The next day found Sirius fitted with new robes as he insisted on meeting his godson in proper attire not hospital clothes. It was for this reason Remus had asked Harry to borrow Dobby and had sent the elf with Sirius's measurements to get him some new robes and clothing. Harry was looking forward to meeting a man he thought had betrayed his parents but in fact had not at all. Yet he would have to wait as Remus went to see Sirius first before he got new robes to see his godson in. He found Sirius refusing the potions that Severus was trying to get him to take along with Poppy. Sirius sat on his bed arms folded scowling refusing to look at Severus who was not amused at this refusal at all.
"Sirius Black you will take that, you need it, Severus is the best potions master I have ever worked with!" Poppy snapped at Sirius.
"He probably poisoned it." Sirius said sulkily.
"Well as tempting as that would be to him he would not risk Azkaban or the wrath of Minerva." Remus said walking up and taking the vial from Severus who just gave him a death glare, "professor Snape may I speak to Sirius alone please?"
"Of course, you two mutts must have lots to catch up with." Severus said silkily turning and leaving the room in a billow of black robes.
"I do not like that man at all." Sirius said then he turned to Remus, "I am sorry."
"Don't be, I am sorry for thinking you could have done that."
"With my past?" Sirius said, "I don't blame you for thinking that, you do look well."
"Well between tutoring Harry and Neville over the summer and working here life has been good, but knowing you are innocent well that is the best though learning it was Peter…"
"I know, who would have thought sweet kind caring Peter would do that, well guess we never knew Peter at all." Sirius said sadly.
It was only too true, behind the sweet funny and smart friend that they had known in school lurked a monster. They never knew he could betray anyone as he always had been so loyal, in fact he was the one who had come up with becoming Animagmus once they found out about Remus's "furry little problem". He had, along with Remus come up with the marauders map and he had helped both James and Sirius keep up their grades. He was not, as many claimed a useless tagalong as neither James or Sirius would have tolerated him if he was not clever and witty and a loyal friend. Well loyal he had certainly turned out not to be at all.
"So how is Harry, did Petunia treat him well?" Sirius asked "I know that Lily would have wanted him to go to Petunia as she had set up blood wards just in case."
"Not well I am afraid." Remus said looking sad as he took a seat, "she gave him house room, made sure he was fed decent but not much else."
"But Lily trusted her!" Sirius said, "she didn't allow that oaf she married to beat him did she?"
"No, I asked, only his cousin would beat him, when he could catch him." Remus said, "Harry did not want to talk much about living with his relations but it was not a happy time for him. When I found him he was wearing rags."
Remus then told Sirius all Harry had told him about his life with the Dursleys. Though Harry had left out a few things his home life had been grim at the best. It seemed all his relations did for him was make sure he was fed well enough just so he could do all their chores and only allowed Dudley to beat on him, that is if he could catch him. Still Harry was abused, there was no doubt about that as his relations called him a freak and waste of space. Sirius was in tears when Remus finished and Remus held his friend as he sobbed.
"He deserved better!" Sirius sobbed, "if I had not run after Peter and taken Harry he never would have been raised that way!"
"You did what you felt was right at the time, how were you to know the ministry was so evil to lock you up without a trial?" Remus said soothing his friend, "we all thought Petunia was better than what she turned out to be, a monster."
"Harry will hate me, he has every right to." Sirius sobbed.
"No, he will not hate you, in fact I am sure he will love you and love living with you," Remus said, "he took to me right away even knowing what I am."
"Well there is hope then, tell me is he more like James or Lily?" Sirius asked eagerly.
Remus spent the next while telling all he had learned about Harry. How he was kind and giving but he could stand his ground when needed. He had good friends with Hermione Granger a muggleborn, Neville Longbottom born only a day apart from him, Luna Lovegood a strange but sweet young lady, Ginny Weasley, Fred and George Weasley and Ron Weasley. His best friend out of all of them was Hermione then Neville. Harry even managed to annoy Severus Snape by being very nice to the old greasy git as Sirius called him. He settled in and waited for classes to be over so he could see his godson for the first time in many, many years.
