Chapter Three
Changes
It was amazing, Remus thought, how easily fatherhood came to him. Little Aurora- or Rory, as she had quickly become- was barely two months old, but already it felt as though he had changed hundreds of nappies and heated bottle after bottle of formula. Rory, for her part, was the best-behaved baby Remus had ever heard of. She hardly ever cried, and when she did, she loved nothing better than for her papa to sing to her.
Remus paced the newly-added nursery, rocking Rory and singing a soft French lullaby. It was Halloween, more than a month after the Potters had performed the Fidelius Charm, and the sky outside was steadily darkening. The werewolf knew that Sirius must be their Secret-keeper, and that he would never betray Lily and James. But that didn't keep Remus from worrying.
Rory reached up a tiny hand, grasping one of Remus's fingers. "Sorry, angel," he said, with a smile. "But Daddy is late, and Papa is worried."
The girl looked solemnly back at him, as though she had understood, then smiled.
"Yes, I know," said Remus. "Papa worries too much."
Suddenly, there was a clatter from the kitchen. Remus raced through the hallway, still holding Rory, to see Sirius picking himself off the kitchen floor.
"Remus!" he cried, spotting his partner. Tears were running down Sirius's face, but he seemed not to have noticed them.
"Merlin, Sirius, what happened?" Remus reached out his free hand to grasp his partner's shoulder.
"James and Lily!" Sirius sobbed. He looked frantically at Remus. "It wasn't me, Remus. You must believe me."
"What happened, Padfoot?" the werewolf repeated. He was starting to get a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach.
The dark-haired man only sobbed harder. "Dead," he croaked at last. "Oh, Remus, they're dead. James, and Lily… just staring, their whole house destroyed…"
"And Harry?" Remus almost didn't want to know.
"Harry." Sirius's voice grew stronger and he looked up again. "He's alive, Remus. I've no idea how, but…but Voldemort's gone."
"But, Sirus, the charm-"
Remus broke off as Sirius seized his shoulders, careful not to startle Rory. "It was Peter, Remus," the Auror said fiercely. "It's all my fault. I told James to switch, right before we'd done the spell. I thought- I thought, nobody would ever think to use Peter. Who would think to trust him with something so important? I was so sure Voldemort would come after me, Remus. I'm an Auror, a Black, he's wanted me dead anyway. But… I as good as killed them…"
Sirius's shoulders slumped as he trailed off. Remus put his hand to his partner's face. "Where's Harry?"
"Hagrid took him to Dumbledore," he said softly. "I gave him my motorbike. I wanted to take him, but Hagrid said he had orders from Dumbledore. I came straight here to you."
Rory reached out to him, tiny fingers bumping Sirius's nose. "Hey there," he said to her.
"Sirius, we need to go to Dumbledore. You and James never told anyone you'd switched Secret-Keepers?" Sirius shook his head. "The Order will have thought you told, Sirius. Dumbledore, at least, needs to know it was Peter."
"Peter," the other man spat. "When I get my hands on him-"
"Where's Dumbledore?" Remus asked softly, cutting him off.
Sirius swallowed, trying to think straight. "If he didn't know we'd switched, he'll have taken Harry to his Muggle relatives. Lily's sister."
"Petunia Dursley," Remus supplied. "In Surry."
"We'll Apparate, then. It'll take too long to get the Knight Bus." Sirius raked his fingers through his hair, letting the strands fall back against his shoulder. "Can you take Rory?"
Remus nodded. "I've got her." He leaned over to kiss Sirius softly. "We'll get through this, Padfoot."
The tabby cat on the corner of Privet Drive had not even blinked when the white-haired man appeared next to her. In an instant, she had turned into a severe-looking woman with square spectacles.
She did, however, look quite startled when two more men, one holding a small baby, appeared on the pavement.
"Mr. Lupin, Mr. Black," said Minerva McGonagall sharply, almost forgetting that these two had been out of school for some time.
