Discussion
Chapter: 8
The fight went to an end and silence reigned over the surroundings.
Shocked of the fight of one of the most powerful wizards Richard was shaken to the core.
Regaining his bearings, he looked at Sniffy and said:" Thanks for your suggestion to not move to the next tree and to stay here. That may have saved our lives."
He looked around the field of destruction that had been a house only 10 minutes ago.
The roof was gone, walls were completely smashed apart. Fire was starting inside the kitchen because of some unknown reason.
Whole rooms were completely uprooted and baby Harry could be considered lucky as the closet with him inside it was one of the only things still standing. Had he been 2 meters to the left side then he would have been buried under a large wooden pillar.
In the surroundings was seen nothing of an uproar like there should have been, due to the fact that this whole section of land was demolished and the damaged parts hit almost the house next door.
Richard found that mind baffling, but only for a short moment after that he then remembered the Fidelius charm.
'This charm is really a mystery. It blocked this fight entirely. No one was alerted of the fact that a fight was going on here at all.
But should it not have been broken the moment Lily died?' sitting there and thinking for a bit as he waited for one particular person to appear, he then soon found the answer to that.
With a face that looked like Richard understood something, he told his conclusions to Sniffy while she also could not comprehend how nothing like this big fight was detected by anyone.
"The Fidelius charm was not protecting the Potters per se. The spell should only be having been cast on the building and their plot of land, and not on the location of the Potters, which would have been so much better. They would have been able to go everywhere and nobody would have ever detected them. They would have been able to stand directly next to the dark lord and nobody would have ever had the chance to find them.
If that would have been the case than even if Peter would have told the dark Lord that the Potters were staying in this house, all they would have had to do was to move outside into the garden since the garden is not part of the house and they would have been safe.
To let other people know where the potters were staying. The Potters would only need to go to them and tell them directly. Moving locations would be easy as hell and so much safer.
But while that was not the case, the Fidelius charm should only have hidden this property. Due to that nobody was alerted of the fight and only Peter or Sirius can find little Harry now.
James and Lily should have had a contingency paper with their location hidden somewhere where even Sirius needed a bit of time to find it and make his way here.
I am sure he was already alerted through Dumbledore that something was amiss. The old man surely had some kind of artefact that was telling him the condition of the Potters."
Explaining his conclusion to Sniffy while they were waiting for Sirius to come and find his best friends dead and now only baby Harry was left of them.
Richard hoped that he would not have to wait for long while baby Harry was lying there alone in his mother's arms and he could not really do anything about it.
He was sure that Dumbledore would find out if they met Harry now. Richard could not risk it and knew that nothing bad will be happening to Harry right now.
'The only 2 or 3 people who know that the Potters were staying here, should be Peter and Sirius. I am really not sure how Dumbledore found out about this location, but he surely had his ways.
The chance of Peter coming to this place was almost zero. He was more of a coward then anyone else, he would not look for his master if he had another choice.' Thought Richard in a short time as he analyzed the possible outcomes of the people who would be able to arrive.
Suddenly, Sniffy was nudging him into his side with her little hand and then pointed toward the sky.
Everything was dark and there were no lights at the street anymore, since it was too late for that. Richard used a bit of his magic and channeled it towards his eyes, to be able to see in the darkness.
He found out about this particular use of his magic while he experimented with it for a bit. Richard was able to hold this state for a few minutes but that was all he needed right now.
Richard was at first only seeing a dot, but that dot was coming closer really fast.
"Wrooooommm…."
There was also the sound of a motorcycle. At first it was only barely hearable but as the figure approached it became louder and clearer.
It was the motorcycle of Sirius with him on it.
Seeing that, Richard jumped down the tree and was getting over his thoughts and how to handle that situation he would soon encounter.
The motorcycle was flying down from the sky and landed next to the destroyed house.
There were some lights starting to shine in the surrounding buildings as people woke up because of the loud sound.
Not even shutting down the bike Sirius was jumping down from it and was running inside the house all the way while mumbling:" Let me not be too late, please."
Was all he repeated the whole time with a gloomy expression on his face.
Meanwhile Richard and Sniffy were still under the invisibility cloak, were waiting for Sirius to come out of the destroyed home with baby Harry in his hands.
