It was July, Harry's first birthday that we first knew something was wrong. We had all cleared our schedules. Even Peter was there. We hadn't seen much of him the last year. But we hadn't seen much of anyone lately. It was a chance to see each other, catch up on each others lives.
Anyway for Harry's birthday Lily planned a picnic. We lay out on the grass laughing and joking. Mari and I had a water fight down by the lake and we managed to " persuade" the others to join. Cassi would giggle every now and then. Harry was walking and we all took delight in watching him. He could already say some words. Mama was Lily. Dada was James and Moomoo was Moony, and so on. Papa was, guess? Me. Papa was short for Padfoot. I'm not even sure he knew my real name. I spent enough time over there and I babysat him all the time. And sometimes during those long sitting jobs I would transform just for the fun of it. Harry loved to ride on my back.
After a while we just sat there. No one said anything. We just watched the sun go down and for a second we forgot the dark shadow that hovered over all of us. I think that was the last time we were all together.
None of us knew it then, but in a few months time we would lose each other forever.
See for a while now, Dumbledore had believed that someone on our side had turned traitor. No one of course knew who it was. But it was someone close to us. That we knew. I didn't want to believe that one of our friends was a spy. But sadly it was true.
I think it was in September that Dumbledore told us that Voldemort was after the Potters. Why, I didn't know. All I knew was I had to protect my friends. Not much changed between James and I. We were still as close as ever. So that's why when it came time to choose he chose me.
It was probably the third week in October when I got a note from James asking for me to come over later that night.
" Sirius. I want to ask you something."
"Anything Prongs."
"Do you know about the Fidelius charm?"
" The one where a secret is concealed inside one person's soul."
"The secret keeper. Yes. Padfoot. Dumbledore wants us to use the charm to hide and we want you to be our secret keeper." I sank down in a chair. My head was reeling. Secret keeper? This was bigger than godfather. This time I would hold their lives in my ability to keep my mouth shut.
" I don't know James. I don't know if I can do it."
" Sirius Black is doubting himself? May I remind you who thought up the most daring pranks Hogwarts has ever seen? Who had the biggest ego this side of London? Who got the award for most detentions ever received in the history of Hogwarts and was proud of it?" I smiled slightly.
"I know Prongs, but this is different. This is your life, and Lily's life and Harry's."
"You've saved my life before."
" Okay prongs. I'll do it."
" Great." The next night the spell was preformed and the Potters were in hiding.
" Padfoot." James said as I turned to leave.
"Yeah prongs."
"Thank you."
"What for? Making sure my friends live another day? I don't need thanks for that. Plus I have to. We have to send our kids to Hogwarts and make sure they find those books."
"I forgot about those." He laughed. Then sighed. " I wish we were back there making them. I wish we were still young enough ," He didn't finish. He didn't have to.
" Me too. Prongs me too."
For three days I went about my normal routine. Remus asked where James and Lily were hiding all the time, but I pretended not to know. A feeling of suspicion crept into my head every time he asked. I told my self he was just worried about James, but the little feeling wouldn't go away. I became distant toward Remus and even my wife and sister. My beautiful little daughter couldn't even distract me. It's only now I realized Voldemort had succeeded in so many ways. He drove us apart. He made us suspect one another when the real traitor was right under our nose.
Then the feelings of doubt about my ability started creeping up on me. I had seen what Voldemort could do to his victims. I had seen them brake down. I had never really been tortured like that and I was in no hurry to be. But I wasn't so sure I could withstand that pain. I would never reveal James's secret but under that, I just couldn't be sure. It consumed me, I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. So After only three days I found myself at James's door.
"Sirius." He smiled when he opened the door.
"I can't do it James." I rushed in. Harry got up and ran toward me. I picked him up and he laughed joyfully.
" Can't do what ?" Lily asked as she came in from the kitchen.
"Be your secret keeper. I just can't"
"Why not Padfoot?"
" I don't trust myself. I don't know if I could hold out if Voldemort came after me. You've seen what he does James. I just don't trust myself."
" You can do it Padfoot. I know you can." James punched me lightly in the shoulder. Something he hadn't done in a long time.
" No Prongs, we just can't take that chance." He sighed.
"Alright then, who do you suggest?"
" I've been thinking about this and I came up with someone."
"Who Remus?"
"No, I just have this feeling. I hope to God I'm wrong, but I think Remus may be the spy."
"Remus ? why?"
" I don't know. I just don't know."
"Well then who?"
"Peter."
" Wormtail?"
"yes, it's the perfect bluff. No one would ever suspect that you would use him He's weak and talentless. They all think you're using me. It's perfect. Voldemort will go after me and Peter will go into hiding and no one will know."
James thought for a long time. He looked at Lily then at Harry who was tugging on my robe to get my attention.
"What do you think Lily?"
"I don't know, James. It sounds like a good plan. I have to say I would feel better if Sirius did it. But if you think it's best, I'll agree." She said softly, her bright green eyes bored into me. I kept my eyes on Harry.
" Alright Padfoot. I trust you." Those three little words sealed our fate forever.
The next night I brought Peter and we preformed the spell. Peter stammered all the way but he did it. That night as I said good bye to the Potters I felt a strange feeling come over me. I felt as thought I would never see them again
James and I watched Peter go and we watched the empty space where he had been for a long time after word.
Then James turned to me. " Padfoot I want to thank you and I may never get another chance."
" James I want to thank you, for every thing you've done for me in all these years. Including all those detentions I got us in and for putting with my dumb jokes."
" So you finally realize they were dumb?" I punched him.
" You know what I mean."
" Yeah I know." We were quiet for awhile.
"I think I should go. It's getting late."
"Yeah," we stood unsure for a moment, the we shook hands. We stared into each others eyes. There was so much I wanted to say, but couldn't fit into words. I smiled as we realized how long we had been shaking hands. Neither one wanted to let go. Finally we did at the same time.
" I guess this is goodbye." I said softly.
" No, it's not goodbye. Sirius" He turned at stared up at the sky. I followed his gaze to the brightest star in the sky. To Sirius, the dog star. Then he said the last words we ever spoke to each other.
" Friends never say goodbye."
Then he turned and walked back to the house. I walked over to my bike and when I turned around I was James and Lily standing on the doorstep with Harry asleep in James's arms. They smiled and waved and for a second I forgot that we were never going to see them again. They were the perfect family. And I waved back. I strapped on my helmet and drove anyway.
Here's the next part. I think you all know what's going to happen next. And as for the other stories, I'll try to get them out as soon as I can. But I have a lot of homework to do. See, I'm an over achiever. You know what I mean?
Anyway, I hope you like it and anything that doesn't belong to me, belongs to J.K. Rowling. Oh and for the whole last marauder scene, check out my story, Friends never say goodbye. I didn't feel like writing the whole thing again, so you get the shorten version. Sirius is still singing the goldfish song. And he caused me to get yelled at by my math teacher. When will this torture end?