*
And, of course, that was Bendall's Curse. And it was my fault. I told her to switch numbers. Lily had managed to do a real Life's Circle. If Harry has half that determination, which he sure did twelve years ago when he wanted to go outside, he'll be just fine, reflected Sirius, hurrying along.
Bendall's Curse caused Morwin to become dim-minded and slow, a ghost of the incredibly clever and smart girl of before. Morwin fell to the bottom of her classes, and her sense of sarcastic humor that was need if you were talking with Sirius, James, Remus, Peter, Lily, Sammy, and Linda died away nearly completely.
However, her mind recovered for the periods of time surrounding Dark Activity. It was like an alarm clock. If she made a clever retort one day, they would hear of a mass Muggle killing the next. If she did her Astronomy homework without help one night, the next you would hear that Death Eaters unleashed a dozen cases of Kapykoae. It was a really awful feeling when you felt worried when your friend performed a semi-complicated charm without problems. And that was part of the curse's power, to break the wills of the victim's friends.
Of course, Morwin had no ordinary friends.
Sirius knew that without the Dark Side in power, Morwin would be very ill and probably would no longer be Cornelius Fudge's secretary - no real tragedy, and, come to think of it, Fudge was Minister of Magic now.
Pathetic. And we all thought Robert Pearce was incompetent.
Sirius quickened his pace in spite of the searing pain in his paws. He was almost to Serendipity; he recognized the houses around him. Just a little longer… there would be light, too, Sirius hated darkness now; light and perhaps even food…
After Hogwarts, Sirius, James, Linda, Lily, Remus, Morwin, and Peter had sworn to remain friends, in spite of everything and anything. And so they had, and Serendipity had ensured that. Sirius, James, and Morwin, who had large inherited fortunes, found a house everyone liked in a more Muggle-populated area of Godric's Hollow. It was at the very end of everything, large enough for all of them to visit at once and not be squashed and small enough to be home-like.
None of them had ever lived in Serendipity. Not when Morwin could barely keep a house because of her impaired mind, not when Peter found a short-lived job right in Godric's Hollow, not when Lily and James got married and were certain their house would be in Godric's Hollow, not when Remus couldn't find any work and was living in a earthen-floored cabin on the outskirts of Godric's Hollow. No one lived there. But it was their getaway, their sanctuary, and their grown-up version of a clubhouse.
Sirius sighed in satisfaction when he found that his memories of working on Serendipity with everyone were still intact. Those were safe. Oh, he loved that place. He especially came there on nights after he had been forced to attend some social function of his father's. Leave some mansion with a sigh of relief and smile happily as you got to a two-story house on the edge of Godric's Hollow.
Sirius loved being contrary.
Lin and Rem have been taking care of it, right? Of course they have. I bet Lin still brings Harry here all the time. But… what if they don't? I mean, it must be pretty painful. I know Morwin probably can't even leave her house, and then James and Lily are dead, to them, Peter's dead, and they think I'm a murderer. It might hold too many memories for them.
But they're strong, they really are. And you know them and their ideas of responsibility. Of all of us, they were strongest. The generally quite Lin and Rem were fascinating to Sirius. With Lily and James, everything was clean-cut and on paper. James had two traits that defined him - his need to be the center of attention and his need to fix anything and everything he deemed "unfair". Lily was brave, clever, and temperamental, and both were generous and kind. It was very clear, and it was what endeared them to everyone.
Linda and Remus were different. Most people found them quiet, patient, unnoticeable and capable of doing whatever needed to be done. When you bothered to find out about them, they excluded more of a sense of good-temperedness, light sarcasm, cleverness, and resourcefulness. They made excellent friends, being willing to share attention and sympathy, and having varied interests and hobbies and always up for an adventure of sorts as long as no one was going to be jailed for it. They had their sparks of mischief, even if Lin did everything possible to hide hers. They could be talkative and quiet by turns, and you knew almost instantly that they were trustworthy. Sirius, used to being flamboyant, was rather taken aback when he discovered he liked their mildness.
But when you got to know them even better, you found their sadness. Sirius had noticed this instantly, but never understood it for a while. It was a full school year before Sirius found even half of what weighed upon Rem, and longer before he found half of what bothered Lin. They were private and closed-in, and sometimes it bothered Sirius, who liked to be on-the-table close. It had nearly driven him insane in their first-year when Remus would suddenly leave - not his several day long absences, but when everyone was together and getting along fine, and suddenly he would get up and … go. It had taken a while for him to confide that sometimes the darkness - the wolf - inside him got to the point of unmanageability, and that was Remus's cue to go off privately and let it pass over. It still bothered Sirius. Lin's sudden private spells bothered him even more, especially after he knew why Remus sometimes closed himself up in a room. He never really understood Linda for the longest of times, and even when he did get an explanation, it bothered him.
But as James pointed out, a lot of things bothered Sirius.
Sirius almost let out a howl of relief - Serendipity! Home, he thought happily, racing to the small white house - home!
He stopped. The wards. Had they been taken down? If not, had Lin and Rem made sure they would no longer admit him? They were both cautious about things like that.
He took a deep breath and tried - and got in without a problem. His dog senses could tell the wards were up, but still recognized them.
Odd. I thought for sure… perhaps Rem didn't tell Lin about the Animagi. Sirius knew that Linda knew about Remus's being a werewolf, because when he had faced them before his Azkaban imprisonment Rem had been wearing his ID-Pin and Lin didn't look a bit nonplussed about it. But would she know about the Animagi? Sirius hoped she did. Surely if she knew, she might figure out Peter was alive. If anyone could do it, it was Linda Fairchild. And Linda needed to - she had Harry!
The doors recognized him and opened to admit him. Sirius smiled. The wards recognized ten people - the "Godric Hollow Gang", Annie Potter - James's younger sister, Harry Potter, Harry Eastman, and Albus Dumbledore, for obvious reasons, as they all did "errands" for their former Headmaster at some point or another. But no one else. Privacy. And the doors only opened for the Godric Hollow Gang.
