Another day of boredom at 2am, another chapter. I'm writing this before writing the actual thing, so I may try to make it longer. Dunno.
Chapter 3: Dogfather, Plans, and Tsunderes.
According to most people Harry's age, time off from school allegedly enjoyable. He would emphatically disagree. First, his relatives turned a visit from Vernon's sister into a "make fun of Harry's dead parents". So he'd blown up Vernon's bitch of a sister. Too bad, so sad. Anyway, he was now hanging out in an empty playground with his all his stuff, with Mr. Slithers hanging on his shoulders under his jacket to avoid attracting attention from passersby. The playground was empty, save Harry, and it was your typical neighborhood playground. It had jungle gyms, swingsets, and the like, with Harry currently resting on a swing, idly pushing himself back and forth while he thought of a plan of action. The moon hung overhead as the most visible celestial body, and the light pollution blotting out everything else. The street lamps had just recently turned on, and were illuminating the various parts of the surrounding streets in buildings to contrast against the darkness of the night. Harry sighed, before looking down at his right shoulder, where his snake's head was currently resting at.
"Sssso Mr. Sslithersss, any sssuggessstionss?" Harry asked his snake, who for some reason often had reasonable courses of actions he would suggest to Harry. The snake looked at him, before focusing attention on a nearby bush.
"I would sssuggessst talking with the mandog that'sss watching you over there." Mr. Slither pointed with his nose over to a nearby bush, where a black dog slowly limped out of. Harry was a little on edge, but the dog didn't seem threatening, so Harry motioned for it to come over to him. The dog barked happily, before trotting over to him.
"Hey there, boy." The god rubbed his nose against Harry's hand, before sitting down before him. Mr. Slither was looking at the dog rather intently.
"Harry, that dog smells like a human. And not in the way that a dog actually usually smells of humans." Harry looked down at his snake, who was flicking its tongue out over and over. "I don't feel predatory vibessss from him though."
The dog looked slightly apprehensive, but didn't immediately run away. Harry looked at it a moment, before he moved his hand away from it, causing the dog to whine.
"Can you understand me?" He asked hesitantly at first, finding the situation a little odd. Who asks a dog a question like that? To his surprise, the dog appeared to nod.
"Okay...Are you a wizard?" At this, the dog hesitantly nodded. Harry felt a sliver of anxiety at this, but asked his next question nonetheless.
"Are you planning to hurt me?" At this the dog shook his head rigorously, saying 'no'. It then nuzzled his hand again.
"I want to take you at your word, but if we went some place secluded so you could transform back, would you be willing to let keep my wand on you as a precaution?" The dog nodded it's head again, though it definitely seemed slightly nervous. Harry stood from the swing, and glanced around, looking for an alleyway or something else secluded enough to talk to the disguised wizard freely. He spotted an alleyway in a nearby building, which was close enough that he wouldn't have to drag his things far. He pointed it out to the dog, before he went to gather his things. After he'd collected them all, he then walked over to the alleyway, the dog hugging his heels closely, tail wagging the whole way.
After they got deep enough into the alley so they wouldn't be disturbed, Harry placed his things on the ground, before he pulled out his wand, and pointed it at the dog.
He glanced at it, before speaking, "Okay, Mr. Dog. You can transform. Like I said, the wand is just a precaution, since I don't want to get attacked by someone when I don't have anywhere to stay currently. Okay?" At the dogs nod, its form began to shift, before it turned into a unhealthily skinny man, skin pale as if it hadn't seen the sun in years. His face was gaunt and narrow like he'd suffered from malnutrition for a long time. His long black hair was knotted and obscured his face. Harry took in the man's appearance, but didn't recognize him at all.
"Who are you?" Harry asked, though this caused the man croaked out a laugh.
"I would have been surprised if you'd remember me. The last time I saw you was just before James and Lily were killed." His voice was shakey, and his sentenced was finished with a rather bitter tone. "I'm your godfather, Harry. I'm Sirius Black."
This was not what Harry had expected at all. Granted, he didn't really know what to expect, given the fact he was dealing with a man disguised as a dog, but still! He had a godfather! Or was it a dogfather?
"Godfather? But where have you been? Did you not want me?" Harry asked, suddenly feeling insecure. Even though he had not guarantee the man was telling the truth, he didn't seem like he was lying. In fact, the guy looked like he was barely able to stand, given how weak he seemed to be. Calming himself, he asked one important question "What happened to you after my parents died?" The man got a dark look on his face, clearly remembering something upsetting.
"I was the one who took you from Lily's-" He choked up a bit, before was able to continue "From your mother's arms, and gave you to Hagrid for safe keeping. I then decided to go after the one who betrayed your parents to You-Know-Who. You have to understand, Harry, You father was like a brother to me. When I found out he was dead because our friend, I saw red. I couldn't think of anything else but killing that bastard Pettigrew. It was the biggest mistake of my life. I should have stayed, and focused on you." Sirius choked out, his emotions getting the better of him.
Harry gulped at the man's emotional outpour. He didn't really have a lot experience dealing with things like this, because he'd never really had friends growing up. So he just thought to press on with another question. "What happened to you? Why weren't you around when I was growing up?" He asked his godfather, vulnerability clear in his voice.
"I've been in Azkaban for the past 11 years, pup. It's a wizarding prison, though it's more akin to hell on earth." Sirius shuddered, which sent him into a coughing fit. "I was thrown in there without a trial, because they thought I butchered a bunch of muggles and Peter Pettigrew."
