Harry got to work with Vernon almost immediately. The large man squeezed himself into the entrance of the crawlspace, starting to help with a shovel as Harry gathered his books and carpets and carefully rolled them up, moving them for access to the earth beneath.

"Uncle Vernon, I tried to make something at Hogwarts to help you at work." Harry explained as he moved to his trunk. Vernon peered over quizzically as Harry took out the small prototype drill that Vernon had given him for Christmas.

"The Model R? That was a prototype I had created for the current project at Grunnings, lad. The head doesn't last long enough to be useful for the hard stone that we need it for. It would work on the dirt, I suppose, if you truly wanted to use it but we'll still have to shovel the dirt away." Vernon explained.

"I know, Uncle, but I did something to help. Try it on the dirt, you'll see!" Harry beamed, handing the small hand-drill to his Uncle. Vernon examined it, peering over and seeing what he thought were carved scribbles on the base. "Does it need any fuel, lad? I didn't send it to you with any petrol in it."

Harry shook his head, "No sir! I managed to make it run off magical energy instead of a petrol tank, Uncle Vernon." As Vernon pulled the trigger to make the drill rotate, it suddenly started to speed up.

"By jove!" Vernon said as he put the drill to the soil. It started to cut into the earth like it was made of sand, carving through it quickly and efficiently. The dirt the drill gathered was pushed along the base and down to the bottom, where a small square box could be seen.

There was a light flash, before the box opened and out dropped a perfectly formed stone brick, landing gently by Vernon's feet.

"This is incredible, lad. I've never seen anything like it. Did you have magic do that?" Vernon said, looking at the brick. It was a perfectly carved, solid stone brick, indistinguishable from the stone blocks that were used to make the house's foundation.

Harry nodded quickly, "I made it turn all materials that it harvests except for ore into stone brick using transfiguration runes. The hardest part was finding the right runic matrix that could turn everything into stone. But, thanks to a book that Lord Malfoy let me borrow, I was able to do it!" Harry beamed, eager to talk about his work.

Vernon frowned, rubbing his chin. "But what about the Statute of Secrecy? Should I be expecting that Ministry of yours to be sending me a letter, lad?" He looked at the drill in his hands.

"No, Uncle Vernon. That's something I did research on at Hogwarts. The Statute of Secrecy says what isn't allowed is any visible magic that muggles can see. However, runes can be made extremely small, and carved directly into the object itself. Remember your pager that fell out of your pocket and broke when I was a kid? Remember how I said the circuits looked like magic to me? I bet we could make special circuits like that that could be used to convey magical effects."

Vernon's eyebrow rose. "But doesn't magic require a witch or wizard?"

Harry shook his head again. "That's only to power the rune itself, which is a one-time thing. And I believe that it will work fine alongside electricity! One day, I hope I could even find a way to turn electricity into magic and back!"

Vernon's eyes widened at that. "Electricity into magic?"

Petunia, working in the kitchen, heard the comment and spoke up. "Harry, what you speak of could change the world forever. And if you have thought of it, why haven't others thought of it before you? Electricity has been around since the turn of the century. Surely there've been wizards who have thought of turning electricity into a power source for magic?"

Harry considered. He hadn't yet started experimenting with electricity, due to Hogwarts not having any within the grounds. And if the book Hogwarts: A History was correct, electricity didn't work on the grounds in the first place; he wouldn't have been able totry even if he brought something to the school. He had been worried the drill wouldn't work around electricity, but his simple test had proved otherwise. A thought came to his head; what if it was the castle itself that rejected technology? Or a ward? It was something he'd have to think about in the future.

"Well, the worst that can happen is it doesn't work, right Aunt Petunia? And if it doesn't work then I'll have to invent a magical battery." Harry said as he grinned. "Until then, these should give Uncle Vernon a way to expand his prototypes, right Uncle Vernon?"

