Chapter 1 - The Uncertain Future
Sirius looked down at Harriet, asleep in the slightly disturbing cot he had found in the attic (it was decorated with animal bones). They were hiding out in 12 Grimmauld place. Although Sirius hated being reminded of his mother, he knew that no one could get into Grimmauld place without knowing where it was. Luckily his mother was a reclusive woman, her closest companion being kreacher the house elf. No one knew about this place except for him.
Sirius had moved out of Grimmauld place years ago to live with the Potters but now he was back. He felt lonely without the constant reminders of having others there, chattering, whispering, giggling had now been reduced to silence. He looked up at the framed photos of the potters that he kept next to Harriets crib. He had hoped that the photo would be a comfort for her and not a reminder of her parents… her parents who were now gone. His closest friends gone, taken from him. Perhaps if he hadn't given up his role as their secret keeper to that snivelling Wormtail they would still be alive. Growing up with Wormtail he hadn't really seen Wormtail as one of the marauders but rather as a desperate tag along and now he had betrayed us by giving James and Lily up to Voldemort.
He sighed and looked back down at Harriet who seemed peaceful enough in her crib, though sirius knew he would have to make it more child friendly. There were a couple of things on his mind; firstly, what were Voldemort's followers up to now, he had heard that his lunatic cousin Bellatrix had made Frank and Alice Longbottom insane, leaving their son Neville without his parents, yet another childhood crushed by Voldemort. Secondly, what would Dumbledore do since Sirius had disobeyed his wishes? He doubted a wizard as intelligent as Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts, would be unable to find Grimmauld place and try and take Harriet away. Thirdly, he worried about Harriet, she was 1 and very advanced for her age but would she be able to forget what she had witnessed? He hoped for her sake that she would.
Suddenly his thoughts were clouded again with despise for Wormtail. He knew the run down apartment complex where he would be hiding out and he could go there to demand answers. He wanted Wormtail to suffer more than anything, but he was responsible for Harriet now and she depended on him so it would be stupid to risk going to Azkaban for attacking the vile little man.
"What would your dad do, Bambi?" Sirius asked the sleeping Harriet, he had always called her Bambi as the offspring of the stag her father was in his animagus form. He thought it suited her well and he never planned on giving it up, he couldn't wait to embarrass her in front of her friends… friends? How could Harriet ever make friends whilst she is cooped up with him in Grimmauld place? He briefly considered his cousin Narcissa who had a son around the same age as Harriet but he also had suspicions that they were associated with Lord Voldemort. Sirius himself had not made any friends until Hogwarts as he and his brother were educated by his mother and he turned out okay. His mother and brother were both gone now but he had his friends, well, he had Remus.
Suddenly Harriet stirred and her eyes fluttered slightly and Sirius was thrown back into reality. When she opened her green eyes she spotted him and smiled, reaching out her arms for him to pick her up. He leaned down to her, his heart swelled as she smiled at him. In that moment he knew for sure, he would do anything to protect his Bambi, even give up his life for hers. She was precious to him.