Dooms Day

It was the bleakest kind of day. The rain pounded the pavement and the wind whipped at each door and window so fiercely that wizard and Muggle alike did not dare venture outside. Except for one.

Sirius Black wandered the streets of Godric's Hollow oblivious to the dreadful storm surrounding him. He was desperately searching for any shred of hope that may change what he already knew was inevitable.

And it was his entire fault. If he hadn't suggested that Peter be the Secret-Keeper, he wouldn't be in his predicament in the first place, not to mention his best friend and his wife would still be alive. That damn traitor! Always was a rat, the bloody scumbag!

He approached the ruined house slowly, fearing what he would see. Smoke wafted toward him from the charred wood and plastic. Everything was black. He first saw James. He laid spread eagle on the ground, his eyes wide and staring. His wand lay feet away. Sirius jogged to the spot where his best friend lay. He tried to prop James's limp body up while he desperately searched for a pulse. He knew he was dead, though. He had seen Avada Kedrava used before, and there was no survival.

Not more than ten meters away lay Lily. She looked the same as James, her green eyes wide open. She was still clutching something, though, and Sirius knew the bundle was their baby, dead like his parents. Until it cried.

A piercing cry broke the sullen silence and Sirius thought his ears weren't working properly. This small baby couldn't possibly have survived the Killing Curse, could he? Sirius paced to the place where the baby lay and picked up the bundle of blankets. Small Harry Potter lay wide awake in his arms. The lightning shaped gash on his forehead glowed slightly. He could hardly believe it.

Sirius flashed back to his first memories of Harry. He knew Harry was going to be a tough kid. Even the first time he saw him in the hospital, he knew. That wrinkled little baby was going to be different. But he never expected a baby to survive the Killing Curse.

He started to sob uncontrollably. "I'm so sorry, Harry. So... so sorry." His lips stumbled over the word like they were new to him. But they were. Sirius Black never apologized to anyone, but he had never killed anyone either.

Sirius's thoughts were interrupted though by thundering footsteps and a voice. "So... so yeh heard?"

It was Rubeus Hagrid. He towered over Sirius like a skyscraper, but giant tears were leaking from his beetle black eyes and his voice faltered. "Yeah..." but Sirius's voice trailed off and he continued to sob.

"S'all right there, Sirius," Hagrid said patting him on the shoulder. "It's not yer fault. No one could've stopped You-Know-Who." But Sirius couldn't help but think how wrong Hagrid was. It was his fault.

"Hagrid, I should've been here, I should've died too," he whimpered looking up at Hagrid's shaggy face.

"Oh, Sirius, there was nothin' yeh could do. There's no point in addin' to the death toll," Hagrid answered wisely. "I see yeh found Harry, too."

"Hagrid, how did he survive?"

"No one knows, I don' think. But You-Know-Who is gone. Jus' disappeared, I heard."

"But, Harry--he just--was he...?"

"I don' know. Unbelievable, eh?"

"Hagrid let me have him. Lily and James appointed me his guardian. I should take him, keep him safe."

"Sorry, Sirius, Dumbledore told me to take him to his aunt and uncle. Orders."

"Vernon and Petunia!? You're kidding me, Hagrid! Lily told us so many horrible things about them!"

"I'm jus' followin' me orders."

Sirius looked desperately around, looking for any shred of hope for his ruined life. He saw is motorbike parked at the curb. He wouldn't need it anymore anyway. There was nothing left to live for. "Hagrid, take my bike. I won't need it. Keep it safe, and watch out for Harry."

Hagrid peered curiously at Sirius before smiling. "All righ'.Harry'll be safe, don' worry. Are yeh sure 'bout yer bike though?"

"Yeah, I won't need it anymore." With another curious look Hagrid swung his giant leg over the side of the motorbike, made sure Harry was securely strapped in and revved the engine. "See yeh, Sirius."

Sirius absently waved his hand and started to walk in the opposite direction. The direction to Peter's house.

~*~*~*~*~*~

4 years earlier

"Oh come on James! The N.E.W.T.s are ages away. You're letting Lily get to you."

"I suppose," said a tall boy with unruly black hair. His glasses lay at an odd angle on his nose. He shrugged. "But really. Sirius, your grades could do better too, you know."

Sirius looked playfully shocked. "My grades? My wonderful genius has not become evident enough, I suppose. Must.Work. Harder."

"Sod off, Padfoot. When are you ever going to take things seriously?"

"When I have a wife and seven kids and I finally realize 'Holy shit! I have more kids than hairs on my head!'"