Sirius scowled. Peter could enter this sacred place freely. The thought nearly killed him.
Then Sirius remembered joyfully that he could transform. It had been a while since he was able to be human. Checking quickly to ensure the curtains were indeed up, Padfoot became Sirius.
He sighed in relief.
He then noted that he was absolutely filthy. He remembered that Lily had become quite the housewife after her marriage, and he imagine her face if she could see him inside Serendipity looking like this.
Imagine her face? She'd be horrified. You killed her, Sirius Black, you killed her! You killed her and her husband and unborn daughter and orphaned her son! Sirius broke down. He collapsed in a heap on the kitchen floor and sobbed. It was several minutes before the grief released some of its hold on him and he was able to stand, still crying freely.
I am filthy. In more ways than one, of course, but Lin and Rem'll be really suspicious if they come in here and it's all messed up. Then they'll know I've been here. Black, you idiot, they're probably watching this house, thinking you'll come back!
He didn't care. No one but Lin, Rem, Harry, or Peter could get in, and if it was Lin or Rem he might get a chance to explain himself.
If it was Peter, he was going to kill the bastard.
He yearned for a shower, and decided that he would do just that before he left. First, however, he washed his hands in the kitchen sink. The water was still running. It had been in James's will, for all the bills to be paid for Serendipity forevermore. And that, luckily, meant running water.
You bastard, using James's doings for you. You killed him; you killed him. Or had you forgotten?
It was, however, probably very good for Lin and Rem. Neither had much money - although now that Linda was free to pursue her singing career that might change at least for one of them. But she also had to support Harry, and if Remus was paying the bills for this house he also had to live here.
And Sirius could tell instantly no one was living here. There was a thick, thick layer of dust, and his heart sank. They haven't been coming back. Has Harry ever really seen this? Not in this state, I hope.
Sirius paused a moment, wondering if that old transistor radio they had spelled to pick up the WWN was still in the house.
It was, on the kitchen countertop. Sirius turned it on and was amazed to feel the happiness he felt, just listening to a commercial about the latest broomstick model, a Firebolt. Just like a normal person. I wonder if this is what Lin and Rem felt like, going to Hogwarts like everyone else when they didn't think they could. It's an amazing feeling, feeling normal. He felt almost light-headed and wasn't sure he wanted to read the Prophets.
I wonder if there's a shred of food in the house…
A quick search revealed none. So no one was visiting Serendipity regularly. It surprised him. He at least imagined…
"And now, back from a commercial break, we're back to the Stars That Never Got the Chance Hour! We have some Fredrick Henley coming up for you, and some old Star-lighters tunes, right after our next song: 'Restless', sung by young Linda Fairchild!"
Sirius almost died on the spot. "Restless" was Linda's second recording. She had released four when Sirius was sent to Azkaban, how many had she released since then? But… "Stars That Never Got The Chance Hour"? Those were for promising young talents that were cheated by recording companies, or died, or quit. So Lin wasn't singing anymore?
Restless
So restless I've worn through the floor
Restless
So restless I can't take no more
Since when did life get so complicated?
I can't barely remember the time I was so busy in my head…
So I grab the powder and Floo over to you, my love…
'Cause despite all nothing else compares…
Talking with my friends and saying 'D'you remember?' -
Falling right off the chairs…
Hearing Linda's voice, the same it had been twelve years ago, did nothing to help Sirius stem his tears. He could even hear Lily's voice giving backup singing and his own percussion work. The song ended with a "killer" guitar solo, leaving Sirius feeling very emotional. Wonder where she is now…
"Yes, friends," said the wireless, "that was the work of Linda Fairchild. She was a great talent with a bright future, of course, she was also a brave Auror as well and the music world was shocked to hear that she died the third of November, 198i, just when You-Know-Who was defeated and her fans thought she was safe. Next: 'The Hen's one-time hit: 'Broken Wand', released in…"
Sirius stood rigid to the spot.
He thought he didn't have any tears left.
But he sure did.
Lin? Died? Just three days after Lily and James? She wasn't alive? Doing Auror work?
Sirius sobbed, letting grief wash over him, but not before slamming the transistor radio off. He was in no mood to hear "The Hen".
Lin… Lin, I'm sorry… Lin!
His crying voice seemed to echo in his head, pounding, and he just wanted the grief, which was more than any physical pain he had ever felt, to end when suddenly he snapped up. Where's Harry? He's with Rem and Morwin, right? Or would even Dumbledore let them?
Sirius felt helpless for a moment before noticing a pile of Daily Prophets on the kitchen table. He glanced at the topmost one.
15, November 1981…
Sirius felt as if he were in a time warp. He ruffled through the pile. The one from 15 November was the most recent.
I suppose Remus couldn't stand reading all this any more than I could have. I don't even want to read it right now, but I've got to know…
Sirius paused. Were Remus and Morwin even alive?
I've got to believe they are; otherwise Harry has no one in the world except for an Azkaban escapee.
He found the first one was 1 November 1981. "Reprint: Encore". Large headlines proclaimed the Downfall of Voldemort, the Boy Who Lived, and the death of Lily and James.
Sirius skipped over it when he found it didn't have what he wanted and moved to the next one - a few days afterward. Of course, d'you really think Rem has the money to buy this bundle of lies daily? Then he found it: "Boy Who Lived Sent to Muggle Relatives".
Harry Potter, at age one, has already achieved more fame than most wizards gain in a lifetime. His name is already know throughout the wizarding community…
Sirius skipped the introduction to Harry and skimmed past the story of Halloween 1980 until he found what he was looking for.
The question now being asked is where the young boy will be living. Harry's godfather is also Death Eater Sirius Black, whom James Potter so foolishly trusted…
Sirius tried not to cry; he needed proper vision to read…
… and who is now being held in the Fortress of Azkaban, a very unsuitable paternal figure…
Sirius felt like he was being tortured. Each few words seemed to be like a stab in his chest.
