Vernon Dursley placed down the newspaper and picked up the mug for coffee his sweet Petunia had put down for him. Black with one teaspoon of sugar, just the way he liked it. It was quiet outside, no car noise and the Johnsons, two houses down, were on vacation, and took their noisy children with them. A minute ago the lawnmower outside had also stopped, making him sigh in relief. Finally a little calm and quiet. He looked over to the calendar, hanging on the wall. On this, he marked the days until the boy would leave again. Vernon felt, like always, a little torn. On the one hand, he couldn't stand having the boy around at all. It made his skin crawl, just thinking about this unnatural being. On the other hand, he had only so few times teaching him the right way of life. While he hated the boy he felt the obligation to try and turn him from his freakish life. He would never be a good member of society but he didn't even put in the effort and that was what made Vernon angry the most. Like he revelled in his freakishness like he enjoyed being an abomination.
Vernons eyes wandered over to the picture of Dudley and Petunia. His son has grown up to a strong young man. He was fit for this world, no one would push him over or belittle him. And ah Petunia, the pearl of his life. He still to this day smiled when he thought back when he had met her. In her beautiful flower-printed dress, smiling at him across the dance floor. It had been love at first sight. She was so kind-hearted. The boy would have gone in a foster home if he would have his way, but she had insisted, one of the few arguments they had in the course of their relationship. In the end, he had given in, couldn't deny his lovely wife her wish. He knew she was still plagued with guilt, not making up with her sister before she died. Nonsense in his mind, the whore had reaped what she had sown, with this good for nothing husband and her freak people around her but since women were more frail and emotional, he hadn't told his lovely wife what he really thought about this.
He heard the door handle rattle. That would be Dudley, coming home from his time with his friends. Vernon was happy, Dudley was the leader of his group, standing out like any real Dursley man would do, leading instead of following. Proud and strong-willed. Then he heard a tumble in the corridor and that boy cried out.
"Help!" He sounded agitated and nervous. Like anyone would care about him being in little scuffles and what not. It was good people showed him his proper place. Vernon thought he had taught him years ago not to cry help with his little problems. He heard Petunia make her way through the kitchen towards the corridor.
"What do you...DUDLEY!" The raised panicked voice of his wife made Vernon rise from his chair and walking into the corridor himself. His eyes almost bulged out of his head. On the floor, pale like a white sheet, sweating and his eyes wide and fearful was his son and heir. Next to him kneeled his wife, patting him trying to calm the light of their lives. Behind the two, leaning down catching his breath was the boy.
Harry tried to catch his breath. Dudley was fat and therefore hard to carry around. He was happy his cousin hadn't been out cold, or he would have had bigger problems. He saw his uncle come around the corner, his eyes went wide, his moustache bristled and he turned pale then red. His eyes darted around, stopping at Harry.
"What is going on here?" He growled, stepping a step closer. Harry instantly stepped back. There had been times before Hogwarts when his boggart would have been Vernon Dursley. To this day, Harry feared his uncle and while he knew there were worse people out there, the distinct fear of the wide moustached man had been drilled into him since he could remember.
Before he could answer or anything aunt Petunia chimed in.
"Forget Harry Vernon, help me with our baby. To the living room." Vernon stopped a slight moment, before he nodded, eyes still on Harry.
"Don't you dare try to leave. To the living room with you boy."
Harry nodded and waited while the Dursleys picked up his cousin and manoeuvred him to the couch. He was still pale and out of it. He only whispered quietly, flinching at any loud noise.
"What happened Dudy-baby?" cooed Petunia, sitting next to her son and rubbing his back.
"I-I was a-at the playground, t-that one-down the street." Harry stood a few feet away knowing not to get close. The attention of Vernon and Petunia was focused entirely on their son.
"T-The guys a-and I were j-just hanging out you know, but then e-everyone had to l-leave. I s-stayed back, think-ing. A-and then H-Harry came a-along said you send him beca-cause dinner was r-ready." At the mention of Harry Vernon's eyes rose for a moment, but Petunia nodded.
