Harry Potter And The Marauders Of The Phoenix by The Englanderish



Summary: 'AU. Sirius Black has his name cleared and raises Harry (with help from Remus) in the Potters' ancestral home. One day a year, Harry must return to the Dursleys for a full day to keep his Mother's protection spell. He meets and befriends several characters early. On his eleventh birthday, Harry is given a diary and keeps it secret. Ginny finds out about it and they both write in the diary together secretly. They are taken slightly aback when it writes back at first but quickly get used to their new friend, Tom.

After all, it's not as if it could be dangerous, right?'
Rating: PG-13 starstarstarstarhalf-star
Categories: Alternate Universe
Characters: None
Genres: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: None
Published: 2016.04.10
Updated: 2022.06.28


Harry Potter And The Marauders Of The Phoenix by The Englanderish
Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Shades Of Black
Author's Notes:

“You are certain of this?” asked Bartemius Crouch Senior.

On the witness stand, Severus Snape fixed his beady eyes briefly on the prisoner chained in the chair below them both.

“Yes. Sirius Black was not the man who betrayed the Potters to The Dark Lord,” he replied, his sallow skin almost glowing eerily in the light of the torches, “In my capacity as a spy within his ranks, I was present the night their location was betrayed.”

“Then who, pray tell, was it?” asked Crouch tersely.

“One Peter Pettigrew,” Snape almost spat, “I have the memories to prove it.”

There was a brief murmuring amongst the rather sparse jury. They all nodded to Crouch.

“Very well,” said Crouch, “Show us these memories.”

Snape pressed his wand to his temple and used it to draw a wispy silvery strand from it. He dropped the strand into the basin in front of him.


A small group of robed people were gathered around a round table. All but two wore skull-masks.

The first was a tall, thin individual with red eyes, chalk white skin, long bony fingers and a flat nose with only slits for nostrils. This was Lord Voldemort, better known as 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named' or 'You-Know-Who'.

The other unmasked person was a plump, young figure in his early twenties with curly hair. He was sweating profusely.

Voldemort spoke.

“Godric's Hollow? Are you sure? Why would a noble pure blood family demean themselves to live in that muggle-infested hole?”

“They... they believe it is somewhere we would never look,” replied Pettigrew frantically.

“Ah. I see,” said Voldemort with a small smile, “Their fear of me has driven them to resort to rolling in the filth.”

He gave a high, cold laugh.

One of the masked figures spoke up, it was Snape.

“My Lord, I must advise that we do not rush into this. It could very well be a trap. It may be prudent to take time. Plan.”

“Severus,” replied Voldemort, “Do you doubt me? My power?”

“Of course not, my Lor-”

“Then I shall have no trouble. I shall bring some of my chosen few with me. We shall make a show of this, I think. Except you, of course. You still have great value at Hogwarts.”

Snape nodded, “Of course, my Lord.”

Voldemort next addressed the other masked figures.

“Bellatrix, Lucius, Dolohov, Alecto, Amycus, Fenrir, Narcissa, Rodolphus, Travers, Rabastan. You shall have the privilege of joining me."


“All in favour of acquittal.”

Every hand on the jury raised.

“All in favour of sustaining the verdict.”

No hands raised.

“Very well,” said Crouch, “Sirius Orion Black III, esquire, is hereby acquitted.”

The man in the chair — ragged, haggard and breathing heavily — stared up at Snape in astonishment.

It wasn't until he was out of chains and on the floor of the Ministry of Magic's atrium that he spoke.

“Why?” Sirius Black turned to ask Snape.

Snape regarded him for almost a full minute before responding.

He passed a photograph of a two year old boy to Sirius, it appeared to have been taken under surveillance of some kind. The boy had scruffy dark hair, round glasses, vivid green eyes and a roundish, pale face. He also had a red scar, shaped like a bolt of lightning.

“He has her eyes,” was all Snape said.

Sirius looked at the photo. Then he yanked Snape into a crushing hug.

“Get off, you insufferably mangy degenerate!” snapped Snape, shoving Sirius away. Sirius cackled like a maniac as Snape strode off, black cloak billowing around him.

“SIRIUS!”

Sirius looked up to see the worn, unkempt figure of Remus Lupin running across the atrium at him. “REMUS!” Sirius called back and yanked Remus off his feet in a crushing hug. Remus seemed to appreciate it better than Snape.

