The Lost 21
Sirius refused to stay and serve another twelve years in Azkaban. Upon breaking out again, he sought the one wizard that could clear his name, Albus Dumbledore. After convincing the older wizard of his innocence, Sirius is sent on the biggest mission of his life. Why is he dressed like Mrs. Figg and why does Dumbledore keep bringing over cats? Companion fic to Time Traveling Marauder.
Chapter One: Snuffles
Sirius went nearly blind with panic. Did Death just dump him back into Azkaban? What. The. Hell. Sirius was shocked as the dementor glided near his cell, dropping him to his knees as he relived the moment he realized that Peter Pettigrew served James and Lily up on a silver platter. He panted as the dementor stood at his door, feasting upon Sirius' most happy memories. He shivered in revulsion and guilt, wallowing in what if's and what could have been.
He gulped lifesaving air as the dementor moved on to the next victim, Antonin Dolohov. The wails of despair crashed over him, making him cringe. It felt like a lead weight was bound to his soul. Despite knowing the atrocities that Voldemort's man had committed, he still pitied him. Azkaban was not a reasonable punishment for anyone. After having lived through the same sentence as the man, he thought it would have been better, kinder if they had just killed them all. His original escape plan swirled in his mind. It worked then, it would work now.
He knew he would have to bide his time until dinner was served. He needed someone to open the door so he could slip out as Snuffles. After escaping the first time in such a manner, Sirius was positive he could do it again, refusing to show the fear that was pooling in his stomach. So many things could go wrong. He could be caught by a dementor. The fear was rational. He knew that any attempt at escape would be dealt with using only one method. The kiss.
After dinner when they came to collect the trays, he would leave his in the middle of the floor in his cell, forcing the guard to enter the cell to collect it. It wasn't an unusual occurrence for this to happen. The inmates often passed out or became delirious. Sirius sat on the stone floor, his back pressed against the algae covered wall behind the door. He needed to wait until the guard was in the room before he slipped out. He couldn't afford any mistakes.
He held his breath as he heard him outside the cell door.
"We got another one."
"Press your ear to the door. Is he one of those that hallucinate? If it's quiet, we can save time. I will get this one, you get that one."
"Alright."
Sirius was lucky the guards just wanted to get out of there. They were always supposed to have two men if opening the door was required. He heard the jangle of the keys as they hit each against other, the door groaned with its lack of use and improper care for the hinges. Taking a deep breath, he changed into a large black dog and softly padded out of the cell. It didn't take him as long as he thought it would to find the exit to the prison. He remembered all too clearly each and every turn he made the first time. He waited, hidden in the shadows for someone to come through and it didn't take long for a visitor to leave. He nearly growled as he recognized Crouch supporting his son out of the prison. He saw red.
There would be plenty of time for that later. His first order of business was to go to Dumbledore. Sirius needed to clear his name so that he could take Harry out of that horrible place that he was forced to grow up in. It was lucky that he was able to nick the second wand poking out of the back pocket of Crouch's trousers just as they were entering the boat. Longingly, he looked at the dry, easy option. One day he would be free to take the boat but today was not that day.
The wand was clenched tightly between his teeth as he entered into the water, desperately wishing that he could have taken the small boat with the Crouch's. Even if it meant sharing with a Death Eater. Icicles grew from his nose, his fur matting and crusting with sea foam and salt. He winced as the water rushed over him, stealing the breath from his body.
SBSBSBSB
Sirius was dead tired when he finally made it to the Headmaster's office. His fur had matted, frozen to his skin as his body shivered for warmth. Only then did he turn back to his human form before taking a deep breath. He knocked, a sound that was unnaturally loud in the quiet.
"Come in." A raspy voice invited.
"Headmaster." Sirius greeted.
"Sirius Black. To what do I owe the pleasure? Aren't you supposed to be currently entranced in Azkaban for the murder of your best friend?"
"Yes, but I am innocent. It was Peter Pettigrew. I thought that Voldemort would assume that I was their secret keeper. Who would have thought James and Lily would have Peter do it? He turned out to be a coward, disloyal and untrustworthy. After everything we have been through together. I can't deny it was a horrible blow and not only because he killed James and Lily. I thought I knew him. I trusted- We trusted him!""
"Do you have any evidence?"
"I can give you a full pensieve account."
