Disclamer : I don't own Harry Potter or the story.

Title : L'amour d'un filleul

Author : luxcie

Translator : Ange Phoenix Blodeuwedd

Beta : Candice

Note : Do not hesitate to contact me if you are a beta. I'm always looking for new ones so I don't have to bother with the same ones every time.

Pour l'amour d'un filleul

Prologue

Sirius Black was exhausted, completely chilled and terribly hungry. But still, an intense happiness had taken hold of him. He was free! At last! Twelve years in Azkaban and he was free!

Well, he was in his canine form and he would have to hide until he found the traitor, but he was free! He could, almost, go anywhere he wanted. He could run around, let off steam. And best of all, there were no Dementor to take away all traces of happy memories. He knew he had endured his imprisonment well. But this was happiness.

He had planned it all: he was going to go to Hogwarts to kill Peter and commit the crime for which he had been locked up.

But first, he was determined to see Harry. His godson. He knew he should never have left that night. He knew he shouldn't have let Peter become the Keeper of the Secret, he knew he should have looked after Harry, as Lily and James would have wanted. He blamed himself for a lot of things. Now he had only one thing on his mind: revenge. He would sort rest out later.

Besides, Harry had probably been happier without him. He had never been loved and would have made a terrible father.

He had just arrived at Little Whinging and hoped to see Harry there. He knew that Harry had probably been entrusted to his aunt. By Merlin, he hoped not. He knew that Lily's sister hated wizards. He hoped that Harry had been pampered as a child, had been happy. He hoped he hadn't had too many problems at Hogwarts, but still a few, because he remained the son of his father. In fact, Sirius didn't know what to expect, but probably not this.

When he got to the park, he walked along the surrounding houses and wondered if he should wait until the next day to see Harry. He just wanted to see what he looked like: he knew he had Lily's eyes, but now he was thirteen. He must have been so tall.

His godson. The one he'd carried from birth, the one who'd pronounced Patmol before he'd even called him Sirius. He had been there for his first steps, he had been there for his first birthday, for the birth...

Sirius wanted to walk along all the houses and try to catch a glimpse of Harry for just for a moment.

He walked past houses and ended up in Magnolia Crescent Park, having lost hope. His plan was doomed. He was going to leave for Hogwarts immediately. He had days of travelling ahead of him and he wanted to be in shape to kill Peter.

He'd thought about this meeting with Harry a thousand times after he'd run away: running into Harry in his garden, seeing him through a window, not seeing him, seeing him at Hogwarts...

But he never thought he'd find Harry Potter outside, sitting on a low wall in the street, his suitcase and a cage beside him. Harry had his back to him, but Sirius had seen the suitcase and he knew that only a wizard would have one like that, on a Muggle street.

He stepped forward for a moment to watch him. He just wanted him to turn around, he just wanted to see him for a moment. He just wanted to meet her eyes. At the moment he didn't think about why Harry was out at such a late hour. He just wanted to see him.

Harry must have sensed a presence because he stood up, wand in hand, looking around.

- Lumos, Harry said.

And Sirius knew, when he saw Harry, that all his plans, all the revenge he had been planning for years, all the hatred that had been building up, all his plans had just fallen through.

Because in front of him was the spitting image of James Potter, with Lily's eyes. But he didn't look at all like the James he had known. This boy looked ten years old, so puny was he. His eyes were bright with tears. He was as skinny as Sirius. He looked sick, sad and most of all mad.

All of Sirius' plans vanished in that instant, as Harry's emerald eyes looked into the eyes of the dog that he was. The vision of Lily flashed through his mind and he vowed to protect that child. He promised himself to protect his godson, as he had not done the last time. He couldn't abandon him, not again. He would fight for him.

And maybe, just maybe, Harry would listen to him and help him. That was his only way out. Make his godson see reason and get him away from the Muggles as quickly as possible, get him away from those people who could have made James' son so sad. He wanted to make him smile. He wanted him to be loved. He wanted to protect his godson.

Harry recoiled and Sirius decided to move forward, barking happily. He knew that his appearance could be frightening: he was huge. A big black dog. He was almost as thick as Harry. But James had always told him that when he barked and jumped he looked like a puppy. So that's what he did, without even understanding, without even trying to think. He just wanted Harry to accept him. He just had to talk to him, explain to him... apologise...

- Oh... Harry said a little worriedly.

Sirius hopped over to him and stayed well away, letting Harry get used to his presence.

- Are you on your own? Harry asked before smiling broadly as he approached him.

Harry put his hand on Sirius' head and he barked in contentment. Harry leaned over to observe the dog. He didn't seem to be afraid. But who wasn't afraid of a huge black dog in the middle of the night? Didn't this boy know the danger? Sirius began to feel really scared. What had they done to his godson?