"Yes, I sent him. Did he do something to you? Something freaky?"
Dudley looked up at Harry, squinting his eyes. For a moment they stared at each other, while Harry's shoulders rose slowly, ready for the shit hitting the fan. He would be blamed for that fucking Dementor and aunt and uncle would lose their shit.
"I-I don't t-think so." Harry blinked.
Vernon leaned down, apparently, this wasn't what he wanted to hear.
"What do you mean you don't think so?"
Dudley shook his head.
"He...he wasn't having his thing in his hand, just stood there. T-Then everything t-turned c-cold. L-Like t-there was no happiness i-in life an-anymore and t-then there was this...this thing" Dudley shook visibly. "L-Looked like a c-cloaked person, b-but all r-rotten an-and hovering o-over the earth. I-It came close and..I remembered t-the d-day my p-play-s-station broke a-and t-that o-one t-time I b-broke H-Harry's nose and much m-more horrible stuff. Then..H-Harry pushed me b-back, telling m-me not t-to open m-my mouth and p-pulled his w-wand." Harry thought this must be the first time ANYONE of the Dursleys had said the word wand in his presence. "A-after th-that it all was fuzzy. I T-think I s-saw a s-stag? B-But white a-and shining. A-and the cloak l-left." He slumped down, like telling the whole story was all that held him upright.
"Duddy" Petunia cried out hugging her son.
"Vernon we have to call an ambulance!" Harry sighed a little. Yeah, Dementors are bad but a hospital couldn't help at all. Then his uncle rose his eyes on Harry.
"Explain this Boooooy and explain fast, without your freak stuff."
"This is just...it was a Dementor and."
*Slap* Harry felt a hot white pain flaming from his cheek while he tumbled down at to the floor. His ears were ringing while his vision blurred. He had lost his glasses. His uncle stood over him his face red as a tomato.
"I SAID NO FREAK SPEAK YOU LIVING WASTE OF SPACE!" He yelled from the top of his lounge. Harry scrambled a little back. Vernon looked like he was about to step after him when a hand gripped his sleeve. Dudley's fingers curled around his hand.
"H-He h-elped me D-dad." Vernon was taken aback, stuttering for a moment. He never yelled at his son, at the prime of his life, but he needed to lay in Harry, the boy had endangered his heir and the most important person in his life with his freak stuff.
"He made you fuzzy Dudley, he did something to you. He needs to be taught a lesson." Dudley shook his head. "Dad I-"
*Ring* The doorbell rung. Everyone looked out at the corridor. Someone was standing in front of the door.
*Ring* Vernon turned. "Who has the audacity to.." He stomped from the living room and Harry scrambled to his feet. He hissed over at his aunt.
"Chocolate. It will help Dudley." His aunt turned her head, looking at him like he was mad.
They heard the door open.
"What do you want? Who are you and what do yo- HEY!" There was a tumble in the corridor and suddenly a man stepped in the living room. Long black robes, a suit underneath, his long black hair combed to the back, fitted in a ponytail. His face was bearded but trimmed and there were dark rings under his grey eyes, which darted for a moment before he saw Harry. In two swift steps, he was there, pulling his godson into a hug.
"Oh thank Merlin you are okay." Harry was too bewildered to hug him back. After a moment the man stepped back. Vernon followed him straight.
"Out of my house whoever you are? You freak people are not allowed here!" He hollered pointing to the door. Sirius swung around, his eyes were furious. He patted his side, then remembered he was still wandless, but that didn't matter.
"Shut up Dursley! A small man like you will not keep me from my godson." He felt that from behind something hard and the thing was pressed into his hand. Harry's wand! The boy was ready to give him his wand? Freely? Later! He flicked up the wand pointing at Harry's uncle. The fat man paled stuttering.
"You can't, you aren't allowed to, I will…." Sirius stepped closer, staring down at the man that looked to him like a walrus.
