Sirius-centric fics
Access by child_of_iluvatar
After James and Lily are killed and Sirius narrowly escapes Azkaban, he and Remus take on the job of making Harry’s life with the Dursleys a little less miserable. Written for the Raising Harry Ficathon on Livejournal. Totally AU.
Acts Infernal by samvimes
An old man in Diagon Alley has a story to tell, if the price is right: about the gates of Hades, a silver boy and a sable boy, a cast-off angel, and a knife that can sever your soul. Okay, that description doesn’t adequately cover this at ALL. Bottom line on this story: Harry goes to Hades to reclaim Sirius. He’s accompanied by Draco in what could’ve been a cheesy let’s-be-friends fic, but instead was a really canon-like depiction of Malfoy. Very well done. I loved the mythology mingled with this fic. It was a short story, only 10 chapters, which meant it didn’t drag on with tedious backstories or irrelevant mythological details. Yet it was long enough that I got this great taste of why classic mythology is so fascinating. Even aside from the myth, though, it was a great action/adventure. This author also wrote Stealing Harry, another favorite of mine.
The Adventures of Icarus, the Invisible Poltergeist - By After the Rain aka Lady deMimsy
In which Mr. Prongs takes Muggle Studies, Mr. Padfoot has a crush on Professor McGonagall, Miss Evans demonstrates where her son inherited his CAPS LOCK tendencies, Mr. Wormtail discovers that his Animagus form is useful for petty theft, and Mr. Moony explains why none of this can possibly be construed as his fault. Extremely funny one-parter. It was a bit sad, though, to see how close of friends Remus and Peter were. Still, the subtle depth of the fic didn’t detract from the pure comedic aims. VERY well done. I like everything I’ve read by this author thus far.
After the End by Arabella and Zsenya
It's the summer after seventh year, and Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and the rest of the wizarding world must learn to live without fear. I think this may be my favorite of all HP fics thus far.
Burden of a Destiny By ksomm
This multi-part series began with PoA. This is an interesting part-canon/part-AU series as it follows basic canon, having change only a few details at the start of the first fic, which accounts for the AU aspect. The first fic starts out as another Abused Harry story. The difference is that Padfoot saw what was happening that summer before 3rd year and rescued Harry. The first story, Midnight Guardian, covers Book 3. The next fic, Trials of a Champion, covers the Triwizard Tournament/Book 4. Burden of a destiny covers Book 5. And the current WIP, Power of Hogwarts, covers Book 6. It’s very good. I always look forward to this author’s updates.
The Consequences of Being Legally Dead by Erin Diehl
Spontaneous Death Reversal was completely unheard of, at least until this cloudy day in mid-2004 when an eight-year-dead Sirius Black begins banging on the long-ago locked door of the old Department of Mysteries. Cute one-parter about how everyone would react - particularly the Ministry - if Sirius returned to life. Implied RL/SB slash, but just because there is a hug that is inferred to have a lot of love behind it.
Fantastic Beasts: A two-parchment essay for Care of Magical Creatures by SB by Mary Borsellino
Sirius writes a book review, after a fashion. A hilarious one-parter. Definitely shows a great interpretation of the personality of our Sirius during his school days.
The Godfather Part I - Decisions by birgit
What if James Potter had told Dumbledore of the change in Secret-Keepers? What if Sirius never tried to track Peter down? What if, after losing his parents, little Harry Potter still had a godfather? Alternate Universe. I really enjoy this series, particularly the way the characters’ POVs match up with the author’s writing style. I.e., Harry’s 8 year old POV sounds like a child’s voice. This is one I’ve read multiple times. There’s a Part III in the works.
The Godfather Part II - Morals by birgit
For seven years now, Harry Potter has been living in the Muggle world. Just like Professor Dumbledore had requested, he is growing up far from the places where he is famous and the people who admire him. But when he gets the chance, Harry decides to take a look at one of the most well-known places in the wizarding world.
Grim Dawn by RobinLady
Prior to Harry’s third year, he leaves the Dursleys, desperate to escape. But before the Knight Bus can stumble upon him, he encounters someone far different, and his world begins to change. I was shocked to realize I forgot to put this on my list initially. This is quite possibly my favorite Sirius-rescues-Harry-from-the-Dursleys fic. It’s very well constructed with a plausible premise, canon-centric characters, and an exciting plot.
