Author's Note:

I always loved the scene in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when Sirius awkwardly broaches the subject of Harry maybe living with him once his name is cleared - how he's not sure if Harry would want to leave his aunt and uncle's house - as maybe he likes it there and he's all nervous about it and Harry is like, what of course I want to leave LOL! So, I wanted to give that impression here. Sirius doesn't want to disrupt Harry's life, but he wants to be part of it no matter how big or small. But he's not sure how to approach Harry about it.

Reviews and Comments: To POTTERHEAD frvr: Thank you! You're too kind! I hope you enjoy this new one where Sirius gets a trial! To ObsessedWithHPFanFic: I love writing Marauder friendship and they definitely needed to reconnect. Thank you!

Thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you!

CHAPTER FIVE:

The One Where Harry Meets Padfoot

Sirius landed in Hogsmeade, walking along the familiar path to the gates of Hogwarts and smiling at the familiar grimacing face of Argus Filch, the caretaker. He wanted to talk to Dumbledore, but he first made his way to the Hospital Wing to let Madam Pomfrey check him over.

"Thanks for doing this again, Poppy," he told her as she checked his heart rate and examined his ribs for signs of malnutrition.

Madam Pomfrey smiled at him as she used her wand to examine him. "Of course, Sirius."

He drank the potions that she offered him only partially listening as she explained how this one would help his teeth, that one his strength, and how one was full of protein antibodies. He wanted to do everything that he could to get healthy again as spending time in prison wasn't exactly the best place to get a tan and to build up a strong body when you were locked in a dark dank cell with no windows and lived on a diet of porridge and stew. When she loaded him up with a few more days worth of potions to take care of his problems, healed the raw bruises and cuts on his wrists and ankles, and told him that he would be back to normal soon, he made his way to Dumbledore's office feeling immensely better.

He smiled at McGonagall as the spiral staircase opened and she came off.

"Minnie!"

McGonagall rolled her eyes, but let him hug her. "Sirius, you're starting to look like your old self again! I like the hair," she told him with a smile.

Sirius grinned and ran his fingers through it, his hair falling just so in the layered waves. "Thanks. It was my first step in trying to feel like my old self again. Thank you, again, for everything."

McGonagall smiled and gently squeezed his arm. "Of course. Dumbledore is waiting for you."

"He always knows, eh?"

McGonagall smiled. "I think we both had a feeling that you would be arriving soon."

Sirius smiled and headed up the stairs to Dumbledore's office, his hands in his pockets.

"Professor," he said as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"Albus is fine now, Sirius. I've said it before, I haven't been your professor in many years," Dumbledore told him with a smile. His blue eyes twinkled at him from behind his half moon spectacles.

"Right," Sirius said with a smile. "I'm here about my godson."

Dumbledore's fingers danced together as he spoke. "I figured that you might be."

"I want to see him."

"He's safe, Sirius. He's living with Lily's sister and her family in Surrey."

"I know that," Sirius told him, taking a seat across from Dumbledore. "Remus told me and I remember Hagrid telling me that that's where you were planning on sending him. But from what I remember about Petunia Evans she wasn't exactly full of charm and she hated Lily. The last thing that she must have wanted was for her estranged sister's son to be forced upon her, especially after the death of their parents."

Dumbledore nodded, leaning forward, his half moon spectacles sitting on the edge of his nose. "Lily Potter sacrificed herself for her son, Sirius. You were there, you saw the way that she died in front of Harry's crib." When Sirius only nodded, Dumbledore continued. "That's old magic; forgotten magic. Her blood protected him from harm and I think that is how he defeated Voldemort. The world has been calling him The Boy Who Lived. They're claiming that he's a hero. So, I sent him to the only living person who shares his mother's blood — Petunia Dursley."

"But Voldemort is dead! I tossed his body out of the nursery myself!" Sirius exclaimed, crossing his arms as he spoke.

"His body, yes, but… I don't think that he's truly gone, Sirius. You were in Azkaban, do his followers believe him truly gone?" Dumbledore asked, his fingers continuing to tap. "No one ever found the body, Sirius."