Vernon nodded, pulling the drill's trigger and using it more on the entrance to the crawlspace. "Indeed, lad. This might be the breakthrough I've been looking for. If you can find a way to produce a drill that can use these runeamajiggys of yours, then this could be the drill that we need for the Channel Project! But I think it'd be wiser to use normal petrol for the drill instead of a magical power source."

Harry noted the fact his Uncle stated the name of the Project for the first time, and nodded to the comment about the power source of the drill. His attempt at having it be powered using magic was fine for a single drill, but muggles would be more used to refueling and using drills that were powered with petrol; a drill that never needed refueling would be a dead giveaway to the magic.

Harry grabbed a shovel and started helping his uncle; his mind was awash with possibilities. Channel... channel... he didn't think that there would be a new channel dug near London. What about the English Channel? Harry had heard mentions of a huge tunnel being drilled under the English Channel that started a few years ago.

"Uncle, is Grunnings going to be helping with the Channel Tunnel?"

Vernon grinned. "I knew you'd catch on, lad. Indeed, the tunnel is almost complete, and the massive drills are indeed from our company. However, there was a snag that was discovered just as the two tunnels were scheduled to come together in June."

Harry thought back. That was when Uncle Vernon had his trip. He must have been called to examine it, Harry realized.

"Normally, they were using a pair of enormous drilling machines to drill into the chalk under the Channel. However, as the tunnel neared completion, the drills struck a large slab of stone. When they started to drill into it, the drill heads started to cause some sort of effect that made the stone itself overheat; the operators immediately shut the boring machines down. I heard that if they had continued, then it may have caused damage to the surrounding stone and caused a cave-in."

"Now, of course, both the British and French Governments had done plenty of scans and surveys beforehand. No one knows why that specific slab of stone seemed to be different, but now we have to use special hand drills for the last fifty meters of stone between the two sides of the tunnel. And that's what I was assigned to; I was told to find a drill that is strong enough to cut through the stone without damaging the surrounding tunnels. Right now, Grunnings is the company that is closest to finding a drill that can penetrate the strange stone, thanks to my research." Vernon seemed prideful at the end, making Harry grin.

After a moment Harry nodded, watching as he saw his Uncle use the drill more. A large hole had been carved into the dirt, enough for his uncle to slide into the crawlspace. "This drill was a prototype that I had hoped would be accepted, but when I attempted it on the stone the head became bent and worthless. The higher-ups in Grunnings said the traditional corkscrew drill-head was obsolete and I should use a more modern chisel head, bah! The fools don't realize a corkscrew head would be best to prevent surrounding damage and give precision."

Harry nodded as he shoveled another load of dirt to the side, digging out some as he listened. It was obvious his uncle had been bottling it all up judging by the soft shade of red that he was turning in the dim light of the crawlspace.

"Well then, Uncle, I'll just have to work hard this summer to try to find a way to put runes on your drills. Could you bring me a copy of the one you're working on currently?"

Vernon nodded, wiping some sweat from his brow. "Of course, lad. I was going to be bringing it home soon anyways to try to work out some problem with the drill head and its mechanisms."

Harry beamed, happy he'd be able to help his Uncle. Getting a second wind, the two started working harder as they reached almost two meters deep into the earth. Vernonleft the crawlspace to bring in the wood and stone brick as they started setting up the walls and supports for the soon-to-be basement.

"I never knew how much work a basement is." Vernon muttered, looking around at the small patch they had carved. Harry took out his rune knife, starting to carve runes into the supports as his uncle used brick and mortar to create the walls.

"What are you adding there, lad?" Vernon asked, as Harry allowed his magic to flow into the runes, making them glimmer to life. He stopped after doing so, waiting to see if it triggered another letter, but was relieved when nothing happened.

"Strength and support runes, Uncle. I was curious how Hogwarts was built, and I found an entire book of construction runes. I read a few of them, but I only memorized a couple. I'll definitely try making a few notes next time I'm at Hogwarts, though!" Harry grinned happily.

