Chapter 1
October 31, 1981
Avada Kedavra!
Those were the words that tormented Sirius Black's mind. Screams and sobs were not what really made him nervous, not even the wailing of Harry, his godson. He knew he had a responsibility and he couldn't even put it aside like it didn't matter.
"Is there someone who can help us?!", he yelled as he crossed the long white corridor with quirky decorations, it was Halloween after all.
The healers rushed towards him curiously and quickly. Some muggle or half-blood wizards had the idea of decorating to keep peace for the war that was going on, but the wizards and witches were no longer scared as they had been before. The news had spread rapidly throughout the world. magical, even outside of it, word spread that the dark lord's reign of terror had finished, everyone must be celebrating, everyone must be happy, except Sirius.
It had all been his fault.
Healers sprinted down the stairs, patients celebrating with their loved ones looked at them with great curiosity and concern, others simply ignored what was happening. Many were there because they had been victims of magical battles. He followed the healers not caring if anyone got in the way, Harry's tears made his hair stand on end. Lupin was a few steps behind him. They had finally arrived, the healers entered a special room, demanding the patients and cadres to keep silent. Sirius approached the door, it was closed immediately. The sounds of despair and confusion from those inside tormented even more. He knocked on the door with great force, despair invaded him from again, he couldn't walk away, he wanted to make sure the healers did their job. Was completely blinded by the anguish he felt. He kicked the door suddenly.
"Let me in!" His breathing was agitated.
"Sirius!" The voice of his friend was not enough to calm him down.
"I have to go in!" He took the wand out of his pants and pointed decisively at the door. The treatment of remembering that spell, but the pressure from Harry's cries, the laughter of the patients. Happy and room noises blocked out.
"Sirius!" Remus stepped in, sticking to the door that Black was willing to blow. "Don't do this, calm down! They're going to solve it."
Remus Lupin was one of Sirius Black's best friends, he was a half-breed wizard who suffered from lycanthropy, he had scars all over his body, especially on his face, but that was not an impediment for him to be attractive and intelligent.
"You don't understand, get out of the way!" Sirius took a deep breath and jumped at the sound of a big sob from Harry. "I have to make sure everything is okay!"
"We can't go in there!" Remus yelled, some patients had come out of the hallways to listen to that conversation. Some portraits were invaded by others to listen carefully. "We have to wait."
The Black heir's eyes clouded over, the pain he tried to hold back spilling over into him very intensely, he couldn't afford to feel, not until he entered that room. The sound of glass breaking prompted him to blow out that door.
"Remus, I'm going in."
His friend studied him with his eyes, he knew that nothing would prevent Sirius from entering. But at those heights, it didn't matter. The doors were recreated, they could be replaced, but life no.
"Fine, but give me Harry."
Upon hearing that name, the patients and portraits fell silent. He attached Harry to his chest, suspiciously looked at the lycanthrope who was in front of him, as he had done a few months back. But everything had changed Remus Lupin had not been the traitor, Peter Pettigrew was. Black felt an enormous hatred towards the one who had been part of his best friends... and to himself. The baby he held in his arms was sobbing again and the emotions he felt. They didn't help at all, even if he tried to hide it. He took a deep breath to calm down. He wouldn't let go of his godson so easily, he sweetened his voice as much as he could.
"Harry, take it easy. All it's going to be ok." Harry had a peculiar scar on his forehead, a lightning bolt to be specific. But it wasn't just any scar, it was a mark that would define the magical world, it wasn't just a child.
"Harry Potter?!" Exclaimed an old wizard from a portrait.
Both Sirius and Remus Looked around suspiciously, some witches and wizards of the portraits left their respective places and others stayed to better observe the kid. The patients approached with great curiosity, some even shed tears. Harry cried again.
"Our savior!"
"Let me see our hero!"
"How did you survive?!"
"The dark lord is dead!"
Black pointed his wand at the patients, Lupin had drawn it too, so everyone who they wanted to see the child, they backed away in great fear. But that fear was even greater when a very tall man made his way between them, behind him a magician holding his wand very firmly.
"Where is Mr.Black?" The tall bearded man asked, sweating on his head.
"Harry is going to stay with me." Sirius had now pointed his wand at the giant. "I'm not going to let you take it Hagrid."
"Change of plans Black. Dumbledore sent me to help." Hagrid responded by breathing with great force. "When I came here, I met your brother. He said that he is fine but he is not. A Death Eater surprised him."
"I'm fine Hagrid." Regulus replied, touching his arm, from which his clothes were stained with blood.
"Not true, let me see." Remus moved closer to get a better look at the wound.
Regulus and Remus had grown close because of Sirius. Both had become magicians who did not trust him thanks to the war, but that had dissolved into that night. That Halloween night.
“You need a healer." Remus stared at him.
"It's not true, I'm fine." Regulus frowned.
