Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, unfortunately.

Harry was seven years old when one of the monsters from his nightmares became a reality. James had never been comfortable with hiding things from Harry. As such, from a young age Harry knew all about the man named Peter Pettigrew. Peter had betrayed his parents, sold them out to Voldemort. Then Peter had fled. For six years no one had seen him. James and Sirius had tried numerous times to locate the rat, but all of their searches turned up empty. Peter had vanished. That is, until he reappeared in the fall of the year Harry turned seven.


Harry walked with Ron through the thick crowds of wizards and witches at the Quidditch game. Now that they were both seven it was deemed acceptable for the two to visit the concession stand by themselves. They were both blissfully unaware of the fact that this newfound freedom came only from the fact that Remus followed them at a distance to keep them safe. The boys chattered happily about the various sweets they would buy. They were so absorbed in their discussion that Harry paid no mind as his scarf fell to the ground. Remus smiled as he watched Harry's animated face; nothing brought the boy out of his shell like a Quidditch game. He picked up the scarf and tucked it into his pocket; he would give it to James and Harry would never remember having put it on.


Harry smiled and thanked the plump wizard behind the counter as he collected his pumpkin juice from the counter. Ron had already gathered his sweets and was waiting off to the side. As Harry turned towards his friend he felt a jolt of fear run through him. There was a man standing just to the side of Ron. He was mostly hidden in the shadows, but Harry could see his face. He would know that face anywhere, it appeared in so many of the pictures his father had. Peter Pettigrew had made his reappearance.

He's here to kill me, Harry thought in a panic. He was unaware of his juice falling from his hand, or the short gasping breaths he began to draw. Ron frowned and moved forward. Remus hurried out of the crowd and dropped to his knees in front of Harry.

"Harry! Cub, what's wrong?" Remus asked in a concerned tone.

Harry fought to get the words out. His terror seemed to constrict his chest. Peter was a monster; a thing that haunted his nightmares, he wasn't supposed to be real. Harry finally managed to gasp out one word.

"Peter," he said raising his hand and pointing. The man had disappeared, but Harry knew that he had been there. Evidently Remus was willing to take his word on the matter.

"Come on, we need to get back to your father," Remus said in a terse voice. He pulled Harry protectively against his side and kept Ron close as they hurried through the crowd.

James looked up in surprise and concern as his friend hurried the two boys into their box. Ron looked confused. He quietly returned to his seat by Arthur who had stopped his conversation with Sirius. Harry was still shaking in fear, and he plastered himself to James' side. He had tears slipping silently down his cheeks, and he clung to James with a vice-like grip. James looked questioningly at his friend.

"Harry saw Peter by the concession stand," Remus said tersely.

James felt as if ice had entered his veins. His arm pulled Harry closer, the other hand coming up to rest protectively against the back of his head.

"What?" Sirius snarled in a furious tone. He drew his wand from his sleeve and made to leave the box.

"He's gone. He knows Harry saw him. He won't linger, Sirius. He will have transformed by now," Remus said placing a restraining hand on his arm.

"We should send a message to the Auror office," Arthur said quietly, entering the conversation for the first time. There was an angry glint to the normally passive man's eyes. It came from seeing the young boy he cared greatly about shaking in obvious terror. He knew all about Peter Pettigrew. The man was the worst kind of vermin. He had betrayed his friends.

James nodded shakily. He removed one arm from Harry and sent a Patronus to his superior at the Auror office. Within seconds there were dozens of Aurors swarming the stadium. Exits and entrances were locked down, Anti-Apparition wards were in place, and the place was in an uproar. James stood and went to leave the box and help the others.

"Wait!" Harry shouted, running to his father's side. "You can't leave me. If you leave he might get me; he might k-kill me," Harry said in a tearful voice.

James' heart broke at the same time an overwhelming fury overtook him. James squashed down the rage externally as he pulled Harry to his chest. He murmured soothing words as he pressed kisses into the messy hair on his son's head and stroked his back. Internally he raged. How dare Peter do this to them? It wasn't fair that Harry trembled with fear for the man who had once babysat him. It wasn't right that the man who had already taken so much from them still got to have so much control over their lives.

I wish you had stayed gone Peter, James thought bitterly.

The search continued for hours, but eventually the Aurors were forced to admit defeat. Peter Pettigrew was nowhere to be found. Ron and Arthur had left hours before. Harry still trembled and refused to leave James' side. It was like a physical pain shot through James' chest every time he felt Harry draw a shaking breath. He looked sadly down at his son.

