Harry bounced desperately from where he was standing on the side of the bed. He was looking at the man who had said he was his godfather yesterday and had promised that he wouldn't be returned back to the Durselys. Harry wasn't sure what to believe because grownups always lied to you. At the moment, his dancing was getting frantic because he was unsure of the man's rules. He had woken up on the softest bed ever, when he knew he had fell asleep in his closet.
That didn't make any sense to him; he shook his head pushing the thoughts away. He was inwardly wondering if he would get into trouble for waking the man up, but he had to go potty so bad, he was losing all rational thought. As he was thinking about shaking the man, said person groaned, and rolled over.
"Siwius awe you awake?" Harry asked quietly.
"Who's that? Harry, go back to bed it's too early," Sirius grumbled tiredly as he glanced over at the clock to see the time. It was just barely 6am, way to early for him to be up.
Harry obediently turned back around and was heading to his room when his bladder jolted and he suddenly stopped and bent over as he tightly held himself. He looked enviously at the toilet but he knew better then to enter it without permission.
Whenever he did that at home Aunt Petunia tended to wave a frying pan at his head. He whimpered before turning away from it and running back into his godfather's room. Harry was a little apprehensive as he knew better then to disobey a direct order, but he just couldn't wait anymore.
"Siwius pwease," he pleaded as he all but turned into a pretzel.
"What do you need kiddo?" Sirius asked sleepily, when he realized Harry wasn't going away.
"Can I go potty befowe I go back to bed?" He blurted out practically in tears as he held himself between the legs.
"What?" Sirius murmured as he opened his eyes to look at his obviously desperate godson.
"I gotta go potty weally bad," Harry repeated out with a whimper.
"Go to the toilet then," Sirius said as he sat up quickly just in case the boy needed him. The last thing he wanted to clean up was an accident.
He couldn't understand why Harry had come into his room instead of stopping at the toilet he so desperately needed. It didn't make any type of sense to him. He shook his head as his godson waddled out of his room as quickly as he could. Sirius found himself following swiftly after him just in case he needed help.
He could see Harry quickly pull his shorts down and struggle to get up on the toilet. He didn't have to wonder why his godson was that small of a 5 year old. He had discovered a bit of his well hidden Dursely abuse with the help of Remus, and he still couldn't get how they treated his Prongslet like that.
He mused that they would need to make sure Harry had a step stool so he could get up their easier. He was just about to walk in and help him when Harry climbed up; and hadn't even fully taken a seat on the toilet before he was peeing. Sirius winced as Harry splattered a bit on the floor before the child sighed in obvious relief as water on water was being heard.
"Why didn't you go pee when you got up?" Sirius asked with a yawn as he stood in the doorway.
"I didn't fink I was awowed," Harry replied softly as he peed.
"You're allowed to use the toilet when you need to," Sirius said firmly, inwardly he was screaming in disbelief. What kid wouldn't be allowed to use the toilet.
Harry didn't say anything as he kicked his feet sadly; he could tell by the man's tone of voice that he was mad. He didn't want to make his new guardian mad at him, especially since he was trying to be a good boy. He finished up and slid off the toilet pulling his pants up with a sigh before turning around to flush it. After a bit of a struggle with trying to get wash his hands he looked at the man apprehensively wondering if he would help him out .
Sirius for his part was staring at him with barely restrained anger; he didn't like this at all. He could find out just exactly what the Durselys had done to his godson and he would make them pay.
"You're getting a step stool as soon as Remus wakes up," he remarked dryly as he picked the boy up and helped him wash and dry his hands.
"How come?" Harry asked curiously.
"You can barely reach the toilet and the sink, and I don't want you to fall," Sirius replied as he set him back on his feet.
Harry was looking at the man in disbelief, the man was going to get him a stool? Dudley had one of those and he always wanted to try it. He would love to be able to see himself in the mirror when he was brushing his teeth. Or just make it overall easier.
"Thank you Siwius," he breathed out happily.
"Are you hungry kiddo?" Sirius asked softly, having to tear his eyes away from the innocent green ones He could feel the anguish in that look, why had he been so selfish and gone after Pettigrew himself?
"Oh, I can do it Siwius," Harry said hurriedly before walking out of the bathroom and downstairs. He wanted to show the man that if he kept him around he knew how to earn his keep.
Sirius was staring at the spot his godson had just been before shaking his head and running after him. "Don't you dare touch that stove Harry Potter!" He called out.
Harry stopped suddenly from where he had been about to turn on the stove. He had already taken the eggs out the refrigerator and had already set a pan on the stove to fry them. He stared as he heard the footsteps coming closer and he whimpered softly trying to figure out what was going to happen.
"I fought you wanted me to cook bweakfast," Harry said softly, wondering if he had heard wrong.
"No I asked you if you were hungry, you're five kiddo. You are not allowed to touch the stove let alone cook," Sirius said in disbelief as bodily picked him up and moved him away from the stove.
"But I can cook, I pwomise I won't buwn anyfing," Harry pleaded. Cooking was the one thing he was really good at and he was sure if the man tasted his food, he wouldn't think he was a freak.
"No Harry, 5 year olds aren't allowed to cook, you're barely allowed to touch the toaster," Sirius said frowning. "Go take a seat at the table," Sirius instructed.
Harry's bottom lip trembled, as he sadly walked to the table. He didn't sit in the chair; sure the man had made a mistake. He sighed watching the man attempt to cook, before shaking his head. He didn't understand why Sirius didn't let him do it. Aunt Petunia had taught him and he knew how to do it really well.
