Sirius had known Remus for many years, and he had known about his furry little problem, as they liked to call it, for almost as long. Not once had he ever been afraid of the wolf. But in that moment, as he saw a hint of the wolf in his friend's eyes, he couldn't help but take a step back.

"Remus," he said, "don't do anything rash. Please, just hear me out."

Remus opened his mouth but quickly closed it when his eyes landed on the bundle of blankets in Sirius's arms.

"Is that who I think it is?" He asked.

Sirius shrugged. "That depends on who you think it is."

"Damnit, Sirius," Remus growled. "Is that Harry?"

"Yes," Sirius sighed. "You need to listen..."

"Put him down and put your hands in the air." Remus demanded.

Sirius looked down, and gray eyes met green. Harry looked up at him with a look of pure innocence, and Sirius felt a strong desire to protect him, no matter the cost. The little boy's fingers clung tightly to the front of Sirius's robes, and although Sirius could see the fear in his godson's eyes, he could also see a hint of trust.

"No," he said, meeting his old friend's eyes. "Remus, he's hurt. I can't put him down."

Remus looked from Sirius to Harry and back at Sirius again. "What did you do to him?"

The accusation stung, but Sirius knew that Remus had every right to be suspicious. After all, he knew nothing about the switch in secret keepers.

"I didn't do anything to him, Remus." Sirius sighed impatiently. "It was his uncle. Please, you have to believe me. I would never hurt Harry."

"No, only betray his parents to Voldemort, right?" Remus spat, still keeping his wand pointed at Sirius. "You're the reason they're dead, Sirius."

Sirius looked down in shame. "I won't deny it." He said. "I am the reason they're dead, but not in the way you think. Please, Remus, you have to believe me. I would never betray James and Lily."

There was a brief moment of silence in which Sirius was sure he had convinced his old friend, but then Remus shook his head. "Put Harry down and back away." He ordered.

"No," Sirius said again. "I already told you, Remus. He's hurt."

"Then give him to me."

Sirius looked at Remus, who was still holding him at wand point, and then at Harry, who was shivering in his arms. "Put the wand away first." He said.

Remus seemed to consider it for a moment but kept his wand where it was. "Give me Harry." He demanded, holding out his free arm.

"No," Sirius said, shaking his head. "Remus, listen to me. I didn't betray James and Lily. We switched secret keepers at the last minute. Peter is the one who betrayed them, not me."

"Peter is dead," Remus said with a glare. "You killed him."

"I meant to," Sirius admitted. "But I never got the chance. If you look in my right pocket, you'll find proof that he's alive. Please, Remus, believe me."

Remus looked like he wanted to argue, but he didn't. Instead, he sighed. "Make one wrong move," he said, "and I won't hesitate to take Harry and kill you."

Keeping his wand pointed at Sirius, Remus inched forward and reached his free hand into the right pocket of Sirius's robe. He pulled out a wrinkled newspaper and frowned. "What's this?"

"Proof," Sirius croaked. "Just look at it."

Remus looked down at the paper, and there was a moment of silence. Then Remus looked up, his eyes wide. "That rat," he gasped.

On the front page of the newspaper was a photo of a wizard family. At first glance, it appeared to be nothing more than an article about a man who had been promoted. But upon closer inspection, you would notice a rat in the hands of one of the children. And anyone who knew Peter well, as Sirius and Remus obviously did, would recognize him immediately, even in his animagus form.

"Wormtail," Sirius spat. "He betrayed them, Remus, not me. I would have died before I betrayed James and Lily. You have to believe me."

Remus looked down at the newspaper and then back at Sirius, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. "I believe you," he said at last, finally lowering his wand. "Merlin, Sirius, I'm so sorry." He pocketed his wand, a sure sign that he fully believed Sirius, then motioned for him to come inside.

Sirius limped through the front door, almost losing his footing as he stepped over the threshold. The cottage appeared to be the same as it was the last time he had been here, from the worn-down furniture to the peeling gray paint on the walls. Even the pictures covering the walls were the same, except for the ones that included him. Those ones had been removed.

