Don't own it.
Harry Potter was beginning to feel the start of a huge migraine.
It seemed as though he could never have a normal year. The year had passed by in a whirl wind of training, classes and research. Currently, he was in the Shrieking Shack, watching his favourite professor argue the innocence of a mass murderer, alongside said convict.
Great.
The day had started out normally. He had gotten up, taken a run around the lake with his friends, listened to a rant about bigots from Percy, cheered up the twins who had got some map or the other confiscated and had gone to investigate the werewolf problem at the Whomping Willow. That was when everything started going downhill.
A grim like creature had suddenly darted out of the bottom of the Willow and rushed towards Hagrid's hut. Then, it jumped on top of Scabbers. How Scabbers got there, Harry didn't even want to know. Nor did he want to know how Scabbers was in fact Peter Pettigrew. And that he was lying in front of him, practically grovelling at Lupin's feet.
Lupin was the werewolf.
Today was the full moon.
Evidently, the thought had entered Hermione too, as she then screamed out, "You! Have you taken the Wolfsbane?" successfully interrupting the three men's tirade.
"E-er erm...," stuttered Lupin, before his eyes widened. "No!"
Immediately, Ron jumped in front of Hermione, blue eyes glinting dangerously. Harry had never seen him like this. "What are you waiting for then?!"
"Stop!" Harry demanded immediately. The situation was getting way out of control. "The full moon still has a while to rise. You three" he gestured with his wand towards them "have a lot to explain".
"How is it," he continued, "that a man supposedly dead has magically sprung up out of nowhere as my best friend's rat?"
"Don't even think about it," Ron growled, jabbing his wand at the pathetic pile of rags when he opened his mouth. "There's no way a man with an Order of Merlin would be hiding as a rat, unless they had a reason".
"Of course," said Hermione, suddenly, sounding as if she'd just solved a tricky question. "You're guilty, aren't you?"
"M-my dear girl, I- I would n-"
"But then," said Hermione, looking quite feral with triumph, "there's no trial transcript for Mr Black. Is there?" She directed the last question at Black himself, who just shook his head, bemused.
"I was not Secret Keeper. Nor was I responsible for the deaths of those Muggles. It was my innocence that kept me somewhat sane through those years" his eyes darkened "There was no trial. I saw his picture as a rat on your friend's shoulder in the newspaper. He was the betrayer".
The words rang through the room. Then, suddenly, Pettigrew made a leap to escape, only to be placed in a full body bind. They looked up to see the furious face of Severus Snape.
Some hours later
Amelia Bones pinched the bridge of her nose. She looked at the man who had been a fugitive till a few minutes ago. He calmly stared back at her, the signature stormy grey eyes of the Black family fixed on her face. His hair and beard had been cut and washed, and he was wearing clean grey robes.
"Fudge is still in power, is he?"
"Yes. Managed to turn the whole 'Pettigrew is guilty' thing to his advantage. Blame's on Crouch"
"Hurmph. As it should be. Man took away twelve years of my life" his fists clenched. "Not that anyone else ever did anything about it".
She winced.
"Good day, Amelia"
The silent whoosh of his clothes and the click of her door as it closed behind him were the only sounds in the room for a long time.
"Hello, Harry"
His godson looked very alike to his late friend. A few more features, and he might have seen him as a second James. Mercifully, this wasn't the case. The boy looked up at him sharply when he came in, and stood up on recognising him.
"Sirius" His voice was calm and had an almost musical undertone to it. His unnaturally pale features hinted at a life spent mostly indoors, and his green eyes looked far too old for his young face. Already his fingers were ready to go for his wand, and his expression gave away nothing.
"I have been freed"
"I know"
A short, awkward silence.
"I have a house"
At this Harry looks up, eyes narrowing and looking at him calculatingly.
"It's not been done up yet, but once it is... would you like to come live with me?"
Harry pursed his lips in a manner not dissimilar to James when given an idea to think over.
"I am an Unspeakable. I have been put in charge of you and your friends' training"
At this, he received a reaction. A sharp intake of breath and the feeling of eyes burning into him confirmed it. A slow smile graced his lips as he idly played with the custom-made wand every Unspeakable had. Ash and the horn of a Hungarian Horntail. 11 inches.
"I don't know you Harry, but I want to. Your childhood leaves much to be desired, like mine, as does your training and etiquette. Remus and I will be happy to assist"
He was rewarded with the feeling of a scarred hand slipping into his.