"Take him home," Sirius said softly to James. James looked up at him. "I will stay until the Aurors leave, but we both know Remus is right. Peter won't be found tonight. Take Harry home and take care of him. They've already lifted the Anti-Apparition wards," Sirius said gently. James nodded his thanks.

"We're going to Apparate home, okay?" James said softly to his son. Harry nodded and locked his arms tighter around James. A few moments later they were comfortably settled on their own couch in their familiar living room. Harry was still snuggled close to James' side and he chewed nervously on his lower lip.

"Harry; Harry, please look at me," James said. Harry slowly turned his face up to his father. "I will not let him touch you. I will keep you safe. I promise you, I will keep you safe," James said adamantly. Harry looked up at him with a mingled expression of hope and terror.

"What if he takes you away like he did Mum?" Harry asked in a tearful whisper.

"I am going to hunt him down and make sure he doesn't take anyone else away," James said, trying to reassure his son.

"No! You can't! You can't go after him! He'll kill you! Please, Daddy!" Harry sobbed. He flung his arms around his father's neck and sobbed into his shoulder. James helplessly rubbed his back and whispered to him. Harry never cried like this anymore. His son was absolutely terrified of losing him, not that James could blame him. James' worst fear in life was losing his baby. He held Harry in his arms and rocked him.

"Okay little man, I won't go after him. I'll leave it to someone else," James said softly. He thought it would be hard, relinquishing his spot in avenging Lily, but it really wasn't, James reflected, as he felt Harry sag with relief in his arms. His whole world was about his son, and James would do whatever he had to in order to protect his boy.


Eventually Harry drifted off to sleep. James knew he should move the boy to his bed, but he hadn't held a sleeping Harry in his arms for a long time. He softly stroked his hand through his son's silky hair. Harry was still a child, but not for too much longer. In just a few years he would be off to Hogwarts. James didn't know what he would do with himself when Harry was at school. He and Lily had often imagined what it would be like to see Harry off to his first day at Hogwarts during the first year of the baby's life. They had dreamed of taking him to Diagon Alley and buying him his first wand. They had always thought that it would be hard to let their baby go, but hoped that they would have other children at home to keep them busy.

James felt a slight pang in his chest as he thought of the dreams he and Lily had shared. He didn't feel deprived in the child department. He had Harry, which was all he really needed. His son was kind, generous, brave, and stubborn. Still, he reflected, it would have been nice to have a daughter as well, a little girl with her mother's hair and smile. He would never have that. Just like Lily would never get to see Harry's first day at Hogwarts. It all came down to one man, well two, but it all came back to Peter Pettigrew.

"James?" Sirius called softly.

James snapped out of his musings and looked at his friend. He had known they wouldn't find Peter, but it was still hard to know that the traitor was still out there. Sirius moved to sit on the coffee table across from James and Harry.

"How is he?" Sirius asked softly, indicating Harry with a tilt of his head.

"Terrified, Peter is something out of his nightmares. He's the reason he doesn't have a mother. Harry's scared Peter is going to kill him," James said sadly.

"He won't touch him," Sirius vowed, reaching over to stroke his hand through Harry's hair.

"He asked me not to go after Peter, not to hunt him down myself," James added softly.

"He doesn't realize how personal it is for you," Sirius said.

"I told him I wouldn't, that I would stay out of it," James answered.

"Did you mean it?" Sirius asked incredulously. He knew that James was the only person who wanted to be the one to bring Peter in more than Sirius.

"Yes; Harry needs me to do it so that he feels safe. He doesn't want to lose me, and if staying out of it is what he needs from me then I'll do it," James responded. He looked fondly down at his sleeping son's face.

"I'll get him, James," Sirius said firmly.

"No, let the Aurors get him. I still remember what I said to you that night, Padfoot. I don't want Harry growing up without any of us that he loves. You and I have got to let it go. We can focus on keeping Harry safe. That is the only thing that matters," James said quietly.

Sirius felt as if a storm was swirling in his chest. He knew that James was right, but how could he just give up his part in looking for Peter?

"I have to make it right" Sirius said quietly.

"What do you mean?" James asked puzzled.

"I made you switch. I am the reason that Peter was able to betray you. I have to catch him, I have to make it right," Sirius whispered brokenly.