"That is most welcome news!" Dumbledore exclaimed, relieved. "It will however take me some time to sort out this mess and have you acquitted." He conjured a flask and handed it to Sirius who immediately began pulling the pertinent memories.
"How long? I do not fancy spending another two years hiding in my mother's house."
"I was under the impression you were disowned."
"I suppose I should fill you in on the rest of the tale. Long story short, I have already served twelve years in Azkaban. I escaped when I noticed Peter Pettigrew in the newspaper with a wizarding family whose son attended Hogwarts. I failed to capture him and clear my name. With the help of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger I was able to slip out of the castle, once again on the run. You reinstated the order. Many things happened but you suggested that I should stay hidden in Grimmauld Place which I gave over for Order use since it already has insane enchantments to protect its whereabouts. More things happened. I ended up falling through the veil in the death room at the ministry. I was dead. I'm not sure exactly where I was but Death approached me, asked me to play a game with him. You can just imagine my confusion. Anyway, I accepted and ended up winning. I was allowed to ask for one thing, any one thing I wanted. I asked to come back to life and that is exactly what he did for me. He took me to when we are now and dropped me back off in Azkaban, the twat."
"You are from the future?"
"Yes."
Dumbledore sat back abruptly a calculating gleam in his normally twinkling eyes.
"Incredible. But if you are here, where is the you that is supposed to be here in Azkaban?"
"Death sent me forward in time. I don't know any more than that."
"We will have to be very careful to not let the ministry get wind of this. You would disappear into the bowls of the Unspeakables department. Then what use would you be for the cause."
Sirius rolled his eyes. Dumbledore was a closet Slytherin, he was sure of it.
"What do you have in mind?" Sirius asked.
"What do you know about Harry Potter's family?"
"I am his family!"
"I am referring to his Aunt Petunia."
"You can't keep him there. He is abused and neglected. That is a deal breaker for me!"
"Excellent. It so happens that the woman that had agreed to move into the neighborhood, just lost her husband. You can take her place." Dumbledore reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a rather large vat of what was obviously polyjuice potion. He flicked his wrist, summoning his Patronus.
"Please send the things that we already discussed as soon as possible." The Phoenix Patronus flew out of the room.
"Polyjuice potion?" Sirius asked.
"You can go in her place."
"You don't mean…"
"Precisely, my dear boy!" Dumbledore quickly scribbled out the address of Sirius' new house. "You will be able to watch over Harry. Isn't that what you wanted?"
"No! I want him removed from that house!"
"I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"The blood protects him. We have to utilize the gift that Lily gave to Harry."
"He is abused Dumbledore!"
"He needs to stay."
"I swear that If I find a way into that house I am going to take it. I am going to protect him this time."
"So be it."
SBSBSBSBSBSBSB
Sirius slept in the guest bedroom that Dumbledore provided for him as he waited on the things that were being sent. He had a horrible suspicion that it was hair and it mildly grossed him out. He hadn't even met the woman. Sirius languished in the shower, enjoying the feel of being clean again. He felt like a new man with a new start. This time would be different. This time he would make sure Harry had a proper family, even if he had to threaten the very lives of his Aunt and Uncle to get it. Sirius was riding on a high of being alive and energetic with the knowledge that he wouldn't be forced to go back to that soulless house that he grew up in. He knew what a shitty childhood looked like and for the love of Cerci, he would do better for James' son. His brother, his family.
Sirius's head dropped into his hands. Pulling at the long black strands as if they personally offended him. He never got the chance to properly morn. He was guilt ridden. Had he just sucked it up and allowed James to name him as Secret keeper, they would be here. They would be alive to raise their son. Who was he to raise anyone. He couldn't even keep his best mate from dying. How was he going to prepare Harry for the shit storm that was heading his way?
He walked out of the shower when the pop of a house elf disturbed his self-loathing. He knew he wasn't fit. The best example of parenting came from Mr. and Mrs. Potter. Perhaps he was too damaged to care for a child. No! he told himself. He was a good man even if he was a trusting fool. He was all Harry had now. He had to do better, be better than was expected. It was on his shoulders alone.
His head snapped up as he remembered another friend. Remus Lupin. Sirius smiled. It wouldn't take too much to get into contact with his old friend. Perhaps Dumbledore would do him a favor and show the werewolf his memories. It couldn't hurt to ask. He would need Remus's help. He always was the best one out of the group. Come to think about it, why did Remus never try to watch over Harry? It was a question that burned through him, desperately hoping for a reasonable explanation. Knowing Remus, it probably had more to do with his low self-esteem and trusting nature. Undoubtedly it never crossed his mind to question Dumbledore, giving him free reign with Harry's life.
