Episode 13
Sirius
Flashback
Toys were scattered across the room. Sirius sat on the floor with a smile on his face. These times were his becoming his favorite. Life has gotten better over the past 12 months and he knows why. One little boy changed it all.
“Come here, Prongslet.” Sirius called out with a laugh, his eyes twinkling. Harry toddled over with a giggle. His emerald eyes sparkled with delight. Sirius scooped him up and sat him on his knee. Carefully he placed a pair of sunglasses on the boy’s small face. The glasses were far too big. Sliding down Harry’s nose, making him look even cuter.
“There ya go Prongslet,” Sirius said, fixing the glasses. “Now you are looking just like your old Padfoot. But we’re not done yet.” He reached for a pair of his own black boots and slipped them onto Harry's tiny feet. Harry kicked them happily enjoying the game.
“See Harry? One day, I’ll teach you everything I know,” Sirius promised. “You will be the best rider, no one will be able to mess with you. We’ll have all sorts of adventures, just you and me.”
Harry beamed up at him, his innocent face glowed.
Lily stood in the doorway and watched the scene. “Sirius Black,” she said with her hands on her hips, “You will not teach him everything you know. Harry is going to be a good boy, not a troublemaker like you.”
Sirius pressed a hand frantically to his check. “Lily, you wound me! I am a good influence for Harry. Most of the time when I get into trouble. It is James’ fault. Your husband is a bad influence.
James entered the room. He chuckled at the sight of Harry in sunglasses and oversized boots. “What’s going on here?”
“Sirius was just telling Harry he was going to teach him everything he knows.” James threw an arm around her shoulder. Sirius watched them. There was a pang of jealousy. Of course, he had Remus….but Remus wasn’t him…
“Just teaching him the Marauder ways. Someone’s got to carry on the tradition.” Lily rolled her eyes. She leaned over and picked up the camera that was sitting on the counter.
“Alright, you two Marauders. Look right here.”
Little did he know, it would have been one of the last. Sirius still has that photo in his wallet.
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Harry
Boy lay on the thin, lumpy mattress. It was filled with dust and the smell of cleaning products.
A loud pounding on the cupboard door woke Harry. Aunt Petunia’s voice shrilled through the door.
“Up Boy! It’s time to make breakfast! We have a busy day ahead, and you can't be lazing about!”
Boy rubbed his eyes and sat up. He climbed out of his cupboard, pushing the door open to find Aunt Petunia standing there with her arms crossed.
‘Get a move on,” she snapped, as he walked toward the kitchen.
Boy followed quietly, his small feet padded softly on the floor. This was the normal routine. As he entered the kitchen, he saw Dudley sitting at the table. Waiting for his breakfast as always. Uncle Vernon had his newspaper.
“Get to it, boy!” Petunia hissed. Boy scooted the stool he used to reach the counter. His little hands carefully cracked the eggs into a bowl and whisked them. Soon the sizzling sound of bacon filled the air. Coffee is brewed.
Petunia watched his every move. “Don’t burn the bacon. You will not waste good food!”
Boy nodded. His small fingers shook as he pulled the bacon from the hot popping grease. With each pop, it burned him. In no time the breakfast was ready.
With a deep breath. Boy carefully balanced a tray load with plates of scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and toast. It was hard with his bright red cast. As he walked towards the table, Dudley smirked and stuck out his foot. Time seemed to slow as Boy stumbled forward, and the tray crashed to the floor. Plates shattered and food was scattered across the kitchen.
A piece of glass went through his hand as he pushed himself up. He knew he was in trouble.
Uncle Vernon lowered his newspaper and stared at the mess. His face turned his normal purple. “What is the meaning of this?” he roared.
“I.. it was an assiden!” Boy stammered, his eyes wide with fear.
“Accident?” Vernon raised from his chair. “Clumsy, useless boy!” A big hand slapped across his head. “Can’t even carry a simple tray without making a mess! You wasted perfectly good food!” Vernond wrapped his meaty hands around Boy’s arm and jerked him up. The same arm he brokeded. More ouchies he thought to himself.
“Now we’ll be late, thanks to you! Clean this up immediately. No breakfast for you!” Petunia yelled.
Dudley smirked from his seat. Boy fought back tears as he bent down to pick up the broken pieces. His little fingers were being cut as he did.
“As he worked he heard his aunt and uncle chatting. “We’ll be leaving in an hour. Stupid boy always messing up our plans!” They were going on vacation without him. He never was allowed to go on vacation with them.
Boy finished cleaning the kitchen. After pouring everyone a bowl of cereal. Boy went to his next list of chores.
Harry watched from the corner unnoticed as his family got ready to leave. Petunia turned to Boy with a sneer.
“Come on boy. We’re dropping you off at Mrs. Figg’s” She stated curtly. Boy wished someone would come to save him.
He really should been more careful about what he wished for.
End of Flashback
Sirius
Sirius opened his eyes and saw Harry sitting next to the hospital bed at the clinic. The room was dim. He thought Harry would have looked more like James. He was glad that he didn’t, James wasn’t who he thought he was.
“Hi..” Harry crossed his legs, his voice tinged with wariness. “How are you feeling? Your vitals are looking good. Do you need medication?”
Sirius felt a swell of pride. Harry made something of himself, he was a nurse! Better than what most of the m had managed.