"Did you really butcher them?"
"No! I was chasing Peter because he's the one who sold your parent's out to You-Know-Who. I wasn't thinking, and before I realized what was happening, the bastard cut off his thumb, and used his animagus form to escape, though not before blowing up the street and killing a bunch of muggles in the process. I started to laugh hysterically because little Peter Pettigrew had played me like a fiddle."
"So you're a fugitive?"
"That's right, pup. I actually was the first to break out of Azkaban, though that's probably not something to brag about since I'm supposed to be a responsible adult." Sirius with a laugh, before he coughed again.
"Do you think you could prove your innocence if you were granted a trial?" Harry asked, the gears in his head whirling.
"Absolutely, though we'd either need Dumbledore on board or have Pettigrew in our custody before we push for one." Sirius spoke in a serious manner, seeing what Harry was getting at.
"Okay, well then we have a letter to write, and a plan to draw up. But first..." Harry took this opportunity to hug his godfather, who hugged him back. It might have been the first hug from an adult figure in his entire life, and Harry relished the experience.
Xxxxxxxx
Daphne was annoyed that she couldn't find Harry. It was the third week of classes, and she'd barely seen him at school at all. Apparently, there was a big muck up at the Ministry of Magic in relation to his apparent godfather Sirius Black. According to the reports by the Daily Prophet, his godfather was exonerated for the murder of Peter Pettigrew, who was apparently the real culprit in the murder of several muggles back on the night You-Know-Who was defeated. Pettigrew even had the Dark Mark, which corroborated Black's story that Peter was also the one who sold out the Potter's to You-Know-Who. It was such a disaster for the Ministry that it caused a no confidence vote against Minister Fudge, and the Ministry had to pay out a huge sum to Black because they'd tossed the head of an Ancient and Most Noble House in Azkaban without a trial. Daphne shook her head and slapped her cheeks lightly to psyche herself up. Today was the day she told Potter how she felt. Sure, they'd barely spent any time together, and sure she'd taken to following him around in hopes of chances to get to know him better! That didn't mean her feelings weren't true! But lately he'd been eyeballing that hussy Cho Chang! She would show him! She would show him that she was clearly the best fit for him! She just had to find him first!
Little did she know she wouldn't have her opportunity until August of next year due to wacky circumstances.
Xxxxxxxx
September...
Daphne was standing at the entrance of the Great Hall, waiting for Potter to show up! Surely he had to eat sometime! Breakfast was the most important meal of the day! As she waited, she saw his two friends (Granger and the Weasel?) walking into the Great Hall. Trying to figure out where Harry was, she leaned in to hear their conversation.
"I can't believe Harry was called to the Ministry again. Apparently, Sirius needed him there for some paperwork on custody and won't be back until tonight." Granger spoke in her typical know it all manner.
Weasel just nodded, not really awake enough to contribute more to the conversation.
Daphne was furious! She had woken up early just so she could talk to Potter without interruption! Was the powers at be working against her? (AN: Yes I am, for the sake of eventually adorableness. lul) This was irksome. She'd have to try something on a day she wasn't stuck in classes all day or doing homework.
Xxxxxxx
October...
Daphne had tracked Harry to the gamekeeper's hut. She didn't know that Harry was friends with the half-giant until today. He was very cute when he listened to the larger man's stories about his parents. She blushed at her own traitorous thoughts, before shaking her head. She leaned in to get an idea for what the two were talking about. She'd confess to Harry after he left the hut.
"Hagrid? It's the anniversary of my parent's deaths...Will you tell me another story about them? Something about when they found out I was gonna be born?" Harry asked in a small voice, his sadness over his missed chances of knowing his parents showing clearly for anyone who was watching.
"Well, 'Arry, I think Sirius would be 'ore suited ta this, I can tell ya about when yer Mum broke the news ta me." The giant spoke softly, realizing how important this was to Harry.
"I'd like that a lot, Hagrid." Harry spoke with a small smile, grateful to hear anything he could about his parents.
Daphne stood up from where she was listening in. This wasn't something she should intrude upon, and confessing on this day would just make their anniversary's bittersweet. Harry needed this day to grieve over the parents he'd never get to know. She couldn't take that away from him. As she walked back towards the castle, she told herself "Next time for sure."
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November...
"He slept through the entirety of Saturday?! WHO DOES THAT?!"
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December...
"I CAN'T BELIEVE MY PARENTS CHOOSE THIS YEAR TO MAKE ME COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS! WHAT INCONVENIENCE!"
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January...
"Who the hell needs two hours before a Quidditch game to get ready?!"
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February...
"I'm going to kill Malfoy and his goons for causing my precious Harrikens to almost fall off his broom!"
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And so on, until she'd arrived home for the summer, much to her consternation.
"The next time I see him, I tell him! No matter what!" Daphne told herself. She would be Harry's girlfriend one way or another. Even if she had to beat his fangirls off with a shovel, she WOULD make Harry understand her feelings!
To be Continued...
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I decided to take this fic a little more seriously than I had been, putting more effort into it. I realized I wasn't fully satisfied with how I'd handled it thus far, so from here on out, the snap shots will be more fleshed out than before. You guys are awesome for giving me over 30 follows in the like two days this has been up! And slightly disheartening because I still don't know why people won't read Crazy life :c Oh well. Thanks for reading! See you next time.
Raizen out!