“Sirius, I am so sorry!” said Remus when Sirius finally put him down, “I can't believe I didn't trust you! Damned Peter... Why didn't I see it?”

“Don't blame yourself,” said Sirius, “We all trusted him. He had us all fooled.”

The conversation was unable to progress any longer, however, due to the torrent of journalists and photographers that suddenly noticed Sirius and descended on them both like flies to faecal matter. They both fought through them all and dashed to the nearest fireplace. Grabbing a handful of floo powder, Sirius flung it into the fireplace and green flames erupted into it.

With no more preamble, he nodded to Remus, stepped into the grate and said, “Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place."

Then he was spirited away.

He stomped out into the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. He stepped aside as Remus arrived behind him. There came a clattering sound and a straight-backed house elf marched into the kitchen angrily.

“The mistress is not taking visit-” it stopped and gaped at Sirius. Sirius grinned evilly.

“Hello, Kreacher.”

“YOU! What are you doing here?”

“I was acquitted. Where is Mother-dearest?”

Kreacher stared a moment longer before turning and dashing out of the kitchen, “MISTRESS! HE IS BACK! YOUR DISOWNED SON HAS RETURNED!”

A minute later, a woman in her late fifties and supported by a walking stick shuffled into the kitchen. She had the semblance of faded beauty, her face lined with age, her dark hair lazily tied back. Kreacher was peering at Sirius and Lupin from behind her skirts. She surveyed her son for a long time before speaking.

“What the fuck are you doing back here?”

“Good to see you too mother...” replied Sirius, “I was acquitted.”

“Doesn't answer the question. Last time I saw you, you were leaving for good. What are you doing here?”

“I've just been released from being wrongfully imprisoned for three quarters of a year. I need a wash, a beard-trim and a classy suit. That's all. Then I really will be gone for good.”

She grumbled for a moment.

“Fine. Don't take long. It's just typical, you finally do something to make me proud and it turns out it wasn't you. Or did you just manage to get away with it?” she said, a hint of hope in her voice at the end.

Sirius crossed his arms, “No, Mother, I most certainly did not. Unlike you, I have a concept of morals.” He marched past her and into the hall.

“You can have one of Orion's suits — did you even know he died?”

“As a matter of fact, I did,” replied Sirius as he stomped up the stairs towards the nearest bathroom.

“And you couldn't even be bothered to come to the funeral. Now he was a man to respect; I certainly loved him more than I ever loved you. And your friend will have to wait in your room, by the look of him he'll make off with the good silver if he's left alone.”

A shower, trim and dressing later, Sirius was in the hallway with Remus. Sirius hair was now smooth and wavy, his beard was now presentable and he donned a smart-casual pinstriped suit (sans tie).

“And stay out this time,” Walburga Black called after them as he and Remus left through the front door.

“So where now? asked Remus. Sirius held up the back of the photograph that Snape had given him. On the back was an address, with two names.

Petunia and Vernon Dursley No. 4 Privet Drive Little Whinging Surrey

“Time for an overdue visit.”


Sirius and Remus strode down Privet Drive, counting the numbers on each house. Upon arriving at number four, Remus took Sirius aside.

“Sirius, I know you never got on with them, but please let's try it my way first?”

“Fine,” huffed Sirius, “but if they get difficult; I get to kick the door in.”

Remus rapped hard on the front door. After a short wait, it was opened by a lanky blonde woman with a neck like a crane. She gaped at them.

“Ah, I see you remember us Petunia,” said Remus warmly, “May we come in? We have some matters to discuss involving Harry.”

Petunia stared at them a short while longer before speaking, “What the devil are you doing here? Leave now please, or I shall call the police.”

Then she shut the door firmly.

Sirius smirked at Lupin.

Then he kicked the door in.

Petunia shrieked and a large, beefy man ran into the hall from the living room. He stared at both Remus and Sirius in shock.

“YOU!” he roared, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?”

“Vernon! You're still here! That's superb! I'd like to have a little chat with the two of you about Harry,” said Sirius with a slightly manic grin in his face, “Firstly, can we see him?”

“Apologies,” added Remus, “I'm afraid he's been rather stressed as of late.”

The Dursleys both looked at each other. Then they looked at Sirius, their eyes wide.