"Lad, I didn't expect magic to be used here at all. Don't worry about not knowing enough." Vernon's hand patted Harry on the head, mussing up his hair and making Harry laugh as some dirt fell off Vernon's hand.

"Thank you, Uncle."

"Of course, lad. That's what family does."

Harry felt a burning happiness in his chest as the two returned to work, Dudley soon joining them as the three of them dug under the house. They all took breaks every few hours, covered in dirt and sweat, but they found themselves having fun, with Petunia assisting where she could.

That evening, Vernon sat at the dining room table, as he pointed his fork at Harry. "That drill improvement of yours is incredible, lad. It's almost exactly what the company needs."

Harry looked up from his meal, surprised. "Really, Uncle? I was worried it'd just be a silly toy."

"It's a model, lad. There's a difference between a model and a toy. But if we work together over the next two weeks, we could come up with something even better. You and I working together will find a way to cut through that stone. Pet, can you please take care of the dishes, so we can discuss?"

"I can help too, Dad! I learned some stuff as well!" Dudley beamed, as Petunia took the plates, heading to go wash the dishes.

Before Harry knew it, the three of them were poring over a large sheet of paper, Vernon helping to draw out Harry and Dudley's ideas for drills.

Before Harry even realized it, two weeks had passed since he had returned from Hogwarts. The basement was nearly completely dug out, Uncle Vernon using the stone that Harry's modified drill had created to make a smooth stone tile floor once they had cleared enough of the dirt and rock. With a bit of work, Uncle Vernon had split the wiring that led to Harry's lightbulb, giving more lighting and sockets so the basement was far more cozy and well-lit.

The air ducts, once meant to keep the crawlspace dry, had been replaced with small windows, all of them sealed except for one at Harry's request.

Each night, Harry had snuck out with his new fox form. He had hurried with Amber to the forest, enjoying his return as the snake seemed happy at the resurgence of prey for her to hunt. Despite not needing food, Harry noted she still seemed to enjoy the hunt.

It had been quite a fun few days before Harry had finally gotten permission to leave the house to mail some letters. Uncle Vernon had paperwork that needed to be mailed, and Harry had been asked to bring it to the mailbox at the end of the street.

As he neared the mailbox, his gaze fell upon the alley he had met Mister Dark in so long ago and saw a flicker of movement. Excited, Harry stuffed the mail into the box and hurried into the alleyway, wondering if he'd see his friend once more.

Indeed, once Harry entered the alley between houses, he found Mister Dark waiting, looking much less gaunt than the year before. The bandage he had kept over his right eye had been removed, now revealing an eye that seemed to match its partner perfectly. The man was cautious, looking around at the world for any signs of danger when he noticed Harry.

"Harry!" The man grinned as he spoke, opening his arms.

"Mister Dark!" Harry rushed forward, hugging the man.

"How was Hogwarts? I'm sorry I was a bit late and couldn't see you as soon as you returned home. My business ran a bit longer than what I expected."

"That's okay, Mister Dark. What did you do all last year?" Harry asked curiously. He had promised himself he wouldn't pry, but after hearing Mister Dark talk about it, he realized he couldn't resist.

"Well, I can't tell you the details, Harry, but what I can say is a friend of mine has been unjustly put into prison, and I was trying to help him clear his name. I spent most of the time writing letters and meeting with lawyers, and preparing everything I can. Paperwork and bureaucracy is slow, even in the wizarding world."

Harry felt some sympathy for whoever Mister Dark was talking about. Stuck in prison when they're innocent? Such things shouldn't ever happen in the wizarding world! Harry wanted to ask more, but decided against it, instead grinning and bouncing in place as he spoke up, "So much has happened since we talked last, Mister Dark! I want to share all of what's happened with you! But first, I want to finally introduce you to my Aunt and Uncle. I found why my Aunt was so mean! She was bespelled!"

Mister Dark suddenly froze at Harry's comment, eyes going wide. "Bespelled? Are you sure, Harry?"

