DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter and if I did I wouldn't have killed Sirius Black, seeing as he was my favorite character. : )
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This little story just sort of came to me I guess. I'm currently writing another fan fiction where Harry's parents and godfather come back if you want to read it just visit my profile. It's called Harry Potter and the Much Needed Family. Tell me what you think!
But anyway this story came to me in my Government class (I know, weird right?). I was just sitting there and I thought, 'Hey! Wouldn't it be fun to write a cute little story about Sirius and a three year old Harry?' READ THIS!! IT IS IMPORTANT!! So here's some background information: Harry lives with the Dursleys. The Dursleys are vile to him. Meanwhile, Remus happens upon Peter Pettigrew and gets Sirius cleared of all charges. Sirius gets a new house and gains custody of Harry in payment for two years in Azkaban on a false charge. And now begins our story.
PS: I don't normally have such a long Author's Note just to let you know! : ) ONWARD!
Chapter One: Accidents and New Faces
Harry Potter was a really extraordinary little boy. Since he had only just turned three years old, it would be safe to say he was special. The trouble was that little Harry had no idea that he was so special. Throughout his whole tiny existence, everyone he known had told him he was a worthless freak that no one would ever love. And at the age of three, what choice did he have other than to believe them?
The little boy in question was currently in a tiny cupboard under the stairs at Number 4 Privet Drive of Surrey. And at the moment he was sobbing silently. He wanted a mummy and daddy so bad it hurt. He wanted someone to tell him that they loved him. He wanted someone to pick him up and hold him like Aunt Petunia held Dudley. But then he remembered what a bad boy he was and how his aunt and uncle had said that he didn't deserved it for being ungrateful.
Harry wasn't quite sure what ungrateful meant, but it didn't sound good, and he wanted very badly to rid himself of it. The problem was that his aunt and uncle never told him why he was ungrateful, so he didn't know how to get rid of the awful word.
Outside his cupboard, he heard the television blaring. Harry had to go potty. Tentatively, he knocked on his cupboard door. He heard his uncle stomping toward his "room" angrily.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU WANT, BOY?" the man roared through the door.
"U-um… s-sir, m-may I-I u-use d-da b-baffroom, p-pwease?" Harry little voice sounded through the cupboard.
"And why would I let you do that?" his uncle sneered.
"U-um I don't know… s-sir… I-I dust hafta go," the little boy sniffled.
"Well you can hold it!" his uncle bellowed. "AND DON'T YOU DARE WET YOURSELF IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!" His uncle stomped off back into the living room.
Harry lay back down on the floor of his cupboard and squeezed his little legs together, trying desperately not to wet himself. He knew what would happen if he did. His tiny bladder seemed like it was getting ready to explode under the pressure of holding it. He felt his body letting go, and he tried frantically to stop it, but it was too late. He could feel the warm liquid on the seat of his pants and running down his legs. He sobbed. He was in for it now.
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP
Sirius Black was sitting quite impatiently in the office of Albus Dumbledore. He wanted to see his godson, Harry. He wanted to take the little boy into his arms and hold him close. He had come so close to losing the child that Sirius was determined to not let it happen again. But first he needed his godson, and to do that he had to visit the old coot that had sent him to live with his terrible relatives (mostly just because he hadn't a clue where the muggles lived).
"Ah! Sirius my boy!" Albus chirped. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"As you very well know, Albus, I was granted custody of Harry, and I need to know exactly where he is. And when I asked the Ministry, they said you were the man to see," Sirius replied. "So where is he?"
"Why, you know exactly where he is, my boy," said Dumbledore with an annoyingly innocent smile.
"I meant the exact address!" Sirius yelled, patience breaking.
"All right, all right," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. "Seems we're not in a joking mood today, eh?"
"I just want to get my godson and take him home," Sirius said trying to keep himself in control.
"All right, here is the address." Dumbledore handed him a small piece of paper.
Sirius looked down and read:
Number 4 Privet DriveSurrey
"Thank you, Albus," Sirius said and he headed for the door.
Once off of the grounds, Sirius apparated to Privet Drive with a pop. He walked down the suburban street looking for number 4.
'8… 7… 6… 5…Ah ha! 4!' He walked up the walkway and to the door. He was just about to knock when he heard shouting within the home.
"WHAT THE HELL DID I SAY, BOY?" a man's voice sounded.
"I'm s-sawy U-Uncle Vewrnon!" a little boy's voice cried back.
"SORRY'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH, YOU UNGRATEFUL FREAK!"
Sirius decided that now was the time to intervene, on account of he was sure that the little boy was Harry and Sirius was not too fond of Dursley calling his godson a freak. He blasted the door in. The sight he saw did not improve the mood he was in. Vernon Dursley had his tiny godson up against the wall by his throat and a belt poised high above his head, ready to strike, while Mrs. Dursley and Dudley watched from the kitchen doorway. Harry's eyes were as wide as dinner plates, and Sirius noticed the little boy had wet himself. Sirius vaguely wondered if that had happened because Harry was so scared of his uncle or if that is what had caused the scene. But Sirius decided that now was the time for action not words. Regardless of what Harry had done, his uncle had no right to handle him in that way.