“I feel like my ex tried to murder me. Besides that, I’m good.” Sirus chuckled a sharp pain shot through his ribs. “You… you grew up.”
Harry picked at his scrubs, he naked his emotions well. “Yeah, They say you are my godfather. The one that has been locked up since I was a baby.”
“Yep, that’s me. I hear you are my baby brother’s. Which I don’t know how to feel about that.” The news about Regie and Harry had caught him off guard. Though as long as they were happy it didn’t matter.
Harry‘s expression hardened. “I don’t think it is any of your business who I belong to or not. How can we trust you? How can I trust you? Did he send you? Is this just some elaborate plan? I will never go back And then there is Reggie. You won’t hurt him, Sirius. I will make you regret it. I’ve been through the training. I know how to take a life and save it. Dumbledore made sure of it!” The way Harry growled out Dumbledore’s name. It was clear there was no love lost there. It made Sirius’s blood boil.
“Before you say anything think long and hard. I don’t want to hurt you because Reggie loves you.”
Sirius tried to sit up, but the pain made him wince. Harry rolled his eyes and helped him. “Dumbledore let me rot in jail. I got out, no thanks to him. I was a hothead but a loyal follower up until I was arrested. Then he sent my ex to kill me. I will never….I mean never….take you back there. I don’t know how they treated you, but I hope you tell me one day before I kill him. With Reggie, I would never hurt my brother.”
“Oh like you never hurt him before! You left him, Sirius. You abandoned him!”
Harry
This fucking guy. What the hell is wrong with him?
“I left him with a family who would take care of him. That would love him. I had my reasons for leaving him. Now I know it wasn’t the right reason. I made a mistake. If you know me, Harry. You would know I wouldn’t admit my mistakes. I’m glad you have my temper.” Sirius smirked, Harry could see the pain in his eyes. Fuck that. He had left so many people. Jail had taken him from Harry. Would his life have been any different?
“You made a big mistake. It seems you do a lot. When you went to jail, I was sent to live with my ‘loving family’” Harry’s voice dripped with sarcasm. Was he really going to tell this man everything? Yes, he was fuck it. “They lovingly abused me. Used me as their personal chef, gardener, and housekeeper. Then Dumbledore ‘rescued’ me. I was abused, trained at least I got a degree out of it. I kept you alive. Well, along with Sev.” Harry watched as a scowl grew on Sirius’s face.
“No, you don’t get to be angry.”
“If I was there, nothing would have….”
Harry stood up. The chair clattered to the floor. “But you weren't there! You were in jail. I needed you!” His voice cracked with emotion. He can’t get emotional!
Sirius slammed his fist down on the bed. “ I KNOW! Okay, I know! I’m sorry! I’m a fuck-up. I probably would have fucked up if I raised you, Prongslet.”
Harry shook his head. “Anything would be better than how I was raised!” Harry took a deep breath. This man meant a lot to Reggie.
“It doesn’t matter now. I’m grown, and Reggie has his family. I actually feel like I have my own. Lucius and Severus have practically adopted me.” It was a low blow, and Harry knew it. He had heard Severus and Sirius didn’t like each other.
“Snivellus is nothing to you.” Sirius sneered. Oh, he could feel the bitterness pour off him.
Harry chuckled humorlessly. “He means more to me than you do right now. I don’t know what you thought was going to happen, Sirius. That I would open my arms to you? That I would cry and throw myself into your arms. Maybe my five-year-old self would have done that. I’m too old for that now.”
“Harry..” Sirius looked at him with pity, he hated it.
“Nope, you don’t get to pity me. Reggies are important to both of us. I’ll be civil and try to have a relationship with you. That is until Reggie gets bored with me or Dumbledore comes to kill me. Then I’ll either leave or die, and we don’t have to do whatever this is.” Harry picked up the small paper cup and handed it to Sirius. “You probably need these. Reggies said he would come see you later.”
Sirius took the cup, staring at the pills for a moment before swallowing them dry. “Harry, I know I’ve messed up more times than I can count. But if you give me a chance, I want to make things right. Not just for Reggie, but for you too. I owe you that much.”
Harry sighed, the weight of years of pain and betrayal heavy on his shoulders. “Maybe. But trust is earned, Sirius. And right now, you’ve got a long way to go.”
“Fair enough. I’ll start earning it. For both of our sakes.”
Harry gave a nod, turning to leave. “Rest up. You’ll need your strength. And Sirius… don’t let Reggie down again.”
Harry stepped out of the room. Severus walked out of his office at the same time. Harry’s heart clenched and tears burned his eyes. He couldn’t afford to break down at this moment. Not when everything felt like everything was getting better.
He sucked in a shaky breath as Severus, his usually stern features softened. He reached out and pulled him into a tight embrace. Harry tensed instinctively, self-preservation kicking in. The warmth of Severus’s arms was comforting. With a shaky exhale. Harry allowed himself to cry, his walls crumbling along with him.
“I’ve got you, Harry. It’s okay,” Severus murmured, his voice steady. It was a beacon through the storm. He buried his face into Severus’s chest, the fabric rough against his tear-streaked cheeks.
It was the first time anyone had offered him this kind of parental embrace. A part of him yearned for it. The comfort he’d been denied for so long. But another part questions whether he even deserved it. Whether it was too late for him to accept such kindness. Too late for this kind of support.