in Azkaban.
The next three minutes seemed like an eternity but the next thing Sirius knew he was stepping out of the floo into Mrs. Figg's house, followed closely by Remus. Albus was already there, casually dressed in a muggle suit and having a cup of tea with Arabella in the parlor. He absently stroked one of her many cats, a long haired, grey tabby that was seated quite comfortably on his lap. Seeing them, the ancient wizard rose with surprising grace and greeted them warmly. Pleasantries over with, Albus set down his empty tea cup and bid a fond farewell to Arabella, leading the anxious lovers out the door and down the street to Number 4 Privet Drive.
Standing on the front step Sirius was less than impressed by ordinary house lost in a sea of identical homes all screaming 'muggle'. Dumbledore briskly rang the bell and spared a reassuring smile for his nervous companions. Remus smiled back politely but Sirius was too tense; rocking forward to the balls of his feet, then back to his heels with a dull 'thud' against the wet concrete.
Both men were lost in their own thoughts; Sirius' mind was running circles, consumed with his worry about Harry. Remus found himself wondering what the Dursley's would say and do when they took Harry. Would they fight it? Would they be relieved? Would they even remember them? The last time they had seen Lily's sister was at hers and James' wedding…
Presently the door was opened by a heavy set man, whom Sirius recognized at Vernon Dursley. Vernon narrowed his beady blue eyes when he saw the mismatched trio and moved so his large body blocked entry to the house.
"You!"
He spat viciously, jowls wobbling comically as he spoke.
"I thought I told your lot to keep well away! We'll have none of your sort here. Weird and unnatural the lot of you!"
Sirius bristled at his comments but Remus placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. Vernon followed the movement and his eyes narrowed to thin slits. But whatever he had planned to say was cut off by Petunia arriving at the door behind him.
"Vernon who's at the- YOU! Murderer! Stay away from us!" *
She screeched hysterically, pointing a bony finger at Sirius, her head swinging back and forth on her long neck like a door on broken hinges.
'I guess it's safe to say they remember us or Sirius at least.' Remus thought wryly, although her reaction had left him wary and on edge.
Any further exclamation was cut off by the steady timbre of Dumbledore.
"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, there is no need for alarm. If you will allow us to step inside all will be explained, but this is not something to discuss on the front steps."
Very reluctantly Vernon stepped aside to let the Wizards to enter his home.
As Dumbledore seated himself in the Dursley's lounge and proceeded to explain the situation Sirius glanced around the sterile environment. Family photos lined the walls in neat rows, but none of them he noted, included Harry. There were also no pictures of James or even Lily to be found. Frowning, his sharp grey eyes took in the rest of his surroundings.
The home was very neat and tidy; nothing to suggest a toddler lived there, let alone two.
Vernon's booming voice brought him back to the moment and he focused on the scene in front of him. Petunia looked very pale, and by contrast Vernon looked very red in the face; so much so that he resembled an over ripe tomato.
Before his tirade on troublesome boys and meddling wizards- the last words came out as an awkward, choked noise- could go any further he was interrupted by Remus' deceptively soft voice.
"In that case, Mr. Dursley, I'm sure you'll be relieved to have all of us out of your hair. If you would kindly tell us where Harry is we'll get him and be on our way very shortly."
It was a very tight lipped Petunia that led the men to the hall and with a nervous glance at a clearly angry Sirius unlocked the door to the cupboard under the stairs. Sunlight from the large, spotless window illuminated the small space in fat shafts of dusty, still light. An unruly tuft of jet black hair was the only visible part of the tiny boy, curled under a blanket on the small cot. Only the slight trembling of his body beneath the blanket showed that he was awake.
"He sleeps in a cupboard?"
Sirius raged, turning to face the deathly white Petunia and bright red Vernon. Unable to think of an insult worthy of the pair, Sirius turned back toward the small closet, shoulders shaking with suppressed anger.
Remus had knelt beside the cot and placed a gentle hand on the frightened boy's shoulder, softly calling his name.
"Harry? It's alright Harry we won't hurt you, can you look at me please?"
~.~.~
Sniffling softly, Harry peaked out from beneath hi s ragged blue blanket. The minute he'd heard Uncle Vernon raise his voice he'd quickly hidden beneath his blankets, hoping against all hope to avoid detection. His little heart sank though, when he heard his name and figured the teachers from playgroup had held true to their threat of talking to his Aunt and Uncle.
He hadn't meant to spill red paint on that little girl, and it wasn't his fault that every time the teacher wiped it up it reappeared on the little girl's dress and hair…
"Harry?"
The soft voice called his name again and Harry moved the blanket down off his face, trying to look brave while curled into a miserable ball on his tiny bed.
"There you are."
The voice said again, it was warm and welcoming; it sounded like home and family, Harry though, it sounded like love. The mysterious man smiled and continued speaking,
"We- Padfoot and I- have come to take you home, if you want to come that is."
As he spoke, the soft spoken man gestured to his companion, a tall, regal looking man with jet black hair- like Harry's own- and a funny sadness in his eyes behind the sparkle.
Blinking his impossibly green eyes, blurred and burning with unshed tears , Harry cocked his head to the side inquisitively.
"Home? With you?"
Remus smiled and nodded.
"If you want. Padfoot- Sirius- and I were best friends of your parents. Sirius is your godfather Harry, and we'd very much like you to come and live with us."
Sirius knelt beside Remus and smiled reassuringly at the shy little boy.
"That's right Harry. Your dad was like a brother to me. If anything happened to him he wanted me to look after you. I've been- away- but now that I'm back we want to take you home."
Harry looked curiously between the two men before asking tentatively,
"You- you want me?"
Sirius and Remus exchanged an incredulous look.
"Of course we want you Harry. We love you, ever since you were born. Moony-Remus- and I used to babysit you all the time. We would've come for you sooner but-"
Sirius was cut off by the messy haired boy launching himself into his arms. His words were muffled by Sirius' shoulder but the dark haired man managed to make out;
"I want to go home with you."
Holding tight to Sirius' neck as they crossed the street Harry couldn't help but think what a daring rescue this was, with Mr. Remus and Mr. Padfoot as the brave heroes. His last thought as he and Sirius stepped into the fireplace at Mrs. Figg's, was of how cool it was and wouldn't Dudley be mad be was missing this!
AN: Again this is a rewrite and most of this chapter could seem VERY familiar. In chapter two it starts veering off and (hopefully) getting better. Also, I know it's been a ridiculously long time since posting part one and part two, but I hope some of you stuck with me. AKA please R&R! lol
*it was pointed out to me that Petunia might not know about Sirius' alleged involvement in the Potters deaths, but Sirius was plastered all over the muggle news when he escaped, and I don't imagine that Dumbledore or someone from the Wizarding world didn't explain the situation to the Dursley's. They knew the Potters didn't really die in a car crash…