Finally a Family

Summary: Once Sirius's name is cleared, he's only request is full custody of his godson. After twelve years of wishing for a family, will Harry's wish finally come true?

AN: Takes place towards the end of POA, right before The Beginning of a New Life.

Harry sat curled up in the dormer in the third year boy's dorm in Gryffindor tower. The sun was about to rise, bringing with it a new day. Yesterday, Harry couldn't seem to get out of his mind. Yesterday started out so normal, until yesterday evening. Yesterday was the day that Buckbeak would be put to death and Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gone down to Hagrid's. But that wasn't what Harry was thinking about.

Yesterday, he found out that Sirius Black, the man who everyone thought was trying to kill Harry and who was named his godfather, was innocent. Ron's rat, Scabbers, was Peter Pettigrew, the one who was responsible for everything that happened on that night in Godric's Hollow.

All the events that followed, ending with Sirius leaving on Buckbeak, had left Harry wondering if his life had really changed.

His thoughts were broken by the sound of the door to the boy's room creaking open. Harry didn't pay any attention to it and leaned his head against the wall.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Hermione whispered.

Harry nodded, mutely, his eyes not leaving the scene outside the window. He didn't know that Hermione had sat down beside him until she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Madam Pomfrey is letting Ron go this morning. I thought we'd meet him in the hospital wing before breakfast."

Once again Harry nodded mutely, and got up and gathered some clothes to change into and headed to the bathroom.

Hermione sighed, watching him go. She got up from the floor and had nearly collided with Neville.

"Is he okay?" Neville asked.

No one said anything about Hermione's appearance in the boy's dorm. She had been up here a few times to drag (sometimes literally) Harry and Ron out of bed. She came up here when Harry had a migraine and between her and Ron, they took care of him.

"Tell Harry, I'll be waiting for him in the common room." Without another word, Hermione left the dorm and headed down to the common room.

Their adventures from yesterday would remain a secret between them three and Professor Dumbledore.

She nearly jumped as Crookshanks purred against her leg. Maybe Ron would be a little more friendly to him. But then Harry had never treated Crookshanks horribly and yet the cat seemed to hate Harry. Well, until Harry had given the cat a treat.

She nearly laughed out loud when she remembered the time Crookshanks had climbed into Harry's lap, making the boy freeze. She had to move him so Harry could go before he was late for Quidditch practice.

Harry came down to the common room, carrying Ron's rucksack with a change of clothes for the redhead to change into.

"Ready to go, Hermione?"

"Yes. Let's go."

The walk to the hospital wing was in silence. Neither Harry or Hermione said anything other than returning the greeting of "Good morning" from other students.

When they reached the hospital wing, Harry opened the door and held it open for Hermione.

"Thanks, Harry," she said, as she entered the hospital wing.

Ron was sitting up on the side of the bed, waiting for them. His injuries were healed and he was able to walk. Madam Pomfrey had decided to keep him an extra day to make sure that his leg was healing.

"How are you, Ron?" Hermione asked.

"I'm fine." He turned to his other best friend. "Is that clothes?"

"Yeah, Catch." Harry tossed the rucksack to Ron, who caught it and headed to the bathroom to change.

Harry and Hermione were waiting for him when he came out. He and Harry packed up the few books and magazines Fred and George brought him yesterday in the rucksack.

"Ready to go?" Hermione asked.

"I'm ready. Let's go to breakfast."

The trio walked out of the hospital wing with a 'goodbye' to Madam Pomfrey the three teens headed to the Great Hall. The walk was long from the hospital wing, neither of them saying a word. There was no need to since the halls were getting crowded and Hermione didn't want to talk about the events from the previous few days with others around.

They sat down at their usual place at the Gryffindor table, in the middle, but not so close to anybody. Nobody bothered them, but they ignored Professor Snape's scowl when he looked towards them.

Harry looked between Hermione and Ron and passed them a note. Hermione looked at the note and then at Harry. Hermione reached for the note and then looked at Ron. They shared a look between them and Hermione opened the folded parchment.

Boy's dorm twenty minutes.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other and then back to Harry. They both nodded, agreeing.

