Harry Potter Oneshots

October 31, 1981

"Peter?" Sirius said hesitently.

The front door was wide open. All the lights were off. It seemed as if he wasn't there, but there was no sign of a struggle.

Sirius flicked on the kitchen light. There, on the counter, was a piece on paper covered in Peter's untidy handwriting. Sirius picked it up.

Sirius,

You'll probably never see me again. If all goes to plan, you'll never see James, Lily, or Harry again, either. Voldemort is coming tonight. He knows exactly where to find the Potters. And he's out for blood.

Yes, I realize this is the ultimate betrayal, but You-Know-Who is taking over everywhere. What is to be gained by resisting him? Besides, he was going to find them, or me, eventually. All this hiding was just drawing it out, and filling everyone with undue anxiety and stress.

Besides, James hated being holed up in that tiny cottage with just Lily and Harry for company. It's not like any of us can visit very often. He'll probably be thankful to be gone, out of all the pain, misery, stress, boredom. You know he never sat well with boredom.

Hoping to never see any of you again.

Peter

All the blood left Sirius's face. His hands trembled so violently that the letter was ripped in half. He threw down the two pieces of now-crumpled parchment and sprinted from the house.

oOXOo

Sirius knew the minute he arrived in the street that he was too late. Muggles were surrounding the Potter's house. And the roof above what Sirius knew was the nursery was caved in.

As he rushed forward, Hagrid emerged from the house, holding Harry in one hand.

"Hagrid!" Sirius bellowed.

Hagrid turned, a wary and slightly annoyed look on his face, but his expression softened when he saw who it was.

"Come over 'ere." he grunted, and Sirius followed him out of the crowd of Muggles.

"What happened?" Sirius asked, feeling faint.

"You-Know-Who showed up." Hagrid said quietly. "Killed Lily and James, both. Apparently he tried to kill Harry, too, but obviously he couldn't. And now he's disappeared. You-Know-Who. He's gone."

Sirius looked down at Harry. The one-year-old stirred in his blankets and looked up at Sirius. His plump face, streaked with tears, brightened when he saw Sirius.

"Paddy!" he said happily. It was the first, and only, word that James and Lily had and would ever hear him say.

"Give him to me, Hagrid." Sirius said in a low voice.

"Eh?" Hagrid bent down to hear better.

"Give him to me!" Sirius said, louder. "I'm his godfather, I'll take care of him."

"No, Sirius." Hagrid said. "Dumbledore said he's to go to his aunt and uncle's."

"Who cares what Dumbledore said?" Sirius asked angrily. "I'm his godfather, James and Lily said that if ever anything happened to them, Remus and I were to take Harry! Now give him to me so I can raise him right!"

Sirius reached for Harry, but Hagrid lifted the toddler just out of Sirius's reach.

"Sirius, I'm to take him to Dumbledore." Hagrid said firmly. "You can go take it up with him if you'd like, but I've got to follow my orders."

Sirius looked livid. But then, he thought, how was he to take care of a toddler while chasing Peter?

"Fine." he said gruffly. "But take my bike. I won't need it anymore."