DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, he belongs to J.K Rowling and if you are reading this and think any different then St. Mungo's should be your next port of call.

Chapter dedicated to CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur my first reviewer

Chapter 2: Burning Bridges

31st October 1981

Albus Dumbeldore sat with his head in his hands sitting at his large desk in his wide circular office surrounded by wizarding portraits of former headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unlike muggle pictures though all of these portraits could speak and think of their own accord. Yet it was a silent as a tomb as Albus sat with his head in his hands waiting for Hagrid to arrive back from the Potters cottage where Albus felt that the ultimate betrayal had just happened. Oh how could he of been so stupid, everyone in the Order of the Phoenix knew that there was a spy close to the Potters and had been for months as any move they made, Voldemort was already one step ahead of them. But Sirius Black, "he loved James, Lily and Harry like no one else" but the facts were staring Albus in the face. Sirius was their secret keeper; the only way Voldemort could find the Potters was if the secret keeper told him the location. When tonight he was alerted to the fact that the wards surrounding Godric's Hollow had been brought down, he couldn't believe it, that Sirius would betray James like that.

Suddenly there was a knocking on his large bronze double doors to his office which while deep in thought Albus had lost focus on. "It must be Hagrid," he thought to himself as he prepared himself for the upcoming conversation. Over the years Albus had acquired many talents and amongst them was almost a sixth sense of what was going to happen and now one lonely word was floating through his mind "death".

"Come in Hagrid, bad news I assume?" Albus automatically assessed as he saw the distraught mixed with the slightest hint of joy on the face of his gamekeeper and long time friend although the joy part confused him somewhat.

"Oh, Albus it was horrible, there was destruction everywhere, the whole cottage destroyed. James, Lily…" Hagrid spoke in his thick bushy accent and trailed off letting his words hang in the air as he broke down and started weeping profusely.

"Oh, Hagrid I was correct, it was as I had feared, Voldemort has finally caught up with the Potters. But was there anything else you need to mention" Albus calmly asked while is eyes no longer holding his famous twinkle bore into Hagrid's beetle black eyes.

"How can I have been so forgetful, you will never guess, lil' Harry and Sirius Black survived somehow, it's a miracle" Hagrid said, the tone of joy in his voice equal to that of the look on his face previously.

"Go, on Hagrid" Albus calmly stated in an even tone though he did not like the way in that this conversation was going and it was going to get worse.

"Alright then, I had just arrived with the Portkey and saw the destruction of the cottage and cautiously made my way over to where the cottage once was, as it had been literally destroyed. Then just as I had finished searching and found no sign of Harry. I was just about leaving the grounds when I saw a flying motorcycle take off from the ground driving itself while the man on board was holding a bundle in his arms like it was going to break. I immediately went back to double check the house and grounds to check for Harry in case he wasn't what Sirius was holding but I found no trace of him in the building or on the grounds so I Portkeyed back. How did Harry and Sirius survive, You-Know-Who doesn't show any mercy? Why didn't he kill them?" Hagrid asked, confusion in his voice after voicing the last part of his question.

"Hagrid did you see anything weird as you were in or around the Potter residence" Albus asked not knowing whether the answer be good or bad.

"As a matter of fact I did, for one there was no Dark Mark which puzzled me greatly and near Lily's body was a dark black robe with a pile of ashes on top. Why is that important?" Hagrid said puzzled not knowing that he was talking about the remains of Voldemort himself.

"Alas Hagrid, I fear to know the answer to your questions yet other people need to be present to hear its answer. Please go and get Severus and Minerva and meet me here as soon as you can. Tell them this is of the utmost emergency and please don't mention any of our conversation to them including the fact that Lily and James are not with us any longer." Albus told Hagrid in a tone full of urgency yet so dead and flat. All Albus could think at that present moment was "it is my fault, I should have been their secret keeper, if I had only insisted more then two great people would not be dead and a baby in the hands of a murdering traitor."

After Hagrid had hurriedly departed from his office to find the Head of Griffindor and Slytherin House Albus rose and went to the fireplace where he fire called Remus Lupin and told him to get to his office and that the password was Ice Mice as fast as he could. The dreaded look that Remus gave him seeing the look on his face and the tone of his voice chilled Albus to the bone. "I am getting old" he thought as he made the way back to his desk waiting the arrival of the staff and Remus for what would be one of the hardest meetings of Albus's life. He could see all their reactions as if he was a seer. Remus would be disbelieving, Severus would just say that he knew Black was no good for anything, Minerva would be shocked and Hagrid well he would have to use all of his persuasion to stop Hagrid starting a one man hunt for Sirius Black.