Harry nodded and stuffed the rest of his toast in his mouth and took a drink of juice before he left the table.

Hermione and Ron finished their breakfast, quickly and got up from the table to follow Harry.

"Does Harry look depressed to you?" Hermione asked, quietly.

"Does Harry look what?"

Hermione sighed. Of course, Ron wouldn't know about depression.

"Let me rephrase the question. Does Harry look gloomy to you?"

"Oh." Ron finally understood what Hermione was talking about. She had used the term gloomy to describe Harry's mood last year when everyone thought he was on the one who was causing all the attacks on Muggle-born students.

No one questioned why Harry would attack his own best friend.

"Yeah," Ron answered. "He had been since….." Ron didn't need to say anymore.

Hermione gave the password to the Fat Lady and they entered the common, heading up to the boys' dorm.

"I was up to get Harry this morning. He seemed to be depressed or gloomy then," Hermione said, in her normal voice. Everyone was down at breakfast so Gryffindor tower was empty, other than the three of them.

They entered the boy's dorm and found Harry lying on his bed on his stomach.

"Harry? What's wrong?"

"I'm just thinking about Sirius. Kicking myself for not doing anything to keep that rat from escaping, I should have let Remus and Sirius kill him."

Ron and Hermione shared a look of shock before turning back to Harry.

"Me living with him would be out of the question. I guess I'm stuck at the Dursleys for the whole summer." Harry turned to Ron and asked, "You would rescue me again would you?"

Once Ron got over his shock, he nodded. "Of course, mate. I will come and get you anytime."

"Maybe by some miracle, you could stay with someone else," Hermione added, trying to brighten the mood in the room, failing miserably.

"Yeah."

Hermione told Ron she would be back and that she needed to feed Crookshanks. She left and was gone for ten minutes before she frantically ran up the stairs to the boy's dorm. Harry and Ron jumped at her sudden appearance.

Hermione looked between Ron and Harry and asked "Have either of you two seen, Crookshanks? I can't find him."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

"How in the world did we end up on a hunt for that demon cat?" Ron asked Harry as they walked through the courtyard.

"I don't know, but he wasn't at the tree by the lake, or Hagrid's. He wasn't really where Hermione said he was. If this was Hedwig, all I would need to do is call her and she comes. That cat, I don't think it even listens to Hermione," Harry replied.

"Come on, let's go back to the common room and see if Hermione is back."

They walked the long way to the seventh floor, back to Gryffindor tower. They pigged backed into the common room behind a group of fifth years.

Harry and Ron looked around the common room for their bushy headed best friend. They asked Ginny to check and see if she was in her dorm. The youngest Weasley returned, shaking her head, telling the boys that Hermione wasn't up there.

"Hermione's not back yet, I guess we'll just wait for her then," Harry stated, dropping heavily into a chair.

George, who with the group of fifth years, asked, "What's going on?"

"Crookshanks is missing," Ron informed his brother, sitting down on the couch.

George looked towards the portrait hole and said "Here he comes now. I guess he was just out hunting."

Ron and Harry turned to look at the cat. Crookshanks had a rat in its mouth.

"So he just went out hunting? I swear Hermione panics over the least little…..." Ron trailed off when he noticed Harry's pale face and his eyes widen. "Mate, what's wrong?"

Harry didn't say anything, just pointed to the rat, his hand shaking. Ron slowly took a step towards Crookshanks and he took a sharp inhale of breath.

This was no ordinary rat Crookshanks had. This one was missing a toe.

"Is that….." Harry trailed off.

"Yes, Harry." Ron turned to his best mate, his expression matching Harry's.

"George?" Ron called.

"Yes, Ron?"

"Block the portrait hole." Fred came downstairs to see where George had gone. "Fred, block the stairs," Ron ordered. Fred stood at the stairs, realizing there was something going on and it had to do with Hermione's cat.

Slowly, Harry and Ron approached the cat.

"Nice Crookshanks. Just hand us over the rat," Ron said to the cat.

