Harry Potter and the Canines

II | Barty Crouch

The next morning, Sirius woke up at 6am, like always. He'd fallen asleep in an armchair beside the crib, and his back ached. Sirius took a sling that Lily had often used to carry Harry about the house, and he placed the sleeping baby in it, strapping him across his chest as he began his day.

It just felt like an ordinary day, to Sirius. Lily and James could have had a date night, and left Harry with him. They did that often. But when his owl arrived with a copy of The Daily Prophet newspaper, he was forced to face the reality of the situation.

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Defeated By a Baby.

Harry James Potter, son of Lily and James, vanquished The Dark Lord yesterday night. Authorities have no insight as to how the boy survived this treacherous attack, but Lily and James did not.

"Harry is currently in the custody of Sirius Black, who The Ministry has yet to question about The Potters' deaths. He informed them only that Peter Pettigrew had betrayed his friends, leading to their untimely demise," said Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts.

And there you have it, folks. All known information about His death. Be safe, and Owl the Ministry at any sign of Pettigrew.

And be sure to celebrate!

Sirius took a sip of his black coffee, shaking his head sadly. First his parents, Fleamont and Euphemia Potter. Then Marlene, the love of his life, and now Lily and James. He left the newspaper on the table, and woke Remus.

"I've made you breakfast. It's burnt. I'm going to go try to clear things up with the Ministry." he said, placing Harry beside the barely awake werewolf. Sirius was a terrible cook, but nobody had ever minded.

He climbed onto his motorcycle, and flew to the Potter's little cottage, in Godric's Hollow. Memories overcame him. James staring out the window, his face lighting up when he noticed his friend, Lily screaming at James for losing Harry, when he was just on the roof with Sirius, watching the stars. Having a Halloween party the week before, where everyone had sat behind a different door in the house with candy, so that Harry could trick-or-treat. Marlene and him kissing before the mission she died during, her telling him, "We kiss before, and we kiss after," holding her hands on his chest-

"Sirius?" a familiar voice shocked him out of his memories. "Sirius Black?"

"Ali?" Sirius smiled when he saw the woman, and embraced her. "Oh, Merlin, I've missed you. How's Frank? And Little Nev?"

"Frank is missing," Alice could barely whisper the phrase. "B-Bellatrix got us... He- she tortured him first- and- he saved me, Sirius, and now I don't know where he is, and I can't find Neville anywhere!"

"Neville's with Augusta, Alice. Remember, you told me at the last Order meeting. Take a deep breath, love," Sirius put his arm around Alice comfortingly. "I'll send a patronus to Dumbledore and have him send someone after Frank, all right?"

"Okay," she breathed.

"Head to Augusta's, fetch Neville, and come to my place. Remus and I are taking care of Harry, and there's plenty of room. I have to sort out Lily and James- their funeral, and wills..."

"Oh Sirius," Alice hugged her friend again, regaining some strength. "I'm so sorry..."

"It's fine, Alice. Harry's alive, and Voldemort is dead. For now that's all that matters. Now go, fetch Neville, and Floo directly to Number 4 Grimmauld Place, I'll be there soon."

"Goodbye, Sirius."

"No more goodbyes, Alice. I'll see you very soon," Sirius said sternly, which was odd for such a joker.

"Goodbye, for now," Alice decided, and apparated away. After one last glance at the destroyed house, Sirius made his way to Gringotts Wizarding bank.

"What do you need?" snapped a goblin, when Sirius approached.

"I need entrance to a vault, The Potters's. You should find that I'm now able to access it... I'm Sirius Black."

"Identification, please?" said the goblin, practically snatching Sirius's wand from him. He left for a few minutes, returning with another goblin. "This is Gandtooth. He will open your vault for you, Mr. Black."

"Great, into the cart then."

The Potters's vault was incredibly large, filled with gems and gold, books, and anything that anyone could ever need. Sirius found the will in a muggle binder on a bookshelf, beside a box of letters. He duplicated the binder, taking the copy with him.

"Letters for Harry," was written on the box, so Sirius took it, along with the will.

When Sirius returned to the main floor, he found it crowded with Aurors.

"Sirius Black..." said a very official man in a navy blue robe.

"Barty Crouch," Sirius said. "Fancy seeing you here, old man..."

"I am here to extract your testimony, concerning the murders of Lily and James Potter, and the disappearance of their son, Harry Potter," said Crouch in his boring, monotone voice.

"Harry's in my custody," said Sirius coldly, "and as for Lily and James; they were murdered by Voldemort. He killed James first, right in front of the door, and Lily next, in the nursery. Our former friend, Peter Pettigrew, had been their Secret Keeper, and he betrayed their location to Voldemort."

"Did you get that, Cordelious?" Crouch asked a man who was behind him.

"Cornelious," the man corrected, brandishing his notepad, "and yes."

"Harry is to be put in the custody of his muggle Aunt and Uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley," said Crouch.

Sirius snorted. "I have the final will and testament of Lily and James Potter, right here, and it seems to prove otherwise..."

Barty Crouch snatched the binder from Sirius, and his beady eyes flickered over the paper. "Dumbledore lied," he whispered to himself. "Unless this is a fake..."

"You can keep that, just owl me a copy please," said Sirius. "you'll need a rather intelligent owl to find me, however..."

"You are free to go, Mr. Black," said the Minister of Magic, Millicent Bagnold, appearing beside Crouch.

"Thanks, Millie. I'm sure I'll be at the Ministry again soon, to deal with this Dumbledore shite, best regards, until then," Sirius smiled at the girl, who he'd rescued from the Giant Squid years before. She'd been like a younger sister to him ever since.

And he left the bank, disapparating from the doorstep.

After a long, painful day, Sirius was glad to be back at Grimmauld Place.