This time Albus was alerted as he felt the ward that he set on his gargoyle that protects his office activate as someone had given the correct password and by now would be on the way up to his office. Just by listening Albus could tell that Hagrid was successful in his attempt to find Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall. Just as he heard them step off the staircase he said

"Come in and please have a seat." His voice betraying no emotion of how he felt.

"Albus are you alright?" Minerva asked in a concerned tone as she saw the state that her long time friend was in. It was not often that she saw Albus Dumbledore in this state.

"Alas Minerva no I am not, yet all will be explained when our last guest arrives." Albus replied.

"Albus." Severus said in a even manner upon following Minerva into Dumbledore office and sitting down in an armchair after a wave of the hand by Albus created three and a much larger version for what Severus could only assume was Hagrid the bumbling oaf. The oaf had stumbled into his dungeons distracting Severus while he was delicately stirring his latest potion destroying hours of work. Something had obviously upset the oaf and Severus had to strain his ears to hear him. Something about Albus, an important meeting and urgent. He reluctantly followed and stepped outside the dungeons when he noticed Minerva waiting. This must be important Severus had thought at the time but seeing the look on Albus's face Severus knew that this meeting would be a lot more important than any one else thought.

"Who is this final guest Albus?" Minerva asked, as she had to be getting back to marking the 6th year Ravenclaw essays.

"Remus Lupin, Minerva, Remus Lupin." Albus replied with the look of someone who was a million miles away from here.

"Hallelujah, bloody great, just the person that I want to be meeting with, the bloke that tried to eat me while spending the full moon as a werewolf". Severus thought with a look of disgust plastered on his sneering face. "At least it isn't Black or Potter" Severus cynically thought.

Just then there was a knock on the bronze doors and Albus haphazardly called

"Enter Remus" in a sad yet empty voice.

Remus Lupin entered his threadbare robes worn down precariously thin in places while wearing a pair of old muggle black trousers. The thing that most stood out regarding his appearance was his favourite gift ever after that of the gift of friendship as a werewolf never has many friends but Remus was lucky he thought having two of the best friends in the world. A black dragon hide jacket a present from Sirius for being in Sirius's words "the best Moony a person could have." The expensive jacket gleamed bright in the lights of Albus's office as worry lines etched his handsome features and his chestnut brown hair with streaks of grey flopped around on his head. When he spoke it was with the most sad, depressed tone that all in the room had ever heard, it was one that could crush hopes and destroy dreams.

"It has happened has it not," Remus said looking at Albus who merely looked grim and nodded his head "James, Lily, Harry, Sirius, my god, VOLDEMORT I WILL KILL YOU MYSELF!" Remus screamed and the normally cool character was now on the verge of hysterics as Hagrid sniffed loudly dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief.

"Is it true Albus?" Minerva asked solemnly, her eyes red and puffy " Did Voldemort get the Potters and Sirius Black"

"Yes and No Minerva, Yes and No. James and Lily Potter were both killed tonight at the hands of Lord Voldemort who I believe now has been defeated by Young Harry Potter" Albus replied ready for the fanfare that was bound to follow this statement.

"What do you mean Albus, that a one-year-old defeated Lord Voldemort. You have gone nuts," Severus said to the Headmaster looking at him as though he was crazy and speaking to him in a tone that he would never usually of taken with the man.

"Albus, you are surely wrong." Minerva echoing Severus's statements from ten seconds ago.

"Albus, cut the riddles, if Harry defeated Voldemort and did not die what happened to him, is he here? Furthermore where is Sirius, you haven't mentioned him once. I want answers dammit" Remus bellowed at the headmaster who had visibly sagged behind his desk making him appear to be even more ancient than he is.

"Lupin, calm your tongue or I'll do it for you!" Severus told the werewolf with a look of utmost hatred on his face.

"Snivellus who asked you, shouldn't you be kissing your masters robes or torturing some muggles hell if you have nothing better to do you might as well go wash your hair." Lupin with a look matching Severus's hatred using his position in the Order to know that Snape was in fact a spy for the light.

"Why you filthy werewolf" Severus shouted drawing his wand and Lupin followed suit. " I'll send you to see your dead friends if you say one more word. Not that the Potters didn't get what they deserved." Severus taunted but by judging the look on Lupin's face he had gone too far and quickly raised his wand in an attempt to stun the man. It was too no avail thoughts before he could even start the incantation he was picked up and Remus using his werewolf-enhanced strength threw Severus 20 foot backward into the side wall of the office before Albus or Minerva could even react. When he came to his senses Dumbledore froze them both and Hagrid who had raised out of seat with inhuman speed and was about to commit murder on Severus Snape with a flick of the wand and stood up. There was an aura of power about him now that made Minerva take a step back.