Sirius hesitated. Those first few months, when he had been hopeful of getting out, of someone learning the truth about Peter, he had listened attentively. The other prisoners, the ones who had been followers of Voldemort had screamed all sorts of things. He even remembered hearing his cousin Bellatrix's voice shouting how when Voldemort rose again the world would see darkness like never before.

"There was talk about… some said that he had gone further in death than anyone. I didn't know what they meant by that, but most were convinced that he wasn't truly gone. At least, that's what they were screaming when they first arrived," he said. "Before they went quiet like the rest."

"Exactly," Dumbledore said carefully. "Voldemort went further into the dark arts than anyone that I have ever met and I don't think that he's truly gone, but how long until he returns, or if he will return is unknown. I want Harry to be safe and living with Petunia Dursley gives him blood protection unlike any other. I know that you want that for him as well."

Sirius nodded, shifting his seat. "I want him to be safe, yes, but I am his godfather, and James and Lily made me the legal guardian of Harry if anything were to happen to them. I have the paperwork to prove it. He should be with me."

Dumbledore smiled. "Sirius, in all honesty, are you really ready to take on the responsibilities of raising a five-year-old-child by yourself?"

"I'll be ready if I have to be, Albus," Sirius told him sincerely. "I'm working on getting my life in order again, but I wanted you to know that I want to see Harry. I'm not saying that I'm going to swoop in there and take him away from his aunt and uncle. I just want to see him; to be a part of his life. If he's happy and safe with them, who am I to take him away from all of that? I don't want to disrupt his life, I just… I want him to know me."

Dumbledore nodded. "For now, let's get you settled back into the world. You still need to find a place to live; maybe get a job or put your life back together after being imprisoned for so many years. But I'm sure that you will find a place in Harry's life, Sirius, don't you worry about that."

"All things that I plan to do," Sirius told him. "But I wanted you to know that I plan to see Harry. I knew that you put him under protection and I didn't know what that meant in terms of getting visitors or warding."

"I never said that you couldn't see him," Dumbledore told him. "Just one step at a time, all right?"

Sirius nodded in agreement. He left Hogwarts feeling immensely better. The last thing that he wanted was to take Harry away from a home that he loved. He didn't want to ruin the child's life, but he wasn't going to let Petunia Evans Dursley keep him away from his godson, nor was he going to let Dumbledore. Not that Dumbledore was trying to keep him away, Sirius thought, he was looking out for the best interest of the boy, and he respected that. Dumbledore was a good man. But he wanted to get the chance to know Harry, to tell him about his parents, to teach him how to be a Marauder, and most of all, to show that little boy how loved he still was by the family that his parents had chosen for him.

Sirius made his way back to Gringotts after leaving Hogsmeade. Dumbledore was right, he did need to figure out where he was going to live. If he wanted Harry to come spend time with him, he wanted his godson to have his own space, maybe even his own bedroom so that he could come and stay with him, maybe on the weekends some time. Remus was right, he wouldn't be able to do that if he stayed at the tiny two bedroom Lupin cottage. He knew Remus wouldn't want him to see the cellar where his friend locked himself off in during the full moon either; at least not right away. To figure that out he needed to go to Gringotts and to organize his estate.

His Uncle Alphard had died when he had been seventeen and had left him a small fortune and all of his assets, infuriating his mother who had cut him off from the Black Family wealth over a year before. It took him an hour to get all of his paperwork in order from the goblins. Then he headed to the house that his uncle Alphard had lived in to see if it was indeed habitable.

Alphard Black had been a bachelor for life, but he had taken a shining to Sirius when he was young, and was one of the few family members to keep talking to him once he had been sorted into Gryffindor, and a few years later when his own mother had disowned him and blasted his name from the family tree — Uncle Alphard had still been there. He had always been nice to him, but Sirius still hadn't expected the old codger to leave him everything.

He used the keys provided for the two story cottage in Sidmouth, Devon off of the coast. The cliffs overlooking the beach on the English Channel were only a ten minute walk away and the lush forest surrounding the cottage was private enough that no one would know the house was there unless they were looking for it. He wondered if the Morrisons still lived in the yellow cottage on the right. He remembered the elderly couple from when he had been a teenager; they had always been kind.

