Sirius threw a glance at the pups who were concentrating on their Animagus training so he thought he could risk a quick check on Moony. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes and began to search his mind again. He found it easily despite its disuse. A little patch of his head that was forever attached to his pack's mind. It was the Marauders pride and joy right up there with the Marauder's map and just beneath Harry. Quickly after becoming Animagus's they had found it nearly impossible to communicate well when they were all changed. Animals relied a lot on body language but with the difference between species and the need for instant complex commands to be shared to keep a werewolf in check they had to be able to communicate a hell of a lot better. So they had worked together to create a spell that would allow them to share thoughts back and forth like telepathy. The best way of describing it was like a spider web. Each Marauder would be a point on the web, with lines crisscrossing back and forth so they could be linked. It wasn't so much talking more like they got thoughts, images and feelings and they could sense where the others were and could see what the others saw. But the spell had a huge disadvantage. The pack had no privacy because of it. Every emotion and every thought were passed between each other. At first they'd love the closeness it brought to each other but after a while it became annoying. Sirius had seen Lily naked far too often, Pettigrew in the shower 'relieving stress', and heard Moony's fantasies about some of the girls. Let's just say the werewolf had a thing for doggy style. And they had in turn realized the depth of his feeling for a certain raven haired Gryffindor. They would have lived with it and Sirius wished they had. Then they would have known the truth about Pettigrew. But Lily had started to wonder why Remus and Peter couldn't look at her without blushing and how Sirius could comment at length on the little birthmark she had on her inner thigh in the shape of a unicorn. She'd bullied the answer out of James and had promptly forced them to fix the spell. At first they had tried Occumency and it worked as long as all four of them were concentrating on their shields and since it was normally at time they weren't paying attention that their shields were needed so it was dropped. Instead they had created another wave of spells that allowed members to pull back from the web and be at peace in their own mind. But if they wanted could resume total connection with any pack member they chose. Sirius and James had very rarely ever shut down their link having nothing to hide from each other but other than on full moons Remus and Pettigrew kept theirs shut off. And since Pettigrew had stopped coming to full moon gatherings always busy with Order work on those nights they had no warning of his betrayal.
Sirius had never tried to contact Moony with the web knowing that the werewolf would have his block up at all times and not wanting his misery in Azkaban to translate to the wolf. But maybe just maybe since it was a full moon he would have his mind open. The wolf searching out the comfort of his pack. Gently Sirius poked at the block in his mind, willing it away and then with a rush like a crashing wave he felt the last member of his pack and his block was down. Pain, anger, and crushing loneliness flowed through the web and Sirius stumbled nearly falling. He got no sense of where the wolf was all he got was blackness and a moist earthy smell. A basement he realized.
"You're not alone anymore Moony. It's Padfoot. I'm back and I'm not going to leave you again." He soothed calling to Moony's mind.
The wolf snarled pulling back from the web obviously distrusting and unsure. Sirius followed sending soothing images towards the werewolf. Memories of them roaming the grounds together, the wolf waking up with the pack curled up around him, Moony licking James's face his first time taking Wolfsbane potion. Slowly the fear and distrust left his mind and Moony whimpered. "Padfoot?"
"Where are you? It dark in here. Where Prongs and Wormtail? Where pack?"
Sirius sighed and tried to explain. Moony didn't share memories with Remus. Remus might know what Moony did vaguely like in a half-forgotten dream but Moony was locked away except on the full moon and only had the memories he gained as a wolf. Unless Remus had taken Wolfsbane potion and then the wolf and him were merged. If no one had talked to Moony since the month before that Halloween night then Moony would have no idea of what had happened. No wonder he was so scared. The poor wolf must have thought that he'd been abandoned completely by his pack.
"Remember that bad man Voldemort that Prongs and I told you about?" Padfoot asked struggling to not let his own pain overwhelm his voice and failing. Moony whined and gave him the mental equivalent of a lick.