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Harry finished his potion perfectly and in record time as he did not want to linger in Snape's classroom. Finally he finished and carefully bottled his potion, labeled it and took it to Snape's desk. He put it on the man's desk and went back to clean up his work station and put away his cauldron and potions ingredients. Finally he was going to meet his godfather Sirius Black, he knew that Remus Lupin was his other though the ministry would not recognize it as he was classed as a dark creature. Harry got up to head to the hospital wing Ron starting to tag along, yet Hermione grabbed him and held him back.
"No Ron this is Harry's time, he needs to meet him alone." Hermione said, she had gained a lot of confidence over the summer and with good friends in Neville, Harry Ginny and Luna she was more than willing to go toe-to-toe with Ron, not that she had not been before, it was just more so now. "You can see him later."
"But Hermione…" Ron started to say.
"No, Hermione is right." Neville said backing up Hermione, "besides do you really want to upset her?"
"Er no, no Harry we will see you later." Ron said remembering how Hermione had snapped just last week and hexed him nearly into the future. "Let us know how it goes mate."
"Yea I will." Harry said brightly.
He headed to the hospital wing nervously trying to flatten his hair but knew it was a lost cause. He smoothed down his robes and entered the hospital wing and was led to the private rooms where the staff was normally healed up. Here he saw a tall strongly built man clad in dark maroon robes trimmed with navy blue and with navy leather covered buttons down the front. His dark nearly black hair was sleek and hung to his shoulders and his goatee was trimmed neatly. His gray eyes lit up as he took in Harry and he rose towering over Harry and walked over to him and gently took him into a hug. Then he held Harry at arm's length and got a good look at his green eyed messy raven haired godson.
"Well Moony he has James hair and eyesight but he really does for all that look more like Lily." Sirius said.
"Everyone says I look like my dad." Harry said, "all but for my eyes."
"You have more than your mother's eyes Harry." Remus said, "you have her nose and facial structure and I think you will be built more along the Evans line than Potter, you are more built than your father was at your age and I don't think it was all due to how you were raised."
"Well at least I got in good shape." Harry shrugged, "I am really fast too, once I turned seven no-one could catch me."
"I love you Harry, you were the reason I stayed sane in Azkaban." Sirius said getting Harry to look up at him wide-eyed.
"You mean that?" Harry said tears in his eyes, "you really mean that?"
"With all my heart Harry." Sirius said, "you mean the world to me and I am sorry for not doing my duty and staying with you."
"You wanted to get Peter, I understand." Harry said, "it's not your fault."
" I want you to live with me, if you want to." Sirius said.
Sirius was rewarded by a young teen throwing himself into his arms. Harry hugged him and sobbed like he had never sobbed ever. He sobbed first in grief for all he had not had for years, love and kindness from his own family then he sobbed in joy as he realized he was loved and wanted. Sirius held Harry and he was crying too. Harry felt himself enveloped in a hug by Remus as well and all three were crying from the pain of loss and the joy of finding each other. Finally after a time all three broke apart and Remus conjured up handkerchiefs and handed them out.
"I don't normally get that emotional." Sirius said, "promise not to tell?"
"That you are a sweet caring man?" Remus said, "no-one would believe me."
"Oi Moony!" Sirius said indignantly then he turned to Harry, "would you excuse me while I turn Remus into a rug?"
Harry grinned but sided with Remus getting Sirius to pout. Remus laughed as he had not in years, his friend was free and safe and he was going to be there to raise Harry! Life was looking up for and it seemed Fate knew what she was doing sending him back. Remus smiled as he watched Sirius and Harry get to know each other.
Far below the three wizards Severus was putting up the finishing touches on wards around his dungeons. He had made sure that Sirius could not get down here and the wards would bounce him out. He could not harm the mutt but at least in part of this castle he would have peace and quiet. He smiled evilly as he plotted on a way to annoy and get Sirius back for certain instances in their school years. Oh yes he was going to have a lot of fun now. He was prepared for one annoying mutt to try and prank him and looked forward when he tried.
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So there we have Sirius and Harry together finally. About Vernon, people change and he was a right bastard in how he allowed Harry to be treated. He could have and should have stood up to Petunia but did not do enough. Yes there will be pranks between Sirius and Severus and poor Remus will be caught in the middle trying to keep them from killing each other. Popcorn anyone?