The outside alone, the fresh air, and the beautiful scenery made Sirius decide that this was where he wanted to live. After almost five years in a dark dank windowless cell, he wanted every opportunity to enjoy the outside world and living in the country would definitely provide that for him, he thought as he breathed in the fresh air.

Sirius stepped inside, coughing at the dust and lit his wand to see through the room. His uncle's house elf had died a few weeks after his uncle had and he imagined that no one had cleaned or touched this place since. Sheets covered the furniture in the living room as he stepped through to the large kitchen. There was a sunroom off of the kitchen that was piled high with boxes. He made his way upstairs where there was a large master bedroom and two large bedrooms on the other side of the hall. One large bathroom at the end of the hall and a private bathroom in the master which he knew his uncle had installed himself a few years before he had died. Or rather, he and James had done it for him, he remembered, the summer before fifth year. One of the bedrooms had stairs that led up to the attic which was also full of dusty boxes and sheet-covered furniture.

"Well," he said, rolling up his sleeves. "Time to get to work."

It took a full week to clean almost eight years worth of dust and cobwebs from the house. He'd eat breakfast with Remus and then head straight back to the cottage in Devon; working well into the night to put the house back in order.

But when he was finished, it was gleaming.

The hardwood floors shined, the walls were clean and grime-less and it smelt lemony pine fresh. He bought paint and supplies and he repainted the living room in an off white and soft blue, the natural wood of the room accenting everything. He bought new furniture, comfortable chairs and a sofa in blue and white.

The kitchen he decided to keep the cheery golden yellow, he just repainted it and fixed the dark backsplash, remembering how he and James had carefully glued each grey stone to the wall that same summer. He polished the wooden shutters, letting the sunlight into the kitchen. He left the sunroom closed up, deciding to go through the boxes in there another day.

Upstairs, he painted the master bedroom an off white and bought himself a brand new king-sized bed before he got to work on what he was thinking would be Harry's bedroom for when his godson came to visit him. The bedroom had a small balcony that looked out the back of the cottage, over the woods, cliffs, and the English Channel. It was the biggest of the two room choices and he decided to paint it grey, the wall the bed was against he painted a dark grey. He purchased a new Queen sized bed as the room demanded it, getting a Gryffindor bedspread and matching sheets. He put Gryffindor banners on the wall and some of James' old Quidditch posters giving the room red accents to brighten it up.

He added the photographs next: James and Lily; James and Sirius; James, Sirius, and Remus. He put up a few photographs of the four Marauders so that Harry would know who his parents friends were, despite how much he wanted to scowl at seeing Peter's face. He found one of James, Sirius, Euphemia, and Fleamont, so he framed that as well, hanging it on the wall. Baby photos of Harry were the others: Ones of Harry with his parents, ones of Harry with Sirius and Remus, one of Harry just with Sirius, one of Harry zooming around on a baby broomstick, etc. He soon made a photo wall of memories for his godson to have.

He went to Diagon Alley again and found his way to the children's toy store and filled an entire chest full of toys including a toy broomstick before finding a Muggle toy store and buying more toys including a football, and to his delight, a children's motorcycle. He bought a few pairs of clothes as well and a few pairs of pyjamas, the woman in the store helping him happily.

He hung up the new clothes, folded the others in the dresser and carefully painted Harry J. Potter on the trunk that held the toys at the end of the bed. He placed a stuffed white stag, a stuffed black dog, and a stuffed golden brown wolf on the bed and smiled at his work. It looked great and inviting and he couldn't wait until Harry was going to see it. He was well aware that he had probably gone overboard - okay definitely had gone overboard, especially with the toys - but he had missed out on four years of Harry's life.

He planned on making up for it in any way that he could. And if he spoiled the child a little bit, well, there was nothing wrong with that in his opinion.

He made a little plaque for the door that read: Harry's Room, Prongslet. By the end of the second week, he had moved all of his own belongings into the cottage and reaffirmed all of the wards.

