A/N: Hi! Remember me?

O.K., few notes and I'll let you get on with the story.

First, P.A.R. was in a really bad deep blue funky when she wrote this. What does that mean for you, reader? Anguish. Lots of it. Tons of it. It's coming to you by the truck load. So, go get your Kleenexes right now! Go on.

You choose not to? Don't blame me. I warned you.

Second, yes, it's a baby Harry story. Awwww, it'll be loaded with lots of cute stuff, right?

Wrong! Go read the first part again. (Oh, all right, it'll have it's moments. Leave me alone!)

Third, you remember all the fun we had with Fever? P.A.R. posting on a fairly regular schedule, twice a week?

'Dem days is gone, folks. P.A.R. will still strive to be consistent. You're nice enough to review, I should at least try to post regularly. (Meaning Sunday nights.). But unfortunately due to some nasty time restrains (work), I can only post once a week. No! No! Put DOWN the fruit! I mean it! I return fire, people! So unless you wanna be pickin' pineapple outta your hair tonight, PUT. IT. DOWN.

Fourth, for those of you that noticed this story ran in the Q&A section of Fever under two different titles, good for you.

O.K.. Now, as always, questions are loved and answered with affection. Q&A at the bottom.

Oh! Yeah! Disclaimer!

Disclaimer: All characters of the Harry Potter series (hereafter known as 'legal property') are the sole ownership of J.K. Rowling (hereafter known as 'owner of said legal property'). No infringement on any copyright of owner of said legal property of the legal property is knowing intended. Published by author (hereafter known as 'other') for entertainment purposes only. No monetary or personal gain was knowingly made by other with the publication of this story, which was based on ideas and characters created by owner of said legal property as they pertain to legal property. No plagiarism of legal property or of any ideas of the owner of said legal property was knowingly intended by other. This statement is fully transferable and is legally held binding for all chapters of the story The Bonds That Tie as they are presented under different chapter headings and titles for individual chapters.

O.K., on with the story.

THE BONDS THAT TIE

Chapter One: Stolen Property

Sirius didn't actually remember a great deal about that night. He didn't remember to clearly arriving at his friends house, or finding their bodies. He didn't remember any tears of pain or cries of anger. He didn't even remember any feeling of joy at finding the tiny body of his very much alive godson lying in the rubble of the destroyed house at Godric's Hollow.

What Sirius did remember was the desperation he felt as the tiny baby was taken out of his arms. As the last remaining vestige of his friends was whisk away from him on the back of his own motorcycle. How could his life have changed so drastically in one short night?

But that desperation had quickly changed to despair over the following weeks. As he sat in the living room of Remus Lupin's small, cozy home, his tiny godson was all he could think about.

And, of course, the spy-glass he had sitting propped up on the coffee table in front of him wasn't helping much.

As was his usual activity for the day (and evening, well into the night, only to be followed up by a long spell of it in the morning), Sirius sat on the sofa staring fixedly at the glass as it showed him the image of his godson as he sat in his playpen at his new home with his mother's muggle relatives.

A large object suddenly interposed itself between Sirius and his favorite object.

"Sirius, this has got to stop." Remus stated as Sirius did his best to look around Lupin's body. "Honestly, I had more company when I lived alone."

"I'd love to discuss your social life with you, Remus," Sirius replied, shoving him out of the way, "but I'm busy at the moment and your blocking my view."

Remus sighed quietly as he allowed himself to be shifted out of Sirius' line of vision. He turned himself to stare at the spy-glass for a moment.

In the center of the glass was the small baby sitting in a battered playpen. The child didn't make a sound. He didn't, in fact, even move. He simply sat huddled in the corner of the playpen clinging to a small blanket. His large green eyes staring out through the mess of the playpen with an almost frightened expression.

"Look at him, Remus." Sirius said in a sad, quivering voice. "All he does is sit there. He almost never makes a sound. He hardly even moves. He just....sits there."

Just then another figure entered the frame. A baby who looked a good deal older than the other simply by his size. Whereas the child in the playpen was small and thin, the other child looked more like a two year old and appeared more than well-fed.

The baby crawled over to the playpen and reached a hand through a whole in the mess. He poked the other child with a short stubby finger. The smaller child pulled away, but the other poked him again, keeping at it until the smaller child cried out.

The scene quickly changed as other figures came into the room, one bellowing about the noise. The female picked the baby up off the floor while the man slapped his hand hard against the top of the playpen, making a sudden, sharp sound.