"Yes sir! I saw the magic around her, and when I forced my own magic against the foreign magic it seemed to dissipate. When I did that, she broke out crying and apologizing. She even added comments to my Uncle's letters to me at Hogwarts, and she's been really, really nice since I got back too!"

Mister Dark raised a hand to the goatee on his chin, stroking it. "That sounds more like the Petunia I knew. I'm unsure if it's time for me to reveal myself yet, Harry. It could start things that can't be stopped."

Harry frowned at the comment, and then looked up at the man. He had his own ideas, but that vagueness made Harry finally ask, "Mister Dark, who are you really?"

"What makes you ask that? I'm Mister Dark, of course." The man suddenly looked anxious, ready to hop out of his seat.

"I learned enough at Hogwarts as a Slytherin to know when someone isn't being entirely honest. And the way you speak and look makes me think you're on the run from someone. I trust you, Mister Dark, but you need to trust me. I can help if you let me."

'Mister Dark' frowned. The last thing he wanted was to bring Harry into his mess. He had spent almost all year searching for traces of Pettigrew but had found no leads. The rest of the time had been focused on sending letters to the Black Family Solicitors to no avail. Not even a hair of the little rat and not even a single return letter from the solicitors. Wherever Pettigrew was, he had hidden himself well, but even if he had found him he wouldn't be able to get legal support.

But did he want to bring Harry into this? Reveal who he truly was, and who he was searching for?

Taking a deep breath, the man sighed. "I hadn't wanted to reveal it to you for another year, but you are just like your father, Harry. You can smell trouble a league away." Mister Dark sighed with resignation as Harry looked at the man expectantly. "My real name is Sirius Orion Black. I'm your godfather."

Harry froze, looking up at the man. "Padfoot? The Marauder?" Harry asked curiously. "So THAT'S how you knew my parents, and knew so many of their stories! You were Padfoot the whole time?" Harry shouted.

"Shhhhhhh!" Sirius whispered, raising his hands to motion for Harry to be quiet. Looking around the alleyway, he didn't think they had been heard, but the last thing they needed was for someone to find out.

"Yes, I'm Padfoot. And the entire Wizarding world thinks that I betrayed your parents." Sirius added quickly, seeing Harry's gaze shift to a look of betrayal as he spoke, "But I didn't!"

Sirius took a deep breath. "I was the decoy, and Pettigrew was the real Secret-keeper. Your parents used a special spell to keep themselves hidden, one that could only be broken if the Secret-Keeper revealed the location. I didn't realize the rat was the traitor until it was too late."

Harry frowned. "So Wormtail was the traitor that got my parents killed?" Sirus' face fell as he gave a sorrowful nod, "Yes. And when I tried to stop him, he cut off his finger while screaming how I was the traitor before blasting a gas pipe. In the chaos, he turned into his animagus form and escaped."

Harry seemed deep in thought. "Then why didn't you just tell the Ministry the truth?"

Sirius shook his head. "After the death of Voldemort, things were in complete chaos. I was one of the best Hitwizards in the Ministry, but after the death of You Know Who they were looking for someone to blame the Potters' death on. After the exhaustion of an entire day of running for my life and the discovery of losing my best friends, I broke down. All I could think about was the fact that ultimately I was responsible. All I could think about was how my actions killed them, Harry. I was the one who suggested Peter be the true Secret-Keeper."

Harry sighed. "If the spell was that strong it was a logical thing to do. You've told me so many stories of the Marauders that it's obvious the choice would have been you. The plan was sound; you flee while Pettigrew could have remain hidden. I understand why you did it, Padfoot."

Sirius' eyes teared up gently, arms wrapping around the boy and hugging him tightly. Harry was surprised, but hugged right back. "But what happened then? What about your trial?"

"I never received a trial, Harry. Remember how I said I had a friend who was imprisoned unjustly? I was talking about me. Bartemius Crouch and Millicent Bagnold must have forgotten it or something. I don't know why, but I was thrown into Azkaban without even being asked for my side of the story."