Being a Black, his Uncle Alphard had been paranoid already and the cottage was completely unplottable, invisible, and impossible to find with strong protection wards guarding every entrance and Anti-Apparating charms in place. Knowing the location allowed entrance onto the property, but if someone hadn't been there before, the property remained invisible unless access was granted by a Black. The Floo in the living room wasn't officially connected to the Ministry of Magic, but it was similar in that if you knew the location and had been granted access, you could find it. Sirius reinforced the charms himself and bought fresh groceries, making himself dinner and eating quietly by himself.

The knock on the front door surprised him. Other than Remus, no one else even knew that he had decided to settle here. He held his wand out as he cautiously moved towards the entrance and he sighed in relief when he recognized George Morrison, the neighbour.

"Mr Morrison," he said pulling open the door.

Mr Morrison nodded at him. "I told Margaret that it was you who had moved in. Heard you were in prison, boy."

Sirius nodded, scratching the back of his neck. "I was. They released me."

"And you'll be living here now?"

Sirius nodded again. "Yes, Sir. Uncle Alphard left it to me and it's where I'd like to stay."

Mr Morrison stared at him for a moment. "Alphard Black was a good man. He thought that you were something special. You were always kind to him and I remember back when you and your friends helped Margaret and I after that big storm. We're happy to have you living out here, Sirius."

"Thank you, Mr Morrison," he said with a smile.

"You're a grown man now, son, call me George. Will you be living here alone?"

Sirius shook his head. "Not always no. My godson will be here quite frequently as well. He's five."

Mr Morrison nodded. "Good, good. This place needs youth. Welcome home, Sirius."

"Thank you."

Sirius watched Mr Morrison head back to his own cottage and he grinned. He was very glad that he had decided to come here and to make it his home. He had friendly neighbours, if he wanted them, but Black Cottage was far enough away from them if he didn't. He couldn't wait to show Harry his home.

When he made his way up to bed that night, he undressed and looked at himself in the mirror again. His face didn't look haunted anymore. His eyes were lighter, the dark circles were gone and the potions that Poppy had given him had obviously helped as his teeth were back to normal and his gums were healed, the weight loss seemed less extreme though he knew that would still take some time. He continued to do pushups and sit-ups every morning and night, but he felt like he looked good.

He didn't look scary and that was most important to him.

He didn't want to scare Harry.

He climbed into bed, smiling.

Tomorrow morning, he was going to see his godson.

~ASC~

Sirius woke up the next morning, did his exercises, showered and dressed, tucked his shaggy locks behind his ear, parted it to the side before he ate a full breakfast. He locked the door behind him and headed out past the wards to Disapparate. He appeared silently in Surrey and made his way towards Little Whinging. He transformed into his dog form, bouncing along the street as he made his way to Number Four Privet Drive.

He had decided that morning to just scope out the house first.

It had been an interesting few weeks trying to get his own life back together and learning how to live again, something that had been a lot harder than he had expected. Dumbledore had told him that Harry was okay living with his aunt and uncle and the last thing that Sirius wanted was to take his godson away from a happy home. Blood protection was indeed a very strong and a very old branch of magic and if Petunia really had taken Harry into her home, she must have changed somewhat from the snotty little Miss Perfect that he remembered from James and Lily's wedding. But Dumbledore had told him that he could visit and he would.

But first, he would meet Harry in his furrier form. After all, every little boy wanted a dog and Harry had always loved his 'Padfoof.'

He hopped the small gate into the backyard of Number Four, sniffing around eagerly before his eyes looked through the glass doors of the gazebo and saw the family eating breakfast. The sight made him smile. There was Harry, sitting on a chair at the table eating a piece of toast. His little legs were swinging back and forth on the chair. His black hair was standing up in every direction just the way that James' used too and those bright green eyes that belonged to Lily, were hidden behind round glasses. He looked just like James, he thought; wondering if the glasses were a true sign that Harry might have even inherited his father and grandfather's atrocious eyesight. A chubby blonde boy sat across from him stuffing his mouth full of bacon. Vernon Dursley was reading the newspaper and Petunia seemed to be trying to get her son to use a napkin rather unsuccessfully by the looks of it.

