Title: Sirius Black: The Real Hero
Author: Shil1130
Rating: M for Explicit Language and Adult Themes
Summary: It's been 17 years since the Battle of Hogwarts and Harry has well settled in with Ginny, Ron and Hermione and the rest of the family in The Burrow. However, the past decides to catch up with him when he finds Sirius Black's diary in the attic of The Burrow. The diary hints at revealing everything that happened in Black's life until his imprisonment.
Disclaimer: All characters and themes belong to JK Rowling
Central Characters: Sirius Black, Isabella Williams (OC), James Potter, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger
A/N: It's my first time writing... Well, a fanfic atleast. Hence, would love it if I got some reviews for this piece here.. :) Hope everyone enjoys this story!
~oOo~ BOOK ONE ~oOo~
A Marauder's Tale...
Chapter 1: The Diary—17 Years Later…
It was the first month of autumn in Devon, England, and Harry was strolling through the fields, feeling uncertain of the old, leather-bound book that he clutched tightly in his right hand. He was aware of the lump that was rising in his throat. He had been feeling slightly numb ever since he stumbled upon the diary this morning while cleaning out his trunk that was tucked away in the attic of The Burrow.
At first, it looked very much like the diary that was "accidentally" passed on to Ginny in Diagon Alley more than 13 years ago.
oOo- 2 hours ago -oOo
"Well, Voldy couldn't have POSSIBLY had a daughter who could be after your life now, mate," quipped Ron, who had been looking at the black, battered, yellowing, leather-bound diary over Harry's shoulder. "I mean, I'm sure he wouldn't have the necessary resources to do be able… to do what needs to be done for something like that now, would he…" trailed off Ron, as he guffawed the last bit of his sentence. Harry almost snorted at the thought and nudged Ron into silence as he heard his wife stomping up the stairs to check up on the boys.
"I thought you boys would be FINISHED with the attic by now! Not been playing with Mokes the whole time now, have we?" said Ginny Weasley, with a hint of accusation in her tone while sporting a scowl on her face.
"Would you relax, you're starting to sound a lot like Mum, Ginevra!" retorted Ron, and gave a side-long glance at Harry who was pretending to be clearing a large box, yet managing to give Ron a 'oh-get-off-me-that's-my-wife-she-would-kill-me-if-I-don't-pretend-at-least' look, making Ron chuckle at his best friend/ brother-in-law's plight.
"Would you stop CALLING me that? I'm still your sister, you know?" said Ginny, with a smile curling up on her face and going slightly red in her ears. Ron had deliberately resorted to calling Ginny by her full name every time she behaved like a bad version of Filch which made her crankier and stop right away. Harry loved watching the two of them go at each other like nothing's changed; like they were still little kids who went to Hogwarts, without a care in the world.
"Honey, we'll get this done before dinner, po-oooo-sitively" said Harry as he kissed Ginny on the cheek, reassuring her that he was not going to let Ron talk him into ditching the attic and playing 'Let's Duel' (as Ron would call it).
As soon as Ginny was out of earshot, Harry turned to Ron. "Five more minutes of duelling before we get back to this mess?" asked Harry with a smirk and a mischief playing in his eyes to which Ron replied, "HELL, yeah!" with a broad smile breaking on his face and sent sparks flying towards Harry right away.
Right in the midst of playful duelling was when it caught his eye. Harry motioned towards Ron to stop and took the diary back in his hand which was now propped open. The first page in the diary read, 'THIS BOOK BELONGS TO PADFOOT: My Life At Hogwarts, And After.' Harry's face went numb and, going by the look on his face, Ron joined him as well and raised his eyebrows at the title.
"Blimey, Harry, what in the world is Sirius's diary doing in YOUR trunk?" blurted out Ron, before hushing up. Harry had gone completely still and his eyes kept darting from side to side as if re-reading what was written over and over again would turn it into something else less important. Ron felt apologetic for his friend. Merlin knows just how long it had taken for Harry to get over the loss of friends and family after The Battle of Hogwarts, what with him feeling responsible for the whole bloody thing. In fact, the truth of it all had sunk in on everyone at The Burrow nearly days after Harry had defeated the greatest Dark Wizard of all time. The silence that ensued in the house was worse than death. If losing Fred was the worst thing that Ron had to endure, he knew losing Sirius was an even bigger tragedy for Harry as he was this close to having a "real" family again before it was taken from him. To Ron, it felt like Life was teasing Harry in the most cynical way possible, and he silently prayed that no one should have to go through that in their lives ever.
Right then, a loud bang was heard from the floors below and purple smoke was ensuing up the stairs to the attic. "My god, looks like our kids have literally taken an oath to burn this house down! I'll go deal with them. Will you be okay, Harry?" Ron added.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Ron. Go on then, and tell James, I have thought of ways and means to punish him which would keep him howling like my late aunt Marge, so he better behave," said Harry with a cheerful twinkle in his eyes, feigning composure. Ron gave him a thumbs-up before disappearing down the stairs yelling, "James, Hugo, it better not be polyjuice potion again this time...!"
oOo- present -oOo
Why or how... or… why did I find this after all this time? Harry wondered out loud. He was utterly unsure if he would have it in him to read into Sirius's life; this man who was his Godfather, brother and best friend all at the same time. The one person that he could have called as 'family.' He missed his parents dearly, but Sirius had been REAL… alive.
Harry had been so ready to move into Grimmauld Place, so ready to move out of Privet Drive, but, no. Fate had other plans and well… Right now, he had this one opportunity to at least know how his Godfather had lived, know what he had missed. Did Sirius fancy someone back when he was a teenager? Was his father aware of this? What had Sirius thought of Harry when he just a baby? At this thought, Harry fought back tears and looked up at the sky. It was almost night-time. The sky looked a shade of deep purple and little stars shone down on Harry.
"Hey! Harry, my mate!" called out Ron from the kitchen entrance. "You mind wiping that gloom off your face and help out in the kitchen? Our MUMS," he jerked his head towards the kitchen and pointed at Hermione, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley, "are starting to complain, that we don't wear our aprons as much these days!" to which Hermione responded, "Oh like doing chores is a woman's job, would you cut it out, Ron?" with a playful slap at Ron's butt.
Harry grinned at his friends and ambled back into the house. I'll read this diary later tonight, Harry thought, before calling back, "Hermione, Ron's right you know?" which invited a lot of rolling-of-the-eyes from the ladies.