… and whom naturally could never foster young Potter…
The curse words Sirius learned in Azkaban helped him greatly.
Harry Potter's godmother is the late Linda Fairchild…
Did this person write the article intending to hurt him?! Is this was Rem must have felt like during Defence lessons on werewolves, and Lily and Morwin when we were at that lecture on Muggle-wizard relationships?
… Auror and singer, but whom in death cannot care for the young boy, naturally.
What a stupid thing to say! Very clever, genius.
Several offers to care for the child have arisen. Harry Eastman, a Muggle friend of the late Mrs. Potter's, reported that he would take his namesake in if need be. The Mr. and Mrs. Richard Gondola, old school friends of the Potters, have also said they will do the same if worst came to worst.
The most startling claim came from two more of the Potters' friends, Morgana Hagley and Remus Lupin. While true that they were indeed close friends of the Potters and were, indeed, rumored to have been named godparents of Lily Potter's unborn child, there is also the not to be overlooked fact that the former is a mind-paralyzed victim of Bendall's Curse…
"Not mind-paralyzing, you idiot reporter!" Sirius fumed out loud.
… from the age of fourteen, and the latter is a werewolf, WR16830. Needless to say these would not be prime candidates for the parent figures…
"Bella and Rem wouldn't try to replace Lily and James as parental figures, but I guess a cold-hearted pig like you wouldn't understand that," scowled Sirius, "and I'd much rather see my godson in their hands than your lie-writing ones…"
… as the violet tendencies…
"Morwin and Rem? I doubt it." Sirius's hands were shaking.
…would not create the environment any child, let alone Harry Potter, should be subject to.
"Oh, so now Harry Potter can only live in the best and finest? Well, yes, but because he's Harry, not because he's the Boy Who Lived," scowled Sirius.
Albus Dumbledore, close advisor to the Potters, has taken over responsibility for their estate. When asked, he replied: "You must also take into question the child's safety, not just the parents' wants…", namely, that the safety of Harry Potter goes before the wishes of the late Potters, and this Daily Prophet correspondent agrees. While perhaps the Potters might want their child to go to an old friend, you must also take into account the fact that during their lifetime they have trusted Sirius Black, a Bendall's Cursee, and a werewolf, and therefore while their cleverness cannot be disputed, perhaps their choice in friends can, and also the fact that young Potter would not be particularly safe in the home of defencless Muggle Eastman or the household of Hagley and Lupin.
Dumbledore has already sent the boy to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley, a Muggle couple. Mrs. Dursley was Mrs. Potter's sister, and therefore young Potter will be protected by the blood protection of the home. While Hagley and Lupin are seriously disputing this, it looks as though they have little recourse. Linda Fairchild, in the last days of her life, proclaimed: "You can give my godson all the 'protection' he wants, but he needs the loving support of family and friends." We take that to mean that Miss Fairchild, as well, agrees that her godson would be best off with the Dursleys.
"Lin did not mean that!" exploded Sirius, blood pounding in his ears. How could anyone twist words so cruelly? Linda had been very wrongfully quoted.
While some wizards have objections to Harry Potter's residence in Little Whinging, Surrey, 4 Privet Drive with Muggles, many are quite satisfied with this state of affairs…
Sirius threw the paper down. That was it! Harry, living with Petunia?
*
"Si! You finally made it!" called Lily happily, skipping across the green lawn of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Evans, Lily's aunt and uncle. She bounded up to him and gave him a quick hug. "Finally! I was waiting! How was your trip here?"
"I love Muggle transportation," was all Sirius offered with an evil grin.
Lily glanced at him sternly. "Siri, you do know that you are not allowed to fly that motorbike until you get your license next year, right?'
"Lil! Are you accusing me of -"
"You bet she is," cut in James, sauntering up behind them. "Hallo, Padfoot. Made it in one piece, I see."
"He's too calm," Sirius whispered to Lily very loudly.
"Lil's just worried about getting our O.W.L. results. I can't see why," shrugged James. "I look calm by comparison. Or maybe this lovely home has mellowed me."
"You? You don't have a thing to worry about, Lil!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Yes she does," James grinned. "Petunia and her friends. Lily did warn you that her sister was allowed to invite her Muggle friends over as well this summer, right?"
"No Muggle-baiting," decreed Lily. "And they definitely can't find out about all this, got that?"
"You're getting awfully pushy," Sirius smiled. In truth, he was glad. Lily had been far too pensive and sad ever since she her parents died recently, during their fifth year. James as well, although his grief was even more recent. However, they seem to be finding comfort in each other… Sirius hoped that Remus was recovering from Lola's death as nicely.
"Why, thanks," said Lily brightly. "C'mon, it's dreadful hot. D'you want to go swimming?"
"I must say, that suit you have on…"
"Shut up and come on. You've got to meet Uncle Tom and Aunt Cynthie." She grabbed him by the wrist. Sirius glanced at the Muggle home in approval. It was large and spacious, with a huge front, back, and side lawn, all lush green grass. Handy thing to have around if you've invited the Marauders over for the summer, of course, and Sammy Orr. Morwin's going to have her face in a book a good deal of the time, but we'll get her to play. Lil and Lin're going to play nearly as hard as the rest of us, though. Lil promised to teach us 'soccer'. Muggle game; I really love knowing that Father hates Muggle games. And, of course, I'm not at the Evans', I'm at the Pettigrews, remember.
"Peter's going to be here tonight," Sirius remembered suddenly.
Lily nodded in approval. "Good. You boys are all coming early - thank goodness, I can't stand Petunia much longer."
"When's Rem going to be here?"
