I am so sorry that my time between updates is taking so long! I am currently in the process of moving interstate which means saying goodbye to everyone at work and my friends… VERY depressing! So I will try and update in early January if not before but please forgive me for my slowness!

Also! I would LOVE it if people threw around some ideas for scenes they would like to see! I would muchly appreciate the help! I am stuck!

Thank you for sticking with me even with the slow updates!

May 1988

It was already three am. Neither of them had slept and neither of them had any desire to leave the living room. Lights were dimmed and stars were visible through the partially open window.

"Everything is ready if we have to leave?" Sirius asked the question for the fifteenth time since midnight.

"Yes." Remus shifted in his chair. "Everything will be shrunk and kept with us. We have the portkey; I will be able to activate it non-verbally."

Sirius frowned. "Will you be able to?"

"Yes." Remus frowned. "Severus and I have been working on it." A brief smile crossed his face. "I believe he is taking great pleasure in making me use Accio and treating me like a first year."

"You like him."

A soft chuckle filled the room. "Don't sound so betrayed, Padfoot."

Sirius scowled. "It will be draining? Activating a portkey sounds a little bit more intense than summoning something."

Remus found himself wishing, not for the first time, that Sirius wasn't quite so perceptive. "I will probably be a little tired."

There was a loud, disbelieving snort before Sirius changed the subject. "So. If everything does work out all hunky dory."

"Hunky dory?" Remus raised an eyebrow, the effect lost in the darkness.

"James said it once. Not the point. If the old fool does actually swallow his damned pride, I want to be with you next full moon."

Remus rose restlessly and paced to the window. It was new moon, only the stars illuminated the darkness and the restlessness he usually felt during the moon's cycle was absent. "Sirius." His voice was low. "I don't want you there."

"Why?" Sirius' voice was loud in the silence. "You recovered faster than any other moon! Harry was fine! Minerva and Poppy didn't mind. You are being stubborn!"

Remus took a long time to reply and when his voice was heavy. "What if they change their mind? What if something happens and … And they take him." Remus' voice cracked.

Sirius blinked, startled. This was meant to be him having the doubts, not Remus. "Moony?" He crossed to his friend's side. "This isn't like you. What's going on?"

"You and Harry are all I have … I… If something happened at full moon, I would never forgive myself."

"You have to trust them, Remus. They mean no harm to Harry. They wouldn't take him. I swear it to you. If you want I can put up extra wards and protections. This house obeys my command, you have to remember that."

Remus glanced over at the animagus and he half smiled. "You must think me a fool."

"Nah, just the overprotective mother hen that Harry and I have to put up with. Ouch!" He clutched his arm where Remus' swift reflexes had landed a punch before Sirius could move.

"Mother hen indeed." Remus glared.

"Yes. Come on mother hen, we probably should sleep." Sirius eyes swept around the room.
"Merlin, Remus, I hope he listens to us. I don't want to have to leave this place." His eyes swept around the room, books lying beside Remus' chair, toys on the floor. It was untidy, it was lived in, it was home.


"Harry, no matter what happens you stay beside me or Uncle Remus, all right?" Sirius' voice was surprisingly grave as he addressed his godson. "And you keep hold of hippo."

Harry clutched the soft toy in his arms more tightly. "I don't want him to come."

Sirius ruffled the messy black hair gently. "It will be ok, kiddo. And if it all works out we won't have to hide as much."

"Uncle Moony will." Harry kicked the carpet rebelliously and Sirius frowned.

"Why do you think that?"

"Cause his…." A frown. "His number is… traceable?"

"Traceable." Sirius corrected absently. "When did you hear this?"

Harry squirmed.

"Listening in on conversations isn't polite, Harry." Remus entered the conversation and Sirius sighed in relief. He hated having to play disciplinarian. Remus tipped the boy's chin up and looked into the unhappy green eyes. "It will be all right, cub. Whatever happens, we will be together."

Harry nodded slowly.

"But, just because we are worried, doesn't mean you are allowed to eavesdrop."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, sir."

Sirius glanced at the clock. "Come sit down, Harry. Now remember, stay beside us no matter what."

Harry shrank instinctively against Remus who wrapped an arm around the boy and gently guided him to the lounge. "It will be fine." The werewolf murmured. Neither he nor Sirius were sure if it was meant to comfort Harry, or them.