"It was not your fault. I thought we were past this, Sirius. You did nothing but try your damn hardest to make sure that we were safe. You have nothing to make up for," James said passionately.

For the first time, Sirius believed him. He genuinely believed that his friend did not hold him accountable in any way. He knew that James didn't resent him in any capacity, but some small part of his brain and his heart had never truly allowed him to believe that James held him completely without blame.

"I'll let it go," Sirius said softly. He smiled at his best friend and his godson.

"Finally," James said with a chuckle. The two sat in silence for a moment and then the quiet was pierced by a shrill cry from the boy on James' lap.

"Daddy! Daddy, come back!" Harry yelled in his sleep.

James hugged his son tightly and called his name. He shook the boy gently until he opened his eyes. Harry burst into tears and buried his face in his father's shirt. James hugged him tightly and Sirius rubbed his back reassuringly.

"What happened, little man?" James asked gently.

"It was P-peter, he t-took you away, like Mummy," Harry sobbed.

"Shhh, it's okay. I'm right here, Daddy's here," James said. He rocked his son gently in his arms.

"It's okay, Prongslet, I won't let anything happen to you or your dad," Sirius said reassuringly.

Before long Harry had cried himself back to sleep. James sadly wiped the tears from his son's face.

"You should get him to bed," Sirius said softly.

"I think I will keep him with me tonight. He isn't the only one that has nightmares about what Peter could take from us," James answered. "Are you staying?"

"I think I will. I know your wards are strong, but I will sleep better if I'm here," Sirius answered.

"Me too," added a voice from the doorway.

Both men turned to see Remus leaning against the frame.

"Thank you," James said earnestly.

"No need to thank us. This is what you do for your family," Remus said softly.

The three men made their way up the stairs. Remus and Sirius turned into their respective guest rooms, and James made his way to the master suite. He gently laid his son on one side of the large bed before climbing into the other side. He placed an arm around Harry's shoulders and drew the boy close to his side. He trembled a bit when he remembered how close Peter had come to Harry. He softly pressed his lips against his son's forehead, and drifted off to sleep with Harry cradled safe in his arms.


Harry was the first one awake the next morning. He frowned when he first woke up and realized that he was in his father's room. Then the memories of the previous day flooded back to him. He still shuddered a bit when he remembered how scared he had been by seeing Peter. He unconsciously snuggled closer to James' chest. James was exhausted. Harry bounced a bit on the bed, hoping to wake his father up so that he could give him the reassurance he so desperately desired. James, however, was dead to the world. Eventually Harry gave up and made his way out of the room and down the hall a little way.

Harry vaguely recalled waking from a nightmare and Sirius helping his father to comfort him. He thought that Sirius might be in the room he usually used down the hall. Poking his head in, Harry saw that he was correct. He slowly made his way over to the bed and climbed in with his godfather. Sirius awoke with the shifting motion of the bed.

"Are you okay, Prongslet?" Sirius asked.

"Daddy didn't wake up when I moved around and I didn't want to wake him up, but I'm scared," Harry said softly.

"Come here," Sirius invited, opening his arms and settling the boy close to his chest.

Harry happily snuggled into his godfather, who rubbed soothing circles over his back.

"Padfoot?"

"Yeah, buddy?"

"Is Peter going to try and kill me?" Harry asked in a shaking voice. Sirius felt his heart twist.

"I don't know, Prongslet, but I promise you that whatever he might try, he won't lay a hand on you," Sirius said fiercely.

"Because you and Daddy and Moony will keep me safe?" Harry asked. There was absolute trust in his bright eyes.

"Exactly, we will keep you safe," Sirius said giving the boy a quick squeeze.

"Daddy says that Mummy keeps me safe too, from heaven," Harry added.

"He's right; your mum does keep you safe. Believe me, Prongslet, your mum is always watching over you. She loved you more than anything," Sirius said, swallowing thickly.

"I'm tired," Harry declared snuggling deeper into the pillow.

"Sweet dreams," Sirius said. He kissed the top of his godson's head, and pulled the boy close.

I will keep you safe, Harry, he thought to himself before sleep reclaimed him.


A.N. I am so sorry! I thought I posted this last week when I finished writing it! I'm not entirely happy with it, but I wanted to bring Peter into things. That said Peter will probably not be in it very much for a long time yet. I realize that there is a lot of action/drama, but that is mostly because right now I am doing it as brief/important moments in Harry's life leading up to Hogwarts. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you, as always, for sticking with me! You guys are the best.