"You don't know how to cook do you?" Harry asked innocently about 2 minutes later, as he watched the man squint at the dials on the stove.
"No I do not, which is why I'm not cooking...ever," Sirius said before snapping his fingers.
"Master called Tiddly," a house elf in a Uniform with the Potter crest on it said.
"Can you make us some pancakes please?" Sirius asked.
"Tidly would be honored," she said before disappearing with a pop.
Harry was staring in horror from what he had just seen. His eyes wide as they connected with his godfather's blue ones.
"That was a house elf Harry," Sirius said answering the unasked question.
"What's a house elf?" Harry replied quietly, still wary of asking questions but since Sirius wasn't mad he figured it was ok.
"Like a maid," Sirius said slowly.
"Oh and how did she disappeaw?" Harry asked curiously.
"Magic kiddo," Sirius said easily as the food appeared on the table.
"Magic isn't weal!" Harry yelled putting his fingers in his ear and running out the room in terror. He was afraid because he yelled at Siwius and because he said the "M" word.
Sirius was staring at the spot Harry had been once more before swearing softly, he had forgotten the boy didn't take to kindly to magic. He groaned as he ran after him. He could hear little feet running up the stairs, and knowing Harry he was probably going to hide in his closet as he felt the safest there. Sirius had yet to discover as to why but he would eventually.
Harry had taken to the safety in his closet as Sirius had said he would. He was beating himself up inside, knowing he shouldn't have yelled at him. He didn't know how Siwius punished so he was scared as he waited for the man. He could hear him getting closer and then the door to his room opened up. Harry sniffled, knowing it did no good to hide when they always found you anyway. He curled up into himself trying to make himself smaller when he saw the door open.
"Get out of the closet kiddo," Sirius said gently.
Harry crawled up quickly before standing up fearfully. He sniffled, trying to keep his tears from falling. His uncle didn't like it when he cried and he was sure Siwius wouldn't either. He stood stiffly in front of the man and gasped in fear when he felt himself being picked up.
"Relax kiddo, I'm not going to hurt you," Sirius said softly.
"But I yewwed at you," Harry sniffled in his godfather's chest.
"I know, and I'll talk to you about raising your voice to me in anger. Either way I will never hurt you," Sirius promised as he rocked him.
"Oh," Harry said softly, as he didn't know how to reply to that declaration.
"Are you hungry kiddo?" Sirius asked as he smelled the food wafting up the stairs.
"Uh huh," Harry whispered.
"Good then let's go eat," Sirius said cheerfully before carrying Harry downstairs and back to the kitchen for breakfast.
Harry took a seat at the table once more, glancing warily at his godfather and then back to his plate of cut up pancakes. He couldnt believe this was all for him, but he wasnt about to say no. He wasnt crazy. He picked up his fork, and tried to eat neatly, but with the syrup and his tiny hands he ended up making quite a mess of his front but he was happy.
"Is it good?" Sirius asked in amusement as he watched his godson eat.
"It's vewy good," he replied happily.
"That's what I want to hear. Today we are going shopping for some clothes and toys for you," Sirius told him cheerfully.
"Fow me? Weally?" Harry asked in awe. He couldnt believe this, this was the best thing to ever happen to him.
"Yes, we are. We're just waiting for Remus to get here," Sirius told him.
"Whewe did Wemus go?" Harry asked curiously.
"He took some of the botched potion in the lab, and went to Hogwarts yesterday to see if the potion's Professor there could figure out a cure for it," Sirius said quickly. The only reason he hadn't badmouthed Snape in that sentence because Harry was very observant for his age and he didn't want to bring up anything and have Remus scold him for it later.
"Is he gonna come back today?" Harry asked softly.
"He should be, that's what he said when he flooed me this morning," Sirius replied.
"What's flew-ed?" Harry asked in confusion.
"Floo, and it means like a call," Sirius said carefully.
"Oh okay," Harry replied satisfied with that answer as he went back to his breakfast.
"Now, I have something really important to ask you about Harry. And I would be happy if you didn't lie to me alright?" Sirius asked him carefully.
"Otay," Harry replied, wanting to please his godfather. "I tell you da twuth," he promised, hoping it wasn't anything bad.
"Why do you like to hide in the closet?" Sirius asked softly.
Harry gave the man a quizzical look, this was what he wanted to ask him? That seemed like a silly question to him. "Because it's small wike my cupboawd," he said matter of factually.
"Your cupboard? And what is that?" Sirius said, swallowing thickly, as he felt his stomach drop. Surely Petunia, couldn't... she wouldn't do this to her own nephew right? He was jumping to conclusions right? But that thought was soon pushed out the window as soon as Harry answered him.
"Da cupboawd undew da staiws. Dat's my woom," he said a bit proudly, but it was all he had ever known so he didn't see it badly like everyone else would.
Sirius was staring at the boy in horror at what he had just admitted. He knew the child didn't know what was so bad about it, but Merlin did those people have no heart? He swallowed hard, trying to rid himself of the sudden lump in his throat as he smiled at his godson.
"Finish your food kiddo," he choked out.
"Kay," Harry said cheerfully, oblivious to the man's inner turmoil.
Sirius kept the smile on his face even if he was anything but happened and forced himself to swallow his food regardless of the permanent lump in his throat. He didn't want to worry the child.