Chapter Text
Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban. Even he wasn’t quite sure how he’d pulled it off after feeling for so long like nothing he tried to do would even matter. The power the vile dementors held over their prisoners made it difficult to just get out of bed in the morning to eat the tasteless slosh the government was convinced was allowed to be called food.
Every morning, every day and for so long it had felt like he was wading through a pool of sludge. Then he read the article about the Weasley family and saw the picture. Rage ignited like a match in a room with a gas leak. How dare that traitor. How dare he get to live a leisurely life as a pet! Then that anger gave room for dread and panic - Harry!
Harry would have undoubtedly been sorted to Gryffindor just as his parents had been. The human family that traitor had been staying with - their youngest son was in Harry’s year. He knew right then he had to do something. He had to get out. He had to right what had been wrong in the universe for the past twelve years.
Hours later, Sirius found himself crawling up on shore and shaking out his soaked fur. He never really knew why his animagus form turned out to be a Newfoundland Mastiff but the webbed toes had certainly come in handy this time. Fate had a funny way of lining up little things and tying up loose ends if one were to pay closer attention.
He shook off as much of the excess water as he could and turned his sights to the journey ahead. It would be much easier and preferable for him to just apparate where he needed to go but that was out of the question. The trace would alert the ministry of magic being used in a muggle neighborhood. They would either think Harry was using magic or realize that it meant another wizard was close to the boy’s house and put them all on high alert.
More than once during his trek to Little Whinging he considered that perhaps he shouldn’t start with a trip to see Harry but he couldn’t shake the need to. James and Lily had agreed to entrust Harry’s safety to him in the event of their deaths but Dumbledore had insisted on sending Harry off to Lily’s relatives. Relatives that Lily often fretted over despite that they didn’t give a whit about her. As a godfather it was his responsibility to make sure that he was safe.
At last, he made it to his destination and grimaced out how plain and identical every house on the street was. He located number Four and sat across from it, staring at the door all night until the first signs of life could be detected. The front door started to open and in his excitement, Sirius felt his tail starting to wag only to stop the moment he noticed the large man coming out to go to his boring office job was not Harry Potter.
“I’m sure it’s just temporary.” His blonde wife with an unusually long neck was saying as she followed the man out of the house.
“I hope so, Petunia.” Sirius heard the man growl. “Going after a man’s livelihood. It’s just not right.” He grumbled before pressing a kiss to his wife’s face.
“Try to have a good day.” Petunia told him as he moved towards the car. The man grunted in response and then got into the car before he drove away. Sirius watched as she retreated back into the house. He sat outside for several hours longer but no one seemed to be coming out or coming by. Maybe Harry just wasn’t coming outside? It was a beautiful day in Sirus’s opinion and he couldn’t imagine why kids weren’t outside playing and enjoying their day.
Another hour passed and he decided to throw caution to the wind. He glanced around the empty street and shifted back to his human form before moving up to the door.
Sirius would be in for a shock when he learned from a very frightened Petunia Dursley that Harry Potter did not live there anymore. He’d only half listened as she ranted about having no choice in giving him up.
In actuality Harry Potter wasn’t even on the same continent as Vernon’s cousin, May Parker, had called in a favor and brought Harry back to live with her and her nephew in Queens, New York.
–
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Peter were all in a common area the Avengers used to all hang out in playing video games. The adults; Tony, Pepper, May and Mr Weasley all moved to the Entrance Hall to meet up with the British Minister of magic. Tony was none too happy about the man’s arrival and the only reason he had let him out of the enclosed fireplace was because he claimed to have something important to tell them. Whether or not it was actually important remained to be seen.
Tony had moved them all to a soundproof conference room, far away from where the kids were celebrating Harry’s birthday and gestured for Fudge to get on with what he wanted to say.
The minister looked a little disgruntled and readjusted his cloak. Whatever he had come to say he was clearly uncomfortable about it.
“You’re kinda interrupting a long overdue birthday party, if you could get to the point.” Tony said pointedly, in no mood for the minister's antics today.
“What I have to say may be a bit shocking, I’m afraid. I’ve only just found out and I think-no I believe it very important to warn you..” Fudge started, shifting from foot to foot and looking like he’d been caught doing something terrible.
“Warn us about what?” Tony asked, his impatience on full display as he clipped the t.
“There’s been a jailbreak which isn’t usual, our prison system can’t be beat.” Fudge told them. Tony’s lips thinned.
“Until now.” He pointed out. “What do you want me to do about it? Upgrade your security? I can take a look but it’ll cost you a consultant’s fee.” he said flippantly. Fudge shook his head.
“No, no… our security is fine.” He insisted. Tony looked as though he was about to protest but Pepper elbowed him a little roughly.
“I’m sure it is. What about the prison?” She moved things back on track.
“The prisoner, Sirius Black, was a main supporter of he-who-must-not-be-named.” Fudge finally explained. Tony might have made a scathing remark about the man’s inability to say the name but he was more caught up on the idea one of the maniac’s followers had escaped. Tony Stark was worlds away from stupid and he could read between the lines better than most people.
“You think he’s after Harry.” May cut in, her voice a tad shaky but firm. Of course she would put it together. This was the same Aunt that Peter had described as nearly neurotic with her constant worrying when he was growing up.
“Yes.” Fudge answered simply. “In fact, we’re quite sure. He was heard just nights ago muttering in his sleep about ‘he’s at hogwarts.” May seemed to pale and Pepper laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “If that weren’t bad enough he just received word from authorities in Little Whining- it seems as though Black stopped by the Dursley residents not long ago. The family is, understandably, shaken.”
“Yeah, I don’t care about them.” Tony waved it off. How many days did Harry have to spend feeling ‘shaken’ by his aunt and uncle? They wouldn't be getting any kind of sympathy from him. “Does Black know where Harry is?” That was a far more pressing question.
“Well, no.” Fudge shook his head. “At the very least, we don’t believe so. Mrs Dursley seems adamant that she didn’t tell him anything other than that Harry no longer lived with her.”
“Alright, a few points in her favor. Doesn’t change anything but credit where credit’s due.” Tony voiced.
“I would like to implore you to take every extra precaution to-Arthur!” Fudge seemed to only then realize the man was in the room as well. “I thought you were in Egypt.”
“I was.” Arthur Weasley admitted. “But Tony invited us to visit for Harry’s birthday. I couldn’t let Ron miss it, for Harry’s sake.”
“Of course.” Fudge nodded. “Well, since you’re here I think it should be fine to place you in charge of keeping Mr Stark and Mrs Parker informed of things before the boy goes back to school.
“You can count on me.” Arthur nodded. Fudge gave him a stiff nod in return.
“Naturally, the ministry will be trying to locate Black to return him to Azkaban.” Fudge assured. Neither Tony, Pepper or May looked reassured.
“How about you tell me more about him?” Tony asked. “I’ll find him in record time and Harry won’t even have to worry about a deranged killer coming after him.”