Chapter 1
Lord Black, of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, was pouring yet another peg of Ogden's finest.
'Just one more, and then I'll go to bed,' his heart said.
'Yes, just one more,' his mind agreed, and so he kept on drinking one glass after another.
Remus Lupin portkeyed into the house at three in the morning, five minutes after he received the news.
"Why did you do it you bastard!?" He came charging inside the house.
"It was Pettigrew."
"You expect me to believe that? Answer me, before I tear you apart with my bare hands."
"I swear on my magic and my life, that everything I say to you will be true to the best of my knowledge," Sirius intoned, and then repeated himself, "It was Pettigrew."
Remus fell down, all his anger dissolving instantly. "How?" He asked, voice hollow and missing the edge it had carried a few minutes ago.
"He was the Secret Keeper, Moony."
"How... When..."
"All four of us decided to make him the Keeper, it seemed logical at that time."
"W... Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"You were out among the packs. We had decided to tell you when you came back."
A long moment passed.
"Harry?" Remus asked, having heard the tall tales but not believing them.
"Sleeping in Dromeda's."
The fire roared in the fireplace.
"What will we do Padfoot?"
"I don't... I... Dont..." Sirius slumped down on the table, the magical alcohol finally showing its magic.
Remus carried him to a couch and sat down beside him.
"I'll help you, Padfoot. Whatever it takes. I owe this to Prongs and Lily."
He slumped down on the floor, the adrenaline spent.
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"Thank you for keeping my nephew safe, 'Dromeda. I'll forever owe this to you."
"As you should," she sneered, "I don't want anything to do with the Blacks. I left that world when I married Ted, and I don't want any involvement with them ever again. We're leaving Britain in a few days."
Recognising a dismissal for what it was, Sirius took his godson in his arms and started walking back to his bike. Harry was snoring softly, and a bit of drool fell on his expensive robes. Sirius smiled.
Remus was ready with a rumbling bike, so he sat down in the sidecar, and the two men and a baby flew back to Sirius's house.
Remus had went shopping the day before, he knew a lot more about the Muggle World than Sirius did. He just hoped the diapers were enough for a week.
As they relaxed in their home, Amelia Bones rang the door bell.
Sirius opened it, while Remus was holding a wand at the door in case a Death Eater had decided to pay them a visit.
"Lord Black." Amelia said cordially yet firmly.
"Amelia." His tone wasn't very warm either.
"You were requested in today's Wizengamot meeting to discuss the events of the Halloween night. I am here to escort you there."
He raised an eyebrow.
"And if I decide to refuse?"
"I have been given the authority to use any means necessary."
"You can tell the Wizengamot to shove this 'request' up their—"
"Sirius!" Remus cried.
"As I was saying, what business do they have with my family? Can't you people leave me alone?"
"You know very well, Lord Black. Our department has found traces of the Dark Lord's magic in Godric's Hallow. He hasn't been seen since before he ordered the attack on Hogsmead. His wand was found in the house, which was destroyed by what appears to be a magical anomaly.
"You tell me, Lord Black. Do you want them to decide the fate of your godson? Because if you don't go they very well may decide to do exactly that."
"Go, Sirius. I'll take care of Harry." 'With my life, if needed' remained unsaid but was understood by both.
Sirius sighed.
"Very well then. I'll lead the Apparation."
She nodded.
They held hands and popped away.
Harry started squirming, his sleep disturbed by the sounds. Remus held him and stroked his back till he fell asleep.
"Sleep, Harry, you're safe here."
"Welcome, Lord Black." Dumbledore announced in his majestic voice.
Sirius ignored him in favour of finding his seat.
"This emergency session of Wizengamot has been called to discuss the events of Halloween where a Dark Lord who called himself Voldemort disappeared after he failed to kill one Harry James Potter. The Wizengamot asks Lord Black to elaborate on the events to the best of his knowledge."
The silence was absolute as every head turned his way.
Sirius stood up.
"No."
He sat back down.
Many wizards; some wearing the colour plum, while others with parchments and dicta-quills in their hands; started shouting.
Dumbledore had to fire a Flash-Bang spell to get everyone seated again.
"Wizengamot recognizes Lord Fluxby." He intoned after the noise went down.
"You'd tell us everything, Black, or we will fill you with veritaserum and extract everything we need to know!" He shouted.
"While the Wizengamot reminds him to use a civilized language, his words are indeed true in principle. Would you answer the questions in your own violation?" Dumbledore asked. If anyone knew him better, they would've seen tightening of his eyes as he did what was legally required of him.
"Alright. What do you want to know?"
"What happened to the Dark Lord?" a member shouted.
"How would I know? I wasn't at the house when it exploded! I don't know."
"Is it true that Harry Potter survived the killing curse?"
Sirius just gave him a look till he sat back down.
"Where is Harry Potter?" Lord Parkinson asked.
"I don't see a reason to disclose that to the Wizengamot."
"Why not? Afraid of someone?"
"Lord Parkinson!" Dumbledore thundered, "You would do well to maitain decorum. Do not speak so blithely about Death Eaters." The whole room was reminded of the reason why Dumbledore was the Chief Warlock.
"We will not ask any personal or potentially sensitive questions. This meeting was constituted to gain answers, not to attack Lord Black. The previous question has been rescinded. Continue."
After a moment of silence, Lord Ogden raised his wand and was recognised.
"I don't see any possible reason for this session. Lord Black can't give us any answers that we want. Everything that happened in Godric's Hallow that night had only four witnesses. Two of them are dead, one is missing, and the last is a mere infant. I move the motion that we allow Lord Black the chance to grieve for his friends and to care for his godson."
While many still wanted to keep beating around the bush, a silent majority agreed with Lord Ogden, and so the motion carried.
Sirius didn't waste any time, walking briskly to the atrium and apparating away.
Arriving back at his home, he was met with Remus holding a wand at his neck.
"What potion did we use for the prank during our history OWL in 5th year?"
"Wasn't a potion. We made a slight change to a prank spell."
Remus relaxed.
"You arrived early. I expected at least an hour or two..."
"Dumbledore and Ogden managed to scare them all into leaving me alone. How's Harry?"
"It's almost time to wake him up for food. He's thankfully a sound sleeper."
As if he summoned the devil, Harry chose that moment to start crying.
The two men managed to prepare the milk to feed him. They fell down on the floor beside the crib, exhausted.
"We have a lot to learn, my friend," Remus said.
"That we do," Sirius agreed.
"Together?"
"Of course."
And so they started slowly but surely learning the art of how to raise a baby. Sirius had inherited heaps of Galleons, so they weren't struggling for money. Both opted to leave their jobs and stay at home for a year or two.
A week passed, and things were looking up. So it came as quite a shock when they heard the news of the attack on the Longbottoms.
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AN: I'm positively stunned to see so much support for this story. Thank you for your reviews.