Harry seemed disturbed at that, thinking back to the books on the Noble Families. "But— you're a Scion of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black!"

Sirius winced at that title, but then gave a small nod.

Harry's eyes widened to the size of dinnerplates. "The Ministry imprisoned a Scion of the House of Black without trial for—"

"Four years, before I escaped."

"—Four years! That's bloody unbelievable!" Harry groaned, a hand moving to pinch the bridge of his nose. Sirius shook his head, but then gave a small smirk. "But the thing is, they think I'm still in Azkaban now. Most of the time I have spent over the past few years has been attempting to hunt down the rat, but I can't find him anywhere. No rat, no proof, no trial."

"Isn't interrogation done with a truth serum of some sort in the magical world?" Harry asked, rubbing his chin as he remembered the potion Professor Snape had given him during the school year. "Couldn't you ask for some of that?"

"I could, if I wasn't executed as soon as I go to someone in the Ministry." Sirius said as he sighed. "I'd need proof to even get my way into the Ministry, let alone get a trial. If I walked into the Ministry and revealed myself, the only thing that would happen is a quick Dementor's Kiss; the only thing an escaped Azkaban prisoner receives."

Harry shuddered at the mention of the Dementors of Azkaban. "I still can't believe they had you locked up for four years without even giving you a trial."

"I know, pup, I know." Sirius pat Harry's head with a grin. "But you have some stories to tell about Hogwarts first. We can work on this another time."

It took a bit more persuasion from Sirius, but eventually Harry sat down and started to tell his adventures during the school year.

"So Flamel himself has stated that you are invited to be his apprentice?" Sirius' eyes widened as Harry finished up his tale of the school year.

"Yep!" Harry grinned. "I couldn't believe it either."

"And hold on, hold on. You're telling me. You have the Philosopher's Stone?"

Harry reached down, showing off the stone on his necklace. "When I took it, it turned into this necklace." Harry explained.

Sirius looked confused, learning forward as he looked towards Harry's hand. "What necklace? Your neck is bare and there's nothing in your hand."

Harry blinked, confusion evident on his face as he asked, "Can you not see me holding up the necklace?" Leaning back, Sirius shook his head.

"Wicked." Harry grinned. Did that mean noone had been able to see the necklace all through last year? How did Nicholas Flamel see it, then? Did he see it? Harry's thoughts moved back to the man's entrance into Hogwarts. It had looked like he had, but his eyes had never moved to his neck.

"Anyways, pup. Would you like to do some running tonight in your fox form? I missed just stretching my legs. Hunting the rat was quite an effort, and required a lot of sneaking around in tight places."

"I'd love to, Padfoot." Harry grinned and hugged him once more. Sirius seemed surprised, but then smiled and returned the hug. "Don't worry, pup. Once I find the rat, I'll be able to truly be a part of your life. No more hiding, no more secrecy."

The hug continued for a few minutes with Harry feeling safe in Sirius' embrace. When the hug finished, Harry looked up at him, "Sirius?" Sirius cocked his head, responding, "Yes, pup?"

"Can you please come and meet Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia? They might be able to help with some of this. And you knew my mom and dad, so Aunt Petunia would know you, right?

Sirius sighed. "Pup, I don't really think it'd be a good idea. They more than likely know at least the basics of what happened, and—"

"They don't know much of it at all. The only information they got was in a bespelled letter." Harry said as he grabbed Sirius' hand. "Come on, Padfot. Please?" Harry asked, giving him puppy-dog eyes.

Sirius groaned, trying to look away from the large green eyes staring at him. "How can I resist that. Fine, pup, you win. Spoiled little fox." Sirius made a huge, overdramatic sigh. Harry burst into giggles, sticking his tongue out and countering with, "Mangy dog!"