"On Saturday. He has a lot of badgering and bargaining to do with that Ministry official," James replied, referring to Mr. Payne. Remus had just turned sixteen and therefore really could live in his old flat the same as ever without Lola as long as he paid the rent, but unbeknownst to Lily, the Ministry was not just going to let a teenaged werewolf watch out for himself. Payne's job was to make sure Remus was locked up during full moon - and generally make his life miserable until he could escape to the Evans', although Remus hadn't said it that way flat-out is his letters.
"Mr. Payne…" said Lily slowly. "Underage wizards aren't really his department, are they?"
Sirius and James exchanged glances. "You know that Ministry," Sirius rolled his eyes. "Heigh-ho! Is that Petunia?" he motioned to a short girl with brown hair.
"No, that's… wait, er… Janet. She's one of Petunia's school friends. Petunia's…" Lily scanned the yard. "Inside." She led them through glass doors to the inside of the home, which, Sirius noted with an evil grin, had very many mirrors in it.
"Why, you must be Sirius," said the warm voice of Cynthia Evans, Lily's aunt. She offered a flour-filled hand. "Very nice to meet you, indeed, even if Lily has said you're the 'wild one'."
Sirius's eyes widened innocently. "Me? No. Mistakes of mine get exaggerated a bit, but generally I'm just your basic altar boy."
James and Lily snickered.
"I'm sure," Mrs. Evans humored him. "Lily, go get Sirius a towel if you're going swimming already." Lily scampered off quickly, and Mrs. Evans smiled at him and leaned closely: "Thank you very much for coming. I want my niece to be happy, and when she talked of her friends coming over, she really lit up. If there's anything you want, don't hesitate to ask. I consider you the one doing me a favor. And I don't know too much about magic at all, but Tom knows more of all it than I do, so you can talk to him. Okay?"
"All righty," agreed Sirius.
"Oh, and I heard that you can get a bit rowdy, especially when paired with James," she smiled. "I'm going to have a house of about fifteen children, humor me a bit, please?"
Sirius sighed, trying to look miserable. "All right. What did James say to that?"
James grinned. "I'm dating her niece; d'you think I said no?"
"Oh, Jay said no, he just said it in more words than that," Lily laughed, bounding down the steps. "Here, Siri," she flung a blue towel at him. "You can get changed in there," she said unabashedly, pointing to the first room in the side hallway that went nowhere, "and we'll met with you out back in the wonderful pool of my relatives."
"Lily! Stop making so much noise, you little freak!" called a shrill voice. Sirius cringed.
"Oh, that's Petunia," said Lily casually, flinging her hair over her shoulders and looking completely undisturbed. Sirius noted she talked of Petunia the same was Remus and Morwin talked of their respective curses - nonchalantly, but with darkened eyes.
Well, I know what having a sister that's a curse is like, but somehow I reckon even Elsie isn't as bad as Petunia.
"You hear me, Lily?"
"Yeah, Pet, whatever. Sirius and James and I are going outside; we won't even be in your way for a while!" Lily called back. "Oh, and Janet's outside, she looks a little lonely. Are you abandoning her?"
"It's Jillian!" Petunia shrieked back. "And who on earth is Sirius?"
"He's the noisy, crazy, wacko one I told you about!" Lily replied.
"Girls, please don't shout," begged Mrs. Evans.
"Sorry," said Lily.
" 'Noisy, crazy, wacko one'? Lily, I'm charmed." Sirius pretended to be hurt.
Lily giggled. "Siri, I did you a favor. I'm really afraid that she'll think you're the best-looking man she ever set eyes on and will fall madly in love, leaving you an innocent victim. C'mon."
They had swum happily for a while, Sirius and James naturally more interested in cannonballs while Lily kept muttering: "Boys."
"You sounded so delighted when you mention all of your male friends were coming early," Sirius pointed out wickedly.
"I'll still be happiest when Linda and Sammy and Morwin get here, let me tell you."
"I don't know; you and James didn't have that bad a time, did you?"
Lily pretended to whack him over the head with a rubber water toy when all the sudden they heard loud crying.
They exchanged a three-way glance, nodded instantly, and hopped over the fence that surrounded the pool and ran to the sound of the cries.
Petunia, a girl Sirius later learned was Macy and a boy called Terry were beating on a small cat. A small boy of about seven was watching with tears streaming down his face; the grey kitten that was shrieking in pain was obviously his pet.
"Petunia Evans!" shouted Lily angrily. "Stop hurting that kitten!"
"Oh, you would be fond of cats, wouldn't you?" retorted Petunia, continuing to poke the kitten in the face with a stick.
"That's besides the point; you're being cruel!"
"Your sister's no fun, Petunia," remarked Terry.
"And don't I know it," Petunia glared.
"You've some nerve, doing that!" Sirius fumed, bursting right into the circle the three kitten-torturers had formed and cooping up the cat. The cat swiped at him, naturally, but Sirius had spent the last few months wrestling a werewolf and getting into a fistfight with someone ten years older than himself, so the swipe was barely noted.
James was livid and very nearly smacked Macy. As it was, when Terry advanced on him they got into a wonderful scuffle. James cuffed him in seconds. Lily was trying to help the kitten in Sirius's arms. After James had chased Petunia, Macy, and Terry out they handed the kitten to the boy.
"Thanks," he muttered.
"I'm really sorry about my sister, Gerry," Lily apologized. "She can be mean sometimes."
"She's still your sister, though," Gerry pointed out.
Lily sighed. "Yeah. I know."
"There are good points about her?"
Lily shrugged. "Probably."
"You trust her?"
"She just tried to kill a defenceless kitten. I don't trust her with anything; not my life and certainly not anyone else's."
*
That memory and the time Harry Eastman had ranted about his horrible cousins, the Dursleys, was plastered in Sirius's mind. Harry… there?
No. Sirius had gotten too much bad news tonight. This was supposed to be a visit of healing. Instead, old wounds were being ripped open and new ones created.
Sirius's first instinct was to run to Surrey - and he was going to do that.
But first, he really needed a shower.