Crookshanks took off in a circle. Ron chased after it while Harry tried to cut him off. The cat ran a circle around the couch.

With Ron chasing him and Harry trying to cut him off, it snuck under the couch. Ron and Harry bang heads together when they both came around opposite sides of the couch.

"OW!"

"Sorry, mate."

"Where did he go?"

"He got by Fred and went up the stairs," George told them. He and Fred didn't know what was going on. They looked at each other, shrugged and left the common room.

Harry and Ron ran up the stairs two at a time. Harry, who was in the lead, saw him go in their dorm. Then Harry remembered something.

"Ron, we're idiots."

"Why?"

Harry pulled out his wand and shouted "Petrificus Totalus!"

The cat was petrified and so was, luckily enough for Harry, so was the rat. Ron prided the rat out of the cat's mouth and took a close look at the petrified rodent.

"It's him, Harry," Ron breathed.

Harry leaned against his bedpost, panting for breath. The only sound in the room was his and Ron's heavy breathing.

Ron located his old cage and placed a locking spell on the cage. Thank you, Hermione, Ron thought as he said the carnation for the locking spell.

Harry and Ron looked at each other and said "Dumbledore" in unison and then ran down the stairs, out the portrait hole, nearly colliding with Ginny and her friends, and ran all the way to the headmaster's office.

"Jolly Ranchers," Harry shouted to the gargoyle. It opened and Harry and Ron ran up the steps to the door to Professor Dumbledore's office.

He and Harry took a moment to catch their breath before Harry knocked on the door.

"Enter," Dumbledore called. The door opened and Harry and Ron rushed in. Harry sat the cage down on the desk.

"Here, sir. It's him!" Harry exclaimed.

Professor Dumbledore took a look into the cage. The rat he was looking at was missing a toe. He looked back up to the two boys in his office and said, "Thank you. Now if you excuse me, I'll need to make a few calls." The headmaster got up and headed to the floo on his office.

"Professor," Harry began hesitantly. "Does this mean…."

"Yes, Harry. It does," Professor Dumbledore replied.

"Thank you," Harry said, sincerely.

He and Ron left the office and headed back to Gryffindor tower.

"That has got to be the most exercise I had in my life," Ron stated.

"I think I pulled a muscle in my side," Harry said, rubbing his left side. "It can't be a stitch because of what all Oliver has put me through this year." He could thank his lucky stars that this was Oliver's last year and next year they would have a new captain.

They walked back to Gryffindor tower in good spirits. They entered the common room to find an irate Hermione. Upon seeing her, both boys backed away slowly. They didn't know what she was going to do.

"Which one of you petrified my cat?!" She exclaimed loudly.

"I did. But Hermione, he had," Harry said and then stopped when he realized he was talking out loud and walked over to where Hermione was standing and whispered in her ear.

"He had you know who in his mouth," he explained.

Hermione looked at Harry shocked written all over her face. "WHAT!"

Harry and Ron shushed her and then they grabbed her hand and led or, more likely, dragged Hermione upstairs to the boys' dorm. Once there, Ron shut the door and Harry explained to Hermione, what had just happened.

"That is sheer dumb luck. Does this mean that…?" Hermione trailed off.

"Sirius's name would be cleared?" Hermione nodded. "Yes.'

They came back down to the common room where Professor McGonagall was waiting. Upon seeing Harry, she said, "Potter, Professor Dumbledore would like to see you."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Harry was still in shock as he walked back to Gryffindor tower. He hoped this wasn't a dream because ten minutes ago, his life changed. His life changed for the better. He was never going back to the Dursleys!

Professor Dumbledore had called the Aurors, Amelia Bones, and Minister Fudge. He had located where Sirius was and brought him to the castle and kept him hidden until Peter Pettigrew's identity was revealed. After administering Veritaserum, Peter Pettigrew's identity was revealed much to the shock and horror to the Head of Magical Law Enforcement.

Then Professor Dumbledore revealed Sirius and Fudge had no choice but to declare him innocent.

Sirius was declared innocent and given a good compensation from the Ministry. Professor Dumbledore asked him if wanted anything else and Sirius said there was.