Grabbing Sirius' hand, Harry gave a beaming smile. "Come on!" Harry led Sirius down the street, making his way to Number Four. Bringing the man up to the door, Harry knocked.

It took a few seconds, but Vernon opened the door. "Did I accidentally lock the door, lad? Oh. Who's this?" Vernon said as he opened the door. He squinted his eyes and looked at Sirius, who stood tall. However, his ragged clothing didn't do him much justice.

"Lad, you have a big heart, but I don't think bringing home a vagabond is a good idea." Vernon said after a minute. Sirius gave a huff and crossed his arms, "I'm not a vagabond, Dursley! I'm Sirius Black!"

"Sirius Black?" Petunia's voice rang from the kitchen, her head poking from around the corner. "Sirius Black?!"

Sirius's face paled a bit as Petunia rushed to the door, reaching over Vernon's shoulder and grabbing a handful of Sirius' shirt. Yanking Sirius inside, Harry barely had time to rush in before his aunt slammed the door closed. "Sirius Black, you have a lot of explaining to do!" Petunia shouted.

"Oh boy." Sirius blanched as he was practically hurled into a chair. Petunia immediately was on him, poking a finger into his chest. "I haven't seen you in fifteen years, and all of a sudden you show up with Harry like it's some— some joke!" Petunia said, the frustration evident in her voice.

"Petunia, it wasn't like that. I was—" Sirius started, but Harry interjected, placing himself between his aunt and Sirius. "He was imprisoned for four years and had to remain hidden or else they'd ship him back to Azkaban."

Petunia recoiled from Sirius like she had been struck. "Azkaban? Lily always told me stories of that place. It sounded like one of the layers of hell, not a prison. Tell me you are joking."

Sirius smirked. "Nope. I'm Sirius."

Petunia facepalmed, giving a groan before stepping out of the sitting room into the kitchen. Harry saw her grab today's newspaper, rolling it up and hiding it at her side before returning to the conversation.

"I never knew much of you, Mister Black, was it?" Vernon asked. "I apologize for not remembering you before."

"Please. Call me Sirius. I really, really don't like being called Mister Black." Sirius winced, speaking up quickly. Vernon gave an understanding nod and continued, "Sirius, then. I remember seeing you with James before. Were you cousins, or friends, or—?" Vernon trailed off expectantly.

"Well, technically, I was James' second cousin. His grandmother was my great-aunt." Sirius explained, "But we only really met in Hogwarts, and we became as close as friends could be."

Vernon nodded, as Petunia spoke up again. "What happened ten years ago, Sirius? I remember the start of the war and Lily saying it was best if we had no contact. But five years after, Harry suddenly showed up on our doorstep with an enchanted letter that made me into a horrid, vindictive harpy."

Sirius shook his head. "Well, it all started later in the war. James and Lily came to me, telling me that they would have to go into hiding for a reason that they couldn't disclose. They asked me to be their Secret Keeper."

'Secret Keeper? So they would tell you where they would be hiding?" Petunia asked, sitting down.

"Yes and no. There is an ancient form of magic that was lost to all but a select few. James had found it in the Potter Library and had cast the spell himself. It effectively made the location it was cast upon unable to be found by anyone or anything. The Secret Keeper is the one who held the secret within their soul and thus protected it. Only those that the Secret Keeper told could know the protected location."

Petunia and Vernon looked at each other. "That sounds like quite a strong protection. What happened, then?" Vernon asked after a moment.

"Well, I was thinking we needed more security. You all remember Peter Pettigrew, another of our group. He was small, unassuming, and excellent at hiding. I proposed that he be made Secret Keeper instead, and have everyone else think it was me in the off chance someone did know about the Fidelius Charm. It was meant to be added protection."

"Peter?" Petunia asked. "I remember him. Barely, but I still remember him. He was always quiet and shy whenever I saw him around Lily." Sirius nodded at the description, "And that's why I thought he would be a good choice. I never knew he was a traitor."