And, of course, that was Bendall's Curse. And it was my fault. I told her to switch numbers. Lily had managed to do a real Life's Circle. If Harry has half that determination, which he sure did twelve years ago when he wanted to go outside, he'll be just fine, reflected Sirius, hurrying along.
Bendall's Curse caused Morwin to become dim-minded and slow, a ghost of the incredibly clever and smart girl of before. Morwin fell to the bottom of her classes, and her sense of sarcastic humor that was need if you were talking with Sirius, James, Remus, Peter, Lily, Sammy, and Linda died away nearly completely.
However, her mind recovered for the periods of time surrounding Dark Activity. It was like an alarm clock. If she made a clever retort one day, they would hear of a mass Muggle killing the next. If she did her Astronomy homework without help one night, the next you would hear that Death Eaters unleashed a dozen cases of Kapykoae. It was a really awful feeling when you felt worried when your friend performed a semi-complicated charm without problems. And that was part of the curse's power, to break the wills of the victim's friends.
Of course, Morwin had no ordinary friends.
Sirius knew that without the Dark Side in power, Morwin would be very ill and probably would no longer be Cornelius Fudge's secretary - no real tragedy, and, come to think of it, Fudge was Minister of Magic now.
Pathetic. And we all thought Robert Pearce was incompetent.
Sirius quickened his pace in spite of the searing pain in his paws. He was almost to Serendipity; he recognized the houses around him. Just a little longer… there would be light, too, Sirius hated darkness now; light and perhaps even food…
After Hogwarts, Sirius, James, Linda, Lily, Remus, Morwin, and Peter had sworn to remain friends, in spite of everything and anything. And so they had, and Serendipity had ensured that. Sirius, James, and Morwin, who had large inherited fortunes, found a house everyone liked in a more Muggle-populated area of Godric's Hollow. It was at the very end of everything, large enough for all of them to visit at once and not be squashed and small enough to be home-like.
None of them had ever lived in Serendipity. Not when Morwin could barely keep a house because of her impaired mind, not when Peter found a short-lived job right in Godric's Hollow, not when Lily and James got married and were certain their house would be in Godric's Hollow, not when Remus couldn't find any work and was living in a earthen-floored cabin on the outskirts of Godric's Hollow. No one lived there. But it was their getaway, their sanctuary, and their grown-up version of a clubhouse.
Sirius sighed in satisfaction when he found that his memories of working on Serendipity with everyone were still intact. Those were safe. Oh, he loved that place. He especially came there on nights after he had been forced to attend some social function of his father's. Leave some mansion with a sigh of relief and smile happily as you got to a two-story house on the edge of Godric's Hollow.
Sirius loved being contrary.
Lin and Rem have been taking care of it, right? Of course they have. I bet Lin still brings Harry here all the time. But… what if they don't? I mean, it must be pretty painful. I know Morwin probably can't even leave her house, and then James and Lily are dead, to them, Peter's dead, and they think I'm a murderer. It might hold too many memories for them.
But they're strong, they really are. And you know them and their ideas of responsibility. Of all of us, they were strongest. The generally quite Lin and Rem were fascinating to Sirius. With Lily and James, everything was clean-cut and on paper. James had two traits that defined him - his need to be the center of attention and his need to fix anything and everything he deemed "unfair". Lily was brave, clever, and temperamental, and both were generous and kind. It was very clear, and it was what endeared them to everyone.
Linda and Remus were different. Most people found them quiet, patient, unnoticeable and capable of doing whatever needed to be done. When you bothered to find out about them, they excluded more of a sense of good-temperedness, light sarcasm, cleverness, and resourcefulness. They made excellent friends, being willing to share attention and sympathy, and having varied interests and hobbies and always up for an adventure of sorts as long as no one was going to be jailed for it. They had their sparks of mischief, even if Lin did everything possible to hide hers. They could be talkative and quiet by turns, and you knew almost instantly that they were trustworthy. Sirius, used to being flamboyant, was rather taken aback when he discovered he liked their mildness.
But when you got to know them even better, you found their sadness. Sirius had noticed this instantly, but never understood it for a while. It was a full school year before Sirius found even half of what weighed upon Rem, and longer before he found half of what bothered Lin. They were private and closed-in, and sometimes it bothered Sirius, who liked to be on-the-table close. It had nearly driven him insane in their first-year when Remus would suddenly leave - not his several day long absences, but when everyone was together and getting along fine, and suddenly he would get up and … go. It had taken a while for him to confide that sometimes the darkness - the wolf - inside him got to the point of unmanageability, and that was Remus's cue to go off privately and let it pass over. It still bothered Sirius. Lin's sudden private spells bothered him even more, especially after he knew why Remus sometimes closed himself up in a room. He never really understood Linda for the longest of times, and even when he did get an explanation, it bothered him.
But as James pointed out, a lot of things bothered Sirius.
Sirius almost let out a howl of relief - Serendipity! Home, he thought happily, racing to the small white house - home!
He stopped. The wards. Had they been taken down? If not, had Lin and Rem made sure they would no longer admit him? They were both cautious about things like that.
He took a deep breath and tried - and got in without a problem. His dog senses could tell the wards were up, but still recognized them.
Odd. I thought for sure… perhaps Rem didn't tell Lin about the Animagi. Sirius knew that Linda knew about Remus's being a werewolf, because when he had faced them before his Azkaban imprisonment Rem had been wearing his ID-Pin and Lin didn't look a bit nonplussed about it. But would she know about the Animagi? Sirius hoped she did. Surely if she knew, she might figure out Peter was alive. If anyone could do it, it was Linda Fairchild. And Linda needed to - she had Harry!
The doors recognized him and opened to admit him. Sirius smiled. The wards recognized ten people - the "Godric Hollow Gang", Annie Potter - James's younger sister, Harry Potter, Harry Eastman, and Albus Dumbledore, for obvious reasons, as they all did "errands" for their former Headmaster at some point or another. But no one else. Privacy. And the doors only opened for the Godric Hollow Gang.
