Sirius Black was born into wealth. Pure blood and rich, his parents had held high expectations of him. He would marry another Pure blood witch, he would produce an heir, he would keep the pureblood ideals alive. He would pass the Black name down. Except, he didn't do any of that.

He'd rebelled against his family since his very first words, which happened to be "lion". His mother had fumed. At 5 years old he stood up for his brother when Regulus had broken a priceless family heirloom. Already exhibiting Gryffindor traits, Walburga had ignored it.

"His inner snake will show itself soon enough" she would say.

At eleven, he attended his first year at Hogwarts, had been sorted into Gryffindor, much to his. Mother's outrage. He had flaunted it all over Grimmauld Place. Charming his room red and gold and hanging Gryffindor memorabilia in every available space. He had received beatings and gone without dinner for his blatant disregard of his family's heritage.

It never stopped him, he had made loyal friends, friends most people wished for. He would die for them. They had spent every moment together, had caused trouble and driven Grey's into McGonagall's hair. They had left their mark on Hogwarts and it's professors. The marauders had soon become legend within the walls of the school.

Lily and James had gotten married shortly after graduation, it was a small intimate ceremony. Where they had announced that Lily was pregnant and Sirius was to be the Godfather. He had cried for the first time in his life. Remus had clapped him on the back and confirmed what they all knew. There would be no one better to spoil little Harry Potter.

A little under 2 years later had found them all mourning the loss of two amazing young parents and a little boy left an orphan. Sirius had seethed with rage. He knew exactly who to blame. Cowardly little Peter Pettigrew. He would pay, Sirius would make sure of it.

He had stood in the wreckage of the little house, visualizing every way in which he would make Wormtail pay. His vision was blurry, tears were flowing freely down his face. The image of James and Lily's bodies would forever be burned into his memory. He was so absorbed with thoughts of crucios and avadas that he forgot the most important thing.

Baby Harry. Who stood up on his chubby little legs while clutching the bars of his crib. The lightning bolt cut bleeding on his forehead and yet, no sign of tears on that adorable little face.

"Siri… Siri" he called, instantly snapping Sirius out of his murderous thoughts.

"Come on, Pup. We have to get to Dumbledore." Sirius wrapped him in a blanket and ran to his flying motor bike. It would get them to Hogwarts faster than anything else.

It had taken them just over an hour, Harry had fallen asleep about ten minutes in and had not woken since. He really was a remarkable child. Finally Sirius saw the turrets of his former school splitting the horizon. He took out his wand and conjured his patronus sending it ahead. A huge German Shepherd sprung from the tip of his wand, split in two and shot off like a rocket. One headed towards Dumbledore's office and the other towards the home of one Remus Lupin.

"Harry is safe, we are on our way to the phoenix." having delivered its message, the glittering patronus faded into nothing before Dumbledore's tearful eyes.

"Perfect timing, once Sirius gets here it should be easy to decide where the boy goes." Dumbledore spoke.

"Surely you don't mean to leave him with the muggles, Albus! We've been through this!" Minerva McGonagall said, in her most disapproving voice.

"They are not my first choice, Minerva. We shall see how this meeting goes." his tone was clear, the discussion was over for the time being.

"Harry is safe, we are on our way to the Phoenix." the glittering German Shepherd dissipated, leaving a furious and somewhat relieved Remus Lupin alone in his bedroom.

He tore out of bed, hastily grabbing whatever clothing lay closest to him. He grabbed his wand from the nightstand and ran out of his little flat in Diagon alley. Remus apparated the second his feet touched the stone pavement of the street. He arrived in Hogsmeade not 10 seconds later just in time to meet Sirius who had parked his motor bike by the path leading to the school.

"Is it true, Padfoot? Lily and Prongs…are they really d-dead? " He choked on the last word.

His eyes focused on the bundle in Sirius' arms, the chubby little face looking exactly as it had the night before when Remus was over for dinner. All the same except the lightning bolt cut on his forehead. Looking from Sirius' tear stained face to Harry's peaceful pout. Remus broke down in that moment. He collapsed to his knees and cried for his best friend, for Lilly, for Harry who would never know the love of his parents.

Sirius, still carefully cradling Harry bent to his knees and hugged his friend, both of them trying to stop the flow of tears.

"He'll be alright, Moony. He'll know all about his parents, he'll grow up happy and loved and spoiled beyond even my comprehension. The way Lily and James intended it. We will raise him together, we will give him everything. I will not let him out of my sight. He is my responsibility now." Sirius spoke with a conviction that Remus had never heard from him.

They walked together to the school to inform Dumbledore of this new development, one that Dumbledore was somehow already aware of.

"He will be so happy with you two, he will have a life most children dream of. I daresay I am nervous of his acceptance into Hogwarts. Being raised by you two, it seems we must be ready for the mischief he will surely cause." Dumbledore had a twinkle in his eye that had been missing throughout their meeting.

He didn't miss the loving looks exchanged between Sirius and Remus. They were perfectly suited for this and Dumbledore had never been so proud then in that moment. What a treat it would be to see how the next year's would play out. What a pleasure it would be to watch the Harry grow into the man Albus thought he would be.