"Quiet!" He yelled at the smaller child in the playpen. "You're upsetting your cousin with that racket and disturbing the whole house. I've had enough out of you for today. If all your going to do is cry, you can sleep down here tonight. I won't have you keeping the rest of us awake with that racket."

The smaller child quickly retreated to the furthest corner of the playpen and clutched his blanket to himself as he stared up at the man past wide, frightened eyes.

Sirius watched as the scene cleared of everyone but the small figure huddled in the corner of the playpen. As he watched a small tear formed on the child's face and silently ran down his cheek. Finally he pulled the tattered little blanket up to his face, which showed tale-tell signs of frequent use for such a purpose, and quietly sniffed into the soft material, trying desperately to hide an emotion he didn't even have a name for.

A similar tear reflected on the other side of the glass as Sirius watched the small boy. But suddenly the light when out and the glass fell into darkness.

"It wasn't right." Sirius stated softly as he stared blankly at the spy-glass. "Dumbledore had no right to take him from me. Harry should be with me. I'm his godfather."

"Dumbledore did what he thought was right, Sirius." Lupin reiterated. He was used to this argument. They'd had it almost every night since Sirius had come to live with him.

"How can that be right?" Sirius stated a bit firmer, pointing to the spy-glass. "Animals are treated better than that child. He lives in fear and he can't even understand why. Where is the 'right' in that, Remus?"

Lupin stared back at his house-mate. The argument was an old one and never reached a resolution. Sirius wanted his godson with him and Remus had no answer for why it couldn't be so.

At least none that he could give.

Lupin couldn't tell Sirius that Harry had been left with his muggle relatives to keep him safe not only from Voldemort, the dark wizard who had killed his parents only a few months before, but to possibly safeguard him from his godfather as well. Dumbledore wasn't sure of what had happened in Godric's Hollow the night Harry's parents had been killed. All he knew was that the only person Hagrid had reported seeing when he arrived was the baby's godfather, Sirius Black, and that Black had seemed desperate to take the baby with him.

Lupin had known, of course, along with Dumbledore, that Sirius had been James and Lily's secretkeeper for the Fidelius Charm, but could never bring himself to believe that Sirius had sold his best friend and his wife out to the dark lord. There had to be some other explanation. But Sirius wasn't helping things along by offering any.

Both Lupin and Dumbledore, along with the ministry wizards, had questioned Sirius about the fact he had been the secretkeeper. But Sirius had vehemently denied any involvement in the attack. And with no real evidence to the contrary, and with Vestrusium not being allowed to be used under those circumstances, he had been released. But in order to keep a low profile from the reporters the ministry had insisted that Sirius stay with Lupin while they attempted to sort things out.

If Sirius ever suspected the real reason for the insistence of the ministry that he stay with Remus Lupin, he never showed it. Instead, from the day he had moved in with his friend, Sirius had done little else but stare at the spy-glass, trained on his godson. He had watched day by day as the once happy, smiling, lively little boy was transformed into a shy, quiet, introverted child who rarely smiled or laughed. In fact, his godson hardly did much of anything anymore.

Not that there was much for him to do anything with. The Dursley's, the relatives Harry had been placed in the care of, had seen to his basic needs. They fed the baby, changed him when he needed it, and kept him reasonably clean. But past that they hardly acknowledged his existence.

From the day Harry had arrived in their care, he had spent the majority of his time in the same second-hand playpen he was now sleeping in. He hadn't been given a single toy in the past several months to play with. The only thing he had was the tattered little blanket he kept a firm grip on. Sirius easily recognized the little blanket as the same one the baby had been wrapped in the night he had found him in the ruins of his parent's house. He was almost never talked to, except if he did something the Dursley's found annoying, like crying. If it wasn't time to feed or change him, the baby was usually yelled at. A sharp slap to the top rail of the playpen usually shocked him into silence. And silence, the perceptive child seemed to learn quickly enough, was what the larger creatures around him liked best.

But while the child seemed to be adapting to his environment as best he could, his godfather was doing quite the opposite. A slow, steady rage was building in Sirius day by day as he watched the systematic destruction of his godson's usual cheerful disposition. Watching it slowly replaced by silence.

It simply wasn't right.

"He's gone to bed for the night, Sirius. Follow suit." Lupin suggested. "You can stare at him tomorrow."

Sirius watched the dark glass for a few more minutes before letting his gaze drift to the floor before him. After a few minutes he got to his feet as though it were almost painful for him to stand. With a slight nod he finally headed up the stairs to bed.

Sirius sat in his room for a sort while until he heard Remus coming up to bed himself. Thankfully, Remus never stayed up long past when Sirius went to bed.

