Disclaimer: I am poor so therefore please do not sue me for borrowing the characters for a little while. All Characters belong to JK Rowling, a brilliant and talented woman. All characters you don't recognise belong to me.
This chapter is slightly longer than the first but it's not polite to stop half way through a conversation is it? Please review and let me know what you think.
Chapter 2
Over the following visits he had observed what Aggie had warned him about; she wasn't strong enough to look after a child by herself, and Sirius couldn't stay there all the time, not because of his job, or his fear at doing more bad than good, but because he couldn't leave his friends.
There were few full moon's he hadn't spent with Remus, and since Lily had given birth he had practically moved into their house with them, and then Remus had joined them, so he could be there with Lily whenever James was finding it too much. However that had all changed one night when Sirius had spent the night talking to Lily after she had woken up from the same nightmare.
"Did you see her?" Lily asked
"Yes." Sirius replied, the ever present guilt lying heavy on his conscience, as he sat next to Lily on the roof and wrapped his arm around her as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Most beautiful baby I have ever laid eyes on and I've seen a fair few lately."
"James was speaking to someone at work and the conclusion the healers have come to is that it was a fluke, a freak of nature."
"Maybe." Sirius replied
"You have another thought?" She asked
"I know it seems farfetched but she was born on a full moon and if you go back to the time you found out, it was a couple of weeks after a full moon. You married on the day before one, and… well me and Remus were just trying to think and that's what we came up with." Sirius replied. "You know how the moon has strange powers over things; it's not totally out of the realms of possibilities is it?"
"No." Lily replied, obviously thinking about it
"You're going to be insulted by the ministry in the next couple of days."
"How do you mean?" Lily asked looking at Sirius
"They are going to put a price on your daughter's life by way of an apology."
"I don't want their money." Lily spat
"I knew you would say that."
"Did she suffer?"
"No. Not a single minute."
"What you said to James was nice."
"I say so many things to the burke its hard to keep track." Sirius smirked, but knew what she meant.
"You told him that she was somewhere being looked after and loved. And that every time he fell flat on his arse she was laughing at him."
"It stopped him crying."
"It was really sweet of you."
"Well that's what I think… no that is what I know." Sirius declared.
"You've changed so much since school."
"We all have, some for the worst, some for the best. Some of us just look permanently knackered."
"You used to attribute that to your numerous conquests."
"I was talking about Remus!" Sirius replied mocking and undignified tone. "I kept trying to tell myself I was looking for something, like what you and James have but I was looking for an easy lay. Then when I did look I never found it, never have and probably never will. Instead I will spend most of my time annoying James and complimenting you to annoy him."
"Not as bad as it could be I suppose." She smiled
"That was your cue to say 'your not annoying Sirius.' You need to pick up the signals Lils."
"Oh Mr Black I am sorry, next time I will inflate your ego so you can't get in the house and I will laugh at you stuck around the ears." She replied
"You're mean." Sirius pouted
"You're bizarre."
"Hell, I'll take that as a compliment." Sirius declared
"Don't ever change." she laughed resting her head on his shoulder again as he draped his arm around her again
"I'll try not to." Sirius smiled as they sat watching the stars.
After that night something seemed to settle in Lily. She had finally come to terms with losing her daughter and when the ministry made their gesture, she told them to 'shove it up their arses and i hope you get paper cuts.'
James and Lily seemed to go back to normal. Nothing would ever be the same as it was, but there was a sense of normalcy slipping back into place which both Remus and Sirius were thankful for.
A year after they had lost Hailey, James returned to work; Lily was doing more work for the order of the phoenix from home with Remus. Over that time Peter had shown up again from where ever he had disappeared and seemed to be a lot more involved, whereas before he had tried to keep away from the order as much as possible.
That following Christmas Lily had found out she was pregnant again and everything was progressing well, though Lily had decided she wanted to keep the pregnancy secret until she was a lot further into it, especially with the war and attacks being launched directly at them. Remus had found himself thrust into the roll of Lilly-sitting because James was growing ever more paranoid of attacks the closer she got to her due date. There were frequent attacks, some while Lily and James were there, others at place where they had been but had left earlier because Lily was feeling tired or just because they didn't see much of each other and often as they would like.
Sirius had tried to visit Hailey and Aggie everyday until he realised that trying to balance that, his job and being a god friend, it would be impossible. So instead he tried to not let a week go by in which he didn't see the cause of the weight on his conscience.
Over the visits he had realised that every minute Voldemort was a threat it would be impossible to get the law revoked so he could bring her back to reality and let her parents see her grow up. So as some small measure he had left Aggie with a camera so she could at least catch some of the more landmark moments of her life. He hoped that all they would really miss would be walking and talking because otherwise he was sure he would lose his mind, or his self control, or the control over his tongue and conscience.