"Severus, Remus I am terribly disappointed in the pair of you but this isn't the time or place. Now where I was before I was terribly interrupted was that Harry and Sirius are indeed both alive. Hagrid saw them himself but this has only led me to one conclusion, that Sirius was the spy and has been passing information to Voldemort for months and then after becoming Secret Keeper sold the Potters out to Voldemort. Then after the defeat of his master kidnapped Harry. Whether he plans to kill Harry or seeing his power train him to serve the Dark I don't know. Now I will let the three of you go and we will rationally discuss what we are going to do following Harry's kidnapping and Sirius's betrayal. If you so much as make a move to harm one another you will be sorry." Albus simply stated his voice sounding as cold as ice after that last statement. Then with a flick of his wand the three men or one vampire look alike, one werewolf and a half-giant were released from the bodybind.

The three men just stood there in utter shock for moments while Minerva was leaning on the wall for support after hearing the revelation that Albus had to offer along with his thoughts. Remus was the first to recover his wits and after the initial hurt crossed his face anger no white-hot fury was present on his face, as he comprehended what Albus had just told them.

"NO, YOUR WRONG, SIRIUS WOULDN'T DO IT. HE LOVED JAMES, LILY AND ESPECIALLY HARRY, HE DOTED ON THE BOY. YOU DON'T KNOW THAT SIRIUS BETRAYED THEM. YOU SAID YOURSELFTHE OTHER DAY THAT YOU WERE NOT THERE WHEN THE FIDELUS WAS BEING PERFORMED. SIRIUS IS FOLLOWING THE DARK LORD. YOU REMEMBER WHAT HIS FAMILY KICKED HIM OUT AT AGE 16 FOR, OH YEAH I DO, NOT BEING A MUGGLE-HATING PUREBLOOD FANATIC LIKE THE REST OF HIS FAMILY. I AM GOING NOW TO FIND MY BEST FRIEND AS I NOW KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOING TO TELL THE MINISTRY THIS RUBBISH OF A STORY AND WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS SORTED OUT BEFORE ANYONE ELSE GETS KILLED. SIRIUS TRYING TO TURN HARRY DARK, ALBUS THAT IS THE FUNNIEST THING I HAVE HEARD IN YEARS SINCE SEVERUS SAID HE WASHES HIS HAIR ONCE A DAY. NOW GOODBYE!" With that end to his tirade Remus stormed out of Albus's office and off Hogwarts grounds intent on finding his best friend and his Godson and warn Padfoot of what a terrible mistake Albus has made.

Meanwhile back in Albus's office the four occupants were left shocked and dazed by the events that transpired. Now they had another problem on their hands or so they thought. Albus looking more warier and more defeated than ever by the previous minutes said to his gathered friends and staff

"This is most unexpected, I thought he'd be disbelieving but this. Assuming that we are correct and Remus is wrong and I have a strong feeling we are correct I have no option but to officially declare Remus Lupin a danger to the Order and the public and hereby suspend his membership indefinitely along with that of Sirius Blacks. I will also have to tell the Minister that Remus knows what we think about the whole situation. Assuming that he finds Sirius before the Order or the Ministry who by now know doubt know that something has happened down at Godric's Hollow tonight, that both of them will take Harry and flee the country as quick as possible." Albus finished looking truly downhearted at the recent turn of events.

"Albus do you really think that Remus will believe what Black tells him over us? Surely Remus Lupin will not turn against us. The boy has been very outspoken on the Dark Side since the first time we met him?" Minerva asked Albus with worry and panic evident in her voice

"I think that the werewolf is capable of going Dark and he will believe anything that traitor Black tells him. We now have two extremely dangerous men on the loose one of whom is a werewolf." Severus stated plainly as if the answer was obvious.

"No, Minerva I don't think that Remus Lupin can turn to the Dark Side and whatever is left of the Death Eaters. Though he may think that we are the enemies as well as what's left of Voldemort henchmen that is why it would be interesting to see what story that Sirius tells them. Minerva, Severus it has been a long night and unfortunately for the unforeseeable future the days are going to get longer. Severus in the morning would you please initiate contact with some of the Death Eaters and Lucius Malfoy more importantly, it will be interesting to hear what Malfoy has to say on the matter as he is or should I say was high up in the hierarchy was he not?" Albus bid them good night leaving his rhetorical question hanging in the air as the Head of Griffindor and Slytherin along with the gamekeeper left his chambers.