As soon as the door closed down the hallway, Sirius quietly opened his own door and silently crept back down the stairs. Seating himself back in front of the spy-glass, Sirius muttered a spell.

On the opposite side of the glass, the area around the little playpen suddenly illuminated with a soft light. One that was barely bright enough to see by, but that shone brightly enough for Sirius to see his godson curled up in the far corner. Carefully he reached out one figure and stroked the glass gently over the baby's cheek.

"Come on, little guy." He said softly. "You always know when I'm here."

Slowly two bright green eyes opened to the dim light. As though some type of signal, the baby pulled himself up and stared in front of him, as though able to see through the glass to the man watching him.

Very quietly Sirius began to sing a lullaby to the baby as though he were sitting in the room with him.

I'm watching over you,

So don't you cry,

Though I can't be there,

To dry your eyes,

I'm watching over you,

Day by day,

And in my heart,

You'll always stay.

I'm watching over you,

Through each day,

To keep you safe,

To guard your way.

I'm watching over you,

Through each night,

And in the darkness,

I'll be your light.

I'm watching over you,

I see each tear,

And in my heart,

I hold you near.

I'm watching over you,

So don't you cry,

For the bonds between us,

Are the bonds that tie.

A small smile crept over Sirius tired face as he watched the tiny baby curl back up in his playpen and fall asleep again. Though this time with a slightly more relaxed demeanor as he pulled his blanket to him.

The next morning Remus came downstairs to the same sight that had greeted him every morning for the past several months. Sirius sitting on the sofa in front of the spy-glass, watching his godson. The Dursley's had already fed and changed him and now he was back to doing what he did every day. Sitting in his playpen. But as Remus walked by the back of the sofa with a muttered 'good morning' to Sirius, the baby suddenly let a loud wail from the other side of the glass.

The sound was so unexpected that even Remus jumped slightly.

"Merlin's Beard!" Remus exclaimed as he turned to study the crying child. "What's wrong with him?"

Sirius sat staring intently at the glass, hoping for some clue to what had so suddenly upset his godson. "I don't know. Usually the only thing that gets a cry out of him is that horrid little cousin of his tormenting him. And even then it takes a good bit to get him to do anything about it."

Just then the two men could hear Vernon Dursley, Harry's uncle, coming into the room. The man sounded angrier than Sirius had ever heard him before.

"Now what's the matter with you?" He bellowed at the crying child. "Petunia just spent a good part of her morning feeding and changing you. What more do you want?"

"A good part of her morning." Huffed Sirius. "Fifteen minutes, if that. And as for what more does he want, you idiot, try a toy or two. The poor child is bored out of his mind."

"Be quiet!" Vernon yelled at the baby, slapping his hand on the top of the playpen.

But this time the usual action had no effect at all. Harry just continued to cry louder, holding his blanket clutched to his forehead.

"I said be quiet!" Vernon yelled again.

Harry ignored him.

Looking like a man about to lose his temper completely, Vernon reached down into the playpen and jerked the child out of it. Holding him up, the man shook the child as he continued to yell at him. "Be quiet! You have nothing to be crying about. You're fed and seen to. Now be quiet!"

And with that the baby was unceremoniously dropped back into his playpen.

Sirius was already on his feet when Remus grabbed his shoulder.

"Sirius! No! We can't interfere!"

Sirius turned to his friend, pointing a shaking finger at the glass. "You saw what that....that muggle just did to Harry!" He shouted, his face red with rage. "How can you stand there and not want to interfere?"

"We'll report it to Dumbledore. That's all we can do. He'll take care of it. Now, look," Remus pointed out, turning Sirius back to the glass, "he's leaving. Harry's fine. He wasn't hurt."

"How can you act like this?" Sirius stated, staring at Remus in shock. "Harry could have been seriously hurt. And all you want to do is 'report' it?"

Remus stared back at his house-mate. The truth was he was as horrified and angry as Sirius was. But allowing himself to be dragged into Sirius' emotions wouldn't help the situation. As always, he tried to stay calm and think out the best course of action. After all, Sirius was certainly angry enough for both of them right now. Adding fuel to his fire wouldn't help anything.

"Look," Remus replied calmly, "you stay here and watch Harry. I'll go to Hogwarts right now and speak to Dumbledore. My guess is the Dursley's doorbell will be ringing in about fifteen minutes."

Sirius stood watching as his friend disapparated. Slowly a small smile crept across his face.

"More like five." He stated, and disapparated.

Seconds later Sirius was stalking down Privet Drive towards number four, wondering how one went about a kidnapping. The house was protected by wards everywhere there was a way in. He knew that. So the best way was likely through the front door. Surely the spells wouldn't stop someone who was invited in.