Sirius crept a little closer to the house as Padfoot the dog, his ears perked up to listen through the open window that let the cool May air into the house. He watched as Harry finished his toast and hopped down from his chair and pulled a stool over to the sink and he began to wash the breakfast dishes. He was doing chores already, that was good, Sirius thought. Petunia was instilling a sense of responsibility in him.

But then his smile faded as he watched Harry reach for the heavy frying pan full of bacon grease which naturally weighed too much for his small frame and it tipped, splashing hot grease on his arms. He yelped and dropped the pan, tears bubbling up in his eyes.

Petunia grabbed Harry's arm, yanking him towards the sink and pushing his arm under the cold water. "Don't you dare cry!"

"Boy!" Vernon growled. "Look at the mess you made! Who do you think is going to clean that up?"

He bit his lip as the tears fell over his face and Vernon marched over to him.

"Your aunt told you not to cry, boy!"

"Sorry, Uncle Vernon," Harry said softly, sucking the tears back as his aunt dabbed the cool water on his arm.

"He's fine, Vernon," Petunia said, letting Harry's arm go. "It's not a burn, just a little red. It was more of a shock, you know?"

Vernon picked up Harry by the back of the oversized shirt that he was wearing and carried him to the back door, opening it, and tossing Harry onto the grass. "Water the flowers, boy! Petunia will clean up your mess and you'll be spending the rest of the day in your bed if you make another mess with any of your chores!"

He slammed the door behind him and Harry sniffed, crawling to his feet as he cradled his red arm to him. Padfoot approached the boy cautiously and stopped when Harry took sight of him. Harry froze, reaching for the hose and watched Padfoot approach him. As the dog leaned forward and licked his hand, a small smile formed on Harry's face.

Padfoot licked his hand again and Harry's face broke out into a huge grin. Harry tentatively reached out and scratched him behind the ears and Padfoot yipped in pleasure, placing two massive paws on Harry's chest and licked his cheek.

Harry giggled and threw his hands on the dog's paws to hold him in place. "You're a big puppy!"

Padfoot nuzzled his snout into Harry's neck and Harry hugged him tight, laughing as his face was licked again. Sirius' eyes went to the redness of Harry's arm and he was pleased to see that it was indeed okay, the redness already fading, but the shock of the hot splash had probably hurt him more than the actual injury, he thought.

"Boy! Why aren't you watering that garden?" Vernon bellowed from the house.

Harry scrambled to his feet. "Go on, boy. If Uncle Vernon sees you, we'll both be in trouble."

Padfoot only watched him, following him around the yard as he watered the rose bushes with the tiny watering can and the potted plants and then to his surprise a large garden full of lilies. When Harry was finished, he put the watering can away and rolled the hose back into place and then he went to sit in the grass in the corner of the backyard.

Padfoot brought a stick over and dropped it into Harry's lap. Harry picked it up and let it fly across the yard, laughing when Padfoot ran after it, yipping playfully. He brought it back to Harry, who scratched him behind the ears and took the stick, throwing it again. After twenty minutes of that, Padfoot collapsed on the ground next to Harry, loving the sound of the child's laughter as he wrestled with him, licking his face.

"Get away from that flea-infested mutt at once!" Petunia shrieked, running into the back with Dudley waddling behind her.

"He's friendly, Aunt Petunia," Harry told her, his arms wrapping around the dog who nuzzled into his neck. "He won't hurt you."

"Shoo!" Petunia shrieked, waving her arms at the dog. She grabbed Harry's arm and yanked him away. "Get inside, quickly! If that dog is still there in ten minutes, I'm calling the pound! You have to get ready for school!"

Harry looked back at the dog sadly as his aunt dragged him into the house.