Then as soon as he sat down there was a tapping at the window and unsurprisingly there were roughly 20 owls all addressed to him. It was going to be a long night…

1st November 1981

Sirius and Harry had by now flown back to Sirius's flat and after putting a sleeping spell on Harry and conjuring up a travel cot for him to sleep in, Sirius got to work. After taking two potions, an anti-sleep draft and an energy potion from his supplies he often used to stay up and party all weekend he began thinking "All I have to do is contact Albus and tell him about Peter" when a tapping on the window caught his attention. It was weird for two reasons. One was that he made his flat unplottable and only accepted Owl Post from people he knew he could trust, which now stood at one person, Moony. The second was that he had only seen Moony yesterday and if he wants to contact Sirius he would usually use the Orders method of communication. Sirius hurriedly went to the window and saw a hastily scribbled letter that chilled Sirius to the core of his being. The only time he had felt worse was when he had first seen Lily and James and the guilt had threatened to overwhelm him. The letter read

Padfoot

If this owl reaches you before I do you have to realise that they are after you. Albus and consequently the Ministry believe that you were James Secret Keeper and were the spy that the Order was looking for. They believe that you have kidnapped Harry to either kill him or raise him as evil.

I don't believe this and have made myself a target as they now think I'm evil as well. We need to get out of the country to somewhere safe. Just take Harry and go. I'll find you somehow. Oh and if Albus was right know that I'll hunt you down and break every bone in your body before killing you.

Moony

Sirius just sat and stared at the letter for minutes before snapping back to reality. They thought that he had betrayed James and Lily and kidnap Harry. He had to get away like Moony said. But where to, he had no other property. Money should not be a problem. After being kicked out by his parents, Sirius being the smart young man he was quickly went to Gringotts Bank before his family took him off the list and took as much gold as he could fit into an expanded trunk. He keeps the trunk that tied to a necklace round his neck. His personal account though had more money than his trunk and who knows how long the three of them need to hide out before Peter is caught or the truth gets out. "Moony will not have much money" Sirius mused. "If I go into hiding I don't want to go back out and risk being caught for a handful of Galleons". He decided then and there that after packing his stuff he would go to Gringotts and put as much money into two more trunks, one for Moony and one for Harry.

Then it hit him; "the three of them could go and stay in the Blacks exile cottage". The cottage was on a sparsely inhabited island of the coast of Scotland and used to be used as an exile from the wizarding world for any member of the Black family who needed to be hid or punished. He silently thanked his Mother for threatening him with it every day as punishment for his views. As his father and brother Regulas had died in previous years only his delusional mother had knowledge of the place and if his cousin Andromeda Tonks could be trusted which she could, being Sirius's favourite relative then his mother was going senile. Another good thing was that the island was all muggle and the cottage called "Hide and Seek" had a variety of powerful wards. They ranged from it being unplottable to it being hidden to muggles and wizards alike as only a Black and people with permission from a Black could see it. It also masked the use of magic and had anti-apparition and Portkey wards among others. "Yes that would work" Sirius pondered as he finalised his plans.

With that last thought Sirius start packing like a man possessed shrinking his wardrobe and his clothing draws and putting them in his back pocket. For an average wizard that would have been very hard but Sirius did it with a mere thought and flick of the wand. After shrinking the rest of the essentials Sirius conjured two more trunks and proceeded to charm them with an expansion charm. After shrinking them and putting them in a different pocket Sirius quickly conjured a bit of parchment and a quill and calling his owl quickly he hastily scribbled a quick note to Moony

Moony

Got your owl, No I wasn't secret keeper, switched to Peter at the last minute in a bluff. He was the spy. Harry and me are fine. Leaving the Country, going to a family cottage in the Orkney Isles, it has been empty for years. Its called "Hide and Seek". It is a old cottage and only a Black or someone with permission can see it. I have just given you permission. Got everything we need. The cottage is in the centre of the island. That is all I can remember.

Be safe

Padfoot

With that Sirius picked Harry up and deciding to let him sleep and conjuring a strap he tied Harry and the cot to the front of him jumped on his motorcycle and headed off towards Diagon Alley.

An hour later a team of aurors led by Order member Frank Longbottom arrived at the flat. Sirius and Harry were nowhere to be found and anything personal had been removed.

AN

Any good? Let me know, do you want two, 2-5 thousand-word chapters a week or one long one. This story should be around 100-200 thousand words though I don't have an ending yet. I have only a brief plan and that stops about two-thirds through the story.

Thanks to my first 5 reviewers and to danca I think your question has been answered.

I am sorry about how Hagrid is OC. I just couldn't do his speaking manner properly and the attempts I made were worse than that of him talking normally.

R&R

Cheers

Halstead