Silly of me to start another story, but right now I will say that this is as much a side project as IC and will be treated as a way to relieve writer's block, mostly. No matter how inconsistant I am with my main story, SMH, this one will be far worse... However, this idea's been nagging at me for quite a while now so I just had to get it out of me and into the computer.
Dedicated to whoever reviews it first... ;)
Disclaimer: I own not Harry nor Sirius nor Lily nor James- but I want to...
There will be no pairing for Harry. Others may or may not happen dependent on how they fit in with the plot.
Also, this was written in bloody 2009, so for better writing, check out my more recent endeavors.
Sirius couldn't believe his ears. "You want me to… to adopt Harry?"
James, Prongs, his best friend, shook his head, "No, we just want you to take him out of the country for this war."
"Are you insane? The war could last years, maybe a decade! Don't get me wrong, I love the pup, but- He's yours- Yours and Lily's!" Sirius stared in shock at his best friends, "How could I ever-"
Lily took his hand, a pained smile on her face, "We know. B- but with the prophecy looming over us and the Longbottoms, and You-Know-Who on a rampage- we- we just can't let Harry grow up in all of this. Go to the Black Manor or even the Potter Manor- just somewhere no one can-" Her voice broke and Lily's gaze turned to her lap. James rubbed her back reassuringly and she looked up with fire in her eyes and tear tracks on her cheeks, "Somewhere not one bloody Death Eater could get to harm a single hair on or off his head!" James nodded affirmatively and Sirius sighed, running a hand through his hair nervously. Thinking back, he should have seen the signs of this earlier on.
Throughout the war against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named AKA Voldemort AKA The-Slytherin-Who-Discovered-Plastic-Surgery-And-Took-House-Pride-Too-Far (Or maybe it was only Sirius who thought that…), the Potters had endured loss after loss in both branches of the family, until the only close relatives left alive were Petunia nee Evans Dursley and her husband. (Sirius interpreted their current state of being alive as yet another cruel curse being used by the Death Eaters to torture Lily and James) They had grown paranoid about Harry, upping the safety measures repeatedly until Sirius, Remus, and Peter had to interfere before they implanted a one-way portkey permanently into his finger. Sirius looked down on Harry, happily burbling at his godfather and oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
"Of course, Remus has already consented to help you if you agree," Lily was saying slowly, as if forcing the words from her throat.
"So there's at least one role model Lily approves of!" James feebly joked.
They fell into a tense silence full of unspoken questions and equally silent answers that could not help either party in this strange affair. Sirius cleared his throat awkwardly and took one of his godson's hands in between two fingers, smiling briefly as the chubby little hand clamped down on the pale digits. "I'll do it."
Lily broke down into tears and James blinked rapidly, eyes suspiciously shining. Lily spoke haltingly through her weeping, "Tell him about- about us… And please, please, promise me- you'll give him back to us after- after it's safe for you to return."
"Or he's ready to go to Hogwarts," James added quietly, "He'll be safe there."
Sirius nodded, unusually somber, "I promise. Besides- I refuse to believe that I'll still have him by the time he's 11," Sirius forced a smile, "And there's no need for you to worry about me 'not giving him back.' I practically live with you guys anyway."
Lily nodded, worry clear in her eyes and a single tear wobbling precariously on her chin as she gathered her baby in her arms for the last time and James encircled them both with his arms.
None of them knew just how wrong Sirius was.