Author's Note:

I always got the impression that Harry was very much emotionally abused by the Dursleys, but I think that there was some physical abuse too, at least when he was younger. More will be explained.

Reviews and Comments: To ObsessedWithHPFanFic: When he saw that Petunia put cold water on it, he cooled his temper. He didn't catch onto the only toast bit until later on. Sirius was too busy just taking in Harry. He definitely regrets waiting. 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 SIX:

The One Where Sirius Kidnaps Harry

"What are YOU doing here?" she demanded, her voice squeaky in her attempt to keep it lower.

"Hi, Petunia, lovely to see you again after all these years," Sirius said, grinning widely at her. "Aren't you going to invite me in or would you like me to stand out here for all the neighbours to hear our business?"

Petunia ushered him inside quickly, slamming the door shut. "How dare you come here?"

Sirius' eyebrow rose questioningly. "How dare I come here? He's my godson and I want to see him."

"I heard that you were in prison." Petunia stated, her eyes looking at his torn jeans, rock t-shirt, scuffed black boots, and black leather jacket in absolute horror.

"Was. They let me out."

Petunia flushed at that as she reached for the chubby blonde boy who waddled into the room and hugged him towards her as if worried Sirius might snatch him up. "You need to leave — now!"

"I will. After I see Harry."

"I told the other one of your kind years ago that I would only keep Harry here if no one from that world came here. He will have a normal childhood!" Petunia insisted. "I don't want any of that freakish business of his in my house!"

Sirius tugged his sunglasses off and hung them on his shirt. "Displaying signs of magic already, is he? Good little, Prongslet. Now where is he?"

"Petunia, dear, have you seen my blue and silver tie?" Vernon mumbled as he stepped down the stairs and his eyes widened at the sight before him. "Who is this riffraff and why is he in my house?"

"Sirius Black, Dursley — surely you remember me?"

Vernon merely opened his mouth in surprise and then glowered at him. "You and your kind are not welcome here, Black! I insist that you leave — at once!"

"As I already told your absolutely charming wife… not until I see my godson."

"Boy!" Vernon bellowed. "Come here!"

Sirius' mouth thinned.

In the week that he had spent watching Harry, he hadn't once heard anyone in the house use his actual name. Of course, he had only seen him in the early morning, watching until he had gone to school, and twice after school, but he had yet to hear his aunt and uncle call him Harry. But then his heart leapt as the door to the cupboard under the stairs opened and a scrawny mini James stepped out, black hair messier than ever, round glasses perched on the edge of his nose, and Lily's bright green eyes looked out at him.

"Yes, Uncle Vernon?" Harry asked timidly, closing the cupboard door.

"You have a visitor," Vernon said, his teeth clenched as if it caused him great pain to admit to such.

Harry looked up then, his head tilting slightly to the side as his gaze landed on Sirius. Sirius knelt down from his spot by the front door and smiled at Harry.

"Hi, Harry," he said softly, watching the boy closely.

He was wearing clothing that was hanging off of his skinny frame. The cut on his cheek that he had scratched on the rose bush that morning hadn't been tended to, Sirius noticed, and the lightning bolt scar was bold against his pale forehead.

"Hullo, Sir," Harry said carefully, staying in front of his cupboard.

"My name is Sirius Black," Sirius told him, smiling kindly. "I don't know if you remember me, but I used to babysit you when you were a baby. You used to call me Uncle Siri," he said with a grin. "I thought maybe, since it is a Saturday, your aunt and uncle might let us hang out today. Would you like that?"

Harry's eyes darted towards Uncle Vernon whose face was flushed with rage.

"No! I forbid it! You've seen the boy, now get out of my house!"

Sirius simply stood up. "I didn't come here just to see him, I came here to get to know him; to be a part of his life. And I'm taking him with me today. I'll have him back in time for bed."

Petunia made to protest, but Sirius reached for Harry suddenly, and Harry moved away, plastering himself against the door of his cupboard — eyes wide and full of terror.

"Ha! He doesn't want to go with you!" Vernon exclaimed, looking incredibly pleased with himself. "He knows that you're a hoodlum! Torn jeans and long hair and earrings! You are a disgrace!"