"Yes. The ugly snake man." Moony replied sounding much like a five year old and Sirius felt a rush of affection for the little werewolf. A werewolf's maturity as a wolf tended to stick to the age of the person bit. So Remus having been bit at the age of six meant Moony was in many ways a puppy.
"He turned Wormtail against us. Wormtail was hiding Prongs and his mate and cub. Prongs and his mate died but their cub lived on." Cub was the proper term for a baby werewolf so Sirius used it instead of pup or baby so Moony would understand better. He'd only met Harry once when Remus had taken Wolfsbane potion and instantly an image of Harry only a few weeks old popped into the wolf's mind.
Moony was silent for a moment before letting out and anguished howl that reverberated through the mental bond. "Prongs dead! Wormtail killed him!" Moony thrashed around the basement and Sirius forced down his own grief and began to send more images Moony's way. The time James had created a shadow version of Severus Snape for them to hunt down. The time they'd rescued a kitten from drowning in the stream in the forest and James had given it to Lily for her birthday. The time the full moon had fallen on Christmas so they had snuck a small feast into the Shrieking Shack to share with Moony. Slowly the wolf calmed and Sirius nuzzled him as best as he could through the web.
"Where you been?" Moony finally asked.
"Wormtail made it look like I was the one to betray Prongs and Lily. I was sent away to a very bad place since no one believed me and they locked me up. I managed to escape using my awesome canine skills and stole Prong's cub from the people who had him. They were hurting Prongslet."
"They hurt Prongslet?!" Moony snarled the wolf's outrage at someone hurting a cub coming to the forefront of his mind.
"He's safe now. I have him and he's recovering. I may let you meet his Aunt and Uncle the people who hurt him."
Moony understood revenge well and growled in agreement. "Why Remus no believe you?"
Sirius sighed through the bond. "Because I thought I was being clever and all I did was make myself look guilty. I'm sorry I left you alone Moony. I wasn't thinking."
"It's okay Padfoot. When you coming back? I haven't hunted since Prongs let me take down those mean people in the capes and mask. Can we hunt tonight? Please I'm so hungry, Remus doesn't understand he keep on locking me up so I don't hunt and I starving. I keep attacking myself I'm so hungry."
"We can't hunt tonight Moony. I'm far away and Prongslet needs me. I'm teaching him to be an Animagus along with his friend. But I'll make you a deal if you curl up right now and talk to me instead of thrashing around and attacking yourself I'll hunt with you as soon as I can. I know you're hungry but you know Remus thinks you'll hurt people if he lets you out. If you're good as soon as Prongslet learns to be an Animagus I'll take him to meet you and we will hunt. But until then I'll stay with you like this so you're not alone."
Moony thought about it for a moment before agreeing and Sirius felt him stop pacing around the basement he was locked in and go find a corner to lie down in. Sirius smiled and turned his attention outward allowing Moony to see through his eyes. Harry was sitting with his back resting against a wall his eyes closed and his face clearly frustrated as he tried to push his core out. Draco on the other hand had a piece of parchment in his hands that he was staring at as if to motivate himself.
"Which one Prong's cub?" Moony asked. "The mini looking human Prongs?"
"Yep." Sirius ruffled Moony's fur mentally and the wolf sighed happily. "The other one is his friend Draco. He's annoying but Prongslet likes him so we put up with him."
"Sorta like you?" Moony teased.
Sirius growled at him lightly but glanced down at his watch and cursed. It was 3.23 AM. "Pups that's enough for now. Time to get some sleep."
Surprisingly neither boy fought and both looked at Sirius gratefully. As the Animagus sat on the bed Harry clambered onto his lap. "My head hurts." He whined and Sirius hugged him glad that Harry was showing that he was hurt for once. He kissed Harry's forehead and drew his wand tapping Harry's head with it and made a smoothing motion. The pain left the green eyes and Sirius grinned planting another kiss in Harry's hair. "Sorry I should have warn you about that pup. It will give you a nasty headache trying to find your core."