“Well?” added Sirius, “Where is he?”

Still the Dursleys didn't respond. Then Vernon's eyes flickered for a moment to the cupboard under the stairs.

Sirius noticed.

He moved towards the cupboard.

Vernon moved in his way.

Sirius pulled his wand out of his sleeve.

Vernon stepped away.

Sirius pointed his wand at the cupboard door.

“Alohomora.”

The cupboard door swung open. Inside the cupboard was a cot, housing a toddler. The same one from the photo. He was currently asleep. The rest of the cupboard was bare. Sirius and Remus stared at the sleeping form for a full minute. Then Sirius rounded on the Dursleys.

“What is this?”

“He gets in the way,” said Petunia, somewhat timidly.

“Oh he does, does he?” retorted Sirius, raising his wand.

Petunia paled.

“You wouldn't...”

Sirius' face was by now a picture of fury, “Bitch, you have sorely underestimated me.”

Then Remus stepped between them, holding his arms out at each of them.

“Sirius. Enough. We can talk about this.”

“Oh I'll be happy to talk about this after these two get out of the hospital,” snarled Sirius, “Get out of the way, Moony.”

“Padfoot! Give me your wand. Now.”

The stand-off lasted for about thirty seconds. Then Sirius grudgingly handed his wand over.

“Thank you,” Remus said, “Living room. Now.”

And so it was with tentative distrust that the enforced armistice settled down on opposite sofas.

“Right... right...” said Sirius, breathing heavily, “I... am going to offer you two cretins a once-in-a-lifetime deal. We both know, that for Lily's protection spell to hold, Harry has to spend at least one day each year in this house. So. How about this: I look after and raise Harry for all but one day of the year, until he comes of age. And once a year, he stays with you, for twenty four hours. Think you can handle this plan?”

The Dursleys gaped at each other for a moment, before turning to him and nodding fervently.


“Well, I'm impressed by how well you handled that, Sirius,” said Lupin as they walked down the street with the toddler bundled in Sirius' arms.

“Believe me, if there weren't children in the house and I'd had my wand, they'd both be in St. Mungo's by now.”

“So where do you plan to raise Harry exactly?”

“Where else,” grinned Sirius, “Harry's inherited everything of the Potters and I'm his legal guardian.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning we have business on the Welsh border.”

A look of comprehension dawned on Lupin's face, “Ah. Cwpan Tân Hall.”


The understated entry hall of Cwpan Tân was dark; thick with dust and cobwebs. It wasn't particularly large, consisting primarily of a marble fireplace on the back wall and a 5-metre gap to the wooden front doors. The walls were wood panelling on stone, the floor a matching stone and an extinguished candelabra hung from the ceiling. The small amount of furniture was covered by sheets. Suddenly, for the first time in over two years, green flames erupted in the fireplace. Sirius, carrying Harry, and Remus stepped out.

“Well... it's in better condition than it could be,” said Remus. He took out his wand.

“Scourgify.”

At once, a ripple passed over the entire room, expunging the dust and cobwebs. Remus walked over to the front doors, opposite the fireplace. He gave them a tug, only slightly surprised when they did not resist.

“Hmm, Mabel must be in.”

“Why would she leave the lights off?” asked Sirius, his brow furrowing. Harry was still asleep on his shoulder.

“Perhaps she just found Lumos to be easier?” said Remus, shrugging.

They both turned to the right of the fireplace and walked into the ballroom, an impressive — but currently dark and dusty — marble-floored room with a grand staircase leading to the second floor and an impressive crystal chandelier. Remus elbowed Sirius, causing him to stop.

“Ow! What th-”

Remus pointed to the bottom of the staircase. There was a wand lying in front of it. Sirius walked over to it and picked it up. It was very dark wood, almost black, about ten inches long and had a twisted knot at the end.

“Mabel's,” said Sirius. He furrowed his brow. Then he turned to Remus and handed him the wand, “I'm taking Harry upstairs. Check the dining room; something isn't right.”

Remus went to the dining room doors. He could hear voices on the other side of the thick wood. He pressed his wand against one of the doors.

“Silencio.”