Sirius didn't even have to think. "Custody of my godson, Harry."

It took every ounce of willpower for Harry not to run to Sirius and hug him to death. Especially when Dumbledore looked at Fudge, who nodded and said "Consider it granted. Congratulations."

Once they were done, Remus, who was also present, escorted Sirius down to Madam Pomfrey. They had invited Harry to come along, but the teen had asked if he could join them later. This was news he wanted to share with his friends.

He didn't remember how he had got to Gryffindor tower or said the password. Ron and Hermione were waiting for him on the couch in front of the fire. They looked up when they heard the portrait open and waited until Harry came to them before they asked any questions.

"What happened Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Sirius was declared innocent and Fudge gave some compensation for twelve years he spent in prison. Dumbledore asked him if he wanted anything else and he said that…." Harry trailed off.

"What?"

"Tell us, Mate," Ron encouraged.

"He wanted me," Harry whispered.

"He what!" Hermione exclaimed, excitedly.

"He wanted me," Harry repeated.

Hermione gasped, covering her mouth and her eyes welling up with happy tears.

"Does this mean what I hope it means?" Ron inquired, with a smile. He was happy for his best friend as this would mean he would finally have a family.

"I will be living with Sirius? Yes." Harry looked between them and told them that Sirius was in the hospital wing and that he was heading that way.

"Would you like to come with me?" Harry asked.

Ron and Hermione shared a look before Hermione nodded. "Sure. Let's go."

The trio left the common room and walked down the stairs to the main corridor. They knew the route to the hospital wing very well by this point.

"I think we could walk this way, blindfolded since we've been here many times."

Silence followed Hermione's statement until Harry realized what she was implying.

"Oi! Are you saying that it's my fault?" he asked.

"Well, Mate," Ron began. "Of the three of us, you've been here more than Hermione and I."

They made it to the hospital wing where Remus was waiting outside the private room. The door was shut and Remus was standing outside like a guard. The hospital wing was empty with just Remus and now, Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Hello Professor," Hermione greeted.

"We're not in class, Miss Granger. You may call me Remus," Remus said.

"Okay," Hermione replied.

The door opened enough for Madam Pomfrey to peak out and ask Remus if he could get Sirius some clothes.

"I have some pajamas in my quarters I could give him and some other clothes until he could get some of his own. I will be right back."

The door closed and Remus walked out of the hospital wing. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were left alone. Madam Pomfrey did peak out and told them that they may visit in a little bit once she was finished.

Hermione and Ron sat down a bed and Harry remained standing.

"I'm happy for you Harry," Hermione said, breaking the silence that had ascended on the hospital wing.

"Thanks, Hermione."

"You finally get to have a family."

Harry walked towards the window overlooking the front of the castle. "If this is a dream I hope I don't wake up," he suddenly stated.

Ron and Hermione looked at each other, stunned at Harry's statement. No one noticed that Remus had returned, but had stopped at hearing Harry's voice.

"All my life, I've dreamed, wished, hoped, that someone would come and take me away from the Dursleys. Someone would rescue me from the hell I lived in."

Ron and Hermione, once again, looked at each other. Harry had never opened up to them like this before.

"And now….." Harry trailed off, his voice cracking. He didn't notice that Ron and Hermione had moved to stand on either side of him until he felt a hand on their shoulder.

"Somebody pinch me, I want to make sure this isn't a dream." Harry's voice was just above a whisper, but it seemed to echo off the stone walls of the hospital wing.

Hermione looked at Ron, who shrugged his shoulders and pinched a place on Harry's upper arm.

"Ow. Thanks." Harry let a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

Then Ron and Hermione saw something they had never seen before. Tears running down Harry's face.

"I don't know what I did to deserve this," Harry said, softly, but the words once again echoed off the stone walls.

Ron and Hermione wrapped an arm around their friend, hoping to provide him with some comfort.

Hermione realized what Harry was meaning. "You think don't deserve this. To have a family, someone who apparently, loves you."

Harry nodded, sniffling.

"You think you don't deserve to be happy?" Harry nodded once more.

