AN: Alright, here goes! Just a heads up: I will be keeping the original story up for a while until we get further along in this one.

Enjoy!

Sirius Black's mind was racing as two Ministry officials dragged him out of the building after his trial. He was free. Free. The moment he had been waiting for for twelve years was finally here, and he was elated.

On top of this was the fact that, after all this time, Maisie could live with him. She didn't have to live with the Muggles anymore! In the brief conversations they had had and limited letters they were allowed to send, Sirius gathered that Maisie disliked living there-no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

Sirius was snapped out of his thoughts by someone putting a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Remus standing there. They embraced.

"Padfoot, I'm so-"

"Don't", Sirius interrupted. "You had every reason to believe I had done it."

"I want to make it up to you", Remus promised. "Somehow."

"No need, mate. All that matters now is that I'm free."

Remus smiled. "What are you going to do now?"

"First, I'm going to take a shower", Sirius replied, half-joking. "Then, I'm going to get Maisie."

Maisie Potter was having a typical summer at Number 4; being ignored, only speaking on the rare occasion that she was spoken to, and spending as much time out of the house as possible.

So, here she was, sitting with her back against a tree in a park near Privet Drive. She was so immersed in the book she was reading that she didn't notice someone walking up to her.

"Do you ever stop reading?"

Maisie jumped and looked up into the face of her childhood friend, Ryan. She stood up and they hugged.

"How are you?", she asked excitedly. "It's been so long since I've seen you!"

Ryan laughed. "I'm good. How's school?"

"Good", Maisie replied.

"What school do you go to again?"

Shoot. Aunt Petunia had been telling people Maisie went to a correctional school for girls, but what was it called?

Ryan's expression was a mix of amusement and curiosity as these thoughts ran through her mind.

"Maisie, I know you go to Hogwarts", he said.

"How?"

"I go to Beauxbatons", Ryan explained. "I'm Muggleborn. I wanted to tell you when I got my letter, but you were already gone."

"Where have you been during the summer?", Maisie asked. "I haven't seen you around at all the last couple of years."

"My grandparents live in France. Sometimes I stay with them for the summers as well, I only came back last year for Christmas."

Sirius revelled in the fact that he didn't have to be in his Animagus form to walk down the street. Sure, he got some looks from passersby, but still. It was, no pun intended, freeing.

He stepped onto Privet Drive and made his way to the house with a large number 4 on the side. The lights were off and there were no cars in the driveway. Sirius hummed to himself, they must have gone out. He decided to take a stroll toward the park he had seen Maisie at the year before.

As he approached the park, Sirius saw her. Maisie was sitting with her back up against a tree, a book in her lap, with a boy. Sirius racked his brain for any mention of a boy's name, and came up with nothing. This wasn't Ron, obviously, and he was willing to bet that this wasn't her cousin.

As Sirius got closer, he heard the boy say he had to get going. They both stood up and, after hugging, the boy walked in the opposite direction of Privet Drive.

Maisie's eyes followed him as he walked away, a smile lingering on her face. She opened her book once more and Sirius took the opportunity to sneak up on her.

Maisie tried to focus on her book again, but her mind kept lingering on Ryan. How could she have not known he was a wizard? At least she had someone to talk about magic with now without fear of getting in trouble.

She was finally paying attention to her book again when she heard someone clear their throat in front of her. She looked up and gasped when she saw her godfather standing there.

"Sirius!" Maisie jumped up and threw herself into his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I just got out of my trial at the Ministry and figured I'd stop by to say hello. Oh, and take you home with me."

Maisie's eyes widened. "Really? I'm allowed to go with you?"

"I don't see anyone stopping us", Sirius joked. "I went by your aunt and uncle's house, it didn't seem like anyone was home."

"Yeah, they took Dudley to go see one of his friends who lives out of town."

"And you didn't go with them?"

"No", Maisie snorted. "Trust me, if you met that kid, you wouldn't want to either."

Sirius chuckled. "Well, do you have a way to get inside to get your things?"

"Yeah, I know where they keep a spare key."

Together, they walked down the street toward Privet Drive. Once they reached Number 4, Maisie lifted up a specific rock near the front door and let herself in. Sirius thought it was odd that Petunia had essentially locked her niece out of her own home without a key of her own.

"Do you need help?", he asked.

"No thanks, it'll only take me a second", Maisie called as she hurried up the stairs. Sirius smiled to himself.

A few moments later, a car pulled down the road and into the driveway. A very angry Vernon Dursely emerged from it after putting it in park.

"Who are you? What do you think you're doing at my home?"

"Ah, you must be Vernon", Sirius said in his best fake-polite voice. "My name is Sirius Black, I'm sure you've heard of me?"

"Y-you-you're that murderer they talked about on the news!", Vernon sputtered.

"Indeed. I also happen to be your niece's godfather. And, in a few minutes, she will be coming to live with me."

Vernon gaped at him. "Well...good! Take her, for all I care!"

Maisie dragged her trunk down the stairs and froze when she heard her uncle's voice.

Sirius bit his lip to stop himself from saying something he would regret.

"I don't believe I was asking permission", he said calmly. "I was intending to do so either way. Maisie, are you ready?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, let's go. Wonderful to see you Vernon. Tell your lovely wife I said hello."

Sirius extended his hand to his goddaughter and she took it, letting him guide her past her uncle and down the street.