Grimmauld Place Series by Fionnabhair
This series starts during the summer of 1995 and (thus far) seems to go to Christmas 1996. It’s from Ginny’s POV as she interacts with Sirius and Harry. Pure canon, so no pairings, though Ginny’s crush on Harry is there. Really good insight offered into Sirius, in particular. Fantastic series of one-parters: (1) Arrival At Grimmauld Place; (2) Teatime At Grimmauld Place; (3) Cleaning Grimmauld Place; (4) Uncertainty In Grimmauld Place; (5) Departure From Grimmauld Place; (6) Evening In Grimmauld Place; (7) Should Auld Aquaintance Be Forgot.
In Living Memory By Lady deMimsy
Following OotP, Harry is given a pensieve that Sirius had prepared for Harry’s birthday, full of Sirius’s memories. Really good one-parter. I especially liked the letter that accompanied the gift.
Learning to Vanquish by humantales
Post-OotP A continuation of Counterparts; Harry Potter's sixth year as he struggles to understand what the prophecy means to him and what he may become. Chapter 10: A possession attempt, a Valentine's trip to Hogwarts and a werewolf attack. You first ought to read the one-parter prequel, Counterparts, in which Harry went to an AU world via Godric’s Hollow where Voldemort had died before getting powerful. In this story, Harry’s using Sirius’s mirror to communicate with the other world and they can pass documents back and forth. Really interesting theories, particularly in regard to the last battle.
Legacy by sodalite
ONE SHOT The summer before OOTP Fred and George make a discovery about the Marauder’s map, whilst Sirius and Remus remember days which have long since faded away. This was exactly what I had in mind when I went looking for a “twins discover MWPP identities” fic. Very nice!
Living with Danger By whydoyouneedtoknow
AU. Harry Potter is stolen from the Dursleys before he is even 2. He grows up happily in hiding, with two sets of parents, three siblings (eventually), red-haired friends (more eventually), and pranks galore. SBOC, RLOC, no slash. I really, really loved this story. It’s up there with Samvines’ Stealing Harry, but I liked the lives that Sirius and Lupin wind up with better than in Stealing Harry. Multiple sequels and companion pieces which I ultimately got tired of and quit reading. But I enjoyed the first set very much.
A Promise Worth Keeping by Cas
Rated PG13 87,000 words. *Complete*
AU. Before he ever hears of Hogwarts, Harry has a magical accident that has horrible repercussions for him. In a race to protect him, two old friends end up on opposite sides when the real danger lies elsewhere... Basically, it’s another one where Sirius finds Harry pre-Hogwarts. I like this one because it’s not an over-done Abused!Harry fic. It’s got a much more canon interpretation of all the characters than most. Written prior to OotP, and AU as it is set pre-Hogwarts, but it is a great representation of all the characters, particularly Lucius Malfoy and Snape. I believe there are two sequels.
Registration by CopperBadge (aka SamVimes)
"Stop Lily an' James Potter' s son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born." (Hagrid, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.) This is the story of how Harry's name got "down." And it's one of the best justifications for CAPS LOCK!Harry ever. Extremely funny and terribly apt one-shot. Must-read material for everyone.
Resurrection by Portkey
Harry leaves the wizarding world behind in search of himself. Ginny finds comfort in the arms of someone else - someone unexpected. When Harry returns, which man will Ginny choose? Started prior to the release of OotP. This story is perfect for anyone who loves Harry, Ginny and Sirius. No, it’s not a threesome. It’s fantastic. Really, really good. And there’s a happy ending.
The Road Not Taken by Bethany1
What if the night of Halloween 1981 Sirius Black didn't go after Peter? What if Fudge doesn't believe Sirius should be Harry's guardian? What if Peter was faced with Azkaban, instead? This is a pretty decent version of that alternate scenario. I liked it because it doesn’t focus on Harry, as most such stories do. Instead, we see the events beginning 10/31/81 from Sirius’s POV.