Sirius barked as if to confirm that yes, he was alone, and licked Harry's face and he laughed. A genuine smile stretched his lips. The green eyes sparkled and Sirius had a vision of a mini-James before him. The sight took his breath away for a moment. Harry kicked open his suitcase and gave Sirius a piece of candy, which he devoured. The sugar exploded on his palate and he felt alive again for a moment.

Yet Harry shut down almost immediately and his features tensed.

- I'm lonely too, Harry murmured as he continued to stroke the dog.

What in the name of a hippogriff had happened? He was thirteen years old. He should have had plenty of friends, he should have had plenty to live for. Why did it seem to him that Harry was on the verge of committing suicide? This was wrong. Nothing was right. This time Sirius thought of nothing but Harry. Saving Harry. Saving him when he couldn't save him last time.

"Lily, James... I promise to protect him, he thought hard as he looked up at the stars.

Suddenly, something seemed to explode in the street and Sirius gasped as the Knight Bus stopped in front of them. Harry looked even more stunned and seemed to hesitate between getting on or running off.

- Welcome to the Knight Bus! a young man called out as he got off the bus.

Harry listened intently and seemed to hesitate as to what to do next. Sirius wondered why Harry looked so lost and worried. What had happened? Finally, Harry seemed to have made up his mind and agreed to get on the bus. Sirius barked and walked over to Harry to follow him.

- Is he yours? Stan inquired.

Harry looked at Sirius without knowing what to say. Then he patted Sirius and smiled broadly.

- Yes. Is that a problem?

- No. Not at all. He doesn't bite?

- No, he's an angel, Harry said with a convincing smile.

Harry sat down in the bus, Sirius at his feet.

Sirius tensed as he heard the boy talk about the 'Sirius Black Killer'. He was reassured to know that Harry had never heard of him, but he feared that someone would tell Harry that he was after him. After all, that was what everyone thought: that he was a madman who wanted to kill him.

How stupid: why would he do that now? If he had wanted to kill Harry he could have done it long ago. And why was Harry outside? Had no one spoken to him when he had escaped over a month ago? It was incomprehensible to him. Being turned into a dog didn't help him think clearly, and even away from the Dementors, their shadow floated before his eyes.

Oh, how he longed for a shower right now. For a hot meal. For hugging Harry and apologizing for killing his parents.

Harry's caresses made him drowse slightly and he gasped when Harry woke him up.

- End of the line, Harry breathed, seeming amused to see him growl in frustration.

Yet Harry shut down completely as he got off the bus. So did Sirius. The Minister of Magic was in front of them. Sirius hesitated to run away, but he wanted Harry to listen to him. He wouldn't run. He wouldn't run away again.

- Harry, my boy! Fudge exclaimed without even paying attention to the dog. Come in quickly!

Sirius realised then that no, he wasn't here for him, he was here for Harry. But why? Why would the Minister of Magic come and talk to a thirteen year old boy? Sirius thought that perhaps the Minister had come to inform him that Sirius Black was trying to kill him. That would have been the right thing to do, he thought.

Sirius trotted after Harry. He listened carefully to the discussion he had with the Minister.

Firstly, Harry had blown up his aunt like a balloon.

Secondly, no one seemed to care that he was unaware that a murderer was out to get him. He wasn't, but if he had been, no one would have thought to inform Harry. He was still the Boy-Who-Lived and no one would tell him? No one would tell him that he had a murderer on his tail, even though he had been on the street in the middle of the night without protection?

And thirdly, no one seemed to notice that Harry was having health problems. Sirius thought it was obvious: Harry seemed to have the physical consistency of a child. How could no one notice Harry's problems? He could see the sadness and anger on his face: these were two emotions that a child should never have on his face.

Of course, Sirius knew what those were. His mother had never been kind to him. He hated her cordially, but he had to admit that being corrupted by a great Dark Mage couldn't help. But Harry. He came from a Muggle family. James and Lily had loved him so much... how could they leave him with people who let a child be so... puny? And his clothes, did no one notice that? He looked like a person who lived on the street, in a muggle house. How could no one notice that?

The conversation went on and Harry seemed happy to take a room at Leaky Cauldron and not go back to the Dursley's. Harry smiled as he pulled Sirius along with him.

- Can I keep my dog?

- Of course, Tom said with a smile. Is it a magical dog?

- No. Just a normal dog.

- What's his name?

- Erm... Caramel, Harry improvised. Hedwig! he shouted as the white-feathered owl landed on his shoulder.

Sirius felt the owl's sharp gaze on him and he knew he was going to have a hard time convincing her. However, she quickly flew off for a walk and Harry improvised a little corner for him to sleep in. Harry went to take a shower, leaving his wand on the corner of the bed and Sirius knew this was his chance. He transformed, grabbed the wand, cast a silence spell and waited. Hopefully Harry would listen to him and trust him. He had to. He had to protect his godson.

And here is the first chapter! I love this story and am excited to share it with a new community!