Sirius ignored them and knelt down in front of Harry. He hadn't meant to scare him and he wanted him to know that. "I'm your Uncle Sirius, Harry. You don't have to be scared. Would you like to come to the park with me? We'll have fun, Prongslet."

He extended his hand and Harry's eyes watched him for a moment, his eyes lighting up at the nickname as if he recognized it, but then he stepped away from him.

"He doesn't want to go with you — now get out!" Vernon demanded, holding the banister so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

Sirius turned to glare at him. "Why does he look so terrified, Dursley?"

"Look at yourself!" Vernon exclaimed, his face flushing purple. "You look like a hoodlum, why would anyone trust you?"

Sirius simply turned back and smiled at Harry. He hadn't counted on Harry being scared of him. He had seemed so loving and affectionate when Sirius had visited him as a dog. He took a deep breath and tried again, smiling kindly at the boy in front of him.

"You can trust me, Harry," he said, an idea forming.

Ignoring the Dursleys, Sirius stepped back from Harry and before he could change his mind, he transformed into the big black dog and watched in delight as Harry's eyes lit up. Harry's arms went around him immediately and he nuzzled his neck, licking his face, and then he stepped back and transformed back into himself. "I'm your Uncle Siri, Harry - or Uncle Padfoot. You called me both when you were little."

Harry stared at him in awe and amazement. His eyes were wide as if he couldn't comprehend what had happened, but believed it wholeheartedly.

Vernon's face on the other hand had turned an even darker shade of purple. "How dare you use that — that freakish stuff in my house!"

"Shut up, Dursley! Your nephew is a wizard and he deserves to know," he held his hand out again to Harry. "Do you want to come to the park with me, Harry?" Harry nodded before he gently placed his hand in Sirius', who beamed at him. "Seems like he wants to go. We'll be back later tonight."

He led Harry out of the house by his hand, ignoring Vernon and Petunia, who were still protesting, and gently helped him into the child seat that he had installed that morning on the back of his motorbike, strapping him in and placing the helmet onto his head.

"Are you ready, Harry?"

Harry nodded as Sirius kicked the bike into gear and with a loud roar they zoomed out of the drive, Harry laughing at the speed as they headed out. Sirius took him to one of the larger playgrounds nearby and they climbed out and headed towards the jungle gym.

"Come on, Prongslet," he said with a smile as he climbed the monkey bars, holding his legs up high as he flew across the bars in gesture.

Harry hurried up to the top, smiling and followed Sirius' lead, flying across the bars with ease before following Sirius up the rope bridge and across the fort, giggling as he flew down the slide. They played for over an hour before Sirius decided to call it quits and thought that it was time for a snack. He grabbed the bag that he had packed and pulled out the bacon sandwiches that he had brought with some pumpkin juice and some fresh apple slices. He had used a cooling charm as well as a fresh charm on them in his pack. He spread a blanket on the ground for them as Harry sat down and accepted the apple slice that Sirius handed him.

"Are you in school, Harry?" Sirius asked as he made a plate up for the boy and poured him some pumpkin juice. He wanted to know all about him and after watching him leave for school every day this week, he had wondered how Harry had fared in a Muggle school system.

Harry nodded, eating so quickly that he almost choked.

Sirius pat him gently on the back and Harry practically jumped away from him. "Hey, hey, Prongslet, it's okay. Come sit down and eat. Slow down. You don't have to eat so quickly. The food's not going anywhere."

Harry slowed down a little, but he kept staring at the food in wonder as if surprised to see it still before him.

"So, school? Do you like it?" Sirius prompted.

"It's okay," Harry said, swallowing his sandwich.

"Do you have lots of friends?"

Harry shook his head and drank the pumpkin juice. "No."

"No? How come? Don't you want to make friends?"

Harry shrugged. "No one wants to be my friend."

Sirius frowned at that, looking closely at his godson. He was eating slower now, but he kept glancing at the food in awe as if wondering why Sirius hadn't taken it away from him yet. He was dirty too, Sirius realized and not all of it was from playing in the park. The too big clothes on his little body. Looking at him closely now, Sirius knew that he really didn't like what he saw at all.