"He smells like Prongs deep down but your scent is all over him. The other cub has your smell on him too. He also has a pain smell to him." Moony murmured in the back of his head and Sirius jumped surprised that the wolf was paying such close attention to everything. Though after being locked up alone for a decade he couldn't blame the wolf for clinging to any bit of interaction he got.
Draco was watching the scene and Sirius thought he saw jealousy in the gray eyes. He shifted Harry slightly to the side keeping an arm around Harry while opening his other out towards Draco in a silent invitation. Draco hesitated and Harry looked up from where he was already beginning to doze off against Sirius's shoulder. He nodded his head encouragingly and Draco scooted over slowly before carefully climbing into Sirius's lap next to Harry. Draco remained stiff and obviously unsure much like Harry had the first few times he sat in Sirius's lap. He smiled at the little boy for a moment and quickly healed his headache. He began to rock the boys slightly and Draco nearly jumped out of his skin when Sirius planted a kiss on his hair. The Animagus ignored it and did the same with Harry who's eyes were closed. Slowly Draco scooted closer and began to relax, his head resting on Sirius's other shoulder eyes drifting shut.
"Sing that song you use to sing to me." Moony suggested and Sirius smiled remembering the lullaby that he'd made up. He cleared his throat and began to sing in a soft gentle voice.
When the moon comes out at night,
And the storm gives you a fright.
Just follow your heart,
To find your path to us
For even in the darkest nights.
For we are here to guide you.
We are here to love you
We are here for you.
When the pack is here to guide you
When the pack is here to guard you
When the pack is here to love you
You'll find there's nothing you can't do.
Nothing you can't do.
So lay your head down my little wolf
And close those weary eyes.
Just listen to my voice
And let it sooth your every fear
For the pack is here.
As he sang he noticed the wolf's hunger always present in the creature calming and he felt Moony's eyes begin to close. The pups were snuggling closer to him and their eyes had long since shut. He sang the song once more and watched their breathing slow and felt Moony fall asleep in his head. Smiling slightly he let his voice fall to a whisper then silence. The pups and wolf slept on and Sirius decided he needed sleep to. It took some talent but he managed to get his wand out and flicked down the blanket and levitated himself and the pups under them. He transfigured a few pieces of parchment into extra pillows and blankets and settled the pups on either side of him keeping his arms wrapped around each one before allowing himself to drift off with them. Just before he went to the land of dreams he was sure he heard another voice pick up the song and begin to sing.
"Bug off Prongs I'm trying to sleep." Moony muttered in the back of Sirius's skull and Sirius wanted to question him about it but the warm blanket of sleep was to compelling.
The room was still pitch black when Sirius was woke by sniffling. Groaning he forced his eyes open and looked at Harry thinking his godson was having a nightmare but one quick look told him that Harry was still sleeping peacefully. Confused he flicked his mind towards Moony who was still a wolf and was asleep too.
Great not only am I hearing voices now I'm hearing a person crying. Sirius yawned and moved to roll over when he noticed that his chest was damp.
I drool in my sleep but not that much. He pried his eyes open again and noticed that Draco was snuggled against him his face hidden in Sirius's shirt. The sniffling sound was coming from him. Worried Sirius pulled his arm free from Harry and stroked Draco's hair causing the boy to look up his blue-gray eyes red rimmed.
"Hey my little moon dragon why are you crying?" Sirius asked brushing the tears from Draco's cheeks gently. Draco didn't answer instead he pulled back and shifted so he was as far from Sirius as possible on the large bed.
The reaction surprised Sirius at first and after a moment of thought he wanted to kick himself. Draco was a pureblood being groomed for Slytherin. He was taught that emotions were weakness. Sirius had been the same when he came to Hogwarts. Thinking any show of weakness was a death sentence. How many years had it taken James to hammer into his skull that crying was okay? But Draco was a Gryffindor now and Sirius knew how screwed up it could make a kid being terrified to show emotion. He drew on the first time that James had caught him crying after his pet hamster had died.
