Burden of a Destiny Deleted Scene (Takes place during Chapter 2)

Meeting an Idol

Sirius Black was double and triple checking that everything for Harry's first actual birthday party was ready. It wasn't really a party but it was certainly more than what Harry had been given in the past. Before Hogwarts, Harry's birthday wasn't even acknowledged. After that, Harry's birthday was usually a secluded event. The Weasley boys rescued Harry on his twelfth birthday, his thirteenth birthday was spent in the hospital wing at Hogwarts and his fourteenth birthday was a small affair with the newly formed family. That was what Harry had wanted and his newly appointed guardians had eagerly complied.

This birthday was different. This was Harry's first birthday with a family that actually cared about him in an actual home. Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place wasn't Sirius' first choice of a place to raise his godson but Harry's safety was more important than any memories Sirius had of his childhood in the Black family home. Sirius had also been concerned when Dumbledore had suggested making the Noble House of Black headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix but in the end it turned out to be more of a help for Harry than a problem. The friendships Harry had formed had kept Harry from dwelling on the past more times that Sirius could remember.

It wasn't that Sirius and Remus couldn't help Harry. They were really the only two that Harry actually talked to about that night but sometimes it was good to allow others to distract you from your worries even if it was only for a short time. Stories, chess games and even prank wars were the most common of distractions that usually brought a smile on Harry's face. That made everything worth it. Harry made everything worth it.

It was difficult for Sirius to even imagine his life without his godson. Those years in Azkaban felt like a lifetime ago. He had been a completely different person then, only caring about revenge. Revenge was completely out of the question now. Yes, he wanted the Rat dead but Sirius had made a choice that day he saw Harry at Privet Drive. That day a part of Sirius that he had long forgotten returned at full force. It had been the protectiveness and devotion he had felt every time he had held his godson so many years ago. He could still remember how hard it had been that day to refrain from revealing himself and taking Harry away from it all. In a way, Sirius still felt like that. At least somewhere else Harry would have a chance at a normal childhood for what he had left of it.

A knock on the door quickly pulled Sirius out of his thoughts. "Come in," he said as he turned towards the door.

The door opened slowly and two identical redheads poked through the opening. "Er—Sirius?" one of them asked. "Could we speak to you for a moment?"

Sirius shrugged and motioned for them to enter. He didn't know why the Weasley twins would want to speak with him but had a feeling that it had to do with Harry in some form or another. All of Harry's friends hadn't made an effort to be discrete in their desire to know what was going on with Harry's health and the Order. Fred and George were almost as bad as Ron and Hermione but instead of demanding answers like Ron and Hermione, the twins took more of a Slytherin approach and gathered information from various sources before confrontation.

Fred and George Weasley (Sirius still couldn't tell who was who) closed the door behind them and shared a glance before they jumped into their usual method of speaking...finishing each other's sentences. The one to the right started off. "Sirius, we were exploring upstairs—"

"—and we discovered the names on the doors by Harry's room," added the one on the left. "We figured those rooms belonged—"

"—to you and Remus and since he's a werewolf…well…that's pretty self explanatory." Silence filled the room for a brief moment before the one on the right continued, this time with a grin on his face. "So, Padfoot, Marauder extraordinaire, we come to you now—"

"—for any words of wisdom a legend like yourself could bestow upon Fred and me," the one on the left finished.

Okay, the one on the left is George and the one on the right is Fred. Left: George. Right: Fred. I've got it. Sirius rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He had actually expected this to happen but not so soon. Harry had told him that for Ron's safety, the identities of the Marauders had been kept a secret from the twins. "You two are really coming to the wrong Marauder if you want words of wisdom," Sirius said with a shrug. "Moony's the brains. I'm just the joker. However, I do think that this idea you two have for a joke shop is rather brilliant."

Fred and George beamed at the praise, looking like Christmas had come early.

"When I was a student, plenty of pranks were orchestrated from all houses but my friends and I had made it our mission to outdo everyone," Sirius continued. "You can never underestimate the power laughter has. Pulling pranks on the Slytherins definitely made the days more bearable, although I doubt Snape would agree with me."

