TRYING TO PICK UP THE PIECES
Chapter three: The truth hurts.
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"I swapped with Peter' Sirius said regretfully 'I told them to, and now there all...dead"
"Um, Sirius?" Remus said hesitantly, still not knowing for sure if he was a death eater.
"What?"
"Harry and James aren't dead".
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It seemed to take a while for Remus' statement to sink in; Sirius simply stared dumbfounded at his friend who cautiously let him go.
A few of the order members who had drawn their wands let them drop from were they had aimed them at Sirius throat, he looked genuinely... their was no other word for it-happy, shocked, but happy non the less.
'But, how? I mean, the house" he gestured wildly at the smoldering rubble where the Potters house had once stood.
"Harry survived the killing curse" Dumbledore said his hand still grasping his wand wearily as he stepped forward from the group behind the two marauders.
"What?!" Sirius cried 'Where is he?"
"Why should we tell you?" one of the younger order members demanded "you probably just want to finish the job your master started!"
'I would never harm my godson!" Sirius exclaimed, obviously disgusted by the idea
"Yeah, just let the master do it for you!"
"'ATS ENOUGH!" a loud voice boomed from the crowd as Rubeus Hagrid came forward cradling a bundle of blankets- a moving bundle of blankets.
"Harry!" Sirius cried out rushing forward only to find himself at the wrong end of Albus Dumbledore's wand.
"Sir?" Hagrid asked slightly timidly
"Yes, Hagrid?" Dumbledore answered his eyes still fixed on Sirius
"If, Sirius 'ad done I' why would 'e be back 'ere?"
Dumbledore looked pensive then lowered his wand "Severus?"
Hogwarts's most loathed Professor stepped forward "Sir?"
'You have Veritaserum in your potion stores at Hogwarts"
"Yes"
"Accio" Dumbledore summoned Sirius motorbike helmet
"Portus" he thrust it into Snapes hands causing him to disappear into thin air.
'Thank-you" Sirius whispered as he watched his godson struggling to get to him, dismayed by the fact that he couldn't comfort the boy.
Suddenly a thought accrued to him 'Where is James?" he asked Remus worriedly.
Remus looked disgusted as he answered "That son-of-a-bitch was with some slut when the attack happened!"
"WHAT!" Sirius couldn't believe what he was hearing 'has James changed that much?'
"You heard me, he was out getting laid while his wife was getting murdered!"
"THAT SCUM-BAG!" Sirius said angrily "WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON HIM-"
He was cut off by the reappearance of Severus Snape who was clutching a small bottle of a clear, glistening potion –Veritaserum.
Snape smirked as he handed it to Dumbledore, "Bottoms up".
Sirius glared at his childhood nemesis as Dumbledore tipped the potion into his mouth.
"What is your name?"
"Sirius Black"
"Are you a death eater?"
"No"
"Were you the Potter's secret keeper?"
"No"
Snape looked as if Christmas had been cancelled.
"Do you know who was?"
"Peter Pettigrew".
"Can I see my Godson now?" Sirius asked irritably as the potion wore off,
'Of course" Dumbledore replied 'Hagrid?"
Sirius took his godson who immediately threw his arms around his neck and buried his face in his chest.
"I'm sorry, Padfoot" Remus said sincerely, placing a hand on his shoulder
"Me too, Moony"
"Why would you be sorry"?
'I thought you were the traitor"
"Oh"
"I was an idiot"
"So was I"
'Friends?"
"Marauders" Remus said firmly.
"What's going to happen to Harry?" Sirius asked Dumbledore
Albus sighed, he looked weary and he signature eye-twinkling was gone. 'James as it would seem, is no were to be found"
'Does he know, about Lily?"
"Of that I am certain"
"How?"
"I sent him a letter with Fawkes, he can find anyone"
"But how can you be sure?"
Dumbledore took a small piece of paper out of his robes and handed it to Sirius.
Look after Harry, I won't be coming back.
James Potter
Sirius' hands were shaking with anger "That bastard" he hissed, "That bastard"
"Take Harry to your home, that is, if you want to" Dumbledore told him
"Of course I want to!" Sirius said angrily.
And then he dissaperated away to his Hogsmeade home,
Dumbledore sighed "Well, ladies and Gentlemen, we have a certain Peter Pettigrew to find".