"It wasn't Sirius!" said Remus, at once.
"I beg your pardon," asked Dumbledore politely.
"We switched Secret-Keepers, professor," said Sirius earnestly. "I swear it, professor."
"Switched?" repeated McGonagall. "Did you know about this, Albus?"
Dumbledore fixed Sirius with a piercing look; the Auror knew he was using Legillimency and didn't resist. After a long moment, the headmaster nodded. "It appears they did, Minerva."
"I have a confession, as well, professors," said Sirius. "I…I should have told years ago, but… well, you know me. But I have to say something now, so that stinking rat Peter can be caught."
"Get to the point, Mr. Black," said McGonagall.
Rather than being annoyed at her sharp comment, Sirius smiled. "Right you are, professor. I'm an Animagus."
"An Animagus?" Dumbledore repeated. "Illegally, may I assume, given your use of the word 'confession'?"
Sirius nodded. "And not just me, sir. James and…and Peter were, as well."
"I see." The old man stroked his beard. "That would explain a great deal. Allow me to think for a moment… Am I correct in guessing that you achieved the transformation in your fifth year?"
"How did you know, sir?" Remus asked.
Dumbledore smiled. "I followed your progress with some amount of concern, Remus. I admit I was so pleased that you began having greatly improved full moons, that I did not even wish to know had changed."
"James, Sirius and Peter kept me company," said Remus quietly. He did not look at Dumbledore, but kept his eyes on Rory.
"I'm glad," said Dumbledore, causing both men and Professor McGonagall to look at him. "If there is one thing I have learned, Minerva, it is that the world can always use more love. True friendship is a rare thing indeed. Now, Sirius, Remus, I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting young Aurora yet."
Both men were so relieved that they laughed aloud. Remus moved closer so that Dumbledore could see. "We call her Rory, sir," he said. "She's got Sirius's eyes."
"Indeed," the older man said. Rory snagged a bit of his beard in her tiny fists and tugged. "Quite a grip you have, Miss Black."
Suddenly, there was a roaring sound from overhead. "What is that noise!?" cried McGonagall.
"My motorbike!" said Sirius happily.
Hagrid, astride the giant motorbike, landed in the middle of the deserted street. "Sirius," he said, confused, when he had dismounted. "Remus, what are ye doing here?"
"It's quite all right, Hagrid," said Dumbledore. "It seems there has been a change of plans. Harry won't be living with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley."
"He won'?" the gamekeeper asked. "But…Professor Dumbledore, sir, you said his mum's blood…"
"Yes, I did," said the old man thoughtfully. "However, a boy also needs love, and I am afraid he would not get that here. It will take a bit of doing, but I believe the result will be worth it. I will arrange everything, Sirius, Remus. There may be a fair amount of paperwork…"
"We'll do anything, professor," said Sirius at once.
Dumbledore smiled knowingly. "Give Harry to me, Hagrid."
Carefully, Hagrid handed over the bundle. Wrapped in a blanket, Harry's mess of black hair could be clearly seen. Sirius reached out to gently brush a bit of hair aside, revealing the lightning bolt-shaped scar.
"He will have that forever," said Dumbledore, before he could ask. "I wouldn't remove it if I could."
Sirius held out his arms. "Let me take him, sir. We should be going home…"
Silently, Dumbledore shifted Harry to the younger man's arms. The baby's eyes, startling green like his mother's, flickered open. He saw his godfather and smiled.
"Hey, Harry," said Sirius quietly.
Remus put a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go, Padfoot."
"Indeed," said Dumbledore. "Hagrid, Minerva?"
"You take the bike, Hagrid," Sirius told the gamekeeper, although he continued to look at Harry. "I can come by Hogwarts later and get it."
Hagrid nodded. "Ta, Sirius. Headmaster."
The dark-haired man nodded absently, then shifted Harry to rest his hand atop Remus's on his shoulder. "Come on, Moony. Let's go home."