"I have spent the last twelve years with mass murderers and worse. Do you really think a fat weakling muggle like you would scare me at all? So oh yes I can and I will if you don't shut up. One word more out of your mouth and I turn you into a bubbling mess! Are! We! Clear?" Vernon, who had only fought weaker and powerless people, shrunk under the steely and mad gaze of the ex-convict. Sirius leaned back, turning to Harry.
"What is going on Harry." The boy who lived still stared at his godfather.
"Sirius, what are you doing here? What about your trial? Why are you even here?" Sirius smiled, making his way back and placing his hand on Harry's shoulder. He leaned down, completely ignoring the Dursleys stares.
"It's okay Harry, It's okay. The trial is over. I won, I am a free man, but that is something for later. What is going on here?"
Harry blinked for a moment, then he nodded looking over to his bewildered cousin and aunt at the couch.
"D-Dudley and I have been attacked by a dementor, just down the street, I drove it away with a Patronus I cast Sirius, this is my second offence." Sirius nodded, winking at Harry. Then he turned to the Dursleys, shrinking back from the gaunt man in their living room. He pointed at their son, who flinched even more.
"You are Dudley I suppose?" The fat brown-haired boy looked at his parents and nodded, fear in his eyes.
"Describe the feeling for more. I don't need the details, just feelings and what you saw."
Dudley, still very afraid, clamped his mouth shut. Harry was surprised when his godfather smiled a little sadly and said with a softer voice than Harry would have expected.
"I get it. I was imprisoned with these creatures for twelve years. I know what you feel. Please, just tell me."
Dudley relaxed just a little bit, starting to ramble.
"C-Cold and b-bitter. L-like all t-the colour was d-drained from t-the world and n-no happiness existed a-anymore."
"Did you see it?"
Dudley nodded, now he wouldn't stop.
"Like a tall t-thin corpse i-in a r-rotting cloak, h-hovering over the floor." Sirius nodded, smiling again.
"Thank you. Petunia, give him Chocolate it will help with the symptoms." He raised Harry's wand, flicking it once. A silvery dog jumped out of it, making the Dursleys jump and flinch.
"Amelia, this is Lord Black. There was a dementor attack on my Godson, Harry and his cousin. I am here at their house. Harry has used a Patronus charm to drive it away. Please take care of this." The dog jumped into the ground disappearing. Dudley pointed out where the dog disappeared.
"T-That was like that stag!" Sirius smirked turning to his godson.
"A stag huh? Prongs would be proud!" Harry blinked before he flushed hard. His dad would have been proud? His heart swells at the compliment. Then Sirius smile faltered. There was a bruise forming on the side of Harry's face. Sirius kneeled down, putting his fingers carefully under Harry's chin and tilted his head.
"What happened?" His grey eyes stared deeply into Harry's sea-green once. Harry's eyes darted to his uncle who had regained a little bit of confidence. Sirius noticed, flinging his head around. Harry tried to grab him.
"Sirius no I-"
"DID YOU BEAT MY GODSON?"
Vernons face turned purple and he pointed at the man.
"Don't you yell at me in my own home. I will teach the boy a lesson whenever he needs one!" Sirius stiffed. Teaching a lesson. That was what his father had said before he had beaten him for being not pureblood, or weak or nice or in the way or...Sirius held the wand behind him pressing it back into Harry's hands.
"Take that, I don't want to go back." Harry took it and in one swift motion, Sirius darted across the room, slamming his fist into Vernon Dursleys face. Petunia screeched, Dudley cried out, Harry gasped and Vernon grunted. A loud crunching sound of broken bone and shattering teeth could be heard before the fat man fell to the ground, unconscious. Sirius yelled.
"You PIG! YOU DISGUSTING VILE CREATURE! I WILL KILL YOU, I WILL MAKE YOU SUFFER SOMETHING FAR WORSE THAN DEATH!" Harry pulled at the sleeve of his godfather, who whipped his head around. For a moment, Harry saw what the twelve years in Azkaban had done to him. Pure anger and murder blinked in his eyes, but Harry held on, shaking his head.