"How come no one wants to be your friend, Harry?" he asked him, eating his own bacon sandwich and watching his godson carefully.

Harry used his hand to wipe the back of his mouth and Sirius handed him a napkin.

"Use this, Harry."

Harry did as Sirius showed him and used the napkin to wipe his face. "Dudley doesn't let them."

"Dudley's your cousin?"

Harry nodded. "Evan was nice to me. He let me play with his fire truck, but then Dudley took it — and broke it — and now Evan doesn't like me anymore."

"Hmm," was all Sirius could think to say about that.

Harry didn't talk much unless he was prompted, but Sirius urged him to talk about his teachers, his classes, and what he had learned at school. His favourite thing was apparently story time which made Sirius smile.

"You like it when people tell you stories, eh? You must bug your Aunt Petunia for stories all the time."

Harry shook his head, his eyes wide. "No."

"No?" Sirius asked, smiling at him. "Why not? Doesn't she tell good stories?"

"Only to Dudley."

Sirius nodded as they finished up their food and he put everything away. Only to Dudley, he thought. Petunia was not giving him the attention that he deserved.

"You're a dog," Harry said quietly, surprising Sirius who had initiated all conversation for the afternoon.

Sirius smiled at him. "Sometimes. I thought maybe that I'd meet you as a dog first, to see if you remembered me. I think you did. You knew that my name was Padfoot."

"But you're not a real dog," Harry said carefully. "You said your name is Sirius."

Sirius grinned, leaning back on his hands. "Your dad used to tell me that I made a better dog than a man sometimes, but I'm not a real dog, no. I'm an Animagus." At Harry's blank look, he smiled. "It's a skill a witch or wizard can learn where they can turn into an animal at will. I can turn into a dog and my nickname was always Padfoot, but my real name is Sirius. You can call me either one."

"You said, 'wizard.'"

"There's magic in the world, Harry. I'm a wizard and so are you."

Harry only stared at him.

"Come on, Prongslet, we're going to go on an adventure."

"An adventure?" Harry asked, looking at Sirius in wonder.

Sirius smiled, reaching down to swing him up into his arms and stopping when he saw Harry flinch and scramble away from him before he could pick him up. His hands fisted at his sides immediately, but he kept his face calm as he held a hand out, which Harry tentatively accepted.

"Yeah, an adventure. Come on, little man."

He strapped Harry back into the motorbike and smiled when less than two minutes into driving, Harry was sleeping soundly. He used the invisibility charm and roared off into the sky, landing near his new home in Devon. He drove through, parking the bike by the side near the shed and carefully unstrapping the sleepy child and carrying him into the house.

Harry woke up as he stepped into the house and his eyes widened in surprise to find himself in Sirius' arms. His eyes stayed on Sirius suspiciously, but he didn't try to climb down. Sirius carried him up the stairs and brought him into the bathroom.

"All right, Harry, Uncle Padfoot is going to help you clean up and we'll put on some new pyjamas and then I'll teach you a fun game before I take you home, okay?"

Harry wrapped his arms around himself as Sirius filled the tub with warm water, his eyes wide and fearful as he looked towards the tub. "I don't want to have a bath."

Sirius smiled at him. "We got pretty dirty at the park, Prongslet. We have to clean up or your Aunt Petunia will think that we rolled around in the mud."

Harry shook his head, biting his bottom lip. "No, please." he said, his voice whimpering now.

Sirius looked at him then and the fear in the child's eyes had him stopping. "Harry, look at me." When Harry's green eyes met his, he reached out and carefully took both of Harry's hands in his own. "I am your godfather. I will always protect you. I will keep you safe and I will never hurt you. Do you believe your Uncle Sirius?"

Harry's green eyes stared at him for a moment and then he nodded. "Yes, but I don't like baths."

Sirius reached a hand into the warm water. "It's warm, see?" He reached for the children's bubble bath that he had purchased. "And we can fill the water with fun bubbles, watch this." He poured some of the rainbow liquid into the tub and smiled when Harry's face lit up at the blue, green, purple, and pink bubbles that floated in the water. "And," Sirius said, reaching under the cupboard and pulling out the two ships he had bought. "We have toys."