They had some time to kill and Richard asked Sniffy with a serious face:" Is everything ready to be set in motion?"
Sniffy replied with some tears in her eyes and a quivering voice:" Everything should be fine, but could we really do nothing to prevent this? I hated every second of it while I could only watch the ongoing fight?"
"Sorry Sniffy, I was planning this for the last year and I tried and thought of every way but we could do nothing to help them and you have seen what the dark lord was capable of.
We stood no chance against him. I don´t want to say it but that was one of the only times Dumbledore was right.
It was all for the greater good. The Potters gave their life for so many others and we can only blame our powerlessness for it.
Provided we had enough power than we could have easily stopped this bastard, but alas we could not do anything at all. All we can do is trying to fix as many things as we can and become stronger and stronger.
Power reigns supreme, when you are more powerful than everyone else you don't need to think too much about anything. You can just do what you want.
The only thing that you need to be cautious of is that you will not lose yourself in it. If there ever comes a time and you think that I should not do something because it goes against everything that we believe is right, then please stop me."
Said Richard while he thought about the powerlessness that he felt for the last year and till now.
Suddenly there was heard a loud wail from upstairs:" Noooooo, why did I have to come too late. How could we trust Peter, why did he betray us? I thought we were friends that would die for each other, how could we be so blind."
Then there was the crying of baby Harry heard and the sounds of things falling towards the side. Parts of the building were moved with magic and soon baby Harry was found in the arms of Lily.
Sirius was crying at this view and took baby Harry slowly into his hands. He then held on little Harry and put down Lily on the floor into a more comfortable position. He magicked a coffin and let Lily´s body float into it.
"I will swear to god that I will avenge you both and be there for Harry all the way. I will raise him as he would be my own son and even if that is the least thing I will do." Vowed Sirius towards himself and got out of the house with baby Harry in his hands who calmed down at the familiar face and scent of his godfather.
Outside he soon found another being which he identified as Hagrid, the groundskeeper of Hogwarts.
"Sirius are they…..?" was all what the overgrown giant could say with tears in his eyes.
"Yes Hagrid, Lily and James are gone. The only survivor is our little Harry here." Was Sirius saying while he was steeling his resolve and he was thinking about how to handle things right now.
Hagrid, now crying for a few minutes, was remembering his mission and said to Sirius.
"Can you give me little Harry? Dumbledore said I need to get him to a safe place."
Sirius was conflicted with himself and he did not know what to do right now, but the proposition he got by Hagrid helped him make a decision.
"Dumbledore the old man really knows everything, I have one last business to take care of so please take care of little harry in the meantime. I will be back for him in a few days at most."
Was Sirius saying as his goals became clearer. He needed to avenge his friends right now and then raise Harry. He could just not let Harry grow up with knowing that the murderer of his friends is free.
He will hunt down Peter and bring him to justice and let Harry in the care of Dumbledore, there was no safer place right now in the whole wide world then beside the strongest wizard.
Sirius handed the baby over to Hagrid which took him carefully into his big hands. "You can use my motorcycle to bring him to Dumbledore, it will be much faster and more comfortable than on a broom."
Humans under the age of 2 years could not safely apparate or go via port key or the flu network.
Sirius was sure that Hagrid came via one of the above-mentioned methods and was giving Hagrid his bike for a safer ride.
"Thanks Sirius, I will take care of him and bring him to Dumbledore. He knows best what to do."
After that Hagrid took the still running bike and was off with Harry in his arms.
Sirius was about to apparate away to find Peter but was suddenly stopped because of 2 appearing people.
Richard was moving toward Sirius and right next to him was Sniffy walking alongside himself. They just were seeing Hagrid's departure and removed the invisibility cloak from themselves.
Richard then looked directly into the eyes of Sirius and said:" Don´t look at me like that, I am a child but also not. I do now what happened here and that you want to get your revenge on little Peter since he has betrayed your friends, friendship and above all else your trust into him.
I know this sounds a bit ridiculous from my mouth but I do have a bit of a seer blood inside myself and if you want your revenge and to not let Peter get free you should hear me out."