"Merlin, Sirius," Remus said, "you look ready to fall over any minute."

"I twisted my ankle while apparating," Sirius sighed. "I'm not used to apparating anymore."

"Give me Harry, and go ahead and have a seat," Remus said. He reached out to take Harry, but the little boy's grip tightened around Sirius's robes, causing a slight smile to cross Remus's face. "He did always prefer you, you know. I guess some things don't change. Go ahead and put him on the couch."

Sirius limped over to the old couch and laid Harry down, taking the seat on his right.

"What happened?" Remus asked. "You mentioned his uncle?"

Sirius sighed. "I just wanted to get a glimpse of him, and then I was going to find Peter. I barely made it to the house when I heard the screams. His uncle was beating him, Remus. If I hadn't shown up when I did, I think he would've killed him. I didn't even think about it; I just took him and ran. He's hurt badly, and I didn't know what to do. I can't risk taking him to St. Mungo's, and I figured if anyone would listen to me, it would be you. And with your knowledge of healing spells, I thought maybe you could help him."

Remus looked at Harry and sighed. "I can heal minor injuries, Sirius. Scratches inflicted by the wolf and minor broken bones. But by the looks of it, Harry's injuries are far worse. He needs a proper healer, and soon."

"I was afraid of that," Sirius sighed. "I can't take him to St. Mungo's. I can't do anything for him without being caught, and then what happens to Harry? He can't go back there, Remus." Just the thought of Harry returning to that house filled Sirius with dread.

"He won't," Remus said firmly. "I'll contact Albus. He's always been fair, and I'm sure he'll listen. Maybe Poppy can make a house visit, and with Albus on our side, we can see about capturing Peter and clearing your name."

"And if Albus doesn't believe me?" Sirius croaked. "Then what? If I get thrown back in Azkaban, who knows what will happen to Harry?" He shuddered at both the thought of returning to his dark cell, surrounded by Dementors, and the fear of losing Harry. "I can't risk it, Remus."

"I understand that," Remus sighed, "but Harry needs a healer, or I fear he won't make it through the night. Besides, it won't take long for the ministry to discover that Harry is missing, and once that happens, it's only a matter of time before they trace him back to here. We can't hide him. Not when he's got the trace on him. Dumbledore is our best option right now."

Before Sirius knew it, fear had consumed him, and his hands began to shake. His breathing became uneven as the worst-case scenario ran through his head. He would be back in his cell before the sun came up, or even worse, he would be handed over to the Dementors. He could feel all the warmth leave his body at the very thought. He quickly scanned the room, as if searching for an escape. His eyes landed on the wooden door he had walked through only moments ago, and instinct told him to run. What are you waiting for? He asked himself. Go! Leave!

Sirius stood on unsteady feet and took a few steps towards the door—towards freedom—but a hand on his shoulder pulled him back.

"What are you doing?" Remus hissed.

Sirius turned and forced himself to look his friend in the eyes. "I'm getting a head start." He said. "By the time Dumbledore arrives, I'll be long gone."

"So that's it?" Remus snapped. "You're just going to show up on my doorstep, convince me you're innocent, and then leave? What about Harry?"

Sirius bowed his head in shame. "Harry will be okay. He's with you. Get him the help he needs, and I'll track down Peter. I'll be back when I have proof."

"Sirius..."

"You don't understand, Remus. I can't go back. It's better this way." He turned to leave but was once again stopped by Remus.

"They'll take him away." He said. "You know they will. The ministry will never allow Harry to stay here."

"Remus..." Sirius began, but he was interrupted by a small cry. Turning his attention back to the couch, Sirius could see Harry's small face scrunched up in pain. Then, without warning, his body began to shake uncontrollably.

"Harry!" Sirius gasped. He rushed towards the couch, ignoring the intense pain it caused his ankle, making it just in time to stop the small child from falling off the couch. The shaking continued for what felt like an eternity, but in reality, it was only a minute. Then the shaking stopped, and Harry went completely still. And in that moment, Sirius found that he didn't care about his own freedom anymore. All he cared about was his godson.