Harry stared in wonder and then he nodded and moved to get into the tub making Sirius laugh.

"Harry, wait we have to take your clothes off first, silly."

He reached forward to help him, but Harry took another step away again, looking scared.

"NO!"

"Harry," Sirius said carefully. "You can't take a bath in your clothes. Come on, Harry, let's get undressed."

Harry hugged himself tightly and shook his head, backing away from Sirius. "No! You can't see! Uncle Vernon said no one can see!"

Sirius' eyes narrowed at the sheer panic that was radiating from the small frame of the child in front of him, dread filling his chest. "What can't I see, Harry?"

Harry turned and booked it out of the bathroom before Sirius could stop him. Sirius climbed to his feet as he chased him, catching him just at the top of the stairs and when his hands gripped the child's shoulder, Harry flinched, and he carefully loosened his grip.

"Harry," Sirius said carefully. "Does Uncle Vernon hurt you?"

Harry was trembling under his hands. "I'm not supposed to tell! He'll get mad!"

Sirius gently rubbed his hands along Harry's arms. "It's okay, Harry. I won't tell, I promise."

"Really?" Harry asked, his green eyes wide.

Sirius nodded and held his hand out to Harry. "But you have to come with me and have a bath - that's the deal, okay?"

He stared at Sirius for a long time before he slowly reached for Sirius' hand and nodded, letting his godfather lead him back into the bathroom. Sirius carefully helped him undress and when he turned to climb into the tub, Sirius' heart jumped up into his throat.

Harry's tiny back was covered in fifteen welts. Some were fading; some old and scarred, but some were blistered, red, and ugly looking. Sirius felt the blood leave his face as he looked at them. His own father had used a belt on him more times than he could remember and he knew how painful they could be. The water was going to sting some on his poor back. He grabbed his wand and muttered a pain free charm on Harry's back before the child submerged himself in the water. It would only last thirty minutes, but he hoped it helped.

The Dursleys, he thought viciously, there was no way that he was allowing Harry to stay with them. Dumbledore had been wrong. Sirius should have taken him a week ago instead he had assumed that he was fine like an idiot; he had played the loyal pet when he should have swooped in and taken his godson the moment that he had seen him. He should have trusted his instincts.

Harry smiled in the water, laughing when Sirius blew the bubbles making them float around him, and he splashed with the ships watching them float as he played in the tub. After ten minutes of play time, Sirius reached for the shampoo and smiled at Harry.

"Okay, time to wash up now. You can keep playing while your Uncle Siri washes your hair, okay?"

Harry nodded as Sirius tugged his glasses off and placed them on the floor, using a small cup to wet Harry's hair, but Harry jumped to his feet and plastered himself against the wall of the bathtub. The water rose up from the tub; twisting like a water tornado, and shooting Sirius straight in the face as Harry's eyes widened in fear.

"NO!"

"Harry," Sirius said calmly, holding the cup of warm water in his hands and spitting out the soapy water. He waved his wand, trying to control the water twister to no avail so he instead kept his focus on his godson's face. "I'm only going to wash your hair, little man. There's nothing to be scared of."

"Please don't hold my head under, I'll be a good boy, I promise!" he exclaimed as the twister rose higher, brushing the ceiling.

The coloured soapy water splashed the walls, splashed Sirius, and poured over the edge of the tub onto the floor, hitting everything but the boy plastered against the side of the tub, eyes wide in fear.

Sirius had never felt such rage in his life. But he talked himself down, smiling warmly at his godson. "Harry, I would never do that to you. Never. Sit down, and I'll wash your hair while you sit here. Okay? Let's put the water back in the tub. The water is safe. You're safe. I promise."

Harry stared at him a long moment, his eyes wide as saucers. Sirius only continued to stare back, wondering if the child was going to move and then he let out a slow breath of relief when the twister crashed down into the tub, overflowing down the sides, sending soapy bubbles across the bathroom floor. But Sirius didn't think twice about the mess, his eyes were on his godson who had slowly sat back down in the tub. Sirius gently held a hand over his forehead to block the water and he gently poured water over his hair.