Fifteen minutes later Remus Lupin and Albus Dumbledore apparated in front of Number Four on Privet Drive. A simple disorienting spell kept any muggles from noticing their sudden appearance in the area. And there were plenty of muggles about. The street was full of them, in fact.

Lupin and Dumbledore stood in shocked silence as they beheld the scene before them as the muggles stood staring as well.

Number Four, Privet Drive, was nothing more than a smoking ruin.

The wail of sirens could be heard fast approaching down the street. Looking quickly about, Lupin spotted the Dursley's standing off to the side as they stared in disbelieving shock at their house. From what Lupin could ascertain, they didn't look physically hurt in any way. But what caught his attention most was that they were only holding one baby.

Lupin pushed his way quickly through the crown towards the Dursley's. Noting his sudden departure, Dumbledore quickly followed.

"Where's Harry!?" Was the first thing Lupin said as he stood before the dazed adults. Fear was all that was keeping his anger in check now.

Petunia, Lily's sister, was the only one of the three that seemed to respond to his voice.

"A man came...," she responded weakly, holding her own son close to her, "...he came and took him. He...was yelling about something....someone hurting him. I don't remember. Vernon grabbed Dudley and me and we ran from the house. We thought he was some lunatic."

Dumbledore stepped up next to Lupin. "What man?" He asked in a kind, but firm voice. "What did he look like?"

"He was a tall man. Long black hair." Petunia answered in the same hollow sounding voice. "He said he was taking Harry. That he saw what......"

But Vernon Dursley suddenly seemed to come to life, placing a hand on his wife's arm as he turned to Dumbledore. "He was one of you're kind." He stated with disgust, reasoning out what the men in front of him were since they had come looking for Harry. "Another weirdo. Nothing good ever came from your kind. And now look at what that lunatic has done."

Lupin turned to the house for a moment, then back to Vernon Dursley. "You saw this man do this?" He asked.

"This is what we came back to." The man stated viciously. "I got my family away from that lunatic. And we ran for our lives. Then we heard the noise....like an explosion. When we came back....this is what we found."

Lupin turned to Dumbledore. "Even if he were stark raving insane, he would never have gone this far." Lupin whispered.

Dumbledore listened to the arriving sirens, then turned to the Dursley's with a kind smile as he pulled out his wand. "Nasty gas explosion." He stated. "No idea what happened. Everyone you remember as being in the house got out safely."

A slightly vague expression came over the faces of the Dursley's. But Vernon Dursley seemed to shake it off quite suddenly.

"Gas explosion. Can't believe we all got out safely." He stated to the elderly gentleman standing in front of him.

"That was indeed fortunate." Dumbledore replied as the police began pushing through the crowd. They quickly surrounded the Dursley's and led them off towards the waiting rescue workers.

Lupin watched as the three were led away. "But if he wasn't responsible," he said quietly, "then who did do this? And where's Harry?"

"Those, Remus, are very good questions. One's we desperately need answers to." Dumbledore replied. "But for now I think we best return to the castle and see what we can find out from there."

And with that the two quickly disapparated under the cover of another disorienting spell.

Q&A (Yeah!)

See. P.A.R. made a little rhyme.

Anyway, to all of you wonderful, thoughtful, and so very obviously intelligent people who reviewed Diamond and A Dog's Day, P.A.R. says THANK YOU!!!!!! You made P.A.R. very happy.

Next, for all of you who asked, sorry, but no, there are no sequels planned to either story. They were one-shot stories, or stand alones.

Thank yous also to all you charming, kind, and obviously deeper in this side of the gene pool people who reviewed Fever and stuck with it through thick, thin, and computer trouble.

And again, sorry, no sequel is planned to Fever. However, yes, the character of Orion Black is being continued. So many people got so interested in him as the often mentioned, but never seen older brother of Sirius, I just had to stick him in a story in a more prominent position. So he will be appearing in the sequel to Family Life.

Purple Ink: Ummmmm, yeah. That says a lot for you. And is probably just a littttttttttle more information than I needed. Thanks for sitting through it and thank you for the review.

Karisha: Aww, someone who actually said something nice about Sirius and Arabella. Thank you. I do realize that most reviews encompass the story as a whole. But I love it especially when people go to the trouble to point out something imparticular that they liked.

Abbsiegail: Yes. Family Life is being sequeled. Unfortunately, do not look for it in the near future. It won't likely be as long as Family Life, but will most likely be a 'weekend reader'.

Sorry, no sequel to Fever.

