Once upon a time

It was a hot July. The year was 1980, the day the 30th. In the room a woman on the bed was panting. She was sweaty and tired. But she was still far from the end. Her breath hitched, another wave was coming. It was stronger, and more painful than the last. As the pain got stronger and stronger, she felt her willpower fading away. She gave in, and screamed.

The man was running. He knew what was about to happen, and knew, he'd be dead within the hour if he was late. He rushed towards the room. He was reaching for the knob, when he heard the scream. It wasn't the angry 'where the hell is that bloody wanker?' type of scream. No. It was the desperate kind of scream that meant 'oh Merlin, that hurts, I'm gonna die'. His blood froze in his veins. What could've happened? He had to get in. He got over his fear, and reached for the knob again. This time he entered the room, rushed to the woman's side, and said,

„I'm sorry. Moody wanted to see me, and the owls can't enter his office. But as soon I got your message I came. "

„It's okay. You're here now,"answered the woman.

„How are you?" he asked, but upon seeing her 'are you serious?' expression, he answered his own question, „Okay, that was a stupid question. What about 'what can I do for you?'"

„Just stay. You can't exactly do this for me," she laughed, but it was cut off with another pain-wave. She clenched her teeth, willing herself to stay quiet. She gripped the sheet with her hands. She was relieved when the pain passed.

The man on his side looked miserable. He couldn't bear to see her in pain. He couldn't do anything to make it go away, so he settled at comforting her. He took her hand, and held it.

The woman noticed this, and joked,

„If you want to keep your hand in one piece, you better let go of mine before the next wave."

„I don't care. Do your worst," she did as another wave hit, and the man was swearing inwardly. His wife had a hell of a grip. He tried to put up a brave face, but failed. His wife saw through him.

„So, how many?"

„How many what," he asked, but he already knew, what she was referring to.

„How many cursewords did you use during the last minute?"

„About 62," he admitted, „But I'm serious. Scream at me, hit me, curse me if you want." He really didn't care what happened to his left hand, if that meant his wife felt better.

„I love you."


Hours later they were still in the room. The man knew that his friends arrived, but didn't go out to greet them. He didn't want to miss anything. Even if that meant he wouldn't use his left hand in the next couple of months. It was the birth of his firstborn. Or with more accuracy, his firtborn son.

Sirius Black didn't care about the family traditions, but he felt proud at the thought, that in a couple of hours he'll be a father of a baby boy. His father always thought of the firstborn sons as heirs, nothing more. They were only the tool of the family name's continuation. He grew up as a heir, and he swore, that his boy will be a son first, a heir at last. He was already planning the things they'll do together. He'll teach him how to play quiddich, how to play pranks on the unsuspecting teachers at school, and that having friends is the best thing on the world. He smiled at the thought. He didn't notice that his expression changed, until he caught a sight of her wife's smiling face. She knew he caught her, so she asked,

„Already planning the pranks you're gonna teach him?"

„Am I that transparent?" at her nod he admitted, „Yes, I do. He will be a fine second-generation Marauder."

„Don't I know? He will be the same age as James's son. They'll cause havoc at Hogwarts."

„He'll be his father's son," she didn't answer as another pain hit. When she recovered, she said,

„We still didn't agree on a name."

„I know, but I won't let you name poor boy after my uncle. I loved the old man, but I also know, that he was laughed at in the school. Anyway, why do you want to name the baby after a constellation?"

„That's a tradition in your family."

„That won't be the first tradition I break."

„Ok. What about a deal. I choose the first name, you the middle."

„Why can't I choose the first?"

„Because I'm the one, who's currently pushing a melon-sized baby out of herself."

„Point taken," he said, and then after a moment of thinking he told her his choice, „Remus. After his future godfather."

Rose nodded in response. As she leaned back at the pillows, Sirius noticed, that she was paler than ten minutes earlier. When he voiced this to her, Rose said, that it was from the exhaustion. She wasn't talking after that. The pains were coming very often now. After the last one, her Healer, Andromeda Tonks entered the room. She said, it's nearly time to push, so they'll wheel her to the delivery room. She also said, that Sirius couldn't come in until the very last minute. The healers didn't want him to be in the way. He agreed, and followed Andy and Rose –who was in a magical wheelchair – out of the room. There he saw his friends, and told them, that he'd be back in minutes.

Before the delivery room, he kissed his wife, and told her, that they'd meet soon. He wished her good luck, and told her to take care.


After two more hours Sirius was beginning to get restless. He was pacing, and drove Remus and James up the wall. Peter wasn't there, because his mother was ill, and had to take care of her. After getting very annoyed with him, James was trying to calm Sirius down, but the man just snapped at him.

„Calm down? I'll want to see you being calm, when you're waiting for the nurses to tell you how's Lily doing."

