DISCLAIMER: Do I really need to say it? I don't own HP. I don't get paid any money for this story. Just reviews.

Author note: a very huge thank you to all of you who have stuck around. This break took much longer than I would have liked. But on the positive side….I can see a billion times better and the gloomy fog that seemed to be surrounding me has lifted. I hope all of you are doing well! This may not be a long one, but it was a way to ease myself into writing. Hope you enjoy! I am unbetaed so mistakes are most likely there, though I have tried to catch them all!

Cataclysmic Bonds

Chapter 9:

Of Rescues and Rats

**WARNING: This story deals with the issue of Child Abuse. Please be aware.**

Number 4 Privet Drive was nothing special. It looked just like every other house around it, just as unremarkable as its neighbors. If it hadn't had the number clearly displayed, Sirius would have missed it. But to him, it wasn't the outside of the house that made it special- it was what was inside. For inside this very house was Harry. His arms twitched to hold him.

It was odd seeing both Snape and Malfoy dressed as Muggles. Even more shocking was the fact they looked like they could fit in. Sirius knew that Snape was a halfblood and had grown up in the muggle world. In his usual style,he was in all black. His long sleeved black button down tucked smartly into black trousers. Sirius smiled as he thought of Snape in any color other than black or even a touch of green. But it was still strange. Stranger yet was the entirely muggle outfit Malfoy wore. Although he would have been better suited for a board meeting or a fancy restaurant in his nicely tailored suit.

They approached the door with Sirius in the lead. His hand reached for the buzzer, pressing it. He could hear the soft chimes inside. The door was opened by a rather large man that Sirius had only seen once before. That had been at Petunia's wedding. Lily had been desperate to go and James had been away on an Order mission. So Sirius had volunteered to take Lily. They hadn't stayed long. Just long enough to see her sister get married. Lily hadn't even spoken to her sister then. Afraid she would only upset Petunia on her special day, she had said.

The large man, Virgil, Vincent. VERNON- his mind finally supplied, greeted them with false civility.

"Can I help you?"

It was Lucius who answered. "It would be best if you were to invite us in. As our business is of a delicate nature. I am sure you do not wish to fuel the gossip. Such as the one peeking out of the window in the house next door."

Vernon looked like he was about to protest before shooting a quick look at the other house's window before stepping back and allowing them to enter the house.

The inside was nothing special. Much like the exterior had been. It was clean, boring and plain- much like the home's owners themselves. A chubby child sat on the floor mere inches from the front of a television, watching a show. His eyes never left the screen. Sirius remembered fondly the small television that Lily had insisted she and James had needed when they moved in together. She had introduced them all to the joys of muggle television. A small smile tugged on his lips at the memory.

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It was difficult not to sneer at the obese muggle. Lucius looked around the muggle home. At least it appeared clean, and well kept, unlike the muggle before him. He could see remnants of the man's lunch on his shirt. Lucius shuddered internally at the very idea of greeting the company without being put together. Merlin knows Narcissa would have his head should he even attempt it.

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To say he was uncomfortable in this house was an understatement. Severus already had a slight amount of dread and uncertainty. He worried that he would only see the boy as his father, no hint of his mother. He silently repeated to himself that no matter what he was also Lily's son. And if he could make peace- of a sort, with one of his childhood tormentors, then he could accept this child too. After all he wasn't responsible for the sins of his father, he was completely innocent. He relaxed a fraction at the lack of Petunia's presence. He had no doubt that she would recognize him. He had spent many summer afternoons with Lily, her sister sneering at them from nearby.

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Sirius stood still, only his eyes shifted around the room. He noted all the photos on the walls showed the absence of one Harry Potter. Even more disturbing was the lack of said child. It was too quiet for two children to be living here, only the sound of the television and the wheezing breaths Vernon took filled the room.

His sensitive hearing picked up only a small sound in the kitchen. Breathing deeply, he could detect a woman's overly floral perfume wafting from the kitchen. Taking another breath, he was able to detect a very faint scent that reminded him of Harry. But it wasn't coming from the kitchen. He tried to narrow the scent to where it was strongest.

A small door under the stairs caught his attention. He growled low in his throat. Had they punished Harry like Walburga had punished him? Locked in a small dark room until she deemed necessary. He sincerely hoped Harry hadn't had to experience that. Merlin knew what it had done to his mental state.

His eyes were drawn to the doorway of the kitchen at the approach of footsteps.

A feminine voice accompanied the footsteps. "Duddykins! Mummy is done preparing your snack. I hope you're hungry!"

Sirius looked at the child who was already the size of a baby erumpent. He snickered at the thought of the child even attempting to miss a single morsel. He locked eyes with Petunia as she stepped into the room carrying a large bowl of ice cream.

She came to a stop so suddenly that the whipped cream slid off the sundae, the cherry on top falling to the floor with a plop. Her eyes wide in her long face as she took in the room's occupants.