Some Things Are Better Left Unknown by Giesbrecht (4 chapters)
One reviewer wrote: “This is one of the best marauders stories I’ve read. It’s also a time-travel story with a bit of a difference. There are no time turners here; instead it’s fifteen year-old Sirius Black who manages to recreate an ancient charm to send them into the future. Some small voice of reason prevails and they agree to avoid anything that could seriously cause damage or tell them things they should not know. So they decide to stay at Hogwarts and travel 25 years into the future - right into Harry’s own 5th year. They assume that they can have fun and not hurt anything, but how wrong they are! The moment a certain student from the past saw a particular student from the future, I couldn't stop reading.”
Somewhere Warm by MetroDweller
In the summer after PoA, letters from Sirius come by tropical birds rather than owls, making Harry think of palm trees & white sand. A romance set that summer, from the point of view of a young witch living in the sunny paradise he runs to. I really liked this one as it gave us this perspective on Sirius that we don’t get from the series, as Harry really isn’t able to grasp (at age 13-15) what Sirius has and will sacrifice in order to be there for him. The fic shows us more of Sirius’ personality, dreams, etc. There’s a sequel: To Believe. I’m not sure yet if this will fully follow OotP’s final act or not. So far it’s conducive with GoF canon.
Stealing Harry by samvimes
Stealing Harry grabs canon by the throat and disembowels it. If Lucius Malfoy got to Peter Pettigrew before Sirius could, Sirius would be a bookshop owner, Remus would have a steady job, and one day, when Harry Potter was eight-and-a-half years old, they might kidnap him from the Dursleys... (Sirius/Remus in later chapters) This is NOT a slash fic. Sirius and Remus have something going on in the background, but the story is about Harry. So far, this is my favorite what-if-Sirius-and-Remus-rescued-Harry fic. This is one of the few I’ve gone back and re-read. The author also wrote Acts Infernal and a ton of others .
Shades of Black: A Sirius Black fanfic archive
As with all my recs, I'm sure I'll be updating this list periodically to reflect any newly completed fics I stumble across and like. There are numerous shorts that could go on this list, but I like to focus on the longer fics whenever possible. If you're looking for numerous good shorts that focus on Sirius and the Mauraders, I suggest you skim through a_t_rain's vast collection.
After James and Lily are killed and Sirius narrowly escapes Azkaban, he and Remus take on the job of making Harry’s life with the Dursleys a little less miserable. Written for the Raising Harry Ficathon on Livejournal. Totally AU.
Acts Infernal by samvimes
An old man in Diagon Alley has a story to tell, if the price is right: about the gates of Hades, a silver boy and a sable boy, a cast-off angel, and a knife that can sever your soul. Okay, that description doesn’t adequately cover this at ALL. Bottom line on this story: Harry goes to Hades to reclaim Sirius. He’s accompanied by Draco in what could’ve been a cheesy let’s-be-friends fic, but instead was a really canon-like depiction of Malfoy. Very well done. I loved the mythology mingled with this fic. It was a short story, only 10 chapters, which meant it didn’t drag on with tedious backstories or irrelevant mythological details. Yet it was long enough that I got this great taste of why classic mythology is so fascinating. Even aside from the myth, though, it was a great action/adventure. This author also wrote Stealing Harry, another favorite of mine.
The Adventures of Icarus, the Invisible Poltergeist - By After the Rain aka Lady deMimsy
In which Mr. Prongs takes Muggle Studies, Mr. Padfoot has a crush on Professor McGonagall, Miss Evans demonstrates where her son inherited his CAPS LOCK tendencies, Mr. Wormtail discovers that his Animagus form is useful for petty theft, and Mr. Moony explains why none of this can possibly be construed as his fault. Extremely funny one-parter. It was a bit sad, though, to see how close of friends Remus and Peter were. Still, the subtle depth of the fic didn’t detract from the pure comedic aims. VERY well done. I like everything I’ve read by this author thus far.
After the End by Arabella and Zsenya
It's the summer after seventh year, and Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and the rest of the wizarding world must learn to live without fear. I think this may be my favorite of all HP fics thus far.