"I'm not going to get mad at you for crying Draco." He murmured sitting up. As he moved Harry opened his eyes and sat up looking around confused before his emerald eyes fell on Draco's tear-stained face. Sirius shot him a look and Harry nodded seeming to understand that his friend was scared. Without being told he crawled across the bed and settled himself down right next to Draco so they were nearly touching. "Drake it's okay to cry. I use to think that it was wrong to because of them." Harry's voice fell at them and it was clear just who he was referring to. "Paddy won't get mad at you and neither will I."
Draco looked up at Harry for a moment but quickly dropped his eyes back to his lap.
Why can't I find the nice normal kids? Sirius wondered. Why do I have to spend the night trying to get them to tell me about their horrible lives? Well at least I have a better shot than anyone else at helping them. One perk of a screwed up childhood I guess.
Sirius remembered that Draco had been willing to climb in his lap earlier. How the boy was so tense and scared as if he wasn't use to being coddled. Typical pureblood upbringing. Children were not shown affection to teach them not to rely on being loved their whole life. Wait pureblood…. Draco had gotten that letter from his parents that morning. The parchment he'd been staring at earlier. The letter had to be the source of the tears.
"Glaciereyes." He whispered and the nickname caught Draco's attention and he looked up. "You're a Marauder now and Marauders take care of each other no matter what. We don't judge each other and we do everything in our power to take care of each other. If something is bothering you let us know and we can try and fix it."
With all the stubbornness of the 11 year old boy he was Draco shook his head and Sirius groaned. He hated to seem like he was being insensitive but he was tired and sore from Fluffy using him as a rag doll, he hadn't eaten since supper, and he had no clue how to get Draco to talk. Harry was one thing he could handle his godson with a little coaxing and hugging. Draco on the other hand seemed to only want cuddles when the person was passed out or he was hurt. So hugging him seemed pointless. Well when all else fails WWPD. What would Prongs do. And the ringleader of the Marauders would have tried to show Draco love and understanding.
"Drake I came from a pureblood family that was all Slytherins. I was the only one to be sorted in Gryffindor. My mother sent my Howler after Howler telling me what a 'disgrace to the family' I was. So whatever was in that letter I've seen it or more correctly heard it."
The blonde's head shot up. "How did you know it was the letter?" He whispered and Sirius patted himself on the back for figuring it out. He was pleased at the measure of trust Draco had just shown confirming it was the letter.
"You missed class after that thing came in. You yelled at me. And you've been staring at it all night. It was kinda obvious Drakie." Harry murmured cuddling up against his friend. For a moment Draco remained rigid before slowly he lifted his arm up so Harry could snuggle into his side. Sirius took that as a good sign that Draco was going to allow himself to be comforted at least a little. He conjured a tissue and scooted over and giving Draco plenty of time to pull away he began to wipe the moisture from Draco's cheeks.
Draco allowed it. He sniffed a few times. "Didn't realize it was so obvious." He grumbled. "Had to be if this idiot figured it out." He jerked his head in Sirius's direction who growled.
Draco looked at them both his face a blank mask. He studied their expressions carefully. "You two honestly don't care if people cry?"
Sirius nodded. "Of course it's okay to cry. Now why don't you show us your letter."
Draco watched them both for a moment longer slowly his hand went to his pocket and he pulled out the now crumbled piece of parchment and handed it over. Sirius took it and unfolded it reading aloud putting on the pompous air of pureblood as he did.
Dear Draco,
Your Mother and I have been informed of your sorting into Gryffindor. I do not think I have to tell you how disappointed we are. You know that our family does not associate with that group of idiotic lions. You know the consequences for not following the family tradition of being sorted into Slytherin. But just in case being with your precious new house has interfered with your memory I shall tell you. You will find that your trust vault has been locked and you will not be able to access it even with your key. Your marriage to Astoria Greengrass has been canceled. Your personal house elf has been ordered not to obey you or come to your aid."
"You have an arranged marriage?" Harry asked looking up at his friend.
Draco nodded absently staring off into space. "It's a pureblood custom. Children are arranged to marry another pureblood from an appropriate family if they are not suitably married by the time they are 25. It's to guaranteed that we continue on the family name."