The floo roared into life and Severus and Poppy stepped into the lounge room followed closely by Minerva and the man that Sirius had fostered a bitter hatred against for too many years.

"You promised to hear us out, Albus!" Minerva spoke sternly as the old wizard's blue eyes narrowed.

"Not about this! Really, Minerva!"

"It is not as it appears, Albus." Poppy spoke in a surprisingly stern voice. "You will sit down and you will hear all of us out or mark my words you will have my resignation by the end of the day."

Albus Dumbledore glanced between the medi-witch, his professors and the three, silent figures on the lounge. He nodded once and settled into a chair.

"Black was not the Potter's secret keeper." Severus spoke curtly.

"And you believe this Severus?"

"I have used veritaserum to prove the truth. Black was innocent."

"It can be overcome." Albus was frowning.

Sirius laughed loudly, bitterly. "Yes, of course it can. But then, what would you care about innocence? You had me in Azkaban without a trial. You had Remus in a commune for Merlin's sake! And as for Harry, you had a child living with a family who kept him in a cupboard! I hardly think you are in any position to judge innocence."

"Sirius." Remus' eyes were locked on a point above Dumbledore's head.

Sirius scowled.

"I was under the very strong impression that Mr. Lupin was in league with you. In fact, I went to the sanctuary –."

A loud, disbelieving snort broke from Sirius.

Dumbledore continued as if he had not been interrupted. "And all indications were that he was quite guilty."

Remus raised an eyebrow and looked his former headmaster in the eye. "I never saw you." The respect that had once coloured his voice was gone and his tone was cold, flat.

Albus, unable to look his former student in the face, the face ravaged and distorted by silver, folded his hands. "It was some time after that October. You claimed to have killed them."

"Uncle Moony didn't kill anyone! Neither did Uncle Sirius!" Harry's voice broke the silence. He clutched his purple hippo in his arms and he clung desperately to Remus' hand.

Sirius glanced down at the miserable boy and bent to whisper in his ear. "It's ok, Harry. He can say what he wants about Uncle Remus and me. We know it isn't true and you have to remember that we love you very much. Ok? And we won't let you go back to the Dursley's. Ever."

Harry nodded. He frowned as Remus gently pulled his hand free, only for a soft, relieved sigh to break from the little boy as he was pulled onto Remus' lap. Evidently at nearly seven he was still happy to receive comfort when he needed it.

"I don't care what you do, or how you do it, but I am innocent and Remus had nothing to do with what happened. Peter Pettigrew was secret keeper. We switched the day before the charm was set, I suspected Remus and I pestered James enough that he caved. I was a fool and the only one that suspected Remus no matter how many people in your precious order frowned at him because he happens to have a furry little problem.

Albus watched his former pupils gravely. Sirius had moved closer to Remus and Harry, the little boy's feet were on his godfather's lap. Small fists were wrapped in Remus' woollen robes and Harry's face was pressed against the werewolf's collar bone.

"Why would I believe this?"

It was Remus who replied, he caught Sirius' eye, silencing the animagus before continuing, his voice soft and low. "You do not have to believe us. We have not harmed Harry once and we have had ample opportunity to do so. The Dursley's who you placed him with were treating him …" He swallowed a sudden surge of anger. "You placed him with people who kept him in a cupboard. Sirius escaped, came and quite foolishly rescued me from a place that I was told I would never have to go and then took Harry. He is healthy and happy; there is no way we would allow harm to come to him. You don't have to believe us, but understand, sir, if you try to take Harry away, if you attempt to place Sirius back in prison without trial, yet again, we will vanish and you will never find us."

Sirius was silent. Remus' low tones had been deadly steel and he found himself grateful that he was not on the receiving end of the werewolf's silent fury.

"I wish to use Legilimens on you."

Sirius nodded. "Me only."

Dumbledore frowned. "I think it would be only right to perform it on both you and Remus and also Harry."

"No!" Sirius was on his feet fury rising swiftly. "You will not even think about it! He is a child!"

The child in questioned whimpered at the anger in his guardian's voice and Remus tightened his arms around him. "Shhh Harry. It's all right."

