Dwelling on Dreams (A Marauders Fan Fic)

Azkaban

The Fidelius Charm had been broken and their half destroyed house was visible from the street as Sirius landed his bike in the middle of Godric’s Hollow. “Lily! James! Prongs!” he called, racing up the street and pushing open their gate. He ran inside, his heart wounded yet again when he saw the body of James on the floor. Upstairs he could hear the cries of a young child, but they barely filtered through his numb mind, unable as he was to move and unwilling to see Lily’s body. He froze, collapsing in the hallway, the hallway he had entered their house in at Christmas, after Harry’s christening… Prongs, his childhood friend, his best friend, was dead. It couldn’t be, it just couldn’t. And upstairs, Lily would stop Harry from crying, she was just busy at the moment. Any second now…

His grief was disturbed by the entrance of Hagrid with Harry in his arms, who seemed startled by Sirius’ presence there. “Wha’ are you doing here?” he asked.

“Well… what are you doing here?”

“Dumbledore sent me ter pick ‘arry up,” he said, torn between pride and sadness. “Well, I’d bes’ be off then.”

“Yeah,” Sirius said, some of his purpose regained. “Where are you taking him?”

“Ter Dumbledore.”

“Give him to me. I’m his godfather and his legal guardian, I’ll look after him.”

“No, Dumbledore’ll know what’s bes’ for him. I got strict orders ter take ‘im ter Dumbledore an’ Dumbledore alone.”

“Please Hagrid?” he pleaded. “He’s James’ son, Lily’s son. I’m all he has left; surely he should come home with me?”

Hagrid paused, looking truly sad. “I’m sorry Sirius bu’… he’s gotta go ter Dumbledore. He’s goin’ ter live with his uncle an’ aunt.”

Sirius sighed in defeat, unhappy about handing Harry over, but sure that Dumbledore would do what was best for him. “How are you going to get there?”

“I don’ know yet,” Hagrid admitted. “I was gonna use Muggle transport bu’…”

“Take my bike, it’s outside. You can keep it; I won’t need it anymore.”

“But you love tha’ thing!” Hagrid protested. “I coul’ never-”

“No please, I insist,” Sirius interrupted. “It’ll help you get to Dumbledore faster. Anyway, I won’t need it now,” Sirius said, gesturing helplessly at James’ body.

“It’ll be alrigh’ Sirius,” Hagrid said kindly, slapping Sirius on the back with an enormous hand. “It’s not the end of the world, it jus’ feels like it now. Jus’ you wait. Anyway, I heard You-Know-Who’s gone now, dead people say, so this war’s come ter an en’ now, hasn’t it? We won, didn’t we!”

“Yes… yes I suppose we did,” Sirius murmured quietly, “but it doesn’t feel like much of a victory right now.”

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Pettigrew knew he was being followed, Sirius could see it in the way he kept glancing behind him nervously. Sirius trailed Peter through the streets, keeping him in sight until Pettigrew slowed down enough for Sirius to catch up to him.

“Padfoot!” Pettigrew smiled. “My old friend! I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Save the small talk Pettigrew,” Sirius snarled.

“Are you going to kill me?” he whined, backing up in the street.

“I would bloody love to,” Sirius growled, pulling his wand out. He knew it wouldn’t bring James and Lily back but it would make him feel much better. Suddenly a manipulative spark glowed in Pettigrew’s eyes and he put his hand behind his back. “Lily and James, Sirius!” he cried. “How could you? Your best friends! And you betrayed them to the Dark Lord!” By now they had gained an audience, passing Muggles stopping to watch the confrontation and one of Pettigrew’s arms jerked behind his back, a look of satisfaction crossing Pettigrew’s face. “They’re dead because of you! You traitor!”