"Listen, Sirius, just, please. I know he deserves it but...please I don't want to lose you again." Harry was afraid, not of Sirius but for him. What if he went too far, what if he did something and had to go back to Azkaban. Sirius saw the bitterness in his godson's eyes, but also the pleading. All the anger vanished from him, these eyes stopped all the anger and he just wanted this boy, his godson to feel safe, for James and Lilys son to be happy. He sighed and nodded slightly. Then he turned to see Petunia, tending to the still unconscious Vernon.
"Petunia."
The women didn't react.
"Petunia!"
Her head flipped around, staring at him angrily.
"WHAT?" she snarled, fury deforming her face.
Sirius didn't even bat an eyelash. He stepped back, putting a hand on his godson's shoulder.
"I will take Harry with me. He will live with me or will get his own place I don't care but he will never EVER step a foot into the same house as this pig of a man."
Petunia eyed the man up and down, there were tears in her eyes.
"I...The headmaster said until he is seventeen he has to live here, call this his home." She spat out. Harry's eyes bulged. Aunt Petunia knew Dumbledore? And why did she take orders from him? Harry noticed Dudley watching the exchange cautiously. Sirius snorted.
"I don't care what Dumbledore says. Also, that was never his decision, nor is it yours, to begin with. I am not asking, I just informed you. Harry is my godson and James and Lily made me his guardian. I will protect him and here he is not protected." Silence followed the statement, then he turned to Harry doubt in his eyes.
"That is if you want to-"
"Yes!" Harry cut him short, beaming. It was happening. Finally! Finally, he would be free of the Dursleys! All his childhood he had dreamed and now. Sirius nodded. "Kreacher!" With a pop an old house-elf popped into the room, making Dudley and Petunia flinch. He looked at Sirius with an angry look. His eyes were drawn to the ring on Sirius's hand. He bowed.
"Yes, Mylord?" "Pack the belongings of my godson and bring them to Grimmauld Place." The house-elf bowed again and popped away. Sirius patted Harry on the shoulder.
"Do you want to say goodbye?" Harry's gaze turned to his aunt who turned her head to her husband again. Petunia hissed.
Harry sighed. There would be no goodbye for him there. Dudley got up from the couch, wobbly, stepping closer to Harry. The smaller boy looked up concerned at his oldest nemesis, who had been strange the last half hour. The Dursley boy stretched out his hand.
"I..." Dudley started, then he thought again.
"I don't think you are a waste of space." He looked up at Sirius, sinking into himself a little at the stern look.
"I...I...is...Can I write to you?" Dudley asked, carefully, slowly. While he asked Harry, his eyes stayed on Sirius.
Sirius looked down at his godson, who still held Dudley's hand. Harry took a moment then his gaze softened a little and he nodded. Sirius nodded himself and picked up a pen, writing something down. He then touched it with his ring, before handing the paper to Dudley.
"Write to this address. It will find its way to Harry." He raised his eyes to his parents. "The paper will always return to you, no matter if your parents take it away, burn it, rip it to shreds or whatever, as long as you want it." Dudley looked down at the small scrap of paper with awe.
A new pop was heard and the house-elf named Kreacher stood in the living room again. The Dursleys flinched only a little bit.
"Everything is at the estate Lord Black."
Harry once more shook Dudley's hand, nodding at him.
"Goodbye Big-D."
Harry and Sirius walked out to the corridor and to the door when they heard a voice behind them.
"Black."
Sirius turned, seeing Petunia standing there, with quite a lot different emotions on her face displayed.
"That man, the one who betrayed Harry's parents. Will he get his proper punishment?" Petunia didn't look at them, just looked at the wall. Sirius nodded.
"He will die for this."
Petunia, who now had tears in her eyes, shook her head, looking Harry in the eyes.
"That's too good for him. You haven't only lost your parents that night. I lost a sister." And with these words she returned to the living room and her family, while Harry and Sirius looked at each other and then left the house.