Burden of a Destiny By ksomm
This multi-part series began with PoA. This is an interesting part-canon/part-AU series as it follows basic canon, having change only a few details at the start of the first fic, which accounts for the AU aspect. The first fic starts out as another Abused Harry story. The difference is that Padfoot saw what was happening that summer before 3rd year and rescued Harry. The first story, Midnight Guardian, covers Book 3. The next fic, Trials of a Champion, covers the Triwizard Tournament/Book 4. Burden of a destiny covers Book 5. And the current WIP, Power of Hogwarts, covers Book 6. It’s very good. I always look forward to this author’s updates.
The Consequences of Being Legally Dead by Erin Diehl
Spontaneous Death Reversal was completely unheard of, at least until this cloudy day in mid-2004 when an eight-year-dead Sirius Black begins banging on the long-ago locked door of the old Department of Mysteries. Cute one-parter about how everyone would react - particularly the Ministry - if Sirius returned to life. Implied RL/SB slash, but just because there is a hug that is inferred to have a lot of love behind it.
Fantastic Beasts: A two-parchment essay for Care of Magical Creatures by SB by Mary Borsellino
Sirius writes a book review, after a fashion. A hilarious one-parter. Definitely shows a great interpretation of the personality of our Sirius during his school days.
The Godfather Part I - Decisions by birgit
What if James Potter had told Dumbledore of the change in Secret-Keepers? What if Sirius never tried to track Peter down? What if, after losing his parents, little Harry Potter still had a godfather? Alternate Universe. I really enjoy this series, particularly the way the characters’ POVs match up with the author’s writing style. I.e., Harry’s 8 year old POV sounds like a child’s voice. This is one I’ve read multiple times. There’s a Part III in the works.
The Godfather Part II - Morals by birgit
For seven years now, Harry Potter has been living in the Muggle world. Just like Professor Dumbledore had requested, he is growing up far from the places where he is famous and the people who admire him. But when he gets the chance, Harry decides to take a look at one of the most well-known places in the wizarding world.
Grim Dawn by RobinLady
Prior to Harry’s third year, he leaves the Dursleys, desperate to escape. But before the Knight Bus can stumble upon him, he encounters someone far different, and his world begins to change. I was shocked to realize I forgot to put this on my list initially. This is quite possibly my favorite Sirius-rescues-Harry-from-the-Dursleys fic. It’s very well constructed with a plausible premise, canon-centric characters, and an exciting plot.
Grimmauld Place Series by Fionnabhair
This series starts during the summer of 1995 and (thus far) seems to go to Christmas 1996. It’s from Ginny’s POV as she interacts with Sirius and Harry. Pure canon, so no pairings, though Ginny’s crush on Harry is there. Really good insight offered into Sirius, in particular. Fantastic series of one-parters: (1) Arrival At Grimmauld Place; (2) Teatime At Grimmauld Place; (3) Cleaning Grimmauld Place; (4) Uncertainty In Grimmauld Place; (5) Departure From Grimmauld Place; (6) Evening In Grimmauld Place; (7) Should Auld Aquaintance Be Forgot.
In Living Memory By Lady deMimsy
Following OotP, Harry is given a pensieve that Sirius had prepared for Harry’s birthday, full of Sirius’s memories. Really good one-parter. I especially liked the letter that accompanied the gift.
Learning to Vanquish by humantales
Post-OotP A continuation of Counterparts; Harry Potter's sixth year as he struggles to understand what the prophecy means to him and what he may become. Chapter 10: A possession attempt, a Valentine's trip to Hogwarts and a werewolf attack. You first ought to read the one-parter prequel, Counterparts, in which Harry went to an AU world via Godric’s Hollow where Voldemort had died before getting powerful. In this story, Harry’s using Sirius’s mirror to communicate with the other world and they can pass documents back and forth. Really interesting theories, particularly in regard to the last battle.
Legacy by sodalite
ONE SHOT The summer before OOTP Fred and George make a discovery about the Marauder’s map, whilst Sirius and Remus remember days which have long since faded away. This was exactly what I had in mind when I went looking for a “twins discover MWPP identities” fic. Very nice!
Living with Danger By whydoyouneedtoknow
AU. Harry Potter is stolen from the Dursleys before he is even 2. He grows up happily in hiding, with two sets of parents, three siblings (eventually), red-haired friends (more eventually), and pranks galore. SBOC, RLOC, no slash. I really, really loved this story. It’s up there with Samvines’ Stealing Harry, but I liked the lives that Sirius and Lupin wind up with better than in Stealing Harry. Multiple sequels and companion pieces which I ultimately got tired of and quit reading. But I enjoyed the first set very much.
