Not Alone After All

Chapter XXXI

Harry and Laura stepped aside as Remus picked Peter up after having tied him down. Remus and Ron, despite his limp, offered to handcuff themselves to each of Pettigrew's hands, to make sure he wouldn't escape. Sirius said 'mobilicorpus', and suddenly Snape was standing up, his head still hanging from his neck. He was still unconscious, but now Sirius was controlling his body, like a giant puppet. 

The group followed Crookshanks down the stairs. The handcuffed trio walked first into the tunnel, Snape's body right behind. Sirius followed, and then Harry, Laura and Hermione. Snape's head was constantly being hit against the low hanging ceiling, and Sirius didn't seem to mind at all. 

"You know what that means, handing Pettigrew in?" Sirius spoke to Harry and Laura. 

"That you're free," Laura said. Sirius flashed a faint smile. 

"Yes... but also, I'm your Godfather, Harry.. I don't know if you knew."

"I did."

"Your parents chose me to take care of you was something to happen to them. And they chose Remus to take care of you," Sirius said, looking directly at Laura, now. She blinked. 

"What?" said Laura's and Remus' voices at the same time. Sirius frowned. 

"You didn't know? Neither of you knew?" he asked the pair. They couldn't quite see Remus, since he was the first one on the queue, but Laura shook his head. "James and Lily said they couldn't trust anyone else with a girl," he revealed to them. "They were supposed to tell you, Remus."

"Does that mean you can be considered a guardian?" Laura asked loudly enough for Remus to hear. "Can godparents be considered guardians? Because I just got the Hogsmade sign sheet and you're supposed to have it signed by either a parent or a guardian," she explained after seeing the confused looks on everyone's faces. 

"Is that really what you're thinking about right now?" Harry asked her in disbelief.

"What?" Laura asked. "You're telling me after the whole year of your friends going and you staying behind you still don't want to go? I mean, come on, I've got to visit Zonko's at least once in my life." Harry laughed at her ranting. 

"I swear, you and the twins better not star pranking me," Harry emptily threatened. He wouldn't do anything, it's not like he could even do anything. 

"Well, that depends on how close you are to Ronald," she told him in a low voice so that Ron wouldn't hear her. "Specially tomorrow morning at breakfast. Just a piece of advice," she said honestly. 

"Why are you even telling him that?" Sirius suddenly spoke up. "You don't give away a prank. Merlin, little Potter, I thought you of all people would know that."

"Well, Fred and George don't want to prank Harry, because he's one of the few people who can tell them apart," Laura explained to her brother and his godfather. "And they like you."

"I swear I thought you were going to say something sweet, like 'I'd never prank you, Harry, I love you too much. You're my favourite brother," Harry complained. 

"You're my only brother," she deadpanned. 

"Exactly."

"Well, by your logic, you're also my least favourite brother, then," she reasoned, making him scoff. "And that has nothing to do with it. I would definitely prank you, but they've got a list," Laura explained. "We have a list, and you just happen to be in it." 

"While this may be a wholesome moment, I did want to ask you something, Harry," Sirius interrupted with a short laugh. "I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and Uncle... but... well.... think about it. Once my name is cleared... if you wanted a different.... a different home..."