"See, just like this," he told him reassuringly as he lathered shampoo into his scalp, rubbing and massaging softly, but vigorously.

He smiled as he remembered the last time that he had given Harry a bath, the kid had stood up in the water and peed, grinning proudly. Sirius had been forced to drain the tub and start all over again as Remus, who had been helping him babysit at the time, had laughed up roaringly. He rinsed the shampoo from his hair, delicately lathered the soft washcloth with soap before he carefully scrubbed the grime from Harry's body; anxiously washing out the welts and cuts on his back and the back of his small legs. Once he was clean, he used his wand to refresh the water, which had turned murky, to let Harry play some more. He used his wand to make the bubbles dance above his head as Harry grinned widely. Then he transformed into Padfoot, jumping into the tub with the child and making Harry giggle as he rubbed bubbles into his fur.

When bath time was over, Harry let Sirius lift him out of the tub and Sirius carefully dried him off with a warm fluffy towel. Sirius used his wand to clean up the big mess, reassuring Harry that he wasn't mad about the mess before he used some baby powder on him and Harry grinned as the powder went everywhere in the air. Sirius helped him into the new Star Wars pjs that he had purchased for him. He combed his hair, smiling at how it stuck up anyway, exactly the way James' had. Then he took his hand and led him downstairs and into the kitchen.

"How about a ham sandwich for dinner?"

Harry nodded, dragging a chair over to the counter. "Okay, Uncle Siri."

Sirius grinned at the sound of his name and then he realized that Harry was trying to make the ham sandwich. He lifted him off the chair and dragged the chair back to the table.

"Nuh-uh, Prongslet, Uncle Padfoot will make the sandwiches. You just sit here and wait like a good little boy."

Harry looked confused, but did what Sirius asked, and then ate every bite of the ham sandwich and drank all of his milk without a word. He was yawning again as Sirius cleaned up the dishes and he brought him into the living room. The kid was exhausted from their day.

Sirius took a seat on the couch and gently pat the seat next to him for Harry to join him. Harry sat down and looked at Sirius as if waiting for what to do next. Sirius moved closer, draping his arm over the back of the couch so that Harry fell towards him a bit and he watched as Harry seemed startled by the close contact, but then he gently let his head rest against Sirius' chest and Sirius smiled.

"How about a story, Harry?"

Harry nodded and Sirius summoned the stuffed stag down from Harry's bedroom as well as The Tales of Beedle the Bard. He handed the stag to Harry, who looked at it in awe, and then snuggled it close to him. As Sirius began to read, Harry's eyes drooped and before he had even finished the first story, Harry was sleeping soundly, the stuffed stag cuddled in his arms.

Sirius carefully extricated himself from the couch, wrapping Harry up in the blanket before grabbing a handful of Floo powder and throwing it into the flames, sending his head flying towards the hospital wing of Hogwarts.

"Poppy!" he called out and he soon heard footsteps hurrying towards him.

"Sirius! What's wrong? Did the potions I give you not work properly?" Madam Pomfrey asked him.

"No, no, the potions are fine. I need a paediatric healer. Do you qualify?"

Madam Pomfrey looked confused, but she nodded. "Well, yes, but I'm a school healer, Sirius. St Mungo's is a much better route."

"I know, but for now I just need some advice. How do I treat welts - like as in made from a man's belt?" he asked, his eyes dark with rage. "Will a regular healing charm work if they are a few days, if not a few weeks, old?"

Madam Pomfrey's eyes hardened. "On a child?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

She took a moment to compose herself before she told him the healing charm needed and passed him the salve that he would need to keep them from being infected as well as a pain potion. "It will be painful, but there's three doses there to be drunk every twelve hours."

Sirius nodded. "Understood. Thanks Poppy. Can you also let Dumbledore know that I will be there for breakfast tomorrow morning to speak with him? Tell him it's rather urgent."

"Of course, Sirius."