He edged the now-silenced door open and peered in. He immediately crouched down. Four figures in hoods and skull-masks were gathered in the room — Death Eaters — with a fifth seemingly frozen in a kneeling position between them. The paralysed figure was a woman in her early thirties, dark haired, short, blue-eyed and with a heart-shaped face. She also had several vicious cuts on her face. One of the Death Eaters, apparently the one in charge, spoke.

“Where is he?” the voice was female. It sounded familiar.

“Up your arse,” replied the paralysed woman.

“Do you know who I am?” said the leader, “Give us what we need, or you'll go back to Ireland in a box-”

“I'M FUCKING WELSH, YOU BITCH! AND WHEN I GET FREE I'M GONNA EMBED THAT MASK INTO YOUR FACE!”

Sirius crept up next to Remus. His eyes widened as he looked into the dining room. He nodded to Remus, then they both crept into the room, using the dining table for cover. The leader turned to one of the other Death Eaters.

“Rabastan, are you sure there's nothing else here?”

He nodded.

“Positive.”

“Burn it down then,” she replied, “Burn the whole place down.”

It then hit Remus just who she was. Bellatrix Lestrange. Which made 'Rabastan', Rabastan Lestrange — her brother in law. If he had to hedge his bets, he guessed that one of the others was her husband, Rodolphus.

“Barty, what say we have some fun?” continued Bellatrix, addressing the shortest of the Death Eaters now, “Should we kill her first? Or should we leave her to die in the fire.”

'Barty' took a moment to think before, “Fire, I think.”

They all took out their wands.

Which is when Sirius and Remus both popped out from opposite ends of the dining table and fired simultaneous stunning spells.

The Death Eaters deflected them.

Then the room lit up with spells and counter-spells.

Remus shot a counter-curse at the paralysed woman. She dropped to the floor.

One of the Death Eaters turned to her, only to be hit by a chair sent his way by Sirius.

Remus slid the wand he had found across the room to the woman, before engaging the nearest two Death Eaters in a duel.

Sirius was now fighting Bellatrix. Her mask had been knocked off and her manic face was lost in the frenzy.

Remus feinted dodging backwards, then dropped low and hit 'Barty' with a full body bind, before turning his full attention to Rabastan.

“Serpensortia!”

A large snake suddenly flew from behind onto Rabastan's head. He flailed around trying to get it off.

Lupin hit him with a stunner. Then looked past him to see the woman he'd freed wearing a smirk.

Then the Death Eater who'd been 'chaired' got up. Remus and the woman turned to meet him and the duel resumed.

Sirius, meanwhile, was dodging Cruciatus curses from Bellatrix with a widening smirk.

“C'mon. Try a little harder. I believe in you,” he almost cackled as he sidestepped yet another jet of light.

Then he took a hit to the arm and doubled over in pain.

He recovered well, putting a wall of ice in front of Bellatrix, before calling over to Remus and the woman, “Could you stop messing around and give me a hand?”

“Help Sirius, I'll deal with him,” said Remus, "Incendio!"

The Death Eater's hood burst into flame.

The woman nodded and moved across the room as Bellatrix melted the ice wall.

Sirius and the woman re-engaged Bellatrix, while Remus' opponent pulled off his hood and mask to get away from the fire. As Remus had suspected, it was indeed Rodolphus Lestrange. While he was still trying to regain his balance, Remus hit him with a leg-locker curse, then bound him with conjured ropes.

He turned to the fight against Bellatrix.

“Expecto Patronum!” a large, ghostly wolf burst from Remus' wand and ran off out of the room.

The duel came to a pause. Bellatrix looking at the Patronus as it flew out of sight.

“Outnumbered and out of time, Bella,” said Sirius, his smirk back in full force.

“Now give up or get off this property before the aurors have to scrape up your remains from when we're done with you,” added the woman.

Bellatrix' eyes were darting between Sirius, the woman and Remus as each of them kept their wand trained on her.

“Lumos Maxima!”

Suddenly the room was filled with a very bright light; so bright that they had to avert their eyes. When the light abated all the Death Eaters were gone.

“Damn,” said Sirius.

The woman seemed to properly notice Sirius for the first time, “What the fuck are you doing back here?”

“I am rapidly becoming tired of that question. I'm innocent. It was all Peter. He's alive and on the run now. Nice to see you too, Mabel,” said Sirius, bitterly.

