Chapter 3
Another short chapter because apparently I'm incapable of writing decent length ones. Anyways, here you go. Decided I needed to post it.
The case is closed within two days. They had Harry living in a cupboard. A fucking cupboard. As soon as they saw that, and the condition Harry was left in he was in the hands of CPS.
Sirius watched as Petunia and Vernon were carried into a cop car, Dudley even taken to juvenile detention. He had apparently left the marks on Harry, and Harry got punished for it. That’s where he found the albums. His punishment was cleaning out the attic, and he found a hidden box in the corner.
Thank God he did. Those fucking Dursley’s.
Sirius blew a kiss as Vernon was shoved into the back of the car. Vernon snarled, turning his attention to his wailing wife and son. Sirius didn’t stay long after that. He had a few other calls to make.
…
Harry was on the way to the Lupin house within a week. Remus was thoroughly impressed, not quite sure how Sirius made it happen. To be honest, Sirius wasn’t entirely sure either but it didn’t matter. Harry was coming. Harry was going to be safe with him. That’s all that mattered.
They’re eating lunch when a knock on the door makes Effie squeal in excitement.
“Baby Harry!” She screams, running for the door. Remus gets up in a flash, swooping her up right before she can reach the door.
“Not so fast,” Remus says.
“Put me down, Moony! I want to see him!”
“You have to give him time to adjust, Effie,” Sirius says gently.
Effie pouts in Remus’s arms. “But- but I-”
“I know, love. Just give him some time first, alright?”
Effie grunts in defeat and lets Remus gently put her down, making her way back to the table hand in hand with him as Sirius takes a deep breath and opens the door.
Harry stands in front of him once again. Just like that night. His eye looks better, so does his lip. It’s a bit scabbed up still, definitely going to leave a small scar, but at least it’s no longer bleeding.
An old woman stands beside him, eyes narrowed like a cat’s as she stares at Sirius.
“Sirius Black?” She asks.
“In the flesh,” Sirius replies. He puts on his most charming smile.
He doesn’t believe she’s convinced.
It doesn’t matter though. Harry is standing in front of him and will be living with him. He’s finally able to make it right. He’s able to save Harry, like his father saved Sirius so many years ago. Able to pay him back. Able to give Harry the life he needs. The life he deserves.
Sirius lets his mind think only that as they run through the process.
Suddenly, the door is closed and Harry is by himself, standing in the kitchen awkwardly as Sirius takes him in. Suddenly, Harry Potter is living with Sirius Black. Suddenly, Sirius is whisked away to the past and he’s 16, standing in the Potter’s house with a healing rib and bruises all over his body as Effie Potter makes him feel at home.
History repeats itself in so many ways.
The second way starts with Effie Jay Lupin.
“Harry, Harry!” she says excitedly. “They said give you a minute and it’s been tons of minutes so you have to come see my room!” And with that, Harry is whisked away to Effie’s room, a died out protest being swallowed back down by Sirius.
Remus takes a deep breath from the table and stands up. “God, I need a cigarette,” he says.
Sirius just nods along with him.
They sit on their nook, window open, passing a cigarette back and forth. They’re on their last five and need to conserve them for the upcoming week while they get Harry settled in.
(They’ll probably be gone tonight. Shhh, it’s fine.)
“You’re already thinking about adopting him, aren’t you?” Remus asks, breaking the silence.
Sirius can hear Harry speaking, though its very muffled. Effie is loud as can be.
“Obviously,” Sirius replies, as if he was stupid to even ask.
Remus smiles a bit and shakes his head.
“What?” Sirius goes to defend himself but before he can Remus has him enveloped into his arms, pressing a kiss to his lips that has Sirius sighing into his mouth.
When he pulls away he just says, “I love you, you know that?”
Sirius’s entire face is red, as it usually is when Remus decides to catch him off guard like this. “Obviously,” he repeats, which earns a chuckle and another kiss from Remus. Sirius melts into him completely.
“You should probably go save the boy,” Remus whispers against Sirius’ lips.
“Uh-huh,” Sirius mutters, going in for another.
“Sirius,” Remus warns.
Sirius sighs and throws his head back. “You can’t just cut me off like that!”
“I can do whatever I damn well please,” Remus counters.
Fair enough, Sirius guesses.
“Now go check on the boy.”
Sirius gives Remus one last peck before standing up and quickly walking to Effie’s room. He can hear Remus chuckling as he walks away and smiles to himself. God, he loves that man.
When he gets into Effie’s room, she’s got Harry standing in the middle of it, bookbag still on, holding tons of her toys in his arms.
“And this one is Mare, after my best friend Mary. And this one is Harriet, Marlene named that one. And this one is Panda, because of Pandora. You don’t them yet, but you will. Oh! And Dorky! Dorcas got me that one and so I had to name it after her, obviously. It looks just like her too see!” She shoves one of her dolls in his face as he nods along.
“Alright Effie. Time to let Harry rest,” Sirius says from the doorway.
Effie looks over at him. Immediately the pout is back. “But we haven’t even played for real.”
Sirius raises an eyebrow at her and she sighs. “Fine. But you’ll play with me tomorrow, right Harry?”
Harry gives her a small smile. “Definitely.”
Effie’s pout disappears and her eyes glimmer as she grins.
“Come on, I’ll show you to your room,” Sirius says.
Harry follows him down the hall to the extra guest room they have for special occasions when friends stay over. He won’t be staying in the temporary room. This is his forever home, if Sirius has to die to make it happen.
Harry stands awkwardly once again, as if he’s not sure what to do with himself. He stares at the full bed, stares at the four walls, at the dresser.
“It’s not much, but you can decorate it however you like. We can go shopping tomorrow, or whenever you’d like really, no rush,” Sirius quickly stammers out.
“No it’s-” Harry starts, then stops. He takes a deep breath. “It’s great. Thank you.” He doesn’t look at Sirius when he says it, but he can see the flushed cheeks and the nervous eyes. Sirius smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He’s so angry at the Dursley’s for making Harry so nervous around adults. He might snap their fucking necks if he ever sees them.
“Alright well… you unpack. Dinner will be ready later, but I can bring it to you up here if you’d like,” Sirius suggests.
“Um, I’d like to eat dinner with you guys. If that’s… okay,” Harry says, his voice dying down to a whisper as he continues his sentence.
Sirius can’t help but blink in surprise. No kids ever wanted to be out and about the first day here. Not even the young ones. “Of course it’s okay. We’d love to have you.”
Harry nods. He grabs his backpack and quietly begins to unpack his small amount of clothes into his new dresser. Oh yes, Sirius will definitely be changing that. That boy will have a damn walk in closet if he can help it.
“See you then,” Sirius says.
Harry nods once again and Sirius closes the door, sighing against it before he makes his way to secretly snag another cigarette.