"Put my godson down and step away from him, NOW!" Sirius's blue-gray eyes blazed with hate for the muggle before him. Dursley eyed the wand in Sirius's hand and obeyed reluctantly. Harry scrambled fearfully away from his uncle and into his cupboard. Sirius watched the boy and his felt his heart break. The little boy was so terrified of the beefy man.
"Go into the living room and stay there. I'm taking Harry away from here."
Petrified of what Sirius would do to them if they didn't comply, the Dursleys complied without another word. Once they had scurried out of the hall, Sirius relaxed his features and walked apprehensively to the cupboard, so as not to scare the little boy further.
What he saw did not please him.
In the small, confined space there was a thin, ratty blanket and a pillow that looked like it was missing half of its stuffing. Upon further investigation, Sirius spotted a tattered stuffed stag that he, himself had bought the boy. With sickening comprehension, Sirius realized that this shabby cupboard was the little boy's room. Turning his gaze, he saw his godson fearfully staring up at him with round, emerald eyes that were overflowing with unshed tears.
"Harry?" Sirius said softly. His godson's head snapped up, his petite bottom lip trembled a bit. "It's okay now, Prongslet… Nothing's going to hurt you. I promise." Sirius reached out his hand slowly, as to show Harry that he was harmless. Harry looked at the hand apprehensively, confused as to what would happen if he dared take it. "Come on, kiddo it's okay… You're going to live with me now."
"R-rwelly?" the toddler asked, hopefully.
"Yes, really Harry," Sirius replied gently. "Let's get your things, okay?"
Harry nodded hesitantly and crawled closer to the man. 'He sure is being nice to me, so I guess he's safe,' he thought.
"All right, so where are your clothes at, Prongslet?" Sirius asked, still being careful to keep his voice soft.
"I-I'm weawing dem," Harry said confused. 'Was that the right answer?'
"No I mean your other clothes," Sirius said gently. 'Surely these tatty old clothes he's wearing are only night clothes.'
The toddler's brow furrowed in confusion, and he shook his head slowly as if to say, "What other clothes? I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You know, the clothes you wear when these ones are being washed," Sirius told him.
Harry giggled a little bit, softly. 'Oh I get it! He's joking!'
"What so funny?" Sirius asked concerned.
"Oh… sawy… I tot you was tidding," Harry said, confused again.
"No… You mean you really don't have any other clothes?" Sirius asked alarmed.
Harry shook his head. "N-no, sir."
"All right then… Here's this," Sirius said handing Harry his toy stag. "And don't worry about your blanket and pillow there… I have a much better bedding set for you at home. Come on." He slouched out of the cupboard and offered a hand to his young godson, who took it hesitantly. As Sirius gently pulled the little boy out of the minute space and into the lighted hallway, he suddenly realized how filthy the child was. The seat of his pants were soiled with urine, his black unruly hair was dirty and unkempt, and he had dirt smears littering his face and body. And the baggy clothes did nothing to hide how unbelievably thin he was. Harry looked up at his godfather expectantly and cocked his head when he noticed how closely the man was scrutinizing him. Sirius finally met his eye.
"Before we go do you want me to get rid of that?" Sirius asked nodding his head towards Harry's pants.
Harry looked down at his front and blushed. "Y-yes pwease," he mumbled, embarrassed with himself.
"All right then," Sirius chuckled. "Hold still… Evanesco! There you go."
Harry looked down, shocked. "Whoa!" he whispered.
"Pretty cool, huh?" Sirius chortled. Harry nodded, still goggling at the man. "Come on. Let's go." He pulled the front door open and walked out into the night, with Harry's hand in his.
Sirius walked Harry down the street a ways, until he got to a good apparation spot. He then bent down to pick up the toddler next to him. This gesture, however, startled Harry and the little boy flinched away violently. "It's okay, kiddo. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just going to pick you up. Come on…"
Harry scuffled back toward his godfather timidly. And once again Sirius reached down to pick him up, but this time the child didn't move away. Sirius placed the toddler on his hip and balanced the boy there with only one arm. Harry didn't flinch but he did tense considerably at the unfamiliar contact. But after a couple of moments Harry decided the man's actions were harmless and relaxed in the strong arms of his godfather.
"All right, Harry, hold on tight, okay? You're going to feel a little strange for a moment, but it's okay. And make sure to hold on to your stag tightly too," Sirius informed him gently.
Harry nodded childishly and gripped his godfather and his toy firmly, almost putting Sirius in a chokehold. Sirius then, apparated. Harry felt the strange sensation of apparating and did not like it one bit. He felt his tiny chest compress like he was being forced down a suction tube. When they landed Harry wrapped his arms around his godfather's neck snuggly and buried his face in the crook of the man's neck as he sobbed, terrified.