"You can perform it on me, and me only, Dumbledore. You know Remus reacts badly to it, and I will not allow you to use any kind of magic on Harry."

"Sirius…" Remus' blue eyes were shadowed.

"Not on Harry." Sirius scowled.

"Of course not!" Remus looked annoyed. "But…" His eyes flickered.

"No."

"Black is right, Lupin." Severus' silky tones entered the conversation. "The headmaster will, of course, remember that using legilimency on werewolves is not only pointless but can be quite dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Minerva was distracted for a moment and her eyes narrowed. "Yet you still wanted to use it? Really, Albus!"

Albus Dumbledore pressed his lips together. "It is not lethal." His voice was curt.

Sirius looked like he was about to snap out a reply before Remus' soft cough made him pause. "On me only."

"Uncle Moony?" Harry's whisper was loud in the sudden silence.

"Yes, cub?"

"Will the mean man hurt Uncle Sirius."

"Professor Dumbledore, Harry, is going to use a special kind of magic to read Sirius' mind."

"Will it hurt?"

"No, kid, I will be fine."

Harry looked wary.

"Professor Dumbledore will not hurt Sirius, Harry." Poppy crossed the room and tipped Harry's chin up so she could look into his eyes. "Professor Dumbledore knew your parents."

Harry frowned. "He thinks Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus hurt my mummy and daddy, Miss Poppy."

"Yes, but we know he is wrong. And he will know that once he uses the magic to read Sirius' mind."

Harry looked between Remus and Poppy. "It won't hurt?"

"No, it won't hurt."

"Are you ready?" Albus had been watching the exchange grimly.

Sirius settled back onto his place on the lounge, swift looks were exchanged between the marauders and Remus nodded briefly. The back-up plan was simple. If Dumbledore doubted, they would flee.


Dumbledore broke contact abruptly, his face was troubled as he watched Sirius slump back against the seat. Remus pushed a cup of too sweet tea into the animagus' hands and Harry leaned forward to wrap his arms around his godfather. The werewolf's eyes were blue ice. "Well?" His voice was curt. He had watched his best friend be tormented by images that should have been shut away, to be only relieved on his terms.

Dumbledore forced himself to meet Remus' eyes. He had been shown images of Remus bleeding, wishing for death, Remus in agony and he knew Sirius had held nothing back.

"I believe that there are inconsistencies that I was un-aware of."

Sirius snorted. "Like the fact I had no trial?" His voice was mocking. He sounded tired. "The fact you left Remus in a place where he was—" He broke off, eyes flickering to Harry. "Well, you have seen what they did to him." He sneered in a manner very reminiscent of Severus. "And we have already talked about your treatment of Harry already. So yeah, I think you are right that there are just a few inconsistencies."

Minerva hid a smile. It had been a long time since she had heard that particular bite in the young man's voice.

Albus clasped his hands together. "I would like to know where you think Mr. Pettigrew might be hiding."

Sirius rubbed his forehead. "I don't know." The tension seemed to be melting away now he knew that the headmaster believed them. "Remus and I have discussed this… But we have no idea."

"This is something we will have to think on."

"Do you believe us?" Remus' uncertainty was obvious.

"Yes, Mr. Lupin, I do. And I owe you both a great debt because of the unjust treatment you have received."

"You will have to forgive me for demanding that you perform an unbreakable vow that you will not harm any of us." Sirius leaned forward. His eyes were steely. "You will of course, understand my lack of trust in you."

Albus nodded once. "I am truly, truly sorry."

Sirius resisted the urge to point out that sorry truly wasn't enough?

"I will word the vow. I want Remus and Severus to be witnesses."

Albus nodded once again. He owed these two men so much. He had ruined four years of their lives, he had hurt a child. He had subjected Sirius to dementors. He… He still could not look at Remus' face, the arm that Harry's hands were wrapped around, the slight tremors that ran through the damaged limb.

There were scars in these men that would never heal.

"You may word it. I would like to come back tomorrow, once I have thought about what you have shown me."

"The vow needs to be performed now." Sirius stood and lifted Harry into his arms before Remus stood. Dumbledore's eyes sharpened at this but he remained silent.

"Severus, you will be a witness?" Remus' voice held a hint of the strain he was feeling.

"Of course."

The process had begun.