Sirius scowled. Peter could enter this sacred place freely. The thought nearly killed him.
Then Sirius remembered joyfully that he could transform. It had been a while since he was able to be human. Checking quickly to ensure the curtains were indeed up, Padfoot became Sirius.
He sighed in relief.
He then noted that he was absolutely filthy. He remembered that Lily had become quite the housewife after her marriage, and he imagine her face if she could see him inside Serendipity looking like this.
Imagine her face? She'd be horrified. You killed her, Sirius Black, you killed her! You killed her and her husband and unborn daughter and orphaned her son! Sirius broke down. He collapsed in a heap on the kitchen floor and sobbed. It was several minutes before the grief released some of its hold on him and he was able to stand, still crying freely.
I am filthy. In more ways than one, of course, but Lin and Rem'll be really suspicious if they come in here and it's all messed up. Then they'll know I've been here. Black, you idiot, they're probably watching this house, thinking you'll come back!
He didn't care. No one but Lin, Rem, Harry, or Peter could get in, and if it was Lin or Rem he might get a chance to explain himself.
If it was Peter, he was going to kill the bastard.
He yearned for a shower, and decided that he would do just that before he left. First, however, he washed his hands in the kitchen sink. The water was still running. It had been in James's will, for all the bills to be paid for Serendipity forevermore. And that, luckily, meant running water.
You bastard, using James's doings for you. You killed him; you killed him. Or had you forgotten?
It was, however, probably very good for Lin and Rem. Neither had much money - although now that Linda was free to pursue her singing career that might change at least for one of them. But she also had to support Harry, and if Remus was paying the bills for this house he also had to live here.
And Sirius could tell instantly no one was living here. There was a thick, thick layer of dust, and his heart sank. They haven't been coming back. Has Harry ever really seen this? Not in this state, I hope.
Sirius paused a moment, wondering if that old transistor radio they had spelled to pick up the WWN was still in the house.
It was, on the kitchen countertop. Sirius turned it on and was amazed to feel the happiness he felt, just listening to a commercial about the latest broomstick model, a Firebolt. Just like a normal person. I wonder if this is what Lin and Rem felt like, going to Hogwarts like everyone else when they didn't think they could. It's an amazing feeling, feeling normal. He felt almost light-headed and wasn't sure he wanted to read the Prophets.
I wonder if there's a shred of food in the house…
A quick search revealed none. So no one was visiting Serendipity regularly. It surprised him. He at least imagined…
"And now, back from a commercial break, we're back to the Stars That Never Got the Chance Hour! We have some Fredrick Henley coming up for you, and some old Star-lighters tunes, right after our next song: 'Restless', sung by young Linda Fairchild!"
Sirius almost died on the spot. "Restless" was Linda's second recording. She had released four when Sirius was sent to Azkaban, how many had she released since then? But… "Stars That Never Got The Chance Hour"? Those were for promising young talents that were cheated by recording companies, or died, or quit. So Lin wasn't singing anymore?
Restless
So restless I've worn through the floor
Restless
So restless I can't take no more
Since when did life get so complicated?
I can't barely remember the time I was so busy in my head…
So I grab the powder and Floo over to you, my love…
'Cause despite all nothing else compares…
Talking with my friends and saying 'D'you remember?' -
Falling right off the chairs…
Hearing Linda's voice, the same it had been twelve years ago, did nothing to help Sirius stem his tears. He could even hear Lily's voice giving backup singing and his own percussion work. The song ended with a "killer" guitar solo, leaving Sirius feeling very emotional. Wonder where she is now…
"Yes, friends," said the wireless, "that was the work of Linda Fairchild. She was a great talent with a bright future, of course, she was also a brave Auror as well and the music world was shocked to hear that she died the third of November, 198i, just when You-Know-Who was defeated and her fans thought she was safe. Next: 'The Hen's one-time hit: 'Broken Wand', released in…"
Sirius stood rigid to the spot.
He thought he didn't have any tears left.
But he sure did.
Lin? Died? Just three days after Lily and James? She wasn't alive? Doing Auror work?
Sirius sobbed, letting grief wash over him, but not before slamming the transistor radio off. He was in no mood to hear "The Hen".
Lin… Lin, I'm sorry… Lin!
His crying voice seemed to echo in his head, pounding, and he just wanted the grief, which was more than any physical pain he had ever felt, to end when suddenly he snapped up. Where's Harry? He's with Rem and Morwin, right? Or would even Dumbledore let them?
Sirius felt helpless for a moment before noticing a pile of Daily Prophets on the kitchen table. He glanced at the topmost one.
15, November 1981…
Sirius felt as if he were in a time warp. He ruffled through the pile. The one from 15 November was the most recent.
I suppose Remus couldn't stand reading all this any more than I could have. I don't even want to read it right now, but I've got to know…
Sirius paused. Were Remus and Morwin even alive?
I've got to believe they are; otherwise Harry has no one in the world except for an Azkaban escapee.
He found the first one was 1 November 1981. "Reprint: Encore". Large headlines proclaimed the Downfall of Voldemort, the Boy Who Lived, and the death of Lily and James.
Sirius skipped over it when he found it didn't have what he wanted and moved to the next one - a few days afterward. Of course, d'you really think Rem has the money to buy this bundle of lies daily? Then he found it: "Boy Who Lived Sent to Muggle Relatives".
Harry Potter, at age one, has already achieved more fame than most wizards gain in a lifetime. His name is already know throughout the wizarding community…
Sirius skipped the introduction to Harry and skimmed past the story of Halloween 1980 until he found what he was looking for.
The question now being asked is where the young boy will be living. Harry's godfather is also Death Eater Sirius Black, whom James Potter so foolishly trusted…
Sirius tried not to cry; he needed proper vision to read…
… and who is now being held in the Fortress of Azkaban, a very unsuitable paternal figure…
Sirius felt like he was being tortured. Each few words seemed to be like a stab in his chest.