Mabel Baines looked at Remus, who nodded, then back at Sirius. Then she shrugged, “Okay.”

Sirius stared at her, “You're... you're... not even going to question that?”

She shrugged again.

“To be honest, I don't even know what to believe any more. I'm still trying to deal with the idea of you selling out James and Lily and murdering Peter — now it's Peter who sold them out and he's not dead any-more. But anyway, what are you two doing here?”

“We'd just picked up Harry from Lily's side of the family. He'll be spending one day a year with them and the rest here with me. He's upstairs asleep for now — I put a spell on him to keep him under.”

Mabel's eyes widened, “Shit! We need to get some wards up now!”

“Mabel, what's the matter?” asked Remus.

“Those Death Eaters were here looking for Harry,” she said hastily as she began to wave her wand and utter incantations. Remus and Sirius quickly joined her. When they were done erecting every protection they could think of — including animating the suits of armour across the mansion to act as sentries — they checked on Harry, then brought him to the drawing room on the other side of the entrance hall.

After the aurors had come and gone, they gathered round one of the tables in the drawing room to talk.

“So,” said Mabel, “What do we know?”

“Peter betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort,” supplied Remus, “Snape got warning to The Order-”

“I know that bit,” Mabel interrupted, “I mean what do we know now?”

“The general wizarding public is unaware of where Harry is,” Remus continued, “As Harry's legal guardian and now acquitted, Sirius will be raising Harry here with me to help from time to time. Assuming you want to stay on, we'll happily keep you as estate manager.”

Mabel nodded. “You won't get any bailing from me. I'm here till I drop.” She then turned to Sirius, “Listen here, Black. We both know you haven't exactly been one for commitment — if I'm going to go along with this, you better give me your word right here, right now that you will do everything in your power to raise Harry well. Children are not easy.”

Sirius looked at her for a moment, the weight of what she had just said processing in his mind.

“Yes. Yes, I will. I promise.”


Three years later.

“Harry, what did I tell you?” asked Sirius, chidingly.

“Don't play in the fireplace...” said Harry dejectedly. He hopped up and dusted himself off before scampering out.

“POTTER!” roared Mabel from the direction of the drawing room, “You'd better not be in that grate again.”

The five year old Harry Potter was spared from further grilling when a crack sounded through the air and suddenly Kreacher was standing in the middle of the entry hall.

“DEAD!” he bawled, “DEAD! DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD DEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAADDD! THE MISTRESS IS DEEEAAAD! MY PRECIOUS MISTRESS IS DEAD!”

Sirius stared at Kreacher's anguish morbidly. He leant against the mantelpiece for a moment, before striding into the ballroom and up the stairs. Remus looked up from reading the Daily Prophet.

“Keep Harry busy for a moment, please,” he said to a perplexed Mabel. He followed Sirius upstairs to the master bedroom. Sirius was sitting on the bed by the time Remus caught up.

“Are you all right?” Remus asked.

“Fine,” said Sirius.

“I see,” Remus said, sitting on the bed.

There was a long silence.

“I wish I'd had a mother who wasn't shit. There. I said it. Happy now?”

“Yes. What are you going to do about Kreacher?”

“Fuck if I care. He can rot in Grimmauld place for all I care. Or go free, or whatever.”

Remus frowned.

“Won't he go mad?”

“Not my problem.”

“Padfoot.”

“I don't care.”

“Do I have to bring the portrait of James and Lily into this?”

There was another silence.

Sirius sighed.

“Fine. He can stay. But somehow, I doubt Mabel will get along with him.”


A further five and a bit years later.

“Harry, calm down. They'll be here soon enough,” said Sirius wearily.

“But it's MY BIRTHDAY!” Harry cackled as he chased Kreacher around the ballroom. Harry was enjoying his little game. Kreacher was not.

“MASTER! CALL HIM OFF! CALL HIM OFF!”

Sirius just roared with laughter, “Are you kidding? You never call me master if you can help it. I am going to savour this.”

Then there was the unmistakable sound of floo powder flames from the entrance hall. Quick as a flash, Harry dashed out of the Ballroom and with a soft thud, crashed against someone. Giggling uncontrollably, he looked up at the first of the visitors.

Lucius Malfoy stood in front of the fireplace; Narcissa Malfoy beside him; and their son Draco just behind them.


Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

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