"Harry," Hermione began and moved to where she was standing in front of him. "You do," she emphasized 'do'. "Deserve it."

"More than anyone I know, mate," Ron added, coming to his other side.

"I don't have to go back to the Dursleys anymore," Harry stated, finally realizing what living with Sirius meant.

"No, you don't Harry. I'm very happy for you," Hermione said, before hugging Harry again.

Remus chose then to make his presence know and he cleared his throat. Harry hastily wiped his eyes and turned around towards his favorite professor.

"Sorry to interrupt, we can go in now," Remus informed the trio. They followed Remus into the hospital wing and into a private room of the hospital wing.

"I've never been here before," Harry said.

Ron and Hermione both looked like they were going to disagree and remind Harry he'd been in the hospital wing many times before, but before they did Harry added, "in here that is."

Remus chuckled, remembering the number of times James had spent in here. Harry had apparently inherited James's clumsiness and accident-prone nature.

Sirius stepped out of the bathroom, having changed into some pajamas that Remus had. He sat down on the bed as Remus entered the room with the three teens behind him.

"Hello there," he greeted.

"Hi, Sirius," Harry returned, but Ron and Hermione were confused on what to call him. Sirius caught on quickly.

"You may call me Sirius, Mr. Black was my father and, need I say he wasn't a pleasant man."

Remus coughed, signaling now wasn't the time for that talk. Sirius luckily caught on and quickly changed the subject.

"You're Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. I've heard a lot about you two."

The three teens looked at the shaggy-headed man confused. Remus chuckled and said, "I told him about you three, more about you Harry than anything else."

Harry then realized something he didn't do yet.

"In case I haven't said it yet, thanks for the broom," Harry said to Sirius.

"You're welcome," Sirius returned.

Conversation flowed soon after that after Sirius asked Harry when he got on the Quidditch team. Sirius smiled proudly and even told Harry "Your father would be proud of you being on the Quidditch team your first year. Your mother, on the other hand, would be ranting and then fretting."

Remus, Ron, and Hermione listened quietly, only making a comment here and there. Sirius asked how they had become friends and Harry shared a smile with Ron as he told Sirius about meeting Ron on the train, sharing a compartment with him and a bunch of sweets and how their friendship had formed the way it had since. Then Ron and Harry together with Hermione, adding a comment here and there, told how they become friends with Hermione.

"You mean to tell me you three went up against a full-grown mountain troll and lived to tell about it?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah," the three teens replied.

"Wow," was all Sirius had said.

They talked until it was almost curfew and Remus walked Harry, Ron, and Hermione back to Gryffindor tower.

Harry decided that tomorrow, he was going to go down and spend more time with Sirius.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

To Sirius surprise, Harry came down after class was out for the day. Harry had slipped in quietly but was followed by Professor Lupin. Madam Pomfrey smiled from the other side of the hospital wing as she watched Harry and Remus speak for a second before heading into Sirius's room together.

"Madam Pomfrey recommended a healer for me to see later in the summer," Sirius had told Remus while Harry had excused himself to use the restroom. "I asked her recommendation for a healer for Harry and she said she'd get back to me." Sirius paused for a second and looked towards the door before turning back to Remus. "She actually recommended I take Harry to one soon after he comes home." Sirius smiled as he thought of spending time with Harry and getting to know him. But that word, home. Where was home?

"Do you know where you're going to live?" Remus asked.

"I'll have a few weeks before Harry leaves here. I'm going to take that time and look for a place to live. Albus gave me some information on a few houses to look at and I'm going to check them out when I get out of here."

Remus nodded, smiling as he thought of having his friend back.

"Poppy told me that she thinks that Harry….." Sirius trailed off.

"Harry what?" Remus prompted.

"Harry was abused by his relatives. She said that Harry leaves here at a healthy weight for his age and then he returns skinner then he was when he left. She also said that she usually gets records from St. Mungo's and she hadn't got one on Harry. What she has is what she's done in the three years he's been here."

Remus nodded and cleared his throat, signaling Sirius to Harry returning.

"How about, for now, you tell me something that I don't know about you?"