"So Peter Pettigrew revealed the location? Could he have been forced to?" Vernon asked, mustache twitching. Sirius shook his head. "I had thought of that too; As soon as I did I had rushed to try to find him after the fall of the Potters. However, when I found him, he gloated that he had been a Death Eater all along. Then, screaming that I was the one who betrayed James and Lily, he cut off his finger and blasted a gas pipe just as Ministry Aurors arrived. In the ensuing chaos of the explosion, he turned into his rat animagus form and fled, leaving me to take the blame."

Sirius seemed to be ready to burst into tears as he remembered the events of that fateful night. Gently reaching over, Harry took his hand as Petunia offered some tea. Thankful for their consideration, Sirius slowly sipped the tea.

It took a little while for Sirius to recover before Vernon reached a hand up, rubbing his chin. "So, you were arrested and thrown into Azkaban. What was your trial like?"

"He didn't have one." Harry said quickly.

Both Petunia and Vernon shouted at the same time. "WHAT?!" The thunderous sound was loud enough that Harry was pretty sure the Queen heard it all the way from Buckingham Palace.

Waiting for his ears to drop ringing, Harry shook his head as his aunt and uncle gawked at him. "He didn't have one. The Minister at the time and the head of law enforcement threw him into Azkaban with no trial and just… kept him there."

Vernon and Petunia looked at Sirius, who gave a weak nod in confirmation.

"Utterly ridiculous! What sort of circus show are those fools running? I have half a mind to contact the Queen and get her involved!" Vernon shouted, raving as he shook his fist at the ceiling.

Petunia gently placed a hand on Vernon's shoulder and spoke softly, "Vernon, mind your blood pressure. Go ahead, Sirius, please continue your story." Petunia slid her hand down to hold Vernon's hand, helping the man calm himself.

Sirius sighed, but nodded. "So four years passed in Azkaban before I hatched a plan to escape. No one had ever escaped, but no animagus had ever been imprisoned in Azkaban to my knowledge. I used my dog form to scratch my way out of the prison and swam to the mainland."

Petunia and Vernon nodded at the ingenious escape method, Harry grinning lightly at the thought of Sirius escaping from the most infamous prison in the world as a simple dog. "After that, I headed right here. I remembered you and Vernon, Petunia, and wanted to check on Harry. When I came here I found him being worked to the bone."

Petunia looked downcast. "Remember how I said that Harry was left with an enchanted letter? The letter did something to me and my mind. It made me completely overtaken by hatred for Lily's son. The only reason Vernon wasn't affected was because he was out of town that day."

Sirius frowned. "The magic on you absolves you of some of the blame, but not all of it Petunia. But this isn't the time nor place for this conversation."

Petunia nodded with a soft sigh, "We'll talk about it later, Sirius. Just know what I have already made clear to Harry. That will never happen again." Petunia said. Harry nudged Sirius, and gave a smile when the man looked at him. "She's my aunt, Sirius. She's family. She made some mistakes, just like you."

Sirius nodded after a moment before clearing his throat and speaking up. "So, in between times visiting Harry I hunted for the rat. I searched and hunted all over Britain. I even poured all of my time into it while he was at Hogwarts, but I couldn't find him anywhere. And without the proof the rat is alive, I won't even make it into the Ministry without being arrested and turned into a soulless husk."

The room was silent for a little while. After a moment has passed, a sound from the stairs was heard. Dudley hurried down and excitedly interrupted, "Mum, Piers invited me over for some football— who's he?"

"A friend of the family, Dudders. Meet Mister Black." Sirius have a nod to the boy, who waved at him nochalantly. "Alright, Dudders you can go as long as you're home by supper. Have fun at Piers'." Vernon said, nodding as he looked over. Petunia nodded her agreement as Dudley hopped in place. "Wicked! I'll be home before supper for sure, mum!" Harry saw Dudley grab his coat before rushing out, the door closing behind him.

Sirius sighed gently. "Well, I suppose I had better head out, then. I wouldn't want to impose on your hospitality."