Sirius ended the Floo call, pulling his head from the fireplace with the potions and salves in his hand. Harry was sleeping soundly on the couch and he saw that it was only seven thirty. The park and then the bath, Sirius had worn the little tyke out. He knelt down beside the boy and gently touched his shoulder.

"Harry, wake up, Prongslet."

Harry's eyes opened slowly and he eagerly accepted the glasses that Sirius held out for him. "Is it morning?"

Sirius smiled and gently pressed a kiss to Harry's forehead, surprising the boy momentarily. "Not yet, Prongslet. I got some salve for the cuts on your back."

Harry's eyes widened in horror. "You weren't supposed to see! You said you wouldn't tell!" He jumped to his feet, his eyes terrified as he struggled to kick off the blanket and get off of the couch. "Uncle Vernon said that no one can see!"

"Shh," Sirius said, taking Harry's hand and trying to keep him still. "Harry, I won't hurt you. I won't let Uncle Vernon hurt you ever again. I promise."

Harry stopped struggling and his green eyes stared up at him with so much hope that Sirius felt his heart jump into his throat. "Promise?"

"I promise." He vowed, kissing Harry's small hand. "But the salve I have for you, it's going to make you feel better, but it's going to hurt when I put it on because the cuts on your back are deep, okay? But it will only hurt for a little while, I promise, and it will make it feel better afterwards."

Harry nodded and then carefully pulled his new pyjama shirt over his head. Sirius winced when he looked at the cuts again. They were definitely at least a week old, but he could tell that they hadn't been treated properly and he wondered how badly they would scar him. He delicately applied the salve that he knew must be incredibly painful, but Harry didn't move a muscle or make a sound. Tears leaked down Harry's face, but he stayed silent. Sirius finished applying the salve and gently guided him to drink the potion, using his wand to heal the welts around the salve, and Harry let out a tiny squeak before biting his lip.

"I'm sorry, I won't cry!" he said, his voice terrified and ashamed.

Sirius gently brushed a finger down his cheek, kissing it softly. "You are a very brave little man, Harry. I know this hurts — and you go ahead and cry if you want to."

Harry only stared at him, his eyes wide as Sirius gently finished applying the second layer of salve and helped Harry back into his pyjama shirt. Then he held his arms out to Harry. Harry looked at him for a moment and then he carefully offered his hand instead. Sirius took his little hand in his own, wishing that he could cuddle the child to his chest in reassurance, but was terrified of scaring him - so he simply helped him off of the couch. He bent down to pick up the stag and smiled.

"Don't forget Prongs."

"Prongs?"

"Your stag," Sirius told him with a smile. "Come on. I have something to show you."

He led Harry up the stairs and turned on the lights in the hallway as he approached the door with Harry's name on it.

"That's me!" Harry exclaimed, pointing to the lettering on the door. "What's Proglt?"

"Prongslet," Sirius corrected affectionately. "That's your name, too."

Harry stared at the door in wonder.

Sirius grinned. "It has your name on it because this room is all for you."

He pushed open the door and turned on the lights and Harry's eyes widened as he looked around the room. Sirius took a seat on the bed, gesturing for Harry to come over and Harry's eyes got bigger.

"This is my bed?"

"Yeah, it is," Sirius said with a smile.

"This bed is bigger than my whole cupboard!"

Sirius scowled at that. His cupboard? What the fuck did that mean? "You are never going back there, Harry."

Harry climbed up onto the bed and touched the stuffed animals there, smiling as he touched the dog and then the wolf and then his eyes met Sirius' for a moment. "Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs."

Sirius grinned in surprise. He remembered some things, he thought. "That's right, Harry." He tugged the covers down and Harry eagerly climbed into the bed, his stuffed animals around him. "When you wake up in the morning, Harry, I'm not going to be here."

"Why?"

"I have to go talk to someone. But your Uncle Moony is going to be here."

"Uncle Moony?" Harry asked, yawning as he picked up the wolf.

Sirius nodded, smiling. "Yeah, Uncle Moony or Uncle Remus. He'll make you breakfast and I'll be back before lunch. You be a good boy and Uncle Remus will tell you all of the stories you can ask for. He knows hundreds."