Completely shocked by what the little boy in front of him just said, whom looked not much older than about 4 years old with a house-elf in really fancy clothes that was accompanying him.
Sirius was stunned for a few moments while he needed to process what the little boy just said and could not refute anything he just heard.
He really had to be some kind of seer or he would not be able to know so many details and wanting to take his revenge on Peter he said:" I really would like to believe you but I am feeling it a little hard to believe that a 4 year old is able to help me in any way. Can you give me some proof?"
Richard new something like this would happen and he said:" We have not much time here, I know that you, James and Peter are animagi and that should be enough. I just want to give you a bit of help to prevent a future where you will be rotting in Azkaban while Peter is scot free and Harry will be growing up knowing nothing about anything at all."
Hearing the kid just spill one of his most guarded secrets he knew he was the real deal. Thinking a bit about the just said things Sirius was fast to accept the help he was given even if it came from the weird duo.
"I will hear you out and hope you can help me with this." Said Sirius in a thankful manner.
"Peter should be on the run as his disguise was already torn apart and he knows that he will be targeted and needs to get away. I know you have what it takes to hunt him down but be warned that he will try to fake his death with an explosion where countless muggles will die and only a finger of him remains. He will transform into his rat animagi form and then run away. You need to prevent that and after that comes the hard part."
Sniffy took an amulet out of her pouch and handed it over to Sirius.
Sirius was a bit warry and floated the object to his side and stied it for a bit and then took it and Richard explained what he would need it for:" I need you to trust me in this, you need to stun Peter and put this amulet onto his hand.
This will transform him into you, it works like the Polyjuice potion but is of a more permanent duration. You only need to put a hair of yours onto it.
That will transform Peter into your appearance.
Before you shut me down, let me explain." Said Richard as he looked at Sirius that had his mouth open and was about to say something.
"There are some things I cannot say to you right now and it will take some time when I am able to tell you everything, but I need Peter to impersonate you and that he will take your place in Azkaban. That is some crazy thing with changing the future and if we don´t do that, the world we know could be destroyed if you don´t end up in Azkaban.
Therefore, I need you to make a scene after you have taking down Peter and attract some Aurors to that place that you and Peter will have a showdown where "Sirius" will lose.
That needs a bit of tinkering with Peters memories but I trust you will be able to handle that with the help of some potion and then you will be facing fake Sirius while impersonated Pettigrew.
After Peter destroys the area with a big bombarda you will leave behind a finger of Peter that you have to cut of him before you put the amulet on him and "Sirius" will go to Azkaban while murmuring, I killed them, it was my fault."
Sirius gulps at my explanation of what should happen and what will happen if he cannot do that. But he had to ask.
"Do we have a plan b or something like that? That is not an easy thing to pull off."
Richard was surprised that he took that so calmly answered back:" Plan B would be that you take your place in Azkaban and be there for, let's say 12 years. But we don´t want something like that and then Harry would have to grow up without a godfather."
"That's not something I would ever want, but why do "I" need to stay there?" came the next question of Sirius.
Richard was checking his watch and could only let out a sigh at the time. "We have not much time left anymore, but I can only say to you right now that our lovely Dumbledore could be under the control of some other dark lord and if you would be there for Harry and give him a nice and understanding home than you would die faster than you could think of.
I do know that you cannot believe me right now but I hope you can place your trust in me. I have not much to lose but I would hate it if you ended up in Azkaban if I could do something about it.
The rest is up to you. If you need to find me then go to this address, I will be there." Said Richard in an almost treating manner and then he handed a slip of paper with an address to Sirius...
Saying goodbye to the stunned Sirius, that just stood there like some kind of statue, Richard and Sniffy vanished.
Sirius stood there for a long time while he was contemplating on what do I do now?' Can I really trust this kid, I really don´t know, but what would he gain of this? I cannot make heads and tails of this situation.
But if the kid is right then the wizarding world is in deep trouble. The better solution would be to trust him, even if something goes wrong as long as Peter gets to Azkaban for his sins and I can see Harry then I would sacrifice a lot for it. Even if it turns out that he was wrong, I can get my revenge and after that I can clear my name.'
Sirius came to a decision and was alright with putting his trust into the little boy.
He was then thinking of where Peter could hide himself and apparated away.