"Snape?" Fred asked in confusion. "What does he have to do with anything?"

Sirius shrugged his shoulders, unable to hold back a grin. "Snape was your typical Slytherin pureblood, believing your rank in the wizarding world depended on your blood makeup," he said truthfully. "He represented everything I hated about my family…and he made himself such an easy target all the time. We tested a lot of our pranks on him before releasing them onto the rest of the student body, much like the two of you do with Ron."

"Ah," George said thoughtfully. "So if Harry's dad was a good friend of yours then that means he was a Marauder too, right?"

Sirius nodded. "James was Prongs," he said carefully. "Hence the nickname 'Pronglet' for Harry."

"So that's why Snape hates Harry so much," Fred said in realization then turned to his brother with an uneasy look on his face. "So do you think Ron's going to become a teacher and take his revenge out on our children one day?"

George shook his head. "I don't think Ron would ever willingly become a teacher," he said confidently. "Although, we may have to find a more willing participant to test our products on."

"I concur, dear brother," Fred said in a serious tone. "We wouldn't want ickle Ronnikins to have anger management problems for the next twenty years. It would not bode well for family reunions to say the least."

"An excellent point," George said in the same tone. "That leaves Big-Head Percy. He's the only one thick enough not to see it coming."

Sirius couldn't help but smile at the banter. It reminded him so much of his friendship with James. Both had been purebloods who didn't follow the pureblooded ideals. Both had relied on laughter to forget how dangerous times had been if only for a moment. They had been two of a kind, brothers in every way but blood. That was probably why it hurt so much when everyone believed Sirius could ever possibly betray James and Lily. It would have been like betraying himself.

"Well, whoever you choose, just make sure they can take a joke," Sirius said, pulling himself back to the present. A small grin appeared on his face as he approached them. Was he brave enough to even suggest it? Of course he was. He was a Marauder. "I would recommend Tonks," he said quietly. "She has a wonderful sense of humor and would certainly be more available than your brother who doesn't even live here. She also isn't afraid to offer her own…input, especially when you catch her by surprise early in the morning."

Fred and George smiled excitedly at the chance to have a willing participant. "We appreciate the advice, Padfoot," George said happily as he stiffened his posture and saluted Sirius. "We will begin immediately. Would it be all right if we asked for your input before deploying out inventions?"

Sirius shook his head. "Not at all," he said with a smile. "In fact, I would encourage it. Who would know Tonks better than her cousin?"

"Excellent point, Mr. Padfoot," Fred said eagerly. "We will keep you up-to-date with our progress. Good day, good sir."

Sirius couldn't help smiling as the Weasley twins left the room. Was this a bad idea? Probably. Tonks always sought revenge when she was pranked. Fred and George really had no idea what they were getting themselves into. He had no doubt that another prank war was about to begin but this time it wasn't one against one. Sirius knew Remus and Molly wouldn't approve but he had to admit that the look on Tonks' face would make it all worth it. The sound of Harry laughing would make it all worth it.

"Mischief managed," Sirius said softly as he walked out of the room. Life at Grimmauld Place was about to get really interesting. Entering the living room, Sirius quickly turned at the sound of footsteps hurrying down the stairs. Hermione and Ginny appeared to be in a state of panic with Ron following them. "Where's the fire?" he asked curiously.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief as she hurried to the Marauder. "Sirius, you have to hurry!" she said quickly. "It's Harry! There's something wrong!"

Panic quickly set in as Sirius rushed into the kitchen, pranks and plots instantly forgotten. Countless scenarios entered his head with every step. Was Harry hurt? Was it his scar? Was it an outburst? Was it his heart? The thought of Harry's heart stopping again was enough for Sirius to know that his panic was completely justified. When it came to Harry, overreacting was completely justifiable since that was the only way everyone would realize that underneath that tough exterior was a boy who needed to be protected.

A/N: How's that?A lot of people asked for this scene so I hope you like it. Coming up next, Harry sits down and talks to Ron and Hermione about some of the events that have happened.