"But what if you hate the person?"
"Then you do what your dad did pup. He ran away and married the girl he loved and tell the other purebloods were to shove it." Sirius explained ruffling Harry's hair. "Now shall I continue?"
Harry nodded and smiled up at Draco who looked like he wanted to object but Harry nudged him. "It will make you feel better to just get it over with. Trust me."
Sirius waited until Draco had grudgingly muttered for him to go on before reading.
"There is only one option. You must go to the Headmaster and demand to be placed in Slytherin. Say whatever you have to but do know that if you are not upholding this family's name we will consider having your named erased from the family name.
Sincerely,
Lucius Malfoy
Harry growled and Sirius would have laughed at how much like him that expression was it hadn't been for the fact tears were once again streaming down .
Draco looked up his eyes shining. "I tried. I went to Dumbledore and asked him to let me put the hat on again. He refused saying that I had to learn to be my own man and that the hat was never wrong. I waited outside until he left and I snuck in and tried the hat back on and it said I belonged in Gryffindor and that was it. I may have done well in Slytherin but my heart lies with the lions."
No one spoke for a moment before Sirius moved forward and tugged Draco into a quick hug. The blond hesitated a moment before he flung his arms around Sirius's neck and hid his face in the Animagus neck. Sirius hushed him and rubbed his back soothingly.
"I'm gonna be disowned. I won't have anything. My mother will try talking to him. She sent me a note with the letter but she can't convince him. What am I gonna do?"
Sirius looked at Harry who flew across the space and hugged Draco tightly. "If your family doesn't want you Sirius and I will be your family. My parents left me money and Sirius has plenty we can get a house and you can be my brother and Sirius can be our dad."
Draco looked up and sniffed. "Really?"
Sirius's mind raced. He was a wanted criminal. He was risking enough trying to take care of Harry. How was he supposed to take care of another kid? But what would happen to Draco if his family disowned him?
Congrats Pads looks like your Daddy to two kids now. Though our child is cuter then yours with Malfoy's
Prongs if you're gonna haunt me at least say something that makes sense. Sirius snapped at the voice in his head. He was 95% sure someone snickered in his ear before the voice vanished. Sirius realized Draco was still waiting for his answer and as every second past he could see fear growing in those eyes. If he said no he would never be able to live with himself.
"If your parents disown you I will kidnap you like I did Prongslet and we can share a prison cell."
"Thanks Siri." Draco murmured falling silent. Sirius waited patiently as Draco dried his tears and smiled weakly.
"Feel better?" Harry asked beaming.
"Yes. Thanks for listening and you know…. Not getting mad at me for crying and letting me be part of your family." Draco climbed of Sirius lap and the Animagus felt the awkwardness in the air. That would not do.
"Come on pups were gonna go Maraudering." He sai.3
d abruptly standing. Harry scrambled to his feet and Draco followed a moment late. Sirius woke Moony by giving him a mental poke.
"What? I sleeping."
"Wanna help play a prank?"
"YEP!"
Grinning he gestured for the pups to follow him and he turned into a dog. He kept the pace to a fast trot his mind churning with the possibilities. A prank he had always wanted to preform but never had the chance to came to his mind and he grinned.
Moony snickered in the back of his mind seeing what he was thinking. "Snivellus is gonna be mad."
They slipped back into the castle and when he was sure no one was around Sirius turned back human and pushed the pups into an empty classroom casting privacy charms.
"Who wants to make Snape pay for how he treated Harry yesterday?"
Draco leaned against the wall looking interested while Harry bounced up and down in front of him. "What are we gonna do Paddy? I want to earn my Marauder name."
Smirking Sirius whispered instructions to both Harry and Draco and within several minutes they were ready. Draco slipped out the door and returned a few moment later. "Coast is clear." Sirius stayed human doubting anyone would be up at 5am and even if they were it only took a second to change.
They snuck along making as little sound as possible though Harry and Draco kept giggling and Sirius patted himself on the back. He was bloody brilliant. The thought had no sooner crossed his mind when something or someone gave him a mental bite.