Sirius cast a spell on his brother, causing him to float across the floor towards the hallway where it corresponded. He didn't want anything to happen to any more of her family members. He was completely terrified. Regulus ordered him to put it down, though he knew he wouldn't. Remus went after the younger Black. Suddenly the door opened, Black quickly turned and tried to pass, but the healer at the door prevented him. The man had a slight frown on his face. He tried again without success.
"What happened?" He did not like that at all, over his shoulder he heard a sound which alarmed him.
"By Melin, what's going on there?" Hagrid moved close enough to look.
The healer was a bit intimidated by the large size. Some patients approached curiously.
“Only relatives can listen to this information." The healer looked steadily at him. “The healer will speak to them only."
"I am the guardian of their son, I have the right to know what is happening." Sirius answered from the same way the magician had done it. He widened his eyes in surprise and looked at the baby who had stopped crying and was now sleeping in his godfather's arm.
"Come in Black, I'll take care of Harry." Hagrid spoke in a high tone.
Sirius did not hesitate to hand Harry over to him, he was part of the Order of the Phoenix after all and he trusted him. He looked up at him as Hagrid settled him in his arms.
"It's my right as godfather to stay with Harry, if Dumbledore thinks I'm going to leave him, he is very wrong." He spoke with a lot of pronunciation, when he saw the other he nodded, he turned to the healer.
The healer let him in, stepping back and heard the door slowly close. The room was very large, the patients who were there were quietly in their beds, and seemed asleep. The only light that was on illuminated the last stretcher, which was covered by large silver curtains, his heart pounded with great force. A blonde woman was walking towards them, she was wearing a white coat and a device around her neck that made Sirius step back, his concern growing. And just seeing the sleeping patients without making any movement disturbed him. He needed answers, to know what there was behind those curtains so that the healers who came out of there looked at him.
"What is happening?" He asked strongly, without getting an answer from anyone, he went back to ask desperately.
"Are you familiar?" The witch stopped a few steps from him.
"What's wrong? Why are you acting like you've…?" He choked in his own voice, he couldn't pass that. He had arrived on time… “Can someone tell me what's going on?!”
"Calm down please. It is difficult to explain." Answered the witch with a bit of quiet, he looked sad.
"Say it once!" Sirius tried to hold back his tears, softly changing his tone from voice, I was in despair. "Please tell me not to be late.”
“Come with me. I will explain, I ask for peace of mind." The healer said softly, like if that could comfort him somehow.Black took a deep breath and walked over to her. "What's your name?" she asked.
"Sirius Black," he replied. I am the godfather of the son of…"
“I know, news travels fast around here.” She interrupted. "I'm the healer Violet Fanning. If you have any doubts about what I'm going to tell you, let me know.”
Sirius nodded, his eyes fixed on her. The silver curtains at the back of the room.
"Well, I have to tell you that no one has survived the unforgivable curses, we have lost wizards and witches, especially now in this magical war that has ended. It was believed for centuries that no one could survive these hexes; however, that has changed now that we have proof that it is possible.” Fanning continues.
They passed by the bed where a couple were embracing. They were the most recent patients, Longbottom couple. They looked terribly bad, they had a son, Neville Longbottom, which was in the hands of his grandmother.
“Harry is not going to be part of any experiment.” Sirius took a deep breath, he wanted that the healer was direct. "Please just tell me…”
“Lily Evans is dead."
Sirius nearly tripped over his own feet, that couldn't happen. Lily Evans was the most stronger woman than he had known before. No, she was lying. It was a bad joke. His redheaded friend could not die.
“We tried everything in our power. Believe me, Mr. Black, we tried to save her. Her sacrifice will not have been in vain, she will be remembered forever, her act of love was the most bravest we have seen in a long time.”
"What about James?"
Sirius looked into Violet's eyes, they hurt. He was going to collapse in tears. Seeing that she was looking at the ground, he didn't hesitate to walk straight towards the curtains. Black ignored the calls for attention from the healer, as well as those who were surrounding the mysterious stretcher.
"Mr. Black, please. Let's talk.”
The witch pleaded without screaming, she ordered the healers who threatened to arrest Black that they would leave him. Leaning out, he heard nothing but the sound of a strange square machine that was next to him on the stretcher; there were hundreds of cables attached to the body. He no longer had on the clothes with which was founded, now he was wearing a long white nightgown, just like the ones the St Mungo's patients. Next to that table surrounded by square devices was Lily,she also wore the same outfit as her husband; however, her lifeless green eyes were open, looking at him.
"Prongs?" Sirius walked over to the gurney, clutching his wand. His heart sank, tears came out of his eyes. He knelt down to get a better look at it. “Prongs, wake up.”
The sound of the machine was the only thing that could be heard. James had his eyes closed, his glasses had been removed. He placed his wand on the table, near where the hand of the dark. The feeling of guilt spread through his entire being like poison. He gently stroked his hand, hoping he would wake up, that it had been a bad joke, that they were still alive.