Sirius startled badly as the elf began speaking. Hermione would have been horribly shocked to learn that Sirius Black dismissed the presence of the Elf immediately. He snorted. She probably didn't even realize how terrified the elves were of her. She was right up there with Voldemort. They vacillated between two evils; horrible abuse or forced to accept clothes. He had a feeling that she would never truly understand what being presented with clothes did to the little beings.
"Sir, here are the things that the Headmaster sent. The packet on top is hair and he requests that you use it before leaving your room."
"Thank you."
With a nod of surprise, the Elf was gone. He didn't even leave food. If that wasn't a swift kick out the door, he didn't know what was. Sirius pushed the lid of the trunk open to lightly rummage in the trunk. His lip curled in disgust as he fully realized he was going to mascaraing as a woman. The neatly folded dresses a testament to his new role. He choked as he lifted a small package containing the ugliest knickers he ever saw. He felt his masculinity shriveling and retreating into his abdominal cavity. This was already turning out to be a nightmare.
With a groan of mortified dejection, he pulled out a lovely blue dress and the packet that held a surprising amount of hair. A single strand was easily separated and added into his flask of Polyjuice potion which began to bubble fiercely. What a lovely shade of Pepto-Bismol pink. His sarcasm would be the only thing to get him through this, he was sure. He downed the drink and squirmed as he turned into a lovely but forgettable woman in his late twenties. Dumbledore had called her Mrs. Figg. If memory served, she was the crazy cat squib that kept an eye Harry while he was growing up.
Huffing with indignation and wounded pride, he slid the dress over his head and pulled it over his unfamiliar curves. It settled easily as his prior experience with woman's clothing showed through. He smirked. This wouldn't be the first time he was dressing a woman, although, he was usually the one taking them off, not the other way around. Shrinking his new trunk and grabbing his stolen wand, Sirius made his way out of the castle and Hogsmeade. His stomach rumbled reminding him that he would have to eat before settling in. If Dumbledore didn't want the house to burn down around his ears, he would have to stop off and eat at a pub. He smiled. Fish and chips, it was.
He had stopped at his favorite joint and ate his fill, the other customers staring with horrified curiosity. He was after all masquerading as a 5'5, 130 pound woman. He ate enough to ensure a sumo wrestler was full. He paid his bill and left, eyes still watching his progress even onto the street. It annoyed him that just eating caught the attention of so many. Now that he was thinking about it, he never remembered Lily eating that much even when she was pregnant. Damnit! He supposed he would have to be more conscientious in the future. Maybe he would just order takeaway or convince Remus to move in. Lord knows he was the only reason Sirius didn't starve that year after Hogwarts. After finding a secluded spot to apparate, he looked around once more before turning on the balls of his feet. He appeared with a swirl of skirt in the small alley way between his new home and the neighbor's. They were all close. He supposed walking around in the nude was out. For now, anyway.
Sirius let himself in the house easily and looked around. It was middle class suburbia hell. Everything was functional and practical, staged. This was a place where Sirius was clearly going to die of boredom in. He thought of the next eleven years and grimaced. Dumbledore had made it quite clear. No magic anywhere near Harry Potter's residence. He sighed happily as the polyjuice wore off and he made a quick decision. He was going to change into his animagus form and run around the neighborhood to check things out and maybe find Harry. Having already shucked his dress, he changed and ran out the door already in dog form, the door slamming shut behind him.
Almost immediately he was in an accident, having not looked to see if a car was coming down the street. The car swerved and hit a lamp post with a horrible crunch. Sirius immediately went to the driver's side door to check on the driver, hoping that he wasn't the cause of a death, no matter how accidental. His heart sank as he saw the damage. He didn't have much hope that the driver survived, his head was split open. The man had not worn a seatbelt and had hit his head on the windshield, cracking the glass and his skull. Sirius could hear the wailing of the sirens and waited for them to come. He could only hope that they could perform miracles that he knew magic couldn't even fix.
Sirius backed away as the first responders cut the man out of the crushed metal and went cold as they identified him. Vernon Dursley, dead on arrival.