… and whom naturally could never foster young Potter…
The curse words Sirius learned in Azkaban helped him greatly.
Harry Potter's godmother is the late Linda Fairchild…
Did this person write the article intending to hurt him?! Is this was Rem must have felt like during Defence lessons on werewolves, and Lily and Morwin when we were at that lecture on Muggle-wizard relationships?
… Auror and singer, but whom in death cannot care for the young boy, naturally.
What a stupid thing to say! Very clever, genius.
Several offers to care for the child have arisen. Harry Eastman, a Muggle friend of the late Mrs. Potter's, reported that he would take his namesake in if need be. The Mr. and Mrs. Richard Gondola, old school friends of the Potters, have also said they will do the same if worst came to worst.
The most startling claim came from two more of the Potters' friends, Morgana Hagley and Remus Lupin. While true that they were indeed close friends of the Potters and were, indeed, rumored to have been named godparents of Lily Potter's unborn child, there is also the not to be overlooked fact that the former is a mind-paralyzed victim of Bendall's Curse…
"Not mind-paralyzing, you idiot reporter!" Sirius fumed out loud.
… from the age of fourteen, and the latter is a werewolf, WR16830. Needless to say these would not be prime candidates for the parent figures…
"Bella and Rem wouldn't try to replace Lily and James as parental figures, but I guess a cold-hearted pig like you wouldn't understand that," scowled Sirius, "and I'd much rather see my godson in their hands than your lie-writing ones…"
… as the violet tendencies…
"Morwin and Rem? I doubt it." Sirius's hands were shaking.
…would not create the environment any child, let alone Harry Potter, should be subject to.
"Oh, so now Harry Potter can only live in the best and finest? Well, yes, but because he's Harry, not because he's the Boy Who Lived," scowled Sirius.
Albus Dumbledore, close advisor to the Potters, has taken over responsibility for their estate. When asked, he replied: "You must also take into question the child's safety, not just the parents' wants…", namely, that the safety of Harry Potter goes before the wishes of the late Potters, and this Daily Prophet correspondent agrees. While perhaps the Potters might want their child to go to an old friend, you must also take into account the fact that during their lifetime they have trusted Sirius Black, a Bendall's Cursee, and a werewolf, and therefore while their cleverness cannot be disputed, perhaps their choice in friends can, and also the fact that young Potter would not be particularly safe in the home of defencless Muggle Eastman or the household of Hagley and Lupin.
Dumbledore has already sent the boy to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley, a Muggle couple. Mrs. Dursley was Mrs. Potter's sister, and therefore young Potter will be protected by the blood protection of the home. While Hagley and Lupin are seriously disputing this, it looks as though they have little recourse. Linda Fairchild, in the last days of her life, proclaimed: "You can give my godson all the 'protection' he wants, but he needs the loving support of family and friends." We take that to mean that Miss Fairchild, as well, agrees that her godson would be best off with the Dursleys.
"Lin did not mean that!" exploded Sirius, blood pounding in his ears. How could anyone twist words so cruelly? Linda had been very wrongfully quoted.
While some wizards have objections to Harry Potter's residence in Little Whinging, Surrey, 4 Privet Drive with Muggles, many are quite satisfied with this state of affairs…
Sirius threw the paper down. That was it! Harry, living with Petunia?
*
"Si! You finally made it!" called Lily happily, skipping across the green lawn of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Evans, Lily's aunt and uncle. She bounded up to him and gave him a quick hug. "Finally! I was waiting! How was your trip here?"
"I love Muggle transportation," was all Sirius offered with an evil grin.
Lily glanced at him sternly. "Siri, you do know that you are not allowed to fly that motorbike until you get your license next year, right?'
"Lil! Are you accusing me of -"
"You bet she is," cut in James, sauntering up behind them. "Hallo, Padfoot. Made it in one piece, I see."
"He's too calm," Sirius whispered to Lily very loudly.
"Lil's just worried about getting our O.W.L. results. I can't see why," shrugged James. "I look calm by comparison. Or maybe this lovely home has mellowed me."
"You? You don't have a thing to worry about, Lil!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Yes she does," James grinned. "Petunia and her friends. Lily did warn you that her sister was allowed to invite her Muggle friends over as well this summer, right?"
"No Muggle-baiting," decreed Lily. "And they definitely can't find out about all this, got that?"
"You're getting awfully pushy," Sirius smiled. In truth, he was glad. Lily had been far too pensive and sad ever since she her parents died recently, during their fifth year. James as well, although his grief was even more recent. However, they seem to be finding comfort in each other… Sirius hoped that Remus was recovering from Lola's death as nicely.
"Why, thanks," said Lily brightly. "C'mon, it's dreadful hot. D'you want to go swimming?"
"I must say, that suit you have on…"
"Shut up and come on. You've got to meet Uncle Tom and Aunt Cynthie." She grabbed him by the wrist. Sirius glanced at the Muggle home in approval. It was large and spacious, with a huge front, back, and side lawn, all lush green grass. Handy thing to have around if you've invited the Marauders over for the summer, of course, and Sammy Orr. Morwin's going to have her face in a book a good deal of the time, but we'll get her to play. Lil and Lin're going to play nearly as hard as the rest of us, though. Lil promised to teach us 'soccer'. Muggle game; I really love knowing that Father hates Muggle games. And, of course, I'm not at the Evans', I'm at the Pettigrews, remember.
"Peter's going to be here tonight," Sirius remembered suddenly.
Lily nodded in approval. "Good. You boys are all coming early - thank goodness, I can't stand Petunia much longer."
"When's Rem going to be here?"