„Okay. You have a point," James admitted. He knew, that in the last seven hours Sirius was more mature, than ever before. The usually hyperactive man was playing the part of the supporting husban very good. He knew, that within a week he'll be in his position, and he will be as impatient in the waiting hours as his best friend.

Remus wasn't trying to talk to Sirius. He knew, that the other man was only worried for the health of his new family. He was worried too. That boy will be his godson. He'll be a second father to him. 'Cause that was the meaning behind Sirius's question. His friends knew, that werewolves couldn't have children, so they offered him a part in their children's lives. He was very grateful for it, and took the responsibility seriously. He read every available books about pregnancies and child-care. He was the one, who explained everything about hormonal changes, mood swings and nappies to Sirius.

They all whirled to face the door, when it opened. An unfamiliar nurse came in, and asked, „Which one of you is Mr. James Potter?" Said man stepped forward, and the nurse said, „Please, come with me. Your wife was brought in minutes earlier. The baby is coming."

James didn't even wait for the nurse to finish the sentence when he ran out of the waiting room, to get to Lily. He didn't pause to say goodbye either. Seeing his departure, Sirius asked,

„Hey Moony. Are you up to sit another seven hours in a hospital chair?"

„Of course. I wouldn't miss it for a million galleon," grinned the man.

„You know what? Me neither."

Another two hours later Andromeda came out of the delivery room with a solemn expression on her face. She turned to Sirius, and said,

„I'm sorry. There were complications. She lost a lot of blood, and her body's rejecting the potions."

„What do you mean? She's not….."

„Not dead, but it's only a matter of time. She has no more than half an hour. You should come with me. To say goodbye," she said while trying to sound professional, but her tears made it clear, that she was having a hard time holding herself together. But she managed; it wasn't her time to grieve. It was Sirius'.

Sirius followed her without a word, while Remus sank into the chair, and cried.


Entering the delivery room, the first thing sirius noticed was the strong smell of blood. Then she saw Rose lieing on the bed. She was unnaturally pale. Her blond hair was plastered to her forehead, and she was singing – or rather whispering – a lullaby to the baby she was cradling in her arms. When she saw her husband, she becknocked him, and placed the baby in his arms. She smiled and said,

„Isn't he beautiful?"

„Yes, he is. Just like his mother."

Silence.

„I changed my opinion on the name. You're right. He isn't an Alphard type. You can choose the first name too. But promise me, that it'll be a name of a constellation," Sirius nodded.

There was a silence, while they both were watching their son, then Rose asked,

„Did Andy told you?"

Sirius nodded again. He didn't want to think about it.

„Don't you want to say goodbye? Or just to say anything?" she started to cry. She didn't want to leave, but she had no choice. The only thing she wanted now was the promise of her husband, that he will love their boy instead of her too. Well that, and his forgiveness. She wanted him to forgive her for leaving them, to make him understand, that she'll always love them, even after her death.

Sirius wanted to say a lot of things, but no sound came out of his mouth. He wanted to tell her, that he doesn't want her to die, that he and their son need her, that he loves her. He was openly crying now. Between the sobs he told her the only thing he could.

„I love you"

„I love you too."

He sat on the bed next to her, still crying, and kissed her. He leaned back, and cradled his son with one hand, and embraced his wife with the other. They were watching the baby in silence. Moments later she was gone.


Three hours later, a man with messy black hair was rushing back to the waiting room, yelling the same sentence over and over.

„We have a son! We have a son! We have a son! Harry James Potter is born!"

When he arrived, he expected to see a grinning Sirius Black with cheerful Remus Lupin. So he was shocked, when he faced two crying men. He immediately knew, that they weren't the tears of joy. No, they were of grief. He was afraid to ask what happened. In the end he didn't have to, because Sirius noticed him. He turned his tear-stained face towards him, and said, his voice hoarse from crying,

„I have a son. Draco Remus Black is born."


The first times were hard. He's never been responsible for any truly important -living- thing before. Not even a dog or a goldfish. And now, here he was, taking care of a child -his son-, alone. In the first few weeks after Rose's funeral they were daily visitors in Godric's Hollow. Lily often joked, that they should move there. It'd make things easier. He wouldn't need to apparate every time Draco sneezed, just for Lily to tell him it's normal.

After three months he got a grip on himself, and stopped the visits. He had to learn how to be a single father to his son. He couldn't run to the Potters everytime, they had a son on their own.

It took him two weeks to read all the books he borrowed from Moony. He learned everything about nappies, teething, babyfoods and the other important things. He knew he wasn't the best parent in the world, but he loved his son more than anything; he cherished every moment he could spend with him.

Maybe that was his biggest mistake. Because soon arrived the news about Voldemort's plan.

Then came Halloween, and with it came Lucius Malfoy and his sick and twisted hunger for revenge.

Then came the dementors, and they took everything.

The End