"Can you catch him?" Remus asked as they sat in the Kitchen and James and Lily's house. James was at work and he didn't want her left alone in her condition especially after the recent confrontation with Voldemort.
"Yes."
"Are you going to?"
Silence.
"Sirius?"
"I was thinking."
"About?"
"About using him."
"As a spy?"
"Yes."
"Do you have sufficient to hang over his head?"
"His wife and son."
"I don't think Narcissa would bother him much." Remus replied after thinking about it a moment
"No but losing the Malfoy heir would. He's besotted with his son. So he'll do what I ask to keep him safe." Sirius replied shifting forward on his seat and leaning further across the table. "I know it's horrible to exploit it, but we've seen what happens when children are involved and I believe even Lucius Malfoy has a heart and has the ability to care about someone other than himself."
"What if you're wrong?" Remus asked
"Then I will get to fulfil a dream I've had for a while." Sirius replied grinning maniacally
"But if He finds out that Lucius is the leak, he'll kill him."
"Not if he can't find him." Sirius replied
"You've thought this out longer than we've been having this conversation. There's something you're not…"
"What are you 2 talking about?" Lily asked rubbing her eyes as she walked into the kitchen
"I wanted Remus's opinion on a plan for work. Nothing important." Sirius replied pulling a seat out for her
"How are you feeling now?"
"James will die if he ever thinks about sleeping in the same bed as me." Lily replied
"So does that mean there's an empty space?" Sirius asked winking at her
"Nope. As soon as I get him out of that bed, I am fully intent on enjoying the pros of king size bed."
"I'm not arguing with you." Sirius replied as Lily sat down at the table
"Drink?" Remus asked getting up as Sirius put his hand on lily's belly only to have it promptly kicked off
"Please. Did James speak to you?" Lily asked
"About?" Sirius asked amused as the bump kept kicking his hand every time he replaced it.
"I didn't think he would. Probably damage his manliness." Lily mocked. "We want you to be Godfather."
"What?" Sirius asked looking up shocked
"We want you to be godfather to the bump." Lily replied. "If anything were to happen to James and me you would look after him."
"This is more Remus's forte."
"Can't." Remus replied putting a glass of milk in front of Lily who smiled her thanks before turning her attention back to the shell shocked auror in front of her. "I'm not allowed to look after the bump or anyone for that matter, I'm sure people would prefer if my kind were kept in a cage."
"You'd be there though right?" Sirius asked
"The great Sirius Black scared of a baby?" Lily laughed
"It's what I could do to the poor child I'm worried about."
"Don't be. You looked after James when he was sick, it will be easier than that." Lily replied
"Thanks a lot Lil." James said walking into the kitchen soaking wet
"You're wet." Remus smirked
"Really? Ya think?" James asked Remus with plenty of sarcasm
"Is it raining?" Sirius asked trying to keep a straight face.
"No, I just decided to jump in a pond on the way home."
"I wish you wouldn't." Lily replied. "Go get changed and cleaning the mess up your making on the floor."
"Incontinent already Prongs?" Sirius questioned, laughter clearly visible in his eyes
"It's because I'm soaked."
"Don't go jumping in ponds then." Remus replied as James sulked off to change and the 3 remaining occupants of the kitchen burst out laughing and didn't really stop until James came back showered and changed with a towel slung around his neck
"Did you ask him?" Lily asked James
"About?" James asked bending down to kiss Lily and then say something inaudible to the bump
"Hell Sirius, will you help me after I have killed James?"
"Where do you want the body dumped?" Sirius asked
"What?" James asked. "Oh yeah, me and Lily were talking and we want you to be Godfather."
"Me? really? Wow. James, you mean it? I always wanted you to ask me. I thought it would be Remus, you know with his old manness, but you asked me. Wow, i… I need a moment." Sirius said turning away from James and biting his fist as if emotional, but all he was trying to do was keep the laughter back at the sight of James's shocked bewildered expression. "You really love me!" Sirius exclaimed getting up and hugging James then picking him up and spinning him around in circle then jumping up and down with him
"Er, Sirius?" James asked. "Pads?"
"Yes?" Sirius asked
"You ok?"
"I'm just so happy!" Sirius replied putting James down and burying his face in James shirt, wetting the front of James dry shirt as he silent burst into hysterics. He knew if he looked at James, Lily or Remus he would just start rolling around the kitchen
"You sure you're ok?" James asked whilst trying to comfort Sirius
"I'm fine." Sirius said looking up at James's expression and started howling with laughter as he fell on the floor and kept laughing, being encouraged further when Remus and Lily finally gave in and started laughing
"Oh yeah, just laugh at James all day why don't you."
