Reposted: July 12, 2021

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'Hatchling?' Azure whispered.

'I know, I know, I shouldn't have let my temper get the best of me,' Harry said, slumping down tiredly.

'No, not that. I smell someone.'

Harry turned around, alert at once. He thought he could see something, but it was too dark to make it out. "Dobby," he whispered out of the corner of his mouth, "can you knock it out?"

There was no verbal response, but a moment later, there was a dull thump and Dobby appeared, hauling something large out in the open. It was a dog, a very scary, vicious-looking black dog. Azure recoiled. 'That's a person. An Animagus,' she told Harry.

"Is there a way to force him to transform?" Harry asked.

Dobby snapped his fingers, and the dog changed into a scrawny man with long, matted hair. Harry flinched back, hand gripping wand. "Sirius Black," he murmured. "What's he doing here?"

"Should Dobby take him away, Master Harry?" the elf asked.

"No," Harry said after a moment. "Tie him up and wake him." He'd do it himself, but he didn't want to get in trouble with the Ministry. Dobby snapped his fingers, causing thick cords to wrap around Black securely.

Black's eyes blinked open. When he realized he was bound, he lifted his head to face Harry. "Harry," he rasped.

Harry pushed his wand into his neck. "What are you doing here?" he demanded coldly.

"Wait," Black said. "Please, hear me out before you do anything else."

Harry glanced down at Azure. The snake was eyeing Black curiously and warily. For all the information she had gleaned from the wizarding world, the man in front of them was an unknown except that he had committed a huge crime about twelve years ago. "Why would I do anything?"

"You don't know who I am?"

"I know you're Sirius Black," Harry said uncertainly.

"Well, yes, but that's not all. I'm your godfather."

"I have a godfather?"

"Dumbledore never told you? Oh, who am I kidding. Of course he didn't."

"What are you talking about?" Harry said, bewildered.

"As I said, I am your godfather, Harry. And—" he took in a shuddering breath— "I am the reason your parents are dead."

The grip Harry had on his wand tightened.

"Wait!" Black exclaimed, stiffening as the wand dug deeper in his neck. "Please, let me explain."

'You should listen,' Azure insisted. She could sense the man's desperation as she flicked her tongue out. 'Something's off about the whole thing.'

Harry lowered his wand but kept it out. "Fine. Talk."

He listened silently as Black explained how his parents have gone into hiding and switched the Secret Keeper from Black to Peter Pettigrew, who then faked his death and framed Black.

"He cut off a finger and that was considered proof that he was dead?" Harry said incredulously.

"I'm afraid so," Black said. His gray eyes were full of sorrow and guilt. "I'm so sorry, Harry. If I hadn't insisted on going after him, if I hadn't listened to Dumbledore..."

"Dumbledore?" Harry repeated.

Black nodded. "He was the one who suggested I switched out. I was a fool. I listened to him, even though I didn't trust one hair on his—" He broke off, shaking his head in disgust.

Azure spoke close to Harry's ear. 'He's telling the truth,' she said.

'You sure?' Harry knew that animals often had a keen sense of people's motives. It was one of the advantages of having an animal as a friend.

'Positive.'

Black looked between them, not seeming surprised that Azure was there. "Dumbledore wasn't pleased when you spoke Parseltongue in front of him," he said softly.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Not long after you were born, Dumbledore came by to see you," Black replied. "He seemed... eager about you. Overly so. It was one of the reasons why I started questioning him. You were outside, talking to a garden snake. Your parents, Remus, and I didn't care for it much, but Dumbledore— well, I could tell he was uneasy. I told your parents of our suspicions and they took you by Gringotts. You can imagine their surprise when they saw the writing at the bottom."

"My soul bond?" Harry guessed.

Black's eyebrows shot upward before settling back down. "Ah, so you already know."

"That Voldemort is my soulmate?" Harry said, ignoring Dobby's squeak of alarm. The elf had been petrified at the name, but once Harry had told him what he knew, he slowly got more used to it, though he still flinched every now and then.

Black's lips twisted wryly. "Ironic, isn't it? I do not think it was a coincidence when Dumbledore told your parents that Voldemort would be targeting them barely a month later."

Harry scowled. "You think he did that deliberately."

"You think so, too," Black remarked.

"I do," Harry said. "Who's Remus, by the way?" The name sounded familiar, but Harry couldn't recall from where. A friend of his parents, perhaps?

Black confirmed this with his response. "Remus Lupin. He was another friend," he said, sounding wistful.

"Was? Can we not trust him?" Harry asked.

Black hesitated. "I'm not sure," he admitted after a moment. "Last I remember, he seemed to be in league with Dumbledore, but I don't know if he really is or not."

Harry frowned. It sounded as if this Lupin person was a potential ally, although he didn't know where to find him. Plus twelve years have gone by; he had no idea if Lupin was even around.

"We'll deal with Pettigrew first," he decided. "Any idea where he is?"

"He's a rat," Black said distastefully. "Specifically that Weasley boy's rat."

"Scabbers?" Harry said, surprised. He vaguely remembered hearing Ron talk about him sometimes but hadn't paid much attention. For some reason, Azure had not voiced a desire to eat Scabbers, although Harry supposed it made sense now.

'How fitting,' Azure said. 'He did rat out his friends, after all.'

"What did she say?" Black asked as Harry gave the snake an exasperated look.

"She made a rat pun," Harry said. "A terrible one, at that."

'You're a terrible one.'

'You make the worst comebacks.'

'You're a worst comeback.'

Harry gave up. "Dobby, untie Sirius, please."

Dobby snapped his fingers, and the cords disappeared.

Sirius rubbed his wrists, looking at Dobby with a thoughtful expression. "I've seen that elf before."

"He belonged to the Malfoys once," Harry replied. "Sirius, where will you go?"

Sirius gave Harry's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry about me. Just get to the Leaky Cauldron. All right?"

Harry nodded.

"Good luck, pup."

"You, too." Harry watched as Sirius transformed back into a dog and disappeared from view.

"All right, Dobby, you know what to do. Take us to the Leaky Cauldron."

When Dobby Apparated them, he took Room eleven and went inside to settle down.

After changing into his pajamas, he took out the diary. Tom appeared, looking very disgruntled. "It's about time."

"Don't look at me, Tom. Aunt Marge barely let me leave her sight."

"That bitch," Tom muttered. He looked around the room. "Why are you at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Uh..." Harry wondered how he was going to explain this. Maybe he should throw himself out a window.

Seeing his eyes wandering, Tom stepped closer and met Harry's eyes sternly. "Harry. Tell me what happened. Now."

"I may have blown up my aunt and took off into the night."

Tom closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he opened them again. "You mean to tell me you ran away while there is a criminal on the loose?"

"If you must know, Sirius is actually innocent of his crimes," Harry shot back.

"You spoke to him? Are you mad?" he couldn't help but snap. "He could have hurt you!"

Harry flinched. "I know that!"

"I don't think you do!" Tom hissed back. "You walked away from Privet Drive like a mindless Gryffindor!" He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "Just be more careful, Harry."

He sounded calmer now, but Harry didn't miss the slight tremor in his voice and winced guiltily. "I'm sorry."

"Just get some sleep," Tom said gruffly, not looking at him.

Harry laid down in bed, still watching the other boy. Without another glance, Tom disappeared back into the diary.

Their first fight, more or less. Next chapter will be Harry's time in Diagon Alley