"Remus," Sirius called over his shoulder, "get Dumbledore, now!"

Remus ran to the fireplace, grabbed a fistful of floo powder, and threw it into the fire. "Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore's office." He panted before sticking his head into the fire.

Sirius pulled Harry's limp body into his arms and held him close. Time seemed to tick by slowly as he waited for help to arrive. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Remus pacing back and forth, and he knew that his normally calm and collected friend was just as worried as he was.

The floo chimed, and Albus Dumbledore stepped out. His eyes traveled from Remus to Sirius and then down at Harry. His eyes lacked their usual twinkle, and when he spoke, his voice lacked its usual warmth. "Explain yourselves," he demanded. He raised his wand, but Remus stepped in the way.

"Sirius is innocent, Albus." He said, holding up his own hands in defense. "James and Lily switched secret keepers without telling anyone. I myself only learned of this when Sirius showed up with Harry."

Albus kept his wand out, but a thoughtful and curious expression crossed his face. "Do you have any evidence of this?" He asked.

Remus pulled out the newspaper article and handed it to his old headmaster. "That rat," he said, motioning to Wormtail, "is actually Peter. We never told anyone, but he, along with James and Sirius, became unregistered animagi in our fifth year. Peter was the secret keeper, not Sirius."

Dumbledore studied the picture for a moment before lowering his wand. "I will not lie and say I am surprised, nor will I waste my breath telling the both of you how dangerous that was. We will discuss your innocence at another time, Sirius, but for now I want you to explain what happened to Harry."

Sirius explained everything, from his escaping Azkaban in his dog form to his decision to stop by Privet Drive. By the time he got to the Dursleys' abuse, Albus had heard enough.

"I am going to contact Poppy and see if she can make a house visit." He said. "I am afraid, however, that she may not be as understanding as I am when it comes to your innocence, Sirius, so I must insist you hide in another room while she is here."

Sirius looked down at the small, limp body in his arms. The last thing he wanted to do was leave his godson. But he knew that Albus was right. poppy was a kind woman with a big heart, but she was also very stern and not nearly as easy to convince as Albus was.

"I'll stay with Harry." Remus said, noting the hesitation in Sirius's eyes. "You can hide in the bedroom until Poppy leaves."

Sirius looked down at his godson and back up at his friend. "No," he said. "I'm not leaving him. I will turn into Padfoot; she won't even recognize me. But I'm not leaving this room."

Albus nodded. "If that is what you wish to do, then I will not argue. But I encourage you to do so soon. I won't be long."

Sirius watched as his old headmaster grabbed a fistful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace. The moment he vanished, Sirius put his godson back onto the couch and turned into Padfoot. He then curled up at the foot of the couch, refusing to leave the boy's side.

Remus took the empty chair and tapped his foot impatiently. Normally, Remus was very calm and collected. Patience was something the werewolf was good at. However, under the circumstances, he was finding it very hard.

After about ten minutes, Albus Dumbledore returned. He glanced over at the couch and gave Padfoot a wink before stepping out of the way of the fireplace.

A moment later, Poppy arrived, looking much like she had when the Marauders had attended Hogwarts. Sirius hadn't spent much time in the hospital wing himself, but he had spent quite a bit of time visiting Remus after a particularly bad transformation and James, who had suffered a few Quidditch injuries. Over the years, he had become accustomed to seeing the school's healer.

Remus stood from his chair and made his way over to the fireplace. "Poppy," he said, extending a hand. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."

"Remus," she smiled and shook his hand. It's good to see you. I hope you've been taking care of yourself." She looked him up and down as if trying to decide for herself. Then she looked over at the couch, her eyes landing first on Padfoot and then on Harry. "Good heavens." She gasped. "Albus told me it was bad, but never in a million years... the poor dear."

Poppy made her way over to the couch, her wand out and ready. She waved the wand over Harry's small body, murmuring as she went along. "This is a diagnostic scan." She said. "It will reveal any injuries, external or internal."