"Ok Prongs." Remus struggled to get out while they continued laughing and finally sobering up half an hour later
"So will you?" James asked Sirius
"It would be an honour mate." Sirius replied seriously and slapped James on the back as men do.
"You already asked him didn't you?" James Accused Lily
"I may have mentioned it. Thought it might damage your manliness if you had to ask." Lily replied
"He's one of my best friends, do you think I would bother about my manliness around either of these retards." James replied
"Well I'm offended. I'll admit I'm a bit slow but I am not a retard." Remus said to Sirius who nodded in agreement, both men adopting a similar hurt expression and watching the interplay
"Yes I do." Lily replied folding her arms
"For Merlin's sake I've slept with the guy…"
"Shared a bed with a very high wall of pillows, books and blankets in the middle." Sirius clarified. "He got broken fingers for crossing the wall."
"Was that when Peter pee'd on James's bed?" Remus asked
"That would be the 3 day stint in hell." Sirius replied
"Oh so it was hell was it?" James asked
"Yes." Sirius replied. "My Crib was a double bed, and having to share, especially with a bloke is mortifying. I normally slept in my birthday suit, but if you noticed I kept my pants on that nightmare weekend."
"So the truth is coming out now." James replied
"I thought you were supposed to be the hormonal one." Remus said to Lily who just shrugged enjoying the entertainment that her husband and his best friend were providing. "You were brave sleeping Commando with Peter in the room." Remus threw in to shut the men up
"You mean Peter was…" James started
"Noo?" Sirius and James said together.
"Explains a lot though." Sirius mused
"Like the…"
"Yeah." Sirius sighed trying to push the thought from his mind.
"You 2 only just worked this out?" Remus asked
"Who long did you know?" James asked
"Too long." Remus replied. "I was the unfortunate one who found him."
"I don't think I want my dinner." James said sinking into a seat
"Well it's pretty obvious why he trailed you 2 around." Lily replied
"Why?" James asked
"The arses on you 2."
"You always said I didn't have one." Sirius replied
"You really think I would admit that I looked?" Lily asked
"Probably not." Sirius nodded after thinking about it for a moment.
"You checked him out?" James rambled. "Before or after we got together?"
"Which would be better for your ego?" Lily asked
"Before."
"Before it is then." Lily smiled. "Remus, I want to get out of the house. Fancy a walk?"
"And miss the James and Sirius show?" Remus smirked getting up and offering her his arm. "Where to?"
"I want Ice cream and chips." She replied as she took his arm. She didn't trust herself to apparate at the moment since every time she tried she hiccupped and she was sure that the next time she tried she would leave the bump behind.
"Ok so somewhere for people with strong stomachs." Remus replied before apperating
"My wife's left me for a man who'll take her for ice cream and chips at 3am and has a problem with excess hair on occasion and I'm left with you. That's depressing."
"Could be worse."
"How?" James asked turning to Sirius
"Peter could be here and then you wouldn't stand up until after he had gone… or soiled your sofa."
"You have a point." James replied. "Does he even know where we live?"
"I hope not. And now I definitely don't want him knowing otherwise I am moving back home."
"I'll move with you." James replied getting 2 glasses and a bottle of fire whiskey. "Lily's decided that Hailey's room won't be touched when Harry comes along."
"So you've decided that you're having a boy?" Sirius laughed as he took the offered glass from James
"I don't know if Lily could handle us having another girl. I hope it's a boy." James said drinking the amber liquid back and refilling the glass. "I don't know if she will be able to handle another child. I know she seems ok and back to normal but she still wakes up crying at night, she thinks I don't know but I do."
"I know I've heard her." Sirius replied softly
"I wish I knew what went wrong, what happened to Hailey to make her…. Not normal. To make her…an abomination." James struggled out before sobs took over his body and he broke down in front of Sirius, eventually falling off his seat and hugging his knees up to his chest
"Hailey is not an abomination. She's beautiful." Sirius said falling to his knees beside James hugging him, trying to provide some form of comfort. "She is beautiful."
"Well why did they take her away from us?" James shouted after he had calmed down. It was aimed no one in particular but it strangely made him feel better
"Because people fear things they don't know or that they perceive to be different and with Voldemort still on the loose… I wish there was some way I could bring her back to you right now mate, but its just not on the cards."
"I know. I just… I needed to get it out you know. I'm trying to be strong for Lily, but she was my daughter too and its hurt me the same."
"I know mate, and I'd gladly take her place."
"You shouldn't have to though." James said quietly.
"We'll get the filthy little cretin caught and then we'll work at getting the law changed so it can never happen to anyone again." Sirius replied
"You live in a dream world, an alternate reality." James laughed hoarsely
"It's quite a nice place to live." Sirius smiled thinking once again that when the time came, he hoped Lily and James wouldn't hate him. "It's safe."