A Promise Worth Keeping by Cas
Rated PG13 87,000 words. *Complete*
AU. Before he ever hears of Hogwarts, Harry has a magical accident that has horrible repercussions for him. In a race to protect him, two old friends end up on opposite sides when the real danger lies elsewhere... Basically, it’s another one where Sirius finds Harry pre-Hogwarts. I like this one because it’s not an over-done Abused!Harry fic. It’s got a much more canon interpretation of all the characters than most. Written prior to OotP, and AU as it is set pre-Hogwarts, but it is a great representation of all the characters, particularly Lucius Malfoy and Snape. I believe there are two sequels.
Registration by CopperBadge (aka SamVimes)
"Stop Lily an' James Potter' s son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born." (Hagrid, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.) This is the story of how Harry's name got "down." And it's one of the best justifications for CAPS LOCK!Harry ever. Extremely funny and terribly apt one-shot. Must-read material for everyone.
Resurrection by Portkey
Harry leaves the wizarding world behind in search of himself. Ginny finds comfort in the arms of someone else - someone unexpected. When Harry returns, which man will Ginny choose? Started prior to the release of OotP. This story is perfect for anyone who loves Harry, Ginny and Sirius. No, it’s not a threesome. It’s fantastic. Really, really good. And there’s a happy ending.
The Road Not Taken by Bethany1
What if the night of Halloween 1981 Sirius Black didn't go after Peter? What if Fudge doesn't believe Sirius should be Harry's guardian? What if Peter was faced with Azkaban, instead? This is a pretty decent version of that alternate scenario. I liked it because it doesn’t focus on Harry, as most such stories do. Instead, we see the events beginning 10/31/81 from Sirius’s POV.
Some Things Are Better Left Unknown by Giesbrecht (4 chapters)
One reviewer wrote: “This is one of the best marauders stories I’ve read. It’s also a time-travel story with a bit of a difference. There are no time turners here; instead it’s fifteen year-old Sirius Black who manages to recreate an ancient charm to send them into the future. Some small voice of reason prevails and they agree to avoid anything that could seriously cause damage or tell them things they should not know. So they decide to stay at Hogwarts and travel 25 years into the future - right into Harry’s own 5th year. They assume that they can have fun and not hurt anything, but how wrong they are! The moment a certain student from the past saw a particular student from the future, I couldn't stop reading.”
Somewhere Warm by MetroDweller
In the summer after PoA, letters from Sirius come by tropical birds rather than owls, making Harry think of palm trees & white sand. A romance set that summer, from the point of view of a young witch living in the sunny paradise he runs to. I really liked this one as it gave us this perspective on Sirius that we don’t get from the series, as Harry really isn’t able to grasp (at age 13-15) what Sirius has and will sacrifice in order to be there for him. The fic shows us more of Sirius’ personality, dreams, etc. There’s a sequel: To Believe. I’m not sure yet if this will fully follow OotP’s final act or not. So far it’s conducive with GoF canon.
Stealing Harry by samvimes
Stealing Harry grabs canon by the throat and disembowels it. If Lucius Malfoy got to Peter Pettigrew before Sirius could, Sirius would be a bookshop owner, Remus would have a steady job, and one day, when Harry Potter was eight-and-a-half years old, they might kidnap him from the Dursleys... (Sirius/Remus in later chapters) This is NOT a slash fic. Sirius and Remus have something going on in the background, but the story is about Harry. So far, this is my favorite what-if-Sirius-and-Remus-rescued-Harry fic. This is one of the few I’ve gone back and re-read. The author also wrote Acts Infernal and a ton of others .
Shades of Black: A Sirius Black fanfic archive
As with all my recs, I'm sure I'll be updating this list periodically to reflect any newly completed fics I stumble across and like. There are numerous shorts that could go on this list, but I like to focus on the longer fics whenever possible. If you're looking for numerous good shorts that focus on Sirius and the Mauraders, I suggest you skim through a_t_rain's vast collection.