Harry glanced at Remus, who realized what Harry was thinking and nodded encouragingly.

"My favorite subject is Defense," Harry supplied.

"And tell him about the dueling demonstration." At Sirius's questioning look, Remus explained what he did in class.

"In our class, I won," Harry supplied when Remus trailed off.

"Not just his class, the whole third-year class," Remus added.

Sirius was shocked. But soon he beamed with pride and said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Your dad would be so proud of you."

There was a slight pause until Harry whispered "thanks."

"Anything else?" Sirius asked.

"I know how to cast a patronus," Harry replied. He pulled out his wand. "Expecto Patronum."

A bright light shined in the room and then Sirius gasped upon seeing the glowing white stag.

"Prongs," he whispered. He turned to Harry and realized why he had to learn this charm. "Oh Harry, I don't know what to say."

Harry shrugged. "I know something that others in my class don't, so I don't mind."

Remus chuckled. Sirius started firing off questions and Harry answered them. Some of them he answered politely as could be and to others cheeky.

God, he reminded them of James and Lily that it was almost hard to listen to him talk. He sounded like James, looked James, and acted like James. But his personality was all Lily. He was sweet, kind, thoughtful, and smart, but there was some mischievous in there too.

They talked all day, breaking for lunch and dinner, and talked until it was an hour before curfew. Harry left the hospital wing to make it to Gryffindor tower before curfew.

Harry smiled, as he thought of the remaining two weeks of school. He was looking forward to going home for the summer. He was looking forward to it.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

A few days later, Sirius had a dressed in new clothes that he bought by owl order and headed up to Professor McGonagall's office. He had some business to take care of before he left the school to begin looking for a house for him, Remus, and Harry. He needed to talk to Remus about living with him and Harry. He climbed the stairs and headed towards the head of Gryffindor's office. He knocked the door.

"Enter," a voice called.

Sirius opened the door and was immediately greeted by Professor McGonagall.

"Good to see you out and about," Professor McGonagall stated, after making small talk.

"It's good to be out and about." Sirius sat down at the chair in front of the desk, declining the offer of tea. "I got a meeting at Gringotts in an hour, but I wanted to take a moment to finish some business here."

Professor McGonagall smiled and pulled out a Hogsmeade permission form. She pushed it across the desk and Sirius picked it up, reading it for a second, and then picked up a quill and signed his signature at the line. He checked it over before handing it to Professor McGonagall.

As a treat, that morning, Professor Dumbledore announced that there would be a special Hogsmeade day. The third years were gathered in the entrance hall, waiting to leave.

Harry was heading towards the library when Professor McGonagall called for him to come to her.

Sirius watched as Harry and Professor McGonagall talked for a moment before Harry turned towards him and then looked back at his head of house. Harry's mouth dropped opened and Sirius knew that he had been told that he signed his permission form. Once Professor McGonagall left, Harry launched himself at Sirius.

"Thank you," Harry said, voice muffled by his shirt.

"You're welcome."

Harry joined Hermione and Ron just as the last call was announced. He smiled as he headed down to the village with his friends.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Harry helped Hermione carry library books back to the library the day before the train was to leave for London. Ron had been listed to help the twins search for their joke products and really was glad that Harry volunteered to help Hermione.

"Do you know what you're doing this summer?" Hermione asked.

"Not yet. I guess it would be spent getting used to living with someone that's not the Dursley's."

Hermione nodded and made small talk, discussing some the things they were going to do this summer. Harry realized that he could do his homework and fly on his broom. He, funny enough, was looking forward to it.

The idea of living with someone who actually cared for and loved him, was enough to make him want to be home, wherever that would be, with Sirius. He was looking forward to not returning to the Dursleys and the hell he lived in with them.

He kept thinking about the things they could do while packing to go home, even going as far as making a list. He was excited about it that he couldn't sleep that night. He even dreamed of the things he and Sirius would do together.

He finally had a family. His childhood wish and dream had finally come true.

AN: This was the result of a plot bunny, mainly regarding the conversation between Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the hospital wing. Hope you enjoy!