Raising Harry

Chapter One: Beginning of the End

~November 1, 1981~

Lily and James potter died yesterday, murdered by Voldemort himself. Remus had been with the werewolves collecting information for the Order of the Phoenix on the thirty-first of October. Remus returned to the flat Sirius and him shared that first November morning. He entered upon Sirius sitting up on the couch with tear stained cheeks. Remus ran to Sirius and knelt down beside him. "Sirius, what happened?" Sirius broke into a sob. Through his cries, Remus could hear "They're gone, Remus they're gone." 

Remus' arms froze and the whole room was spinning, it couldn't be. They were so careful. Dumbledore put up protection wards and Peter was the only one who knew the location of their safe-house. The war was seeming more and more impossible to win. 

"Dumbledore has a meeting for the Order. I bet it's to decide what to do with Harry. I'm going to fight to have Harry stay with us." Sirius looked to Remus, "You can't stop me. I'm not going to have him live with his terrible Aunt and Uncle." Remus took hold of Sirius' hand. "I'm on your side. He's Lily and James' son." 

Remus and Sirius walk into the Order meeting hand in hand. Dumbledore is sorting through papers at the head of the table. Arthur Weasley and Mad-eye talk in low whispers on the other side of the room. "Where is everyone else?" Sirius asks to no one in particular. "They are all in their safe houses. I feel it is not safe for too many of us to meet all at once. Though this matter we are to discuss does not include anyone but the people in this room." Remus and Sirius take a seat across from where Arthur and Alastor begin to sit. 

Dumbledore clears his throat, "We are here to decide where Harry should go. The options are the Dursleys, his direct family, the Weasley's, Alastor Moody, or Remus and Sirius. I feel he should be with his direct family, but I know many of us have a strong opinion and I am in no place to make this decision alone." Sirius stands up from his seat, "Remus and I can take care of him. I am his Godfather, he is my best friends son, and I would protect him with my life." 

"I am willing to protect Harry with my life as well. Harry should be with us." Remus adds. 

"I do not doubt that you wouldn't be able to protect the boy, but he should be with his family. Wether they're muggle or not. Give the boy a normal life." Mad-eye rebukes. Sirius shakes his head violently, "We are his real family. James and Lily is his real family!" Tears prick Sirius' eyes, "But they're not here anymore are they?" Sirius wipes at his face and directs his conversation too Dumbledore, "Who was the leak? How did he find them?" 

Dumbledore ignores Sirius' rant and directs himself to Mad-eye, "I see what you are saying Alastor, a great point that should be-"

"Answer me Albus!" Sirius demands, red-faced, hands gripping the table, "Who was the leak?" Dumbledore takes a moment to turn to Sirius and responds, "Peter. Peter leaked the safe house information to the death eaters. We have found that he was our leak to everything, he was a death eater himself."

Sirius shook with anger, "And who gave him this information! Who decided it was good idea to let that sod be the secret keeper! It should have been me! It should have been me."

"Sirius, we all agreed that they would have expected you to be secret keeper. We chose Peter to throw them off." Dumbledore responded.

"He gave them the location!" Sirius retorted.

"If I knew he was a death eater we wouldn't have made him secret keeper. He would have been in Azkaban already, Sirius. I would have never put the Potters in danger deliberately." Dumbledore said, standing now. Sirius pushed his chair away and stormed out of the room. Remus stood up and prepared to follow him, but turned back to the table. 

"We are taking Harry. That's final." Remus says firmly, turning to walk out the door. 

"We'll bring Harry to you in the morning and have a new safe house ready." Dumbledore remarks. Remus continues out the door.

Remus finds Sirius outside sitting on the pavement smoking. Remus sits down next to him and holds his hand out, cueing for a hit. Taking another puff, Sirius hands him the cigarette. They sat there for a moment, reflecting on the past few days. After a quick puff, Remus puts the cigarette out, "I made sure Dumbledore is letting us take care of Harry. He's bringing him by in the mornin' and gettin' us a new safe house." Sirius looks up at Remus, "Thank you moony." Sirius rests his head on Remus' shoulder. 

Remus woke to hearing the tea kettle whistle. A snoring Sirius sprawled across the mattress, and over Remus. He moves Sirius' leg off his chest and put pants on. Dumbledore is by the stove boiling water in the kettle. Hagrid is sitting on the sofa rocking a small Harry. Remus rubs a hand over his face, "G'morning." Dumbledore turns his head from the kettle, "Ah Remus, good morning. I've brought Hagrid along with me, hope you don't mind. He wanted to see Harry off." Remus walked further into the kitchen, finally conscious that he had no shirt on, "Oh, um yeah, it's no problem. Sorry about Sirius, he's a heavy sleeper." 

"Oh yes, I remember. He rarely made his morning classes," Dumbledore laughed. Remus takes a cup of tea and sits on a chair in the family room and looks to Hagrid rocking Harry in his arms, "G'morning Hagrid." Hagrid looks up from Harry, "Ah, g'mornin' to ya Remus. Nice place ya got 'ere." Remus nods, "Thank you." 

Remus sits awhile watching Harry laugh at Hagrid and grabbing at his beard. Dumbledore takes a look at his pocket watch, "Remus, you might want to wake Sirius to get settled in your new safe house. I also have tea with Minerva at one." 

"Of course, yeah." Remus responds walking towards the bedroom. Remus moves Sirius' hair out of his face and wakes Sirius, "Get up. Harry is here." Sirius jumps up almost immediately, "How long have they been here?" 

"An hour." Remus responds pulling on a jumper and jeans. "Why didn't you wake me sooner?" Sirius gets out of the bed and pulls on his jeans and Remus' t-shirt. "You were passed out, and you looked so cute." Sirius smacked Remus' arm. "I know I'm cute, doesn't mean you should keep me from my god son moony." 

Remus, Sirius, and Hagrid put their hands on Dumbledores and apparate to the new safe house. It's a small country home on a dirt road. Hagrid sniffling and holding back tears, still has a hold on Harry. Dumbledore smiles to Remus and Sirius, "I'll let you three get settled in your new home. I've had all your belongings apparated into the foyer of the house." Dumbledore looks to Hagrid, "Hagrid, say good-bye to Harry." Hagrid whispers to Harry his good-byes. Harry just squeals and grips his beard. Hagrid lets out a hearty laugh, "I'll miss you too 'arry." Hagrid gives Harry to Sirius and puts a big hand on Dumbledores shoulder and apparate away. 

Sirius bounces Harry in his arms and looks to Remus, "You ready moony?"