Harry Potter and the Ways of Wizards

by orphan_account

Summary:

In Diagon Alley, the summer before his third year, Harry decides to learn more about this world he's been brought into, and learns things about his parents and their endeavors and what they left behind that he had never known. This changes everything.

After escaping Azkaban, instead of going after Peter Pettigrew, Sirius contacts his cousins to get their help in proving his innocence. This changes everything.

!!!!! THIS FIC WAS NEVER AND WILL NEVER BE COMPLETED !!!!!

Notes:

Hey, y'all. A few things before we get into it.

This fic is (mostly) canon-compliant up until Diagon Alley before third year. However, should something not completely add up, feel free to point it out (politely, preferrably) or just know that I probably decided to take it out, but I didn't want to rewrite the entire first two books, since they're largely the same.

This is Drarry, however it is's slow burn (they are thirteen) so don't be expecting romance till at least fifth year (Harry's smart, but no incredibly observant).

Though this isn't super Ron-bashing, Ron doesn't serve the purposes I need, so he's portrayed in a rather negative light, and I shift a lot of friendships around to not include him. Don't go into this expecting Ron slander, but also not fantastic Ron.

There are a lot of plots that I literally just took the fuck out. Sue me. I'll let you know which ones I decide to just ignore completely as we get to them.

I'm queer so like 90% of the characters we like are also queer.

I'm not fond of Snape, at all, so don't expect this to be.

I genuinely hate Dumbledore. (Don't talk to me about sacrificing the few for the greater good, I never liked Machiavelly)

This is not Molly friendly. Just know that now.
It is however, just about every other Weasley (besides Ron) friendly.

I am still in the process of writing, but I'm hoping to keep regular Wednesday updates (Yes, I know I posted this on Tuesday, from now on, though, it'll be Wednesday).

I think that's all you need to know for now.

Thank you to Hazi for beta-reading!

Hopefully, it's an enjoyable experience.

Chapter 1: October 31, 1981

"Hagrid, give him to me, he's my godson."

"I can't do that Sirius, Dumbledore's orders."

"To hell with Dumbledore, Harry is my godson, James and Lily would want him with me."

"Dumbledore said-"

"Hagrid-"

"He'll be safe." Hagrid insisted. "Dumbledore said it's the safest place he could go."

Sirius gave him a considering look, then huffed. "Fine, if it's the safest place... it's probably best." He gave a long look at the little baby in Hagrid's arms. Little Harry Potter, his wonderful godson, he hoped to spoil him rotten one day. "I've got to go after Peter-" he snarled the name. "Hagrid, Dumbledore knows Peter was their secret keeper, he can send people after him, I’ll go ahead." And, with one last glance at his godson, Sirius Black set off. Perhaps, if he had known what would happen next he would have stayed. Perhaps he would have held on to him longer. If he’d known he wouldn’t see him for another twelve years, Sirius never would have let Harry out of his sight.

------

"Ask Dumbledore-"

" Dumbledore told us where you were, Black." The auror cut him off. "He told us you were the one who betrayed James and Lily Potter, too. And now their baby has to grow up without his parents."

"Wha- no! No!" The world was spinning beneath Sirius' feet. " Peter was the secret keeper, not me-"

"Why'd you blow him up then, Black? Why'd you kill all those people?"

"I didn't! Peter did!"

"No one's going to fall for your lies anymore, Sirius."

Sirius froze and turned to where Albus Dumbledore had entered the room. The man was gazing at Sirius with a sad expression, but that ever-present twinkle still in his eyes.

"Dumbledore? But- you know it wasn't me- it couldn't have been me, I wasn't the secret keeper ."

"I wish you'd been able to escape your family's influence, Mr. Black, I really do." Dumbledore heaved an absurdly disappointed sigh. "I should have known better. After all, your little brother died for the Death Eater cause, maybe that swayed you back into your parents’ embrace."

Sirius stared in mounting horror, as he realized Dumbledore was framing him as the perfect villain. Toujour Pur and all his parents’ Pureblood supremacist bullshit. Sirius Black, the volatile, hotheaded, stubborn, troubled child. The scapegoat.

Dumbledore had decided Sirius was an obstacle he had to be rid of, unable to be controlled.

Dumbledore shook his head, dramatically. "I should have known, you were so adamant about the Pureblood endeavors, even while you claimed to hate them."

Sirius scoffed. "Pureblood endeavors? You mean the campaign to ensure the preservation of our culture? That is Lily’s campaign!"

" Was, Sirius, was Lily’s campaign. You betrayed them to Voldemort, remember? And now they'll never get a chance to see their hard work come to fruition. They'll never get the chance to teach Harry about magic, they'll never get to watch him play Quidditch, they'll never attend his graduation, and it is entirely your fault ." Dumbledore heaved yet another sigh. "I'm sorry to say that you'll be spending the rest of your life in Azkaban, Mr. Black."

------

"It is entirely your fault” was what haunted Sirius for the next twelve years. Because it was.

No, of course, he wasn't the one to betray them, he would never, could never do that to his Prongs, Lilyflower, and Prongslet.

But, it was his fault. After all, he convinced them to have Peter be their secret keeper instead. Because Pete could surely be trusted, even while Sirius didn't trust himself.

And it was his fault that Harry grew up without the family James and Lily would want for him if they couldn't be there. Because instead of taking Harry from Hagrid, and then going straight to the Order to announce the terrible news where everyone could hear, Sirius let Hagrid take Harry to Merlin knew where, and recklessly went after Peter who managed to fall perfectly into Dumbledore's plan of framing Sirius.

Apparently, the rat had finally found his Marauder guts, but forgotten the Marauder loyalty.

So, this time, when Sirius Black escaped Azkaban, he didn't go after Peter Pettigrew, though he knew exactly where to find him. Instead, he wrote two letters, to his two (unimprisoned) cousins who, contrary to popular belief, had never turned their back on him, even when his own brother had.