"On Saturday. He has a lot of badgering and bargaining to do with that Ministry official," James replied, referring to Mr. Payne. Remus had just turned sixteen and therefore really could live in his old flat the same as ever without Lola as long as he paid the rent, but unbeknownst to Lily, the Ministry was not just going to let a teenaged werewolf watch out for himself. Payne's job was to make sure Remus was locked up during full moon - and generally make his life miserable until he could escape to the Evans', although Remus hadn't said it that way flat-out is his letters.
"Mr. Payne…" said Lily slowly. "Underage wizards aren't really his department, are they?"
Sirius and James exchanged glances. "You know that Ministry," Sirius rolled his eyes. "Heigh-ho! Is that Petunia?" he motioned to a short girl with brown hair.
"No, that's… wait, er… Janet. She's one of Petunia's school friends. Petunia's…" Lily scanned the yard. "Inside." She led them through glass doors to the inside of the home, which, Sirius noted with an evil grin, had very many mirrors in it.
"Why, you must be Sirius," said the warm voice of Cynthia Evans, Lily's aunt. She offered a flour-filled hand. "Very nice to meet you, indeed, even if Lily has said you're the 'wild one'."
Sirius's eyes widened innocently. "Me? No. Mistakes of mine get exaggerated a bit, but generally I'm just your basic altar boy."
James and Lily snickered.
"I'm sure," Mrs. Evans humored him. "Lily, go get Sirius a towel if you're going swimming already." Lily scampered off quickly, and Mrs. Evans smiled at him and leaned closely: "Thank you very much for coming. I want my niece to be happy, and when she talked of her friends coming over, she really lit up. If there's anything you want, don't hesitate to ask. I consider you the one doing me a favor. And I don't know too much about magic at all, but Tom knows more of all it than I do, so you can talk to him. Okay?"
"All righty," agreed Sirius.
"Oh, and I heard that you can get a bit rowdy, especially when paired with James," she smiled. "I'm going to have a house of about fifteen children, humor me a bit, please?"
Sirius sighed, trying to look miserable. "All right. What did James say to that?"
James grinned. "I'm dating her niece; d'you think I said no?"
"Oh, Jay said no, he just said it in more words than that," Lily laughed, bounding down the steps. "Here, Siri," she flung a blue towel at him. "You can get changed in there," she said unabashedly, pointing to the first room in the side hallway that went nowhere, "and we'll met with you out back in the wonderful pool of my relatives."
"Lily! Stop making so much noise, you little freak!" called a shrill voice. Sirius cringed.
"Oh, that's Petunia," said Lily casually, flinging her hair over her shoulders and looking completely undisturbed. Sirius noted she talked of Petunia the same was Remus and Morwin talked of their respective curses - nonchalantly, but with darkened eyes.
Well, I know what having a sister that's a curse is like, but somehow I reckon even Elsie isn't as bad as Petunia.
"You hear me, Lily?"
"Yeah, Pet, whatever. Sirius and James and I are going outside; we won't even be in your way for a while!" Lily called back. "Oh, and Janet's outside, she looks a little lonely. Are you abandoning her?"
"It's Jillian!" Petunia shrieked back. "And who on earth is Sirius?"
"He's the noisy, crazy, wacko one I told you about!" Lily replied.
"Girls, please don't shout," begged Mrs. Evans.
"Sorry," said Lily.
" 'Noisy, crazy, wacko one'? Lily, I'm charmed." Sirius pretended to be hurt.
Lily giggled. "Siri, I did you a favor. I'm really afraid that she'll think you're the best-looking man she ever set eyes on and will fall madly in love, leaving you an innocent victim. C'mon."
They had swum happily for a while, Sirius and James naturally more interested in cannonballs while Lily kept muttering: "Boys."
"You sounded so delighted when you mention all of your male friends were coming early," Sirius pointed out wickedly.
"I'll still be happiest when Linda and Sammy and Morwin get here, let me tell you."
"I don't know; you and James didn't have that bad a time, did you?"
Lily pretended to whack him over the head with a rubber water toy when all the sudden they heard loud crying.
They exchanged a three-way glance, nodded instantly, and hopped over the fence that surrounded the pool and ran to the sound of the cries.
Petunia, a girl Sirius later learned was Macy and a boy called Terry were beating on a small cat. A small boy of about seven was watching with tears streaming down his face; the grey kitten that was shrieking in pain was obviously his pet.
"Petunia Evans!" shouted Lily angrily. "Stop hurting that kitten!"
"Oh, you would be fond of cats, wouldn't you?" retorted Petunia, continuing to poke the kitten in the face with a stick.
"That's besides the point; you're being cruel!"
"Your sister's no fun, Petunia," remarked Terry.
"And don't I know it," Petunia glared.
"You've some nerve, doing that!" Sirius fumed, bursting right into the circle the three kitten-torturers had formed and cooping up the cat. The cat swiped at him, naturally, but Sirius had spent the last few months wrestling a werewolf and getting into a fistfight with someone ten years older than himself, so the swipe was barely noted.
James was livid and very nearly smacked Macy. As it was, when Terry advanced on him they got into a wonderful scuffle. James cuffed him in seconds. Lily was trying to help the kitten in Sirius's arms. After James had chased Petunia, Macy, and Terry out they handed the kitten to the boy.
"Thanks," he muttered.
"I'm really sorry about my sister, Gerry," Lily apologized. "She can be mean sometimes."
"She's still your sister, though," Gerry pointed out.
Lily sighed. "Yeah. I know."
"There are good points about her?"
Lily shrugged. "Probably."
"You trust her?"
"She just tried to kill a defenceless kitten. I don't trust her with anything; not my life and certainly not anyone else's."
*
That memory and the time Harry Eastman had ranted about his horrible cousins, the Dursleys, was plastered in Sirius's mind. Harry… there?
No. Sirius had gotten too much bad news tonight. This was supposed to be a visit of healing. Instead, old wounds were being ripped open and new ones created.
Sirius's first instinct was to run to Surrey - and he was going to do that.
But first, he really needed a shower.