Sirius waited until they were inside and then he bounded out of the garden, wandering a few blocks away before he transformed back into himself and Disapparated. Dumbledore was right, Harry was okay, but there was something about that sweet child that he was positive that he had missed. The burn had alarmed him, but Petunia had put cold water on it, and the redness had already faded. Not to mention that it had looked as if his godson was the only child in that house with chores. He was skinny and the clothes that he had worn had clearly been much too big on him, which he did wonder about, but James had always been a skinny and scrawny kid up until he was thirteen or so, therefore that could be nothing to worry about at all.

But he definitely didn't like the way that Vernon Dursley had spoken to his godson.

Sirius decided that he would go back the next day in his dog form before he made any rash decisions. After all, he didn't even know if Harry would remember him let alone want to go with him.

The next morning, he hopped the gate again and watched the family eat their breakfast. Harry ate toast again, and when he was finished, climbed back on the stool to do the breakfast dishes. He wiped off the kitchen table and then he made his way outside again to water the flowers in the garden and the potted plants on the patio without incident.

Padfoot snuck through the rose bushes and barked and Harry's face practically split open with glee. He ran towards the dog, arms outstretched, and hugged him tightly, laughing as the dog licked his face.

"Come on, boy — I have to finish," Harry told him, moving to finish watering the plants.

When he finished, he grabbed a stick and played fetch again. Harry laughed as Padfoot jumped into the air to catch the stick, running towards Harry at full speed and knocking him to the ground to wrestle as Harry giggled. He was worried that he had pounced too hard when he saw Harry visibly wince when he hit the ground, but when he had licked his face, Harry had smiled, and slowly sat up, seeming to be fine and had proceeded to wrestle the dog, giggling. Then they both lay on the cool morning grass and Padfoot snuggled next to his boy, who wrapped his arms around him tightly.

"Who do you belong to, boy?" Harry asked as he scratched Padfoot's belly. "I had a dream I had a dog like you once. I called him Padfoot." Padfoot barked at the name and licked Harry's face. "Padfoot?" Harry repeated and Padfoot barked again making Harry smile. "Do you like that name?" He barked a third time and licked Harry again. "I'll call you Padfoot. I told Uncle Vernon about my dream and how Padfoot turned into a man. Uncle Vernon told me that was stupid — but it was only a dream."

The dog whined and licked him again.

"Padfoot will be your name," Harry said smiling and hugging the dog close again. "You can be my friend."

Padfoot nuzzled Harry as he laughed until Petunia came out shrieking again and shooed him away.

Sirius spent a full week visiting Harry as Padfoot the dog. He played with him every morning after his chores and continued to watch the house carefully until Harry left for school. Harry was okay as he saw from the first day, but he wasn't sure that he liked what he saw. In addition to the breakfast dishes and the garden chores, Sirius watched as Harry scrubbed the kitchen floor, helped cook breakfast, and swept up the grass after Vernon Dursley had mowed the lawn.

Each day, when Harry saw Padfoot, his face would break into a huge grin and he'd hug the dog tightly and each day, Harry told him something new. The Dursleys largely ignored him, he realized and Harry seemed desperate for a friend. After a full week of watching his godson, Sirius decided that it was time to stop being a pet, and time to visit him properly.

When he left Harry that last morning, he Disapparated to Hogsmeade and made his way up to the gates of Hogwarts. It was Hagrid that greeted him, making him smile.

"Hagrid, just the bloke that I was looking for!"

Hagrid smiled at him. "What can I do for yeh, Sirius?"

Sirius grinned. "I was wondering if you knew what had happened to my bike?"

Two hours later, Sirius had the unused 1970 Triumph Bonneville motorbike that he had left in Hagrid's care, purring under his hands and took off towards Surrey arriving in Little Whinging just a little after one that Saturday afternoon. He pulled his helmet off, the familiar smell of his leather jacket bringing back memories and making him smile. He parked the bike behind the shiny new car in the drive and made his way up to Number Four, ringing the bell.

He tucked his hand into the back pocket of his worn blue jeans, his wand in the inside pocket of his leather jacket, The Ramones tee shirt that he wore was tucked loosely into his jeans. He fiddled with the tiny diamond stud in his left ear and the silver hoop at the top of the same ear as he heard shuffling in the house before the door opened and the smiling face of Petunia Dursley quickly lost all of its colour.