"Mr. Potter was lucky, it's a miracle he survived the Unforgivable Curse. We used the potion to heal internal wounds, which had a good effect, his organs' internals are in good condition.” The witch came closer, although she knew that this information would not suffice for the visitor. “In short, he's fine.”
"Then why didn't he wake up?!" He looked at her with bloodshot eyes, his breathing became agitated, he even thought he was going to drown.
“The dose did not completely affect his brain, its main function was severely affected. In order for Mr. Potter to come back to us, we will have to get the ingredients necessary for complete healing. That is why we have "connected" it to this muggle machine that lets us know the beat of your heart. He is alive, but in a coma, as muggle science says.”
“Coma?!” His body trembled. “If he was alive, why didn't he wake up?”
“Because he's asleep, we don't know how long he'll be able to wake up. He won't wake up in time, not until we constantly apply the potion to him. The good news Mr Black, is that he will live. It will be a great discovery for magical health.” Violet smiled slightly. “When he wakes up he won't remember anything, he'll be like someone new. It 's good news.”
“And what's good about that?!, won't he remember who he is?, won't he know that he has a son?”
“I'm afraid not, Mr. Black, when he wakes up he will immediately enter therapy and observation. We will do our best to make a full recovery.”
Sirius looked at James with teary eyes, he was dead in life. And it had all been his fault. His fucking fault if he hadn't persuaded them to appoint Peter as his secret keeper, none of that was happening. His eyes drifted to Lily's green eyes.
"We couldn't save her, her soul had already left her body before she came. Violet commented with sadness to the healer.
"Could you close your eyes?" He turned his gaze away. "She can't see him like that."
He would never forgive him, James would live a world without Lily Evans. Two healers who were nearby took out their wands to attract a gray sheet, which covered the body of the redhead, except her beautiful pale face. One of them approached and carefully closed his green eyes, Harry's color eyes. He tightened his grip on his friend's hand, he could feel his pulse. A few tears fell on his stretcher, he quickly cleaned himself with his usual jacket dark. He approached the dark-haired man and pressed his forehead against his, still hoping that in. That moment he opened them, so he could see his deep brown eyes again.
“I'm going to find those Prongs ingredients. I promise."
The brush of his nose with James's, gave him a chill. He looked at his lips for a few seconds and again at his eyelids. He softened. His voice with a smile. "Although you can finish this joke now, you already made me cry."
He moved away from him slowly and released his hand as if it were something delicate, he took his wand.Violet's eyes hurt as she saw him. Sirius wouldn't break again, he still wouldn't allow himself to show weakness as he had in his childhood. Besides, he had too many things to do and between for revenge, he considered leaving the room ready to put curses on the one who did not get in the way until he got to Peter, because he would find him. Of course. However, before it started, Dumbledore had hurried in along with the professor Minerva.
"Don't move Black." The teacher did not lose that authoritarian tone. "Explain to us what happened, Fanning."
The healer explained in more detail what had happened, Dumbledore was staring at James, as if trying to get into his mind.
"I see," Answered the old magician, taking a hand to his silver beard. "I'm impressed by your techniques, Miss Fanning and team."
Violet blushed slightly. Not everyone could be flattered by such a wizard, but not Sirius. He didn't care about that.
"Where will we get those ingredients, Albus?" The teacher looked with eyes worrisome to the magician.
"We have the necessary ingredients for the potion, except for a few things like dragon scales...by policy we can't have them unless the ministry give us authorization." Violet replied.
"I am in charge of that." Sirius said sharply, Dumbledore's blue eyes looking up at him. Slowly.
"Of course not Black, we'll send someone else." Minerva looked at him very concern, he knew what his former student was capable of. And now that he was vulnerable and hurt, it would make things worse. "You have to take care of Harry, you are his godfather."
“Professor Minerva is right, Black. You are Harry's godfather, your job is to take care of him until Potter wakes up again." Added Dumbledore quietly. "I will see that those dragon scales reach St. Mungo's."
"But…!" Sirius wanted to do something else, he couldn't stay like this.
"You did more than enough to bring the Potters here, Sirius. I know it's hard for you not to do more for them. Let me handle it, please." Dumbledore approached him with wide eyes compassionate. "The order of the Phoenix will take care of it."
"But…I am part of the Order of the Phoenix, please, Dumbledore, give me another task. I can't leave James like this, he trusted me." His voice cracked again. Minerva looked at him with sadness.
"I trust you Pads," was the last thing James had said to him.
Albus placed his hand on the other's shoulder, he looked into his eyes showing all the pain that he felt through them. "And still does, Sirius. Go find your brother and Remus, I need to tell them what to do. Tell Hagrid to find the other members of the Order. After that you will take Harry and go to your old house."
Sirius nodded quickly trying to calm his despair.
"I'll send an owl over to tell you what to do next. Got it, now Harry needs his godfather."
Dumbledore said that before Black walked away without looking at James, at a fast pace he ran between the stretchers without waking the patients. But that didn't matter. He only had one thing on his mind, a word, an action, a temptation.
Revenge.