Remus, Dumbledore, and Padfoot waited quietly as Poppy worked her magic. A moment later, the healer gasped.

"What is it, Poppy?" Albus asked.

Poppy turned to look at Albus, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. It was in that moment that the weight and seriousness of the situation became clear to everyone. It wasn't often, if ever, that the school healer got teary-eyed.

"I don't know where to begin." She said at last. "His injuries are extensive. It's a miracle he's even alive."

Padfoot barked, and Poppy jumped. Remus shot his friend a look that told him to be quiet before turning to the school healer. "Is there anything you can do?" It was the question that Remus knew Sirius would ask if he could.

"Of course there is." She said. "But I fear that too much magic isn't good for his small body. After all, he hasn't been around magic for years, and his body isn't used to it. I will heal the worst of the injuries with magic but will leave the more minor injuries to heal on their own."

Albus rubbed at his beard and nodded thoughtfully. "That seems like a reasonable course of action. What exactly are his injuries, Poppy? I'm sure we would all like to know."

Poppy took a deep breath and sighed. "He has a concussion and a skull fracture, which are the most worrisome of his injuries. I believe that this, along with the fever, is the cause of the seizure you mentioned earlier, Albus. I will use magic to fix the skull fracture, which will help tremendously." She turned and pointed her wand at Harry's temple before murmuring a few healing spells.

"Will there be any long-lasting effects of those injuries?" Remus asked once she was done.

"There shouldn't be." Poppy replied. "The most that should come from it is some confusion. There could be some memory loss, which could be temporary or permanent, but that's the worst-case scenario. He could be completely fine." She then moved her wand over his midsection and murmured another healing spell. "He had a few cracked ribs, which I just healed." She said. "He will likely be sore for a while, but I'm hoping he will sleep through most of it. He has a broken arm, but I'd like to wrap it and leave it to heal on its own. I could come back and heal it in a couple of days as well. I would rather not use more healing spells tonight than necessary."

Remus nodded. "Whatever you think is best, Poppy. You're the healer."

Poppy carefully wrapped Harry's left arm in a blue-colored cast and then reached into her bag. "I have some potions here that I would like him to take when he wakes up. One is for his fever and the other is for pain. I will also leave a nutrients potion that should help him get back on track with what he's missed out on. The pain potion is only to be used every six hours as needed. The fever potion is also to be used every six hours as needed. The nutrients potion is to be taken three times daily, before each meal. Any questions?"

"No," Remus said, taking the potions. "I'll be sure he takes them."

"Until he wakes up, it is impossible to give him any potions, so it is important that you try to keep his fever down in other ways. A cool washcloth is perhaps the best way, but if the fever gets too high, you may have to put him in a room temperature bath. If you do this, be sure to keep the cast dry. I will also leave some cream for the welt marks and lacerations on his back. Once he is awake, it will be important to clean the cuts and apply the cream to keep them from getting infected."

"And when do you expect he'll be awake?" Remus asked.

"I can't say for sure," Poppy said. "But hopefully within a day. He will likely wake up for short periods of time before falling back asleep. This is normal. Sleep is needed for the body to heal properly. Just be sure to have him eat when he is awake. Try to stick to small meals for now. Soup is probably best.

"I have to leave, but I will be sure to stop by tomorrow to see how he is doing. If anything worsens, be sure to contact me immediately, and I will stop by."

Remus reached out and shook Poppy's hand. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. I know you must be busy up at the school."

"Of course," Poppy said. "It was my pleasure." She took a fistful of floo powder, stepped into the fireplace, and in a moment she was gone.

The moment Poppy disappeared, Padfoot jumped off of the couch and a moment later, Sirius was standing there.

"I encourage you to stay here, Sirius." Dumbledore said firmly. "I am going to head over to the Weasley's house and see about capturing a certain rat. I will do everything in my power to see that you get a fair trial, but I can't do that if you run off. Is that understood?"

"Yes," Sirius replied.

Dumbledore then turned, grabbed a fistful of floo powder, and disappeared.