"Oh, Harry," Sirius said somberly. "I'm sorry, kiddo. We won't do that again, okay? I didn't mean to scare you. Shh… it's okay." After a while Harry's sobs succumbed to small, detached hiccups. He looked up at his godfather pitifully. The man smiled sadly back. Then Harry looked around them. What he saw was the most wonderful thing he'd ever seen.
They were standing at the base of a hill with a black rod-iron fence in front of them. There at the top of the hill sat a glorious castle. Sirius looked at Harry's stunned face and had to chuckle at the sight. The boy's eyes were huge as if they might just pop from their sockets, and his mouth formed a little "o."
"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry!" Sirius declared.
"I knew it!" Harry cried. "I knew it was weal!"
"Knew what was real?" Sirius asked.
"Magic!"
"Of course it is! Who told you otherwise?"
"Uncle Vewrnon."
"Oh." With that Sirius headed off toward the school with Harry on his hip.
The trip up the hill was aggravatingly long in Sirius's mind. And after a while Harry yawned out of exhaustion. Sirius reached up with his free hand and gently pressed Harry's head to the crook of his neck.
"Go ahead and sleep a bit, kiddo."
Harry obliged with little struggle. He wanted very badly to see the castle more but his eyelids begged to differ, and within minutes the toddler was fast asleep, holding his stag close.
When Sirius finally made it up to the castle and up to Dumbledore's office, he found the headmaster sitting quite still and in a pensive state. The old wizard looked up as Sirius shut the door quietly as not to wake Harry. Sirius glared daggers at the old man.
"Sirius?" Dumbledore murmured also taking notice of the sleeping child.
Sirius laid Harry down on the sofa in the Headmaster's Office. The little boy stirred but didn't wake. He rolled on his side and continued to breathe deeply. Sirius smiled warmly at the adorable sight, but then turned, his expression instantly stony.
"They beat him, Albus!" Sirius whispered harshly.
"T-they what?" the old man replied, shocked.
"They. Beat. Him."
"A-are you… are you sure," Albus asked.
"When I walked into that house Dursley had him pinned by the throat and was about to hit him with a whip! That boy is only three years old!" Sirius was finding it hard to keep his voice down.
"S-Sirius I assure you I had no idea!" Albus stated. "I knew that they weren't treating him like an equal member of the family… but beating him… I didn't think that they would do that to their own flesh and blood… I thought–"
"You thought that they would put the past behind them, right?"
"I'm sorry, Sirius," Albus said earnestly. "I really had no idea! If I knew I would have taken him away from there, I promise. I thought he would be safest there!"
"I know, Albus. I know," Sirius said exhaustedly. "It's not your fault it's just… I was just angry…"
"Are you going to apparate home then?" Albus asked after a moment of silence.
"Actually I was wondering if I could use your floo. Harry didn't like apparating very much," Sirius informed him. "It scared him a bit."
"Of course, my boy! Go right ahead, though you should probably wake him first."
"Yeah… Harry," Sirius called gently, so as to not scare the poor child. "Harry, kiddo, wake up… Come on, Prongslet wake up for me."
Harry stirred and opened his bright, emerald eyes blearily. "There we go… c'mere…" Sirius opened his arms up to Harry to pick him up. And Harry allowed it.
"Why hello there, Harry," Dumbledore said standing next to Sirius. Harry bashfully hid his face into Sirius' neck. "Well it looks like somebody's a little shy."
Sirius nodded and smiled at his new charge. "All right, Harry," Sirius said warmly. "Let's go home. This time we're going to floo instead of apparating like last time okay?"
Harry nodded. Sirius grabbed a handful of floo powder and tossed it into the fire. The jade flames fascinated Harry. Sirius stepped into the flames and shouted, "Padfoot Residence!"
Zoom! The two of them whooshed out of sight, spinning quickly. When they landed Sirius quickly looked at Harry. The boy's eyes were bright with excitement and he giggled.
"Wow! Tan we do dat adain?" Harry asked breathlessly.
"Maybe tomorrow, Prongslet," Sirius chuckled. "For now it's time for bed, okay?" The man smiled warmly at the toddler.
"Otay!" Harry said. Sleep sounded good too.
Sirius carried Harry upstairs and into a sizeable room. He placed Harry into a squishy queen-sized bed and pulled the covers over the boy.
"Awe you my daddy?" Harry asked innocently.
"No… I'm not. But I will do my best to take care of you like a daddy. Is that okay?"
Harry nodded. "But what do I tall you?"
"You can call me Sirius or Padfoot, whichever one you'd like. And in the morning I'll give you some more explanations, okay? But right you need to sleep, kiddo,"
"O-o-otay… S-Sirius," Harry mumbled sleepily. "Doodnight."
"Goodnight, Prongslet. Sleep tight." And with that Sirius snuck quietly out of the room and left the door cracked in case Harry needed him.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Let me know if you like it! : )