"Of course not, Sirius." Vernon grinned. "You aren't infringing or anything of the sort. Where have you been staying these past years? You haven't mentioned."

Sirius looked a bit sheepish as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well…" Sirius looked embarrassed as he shook his head. "I've mostly I've been sleeping in alleys in my dog form. I sneak into houses to get showers here and there, but-"

Petunia clapped her hands and made Sirius jump. "No, that will not do. With Harry deciding to stay in the basement as we renovate, we have a spare bedroom. I know you were considering making it an office, Vernon. But why don't we have Sirius stay here?"

Sirius raised up his hands, shaking them quickly as he looked like he was starting to panic. "I couldn't! If you're caught harboring me, then—"

"Then I would simply push for you to get that trial. The lad has a lot of sway already with the Minister for Magic, and his best friend's father is one of his advisors. In fact, he'll be coming over in a week or two for tea." Vernon says, his mustache waggling as he had a wide smile on his face. It was obvious to Harry that Uncle Vernon wasn't going to let him say no.

Sirius' face twisted into a mix of disgust and distaste. "Harry mentioned that Draco Malfoywas his friend, but the tales he told me about the man regretting his time with the Death Eaters are hard to believe."

Petunia walloped Sirius on the head once more. "No harder to believe than the story you told us. Everyone has their own side of a story, Sirius. Lord Malfoy even got us invitations to the Easter Ball."

Sirius blinked, looking at Harry who looked back sheepishly. "Erm, sorry for not mentioning that part. I was so focused on what happened with Quirrell."

Sirius, however, gaped at first Harry, then Petunia. He took a deep breath, clasping his hands together and pointing them at Harry and Petunia. Enunciating slowly and carefully, an expression of utter bewilderment was on his face. "Lucius Malfoy brought a pair of muggles to the Ministry Easter Ball?"

Vernon raised an eyebrow. "Is that so hard to believe?"

Sirius threw his hands into the air in exasperation. "The man is one of the most prominent members of the Traditionalist party in the entire British community! He's staunchly anti-muggle, and the thought of him bringing a pair of muggles to a political function is like— like—"

"Margaret Thatcher going with a coal miner?" Harry offered sheepishly. He could see his godfather's brain shut down as he tried to rationalize what he had been told. Petunia looked smug; she had proven her point.

"We'll ask for advice from Lord Malfoy when he comes for tea in a few weeks. We won't use names, and you can remain in your dog form," Harry said as Sirius was still recovering from the shock. "Until then, you can stay with us, Padfoot."

Vernon nodded, as Petunia smiled. "I haven't heard from you in almost fifteen years. Hearing about this magical civil war going on was terrifying, and I understand why my sister didn't tell us about it." Petunia said with a nod. "However, that was then, and this is now. You are Harry's godfather; you should be here with him."

Sirius sighed, but nodded his agreement. "And the wards that Lily left will block any traces or charms that would be used to find my location. It's honestly a perfect offer, but are you sure that you want to share you home with someone like me? In a way, I got your sister killed."

That newspaper came up again, beaning Sirius over the head. "None of that you mangy mutt! If you are going to act like a self-pitying stray, then I will treat you like one!" Petunia said as she started to bap Sirius repeatedly with the newspaper.

Harry laughed as Petunia continued her assault, making Sirius try to cover his head and squirm in the seat. "Hey! Okay, okay! I'll behave! I'll behave!" Sirius held up his hands in mock surrender, as Petunia's assault stopped as she pointed the newspaper at his face.

"You'd better. Ever since that magic was removed, I've not tolerated any of that sort of thinking in this house. The past is the past, and all we can do is make the future better." Her voice lowered to a gentle whisper, giving a knowing glance to Harry.

-Author's Notes-

And there we go. A nice 10000 words for the introduction to book 2! Hope you guys had fun.

Interested in being a beta? PM me your discord name or leave a comment and I'll get back to you!

Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling, not me.