"Very funny. But with hair like that..." James joked.

"You're right. I guess I'll need to get to work to make that prophecy come true. Now where's Reagan?" Reagan Vignato was Sirius' girlfriend. James laughed.

*whoosh* ::new memory::

"Lily, you look lovely. James should be so proud." Sirius looked Lily up and down. She looked stunning in robes of purest white and her red hair pinned up just so. Sirius felt so happy for his best friend and his soon-to-be wife.

"It's time," someone said from just inside the door.

"Well, I better get going. I'll see you up at the altar," Sirius said and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Thanks Sirius. James is really lucky to have you as a friend."

*whoosh*

"Sirius, we want you to be Harry's godfather. You know, in case something ever happens to us," James said in a serious tone. James and Sirius were standing in the middle of a white hospital room. It was July 31^st, 1982.

"Of course I'll be Harry's godfather, Prongs. How else is he going to learn how to sneak around Hogwarts? No offense, but you wouldn't have gotten anywhere around that school if it wasn't for me."

"Seriously, Sirius. This isn't the best of times, you know."

"Nothing is going to happen! To you at least. I'll probably be dead tomorrow, but there you are."

"Shut up. Do you want to see Harry now?"

"Sure, I've been waiting for a close-up of a wrinkled bag of skin my whole life."

"Grow up." Nothing ever touched Sirius more than his first glimpse of his godson though. He saw something in those newborn eyes, behind that unusually messy tuft of black hair. This child would be different.

"Lily," Sirius choked. "He has your eyes." Lily's eyes shined with tears of pride and happiness.

~*~*~*~*~*

"James, I would suggest the Fidelius Charm. Do you know anyone who you can trust to be your Secret-Keeper?"

"Sirius," James answered shortly.

"James, no," Sirius said. "They'll suspect me, can't you think of anyone else. Remus, perhaps?"

"He's a werewolf, and at the moment I'm not sure if he's a spy or not."

"Anyone? Everyone knows you'll want me to be your Secret-Keeper. Reagan?"

"I trust you, Sirius." James was adamant.

"And what if I betray that trust? I don't want to put you in danger. Pick Peter. No one will suspect him."

"Sirius--"

"James, you can't pick me. Get over your arrogant self and pick someone else, because I can't lose you by betraying you."

"Are you sure?"

"I can't do this, James." There was a pleading look in Sirius's eyes.

"Then Peter it is."

*whoosh*

Some godfather I am, Sirius thought as he loped through the rain toward Peter's house. He approached the door to the small white house slowly and turned the knob with his paw. Surprisingly enough, the door was open and once he was in the house he returned to his human form.

"Peter! Are you here?! Peter!" Sirius called. No answer. He walked further into the house, but no one was home, not even the limp, dead body of Peter, which he was hoping to find. "Peter!" he yelled again fruitlessly, but it was no good and he left.

He ran down into the village, hoping to find Peter there, hopefully with his back turned, so he wouldn't suspect anything. It was daylight now, and the city was filled with people, some wizards, some Muggles. As he passed a group of older witches he could hear a little of what they were talking about.

"The Potter's?"

"Yes, that's what I heard..."

"Their son, Harry..."

Sirius gulped. Harry would be with his horrible aunt and uncle by now. Then he saw him, standing by a fruit stand, staring blankly.

"Peter!" he called, hoping his voice didn't sound to angry or scared.

Peter turned his ugly eyes on him and a look of pure terror appeared in them. "Si-Sirius, what are you doing here?" he asked timidly. Unspeakable git, Sirius thought.

"You know what I'm doing here, Peter."

"I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about, Padfoot, r-really."

"Really? Maybe the words Lily and James will refresh your memory." Then out of nowhere it came, a magically magnified screech coming from Peter's mouth.

"LILY AND JAMES, SIRIUS! HOW COULD YOU!" Sirius saw a small smirk curl around Peter's lips and heard him mutter, "Implodia personifica." And an explosion took place.

Black smoke engulfed the area and Sirius could make out a crater and bodies laying immobile on the ground. Peter was gone. And Sirius started to laugh.

It was a crazy laugh, nothing like his playful, good-natured laugh that everyone knew and loved. This was the laugh of a madman. It was unexplainable yet ironic. He never really pictured himself in the situation of his best friend and his wife dead, his inferior blowing himself up and himself almost certainly going to receive the dementors' kiss.

People stared at him, believing that he had caused the explosion and within seconds, wizards from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Apparated and took him away. He was still laughing.