Jenna B.: So I've been told.

lizzie 16: Thank you.

summersun: Unfortunately, as you probably have already read, sorry, no sequel is planned to Fever. But honestly, where would it go?

Zimmy Russell: You are so gonna get your wish. 'Interesting' isn't exactly the word I would use to describe the meeting between Sirius and Orion, but I guess you have to take the situation into consideration.

Now the bad news. Unfortunately, that situation is in the sequel to Family Life, which will not be out for a little while. I've only just started working on that story and as you know, I don't start posting until the story is done. Some people have criticized this rule of mine. But look at it this way, once you start reading, you know you'll get the whole story.

I'll give you this, Orion is probably one of the better characters I've created.

O.K.. I'm not saying anything more about the Jolt cola until I go check something out. Mainly if the store is still selling it. I'll keep you posted.

Lin-z: Sorry. No sequel to Fever.

Yes, you will get to meet Orion Black. I just can't say he's terribly happy about it right off.

Unfortunately, Orion does not show up in any story until the sequel to Family Life, presently in production. I am working as quickly as I can, but it will be a while. I'll keep my reviewers posted.

Pottermouth: Unfinished? What more can I do with this? Ohhhh, unless you mean the 'Orion' thing. Then yes, that story line is being continued in the sequel to Family Life, due out later this year.

Ice Queen: Many people, for some reason, like Orion. And I can't for the life of me figure this out. He's only been mentioned, never seen, and only briefly written about. But people love this character. Oh well.

Actually, 'Orion' as the name of Sirius' brother (any brother he's given) just seems to be the norm on this site. So I went with it. But I like your idea. Don't be surprised to see it mentioned in some form in the story.

Rupert Grint or Ronald Weasely, etc.: But they were good theories.

Lotesse: Yes, Orion will be making an appearance. (See above.).

The great enigmatic Orion? I like that.

I can see where chapter thirteen came off a little stilted. It was an add on, as stated in the Authors Notes. But it served as a good introduction for Orion.

Thank you for clearing up OC.

As you saw above, this is not likely to be 'endlessly amusing'. Sorry.

The Unicorn Whisperer: I hope Orion will live up to everyone's expectations. I think I have some rather high ones riding one this character. (Although I simple fail to see why! No one has actually 'met' him. He has yet to actually 'enter' a story, and I haven't written that much about him.)

The best on Fanfiction.net? Ohhhhhh, thank you. Although I must say, I've read a few of yours and I am impressed.

AngelKitty9798: Orion shows up next int eh sequel to Family Life. But that story is currently in production and will not be out for a while.

Katy: Sorry. No sequel.

Gia: Actually, The Bonds That Tie is not related to Fever. They are separate stories. Fever will not be sequeled. But concepts of it will be taken into the sequel to Family Life.

Kiara O. Lawrence: *P.A.R. stands stunned.* I MISSED you?

O.K., not enough space on the web-server to say how sorry I am. But as I stated in the last few author's notes, it was getting confusing doing Q&A and thank yous with two consecutive stories running. Again, very sorry.

Silverfox: Orion meeting Severus. Hmmm. Now there's an interesting thought. And although it isn't written in anything but the outline notes, I can say they do meet, though breifly. And considering each one's occupation (i.e., former auror and former Deatheater) I can't say they'll be sitting down to tea to discuss the good old days.

SEEKER-2000: No, no, dear. No sequel to Fever.

OMAGOSH! You worship bob too? Wow! I haven't met another bob worshiper in AGES!

Wolf Of Solitude: Doesn't count for anything!? Have you lost your little reviewer mind? I live for this stuff right now. Haven't you seen the pattern here yet? I write stories for you guys to read. You write reviews for me to read. It's a mutually beneficial relationship!

Anyway, thank you!

Hayleyhedwig 11: I hope you enjoy The Bonds That Tie.

I would love to tell you the stuff I've written. I would like to take you by the hand and lead you down the book store aisles to them. (More money for me, you understand.). But unfortunately, if who I am were to become public knowledge and my publisher found out what I was doing here........let's just say it wouldn't be pretty, folks. My publisher has 'intellectual property' rights on me. Which means, in short, what I'm doing here is kind of against the rules. And you'd be amazed how upset publishers get when you start giving away for free the stuff they are suppose to be making money on.

Yes, yes, I know I couldn't sell any of these stories. The point is, I'm working on these stories instead of the one I'm suppose to be writing for them right now. Boy, that gets them upset.

Again, sorry if I missed anyone.

Reviews answered as of 01062002.

Oh, Happy New Year!

O.K., posting next week (hopefully). See you nice people then.

P.A.R.