Harry grinned at that. "I like stories."

"Me too," Sirius said, tucking Harry in carefully. "Goodnight, Harry, I love you. My bedroom is right down the hall if you need me, okay?"

"Okay," Harry said, quietly, as he yawned.

Sirius knew that the potion was kicking in as he watched his bright green eyes flutter closed and he placed Harry's glasses on the table next to his bed. He left the door open just a crack and he used the baby monitoring charm and the quiet sounds of the child breathing filled the living room before he Flooed Remus.

"MOOOONNNNNNYYYY!" Sirius bellowed into the fire as Remus came running from his bedroom.

"Merlin, Sirius — no need to howl!" Remus said as he sat down in front of the fire where his friend's head was floating there.

"Sorry, it's just that I need you. I need you to come to my new place in Devon, my Uncle Alphard's old place, do you remember where it is?"

"Vaguely," Remus said, scrunching his forehead in concentration. "Is that the one by the cliffs?"

"Exactly," Sirius said with a grin. "Right now would be great."

Then his head disappeared and Remus sighed, grabbing a pinch of Floo powder and dusting himself off as Sirius took his hand to pull him from the fire.

"Merlin, Sirius, what's the rush? I haven't seen or heard from you since you moved out here a few weeks ago." Remus exclaimed as he looked around. "Wow, Padfoot, this place looks great! You really have been keeping busy."

Sirius nodded, plopping himself down on the couch. "Yes, the last few weeks, but that's not important. What's important is that I'm going to Dumbledore in the morning — and demanding full custody of Harry."

Remus' eyebrow rose in surprise. "Padfoot, we talked about this…"

"We did, yeah - and I said that I wanted to be part of his life - so I went there, as a dog, and I played with him for a week — watching and —"

"You went as a dog?"

"Well, I figure that kids love dogs and this way I could see how he was doing without being suspicious."

Remus looked like he wanted to say something in response to that, but he shook his head. "No, actually I agree with that plan. So I assume that you are planning to reintroduce yourself to the Dursleys then?"

Sirius nodded. "I may have already done that when I took Harry out for the afternoon and er — kidnapped him."

"Wait, what?" Remus exclaimed, his eyes widening as he grabbed his friend's arm. "What do you mean you kidnapped him? Did Petunia not let you into the house or something?"

"Rather grudgingly, but yeah, she let me in, and she mentioned that you also came by once - in a really condescending way by the way - but anyway, he can't stay with those people, Rem! He's terrified! Trying to touch him, he cowers away from you! He has deep welts on his back from being beaten and he sleeps in a fucking cupboard! I told Petunia that I'd have him home before bed, but after what I saw… he's never going back there, Moony. Never."

Remus stared at his friend in shock. "They beat him?"

"I gave him a bath and he begged me not to hold his head under the water, Remus! What kind of fucked up people torture a child like that?" Sirius demanded, his anger vibrating off of him in droves. "He deserves better and I won't let those people touch him ever again."

"Agreed. What do you need from me?"

Sirius looked at his friend gratefully, "Thanks Moony. I knew that you'd understand." He sat on the couch and rubbed his fists over his face. "He's powerful already. I mean, we always knew that he would be. Remember when he summoned me to his crib in my dog form? Or when he kept changing his mashed carrots into mashed apricots? Anyway, I was giving him a bath earlier and he turned the water into a twister, sprayed the shit out of me and everything around me — but the water didn't even touch him. He's going to be a powerful wizard one day."

Remus smiled. "I would have liked to have seen you get blasted in the face with the twister."

Sirius grinned. "I'm sure that it was rather entertaining. Listen, I told Harry that his Uncle Moony would be here when he woke up to give him breakfast and to tell him stories. I promised that I'd be back by lunch."

"Of course, but you said be cautious with him?"

Sirius nodded. "No sudden attempts to touch him. If you watch his eyes he wants to know where you are at all times. That's most important, Remus."

Remus nodded in understanding. "Got it. He'll be safe here, Padfoot."

Sirius rubbed a hand over his face. "Yes, he will. He's never going back there. Not as long as I'm alive."