Sirius held back the snicker that threatened to escape. It was safe to say that the time had not been kind to Lily's sister.

"You….and you….and I don't know you but you must be a freak too if you are with these two," she sneered when she regained her composure.

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Lucius's eyes took in the woman before him. He remembered what Lily had looked like. It was hard to tell these two had been related. There were zero similarities between the two. Well maybe some of their personality. Lucius would never tell Severus but he had never cared for the way Lily had treated Severus. He valued loyalty and Lily had not stood beside Severus when times got tough.

Staring at the sneering woman in front of him he couldn't fathom what anyone saw in her. As much as he hadn't liked the way her sister had treated Severus, he knew without a doubt she had been the better of the sisters.

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Any patience that Sirius might have still had snapped. He NEEDED to get to Harry now. He shoved past the woman, following his enhanced sense of smell. With each step he took toward the small cupboard under the stairs his heart broke a little more. The scent of Harry was undoubtedly coming from there. His shaking hand reached out, grasped the knob and turned it to find it locked. A small shuffling sound came from behind the door. A sound of protest began from behind him but was cut off with a bellowed Silence from Severus.

Sirius took his wand out and unlocked the door. He opened it cautiously, afraid of what he would find. A small amount of light spilled in when he opened the door. Just enough to make out the dirty mattress, and ratty blanket. His eyes shifted to the smallest space in the cupboard. There he could just make out the tiny trembling form of a child. Sirius muttered a quick Lumos to get a clear look. The child's knees were drawn up to their chest, thin arms wrapped around them, head tucked almost out of sight.

"Harry?" Sirius questioned softly.

The messy hair on the child shifted some as they lifted their head a little. Emerald eyes shone in the wandlight.

Rage began to build in Sirius's chest. Those eyes were unmistakable.

"Harry. It's ok. You might not remember me, but I was a very good friend of your parents, my name is Sirius," he rasped out. A muffled reply was heard. "Lift your head little one. Can you say it again please?"

"Freak. My name is Freak," the tiny voice replied.

A growl emanated from deep within Sirius's chest. "No. Never a freak. Your name is Harry James Potter and you are incredibly special. Please come here." Sirius reached his hand to the small child.

The child trembled harder. "You won't hurt me?"

"No, Harry. I will never hurt you. Ever," Sirius said.

"Promise?"

"I swear it," Sirius replied. A soft glow emanated from Sirius.

"What was that?" The small boy questioned.

"My magic. It reacted to my promise. It means if I were ever to break my promise, I would lose my magic," he explained.

The small boy uncurled and began to crawl closer to Sirius. Beneath the obvious dirt smudges he could see bruising marring the child's skin.

"Magic is real?" Harry asked in wonder.

"Indeed it is. I have it, your parents had it, and you Harry, you have magic as well."

The child's eyes grew larger. "I have magic?"

Sirius smiled. "Yes Harry." Reaching both arms out to the boy, he held himself still, allowing Harry to come to him. Thin arms wrapped around his neck. A few tears escaped Sirius's eyes as he wrapped his arms around Harry. He pulled back and cupped the small dirty face between his large palms. "Ready to go home? I imagine your sister is quite anxious by now."

"A sister!" Harry's eyebrows shot up in excitement.

Sirius chuckled. Standing, he held Harry close. "Yes, pup. A sister. She is quite excited to meet you. In fact, she demanded I come get you."

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As Sirius emerged from the cupboard holding Harry, rage built in Severus and Lucius. To see a child, any child treated like this was abhorrent. It was completely inhumane. Lucius thought even his crups were treated better than this poor child had been.

His eyes met Severus's before they met Black's. A brief nod of acknowledgement was shared as he stepped from the door allowing the pair to pass. Once the door closed behind them, he and Severus raised their wands.

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When they stepped outside a few minutes later, Severus knew he would have to be satisfied with the justice that would be served. While they couldn't technically use magic on muggles, there was nothing that said they couldn't do other things. A discreetly pointed wand and a non verbal charm later, he smiled smugly as the first large rat showed up and found its way into the house. Soon many others would find themselves drawn to the house. No matter how good the type of pest control, the rats would infest the house. It seemed only fitting.

The answering smirk on Lucius's face showed that just because they couldn't mete out magical justice didn't mean that they couldn't go about it the muggle way. Severus chuckled thinking about what Narcissa and the other ladies would cook up.

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A sigh of relief escaped the residents of number 4 Privet Drive. Not only had the vile wizards left them unscathed, they had also managed to find themselves without the burden of caring for the freak. A nervous chuckle sounded as Vernon lifted his portly girth from the chair he was sitting in. "Well then Pet, things are definitely looking up now. Soon I will have that promotion at work and we will move on to bigger and better things. Good riddance to the freak." They never saw the first rat sneak into the house. It wasn't until the next day they realized that something was very wrong.