"OWWW Moony!"
"Prongs said if you got to big headed that I was supposed to bite you. That sounded big headed."
Sirius growled at his skull and Moony fell silent watching attentively.
More than accustomed to sneaking into the Potion Master's chamber from all the times the Marauders had stolen stuff for experiments. He found the door in several moments and Snape obviously trusting his image as a big scary Death Eater only had a few dozen hexes on the door.
"Alright pups you remember the plan?"
Draco and Harry nodded and Sirius ruffled their hair. "Let's go then."
It took a minute before Sirius had the hexes down and motioning for everyone to be quiet he inched the door open. No sign of Snape. Gesturing the pups to stick close he slipped through the small opening and they crept through the dark room. Moony murmured directions more accustomed to being guided by his heightened sense of smell then Sirius was. With the werewolf's aid Sirius lead them confidently to Snape's bedroom and he drew his wand. Peaking his head around the door he cast the most powerful sleeping charm he knew on the mound of blankets. Cautiously he prowled closer examining the sleeping Death Eater. Snape lay on his back his mouth wide open revealing yellow teeth. The blankets were tangled around his legs as if he had been in the grips of a nightmare which Sirius hope. Carefully he poked Snape in the eye with his wand and the Slytherin made no signs of waking up.
"Snivellus wakey wakey." He called loudly kicking the bed with still no reaction.
"It's the full moon and Moony wanna hunt Snivellus." Moony sang in his skull and Sirius snickered.
"Pups he's out safe to come in."
"Did you check to make sure he didn't sleep in the nude?" Draco called from the doorway holding his arm out so Harry couldn't get in the room and effectively blocking the younger boy from seeing anything.
"If I have to bleach my eyes you're dead Glaciereyes." Sirius snapped and heard the boys giggling. Eyes half closed as if he was looking for a basilisk he tugged on the blanket lightly and it fell to the floor.
"Oh god my eyes my poor eyes!" He screamed and Draco threw a hand over his own eyes using his other to tug Harry against his chest so Harry couldn't see anything. Sirius grinned and turned from Snape who was in fact wearing stained gray boxers (stained with what he was not interested in finding out) and a filthy white t-shirt. He crept across the bedroom keeping up a string of profanities and cries though lowering his voice carefully as he did so that no one realized he was getting closer. He reached out and snagged both boys up one in either arm. Draco yelped and Harry gave a little scream clinging to his friend and Sirius laughed. Both boys were small for their ages though it was quite apparent which of the two was abused. Draco probably had a good twenty pounds on Harry maybe thirty but he was still naturally a small boy. Together Sirius bet they didn't even weight much over a hundred pounds. He twirled around in a circle spinning the boys with him and Harry quickly began to laugh followed a moment later by Draco. Despite breathless calls to stop from Draco Sirius kept spinning feeling the giddy dizziness overtake him. Ignoring it he kept going increasing his speed until somehow he was falling backwards. His back collided painfully with the stone floor and the wind was knocked out of him by the boys falling on top of him but he could care less. Draco's normally pale face was flushed with happiness and laughter and Harry's green eyes were filled with life and excitement and for the first time Sirius saw a love of life and a comfort with being happy in those depths. Every time Harry had been happy he'd always been worried as if expecting to be punished for having joy in his life and Sirius felt a burst of pride. He'd caused some of the dead look to leave Harry's eyes. He was the reason Harry was lying in a heap laughing between hiccups. Just the sight made it all worth it. Escaping Azkaban was well worth it. If he got kissed that very moment he would have given his soul up gladly knowing that he had helped restore a little boy whose soul had been nearly crushed. Draco hiccupped and shifted his weight on Sirius's chest and as he looked over at the gray eyed pup he wondered if maybe his point in life wasn't to only protect and love Harry but maybe to show Draco the right path in life.
Mulling that thought over in his mind Sirius gave the boys a light shove so they would get off of him. "Come on we have work to do."