Chapter Six

Sirius groaned loudly and dumped the spoiled contents of the pot into his sink. "I can't do it. I can't cook a bloody thing. Nothing works." He whined. "There's going to be a billion people in this bloody house in a few hours and I haven't a damn thing to feed them."

Remus chuckled and handed Sirius the muggle contraption they called a phone. "I told you hours ago to just call a pizza place. It's a baby's birthday party. I'm certain that no one expects fine dining." He said. "Did you invite the Weasleys like I told you to?"

"Remus, how the bloody hell am I supposed to work this thing?" Sirius said, examining the phone as if Remus had just handed him the finest piece of technology in the universe.

"Sirius, answer my question."

Sirius waved him off. "Yes, Yes, I invited them. I invited everyone in the order. Besides Snivellus, of course, my daughter does not need his greasy influence. If I had invited him, she'd never wash her hair again. We don't want that, do we?" He said.

Remus sighed. "Good Lord, Sirius, are you still holding that childish grudge?" he said, taking the phone from Sirius's hand and began to dial. "You were the bully to him in school. It wasn't the other way around."

Sirius glared at Remus. "I don't care. I didn't invite him. She's my daughter, damn it. I decide who she associates with." He said grumpily. "He will not be one of them."

"Yes and when she goes to Hogwarts? What do you suggest we do then? He will be her potions professor." Remus said.

Sirius waved Remus off again, a trait of his when he had nothing to come back with. "I'm going to go and get the birthday girl. You order these damn pizzas instead of having a go at me. Do something useful."

"Sirius, I was hardly having a go at you." Remus said with a slight smirk on his face. It was always fun to pick on Sirius. He got so worked up.

"I'm not talking to you anymore." Sirius snapped in a toddler like manner and got up, pushing his chair back into place at the table.

"Sirius, really," Remus said trying not to chuckle at him as he left the room. "Big baby…" He muttered under his breath.

…

Sirius picked up Brielle from her crib. "Good morning, sunshine." He said kissing her cheek. She whimpered and rubbed her eyes. She blinked and glared at him. She shook her head at him. "No? It's not morning in Brielle time yet?" She snuggled her head into his shoulder and closed her eyes again. "Sweetheart, it's your birthday! You can't sleep through your birthday."

Brielle sighed loudly and put her hand over Sirius's mouth. Sirius laughed. "Come, come, we are going to wake up whether we like it or not." He said jiggling her a little. She pushed his face away. "Alright, you grumpy hippogriff, you're right, it's your party, you can sleep through the party if you want to. You're getting a clean diaper though, regardless."

….

Sirius was surprised by the sheer amount of people that had shown up for Brielle's birthday party. Molly had a daughter the same age as Brielle. Brielle loved her. She also had a son that would be Harry's age, if Sirius had him. Brielle also seemed to get along very well with him. She never threw one tantrum and was very good about everyone wanting to hold her. This was something that Sirius was worried about, constantly terrified that someone was going to run away with her. It was only Remus constantly whispering words of comfort to him that had him at ease.

Clarissa had shown up as well. This is what had bothered Sirius the most. He always felt there was some way to mess up around her.

After Brielle had dove into her cake, all the presents had been opened and the guests had gone home after Brielle had found more interest in her boxes than for the new toys, Clarissa took him into the living room. "Sirius, you have shown much improvement." She said. "Brielle is very healthy and happy. This is much more than we had ever expected of you."

Sirius was keeping his eye on Brielle, she was playing inside a box and he was worried she was going to somehow hurt herself. "Well, gee, thanks." He said sarcastically.

"We thought you were a murderer." Clarissa said simply. "I had no faith that you could even keep a goldfish alive, honestly."

"I am not a murderer. I have no part in my best friend's death. It never made any sense to me why they drew the conclusion to me." Sirius snapped.

"Your tone, Sirius," Remus hissed.

Sirius glared at him. "I'm sorry." He apologized but it sounded less than sincere. "It's just a touchy subject."

"Anyway, Sirius, I no longer believe that you are a murderer, in fact, you're something else entirely." Clarissa said. "You're a father. That's not a force to be reckoned with."

Sirius smiled. "No, it definitely isn't." He said.

"Well, unfortunately, there are others that regardless of what I report still think we should check up on you but, I have something for you." She said. "I will be back." She said and with a loud crack, she apparated.

The crack scared Brielle who began to cry. Sirius got up and picked her up, rocking her gently. She gripped tightly to his shirt and jumped again when there was a knock at the door. Sirius stood up, he handed Brielle to Remus, whom Brielle had grown fond of since he had moved in.

He opened the door to reveal Clarissa. Only, she wasn't alone. Holding her hand was a toddler. He had bushy brown hair and green eyes. A lightening shaped scar was on his forehead and he wore glasses. He smiled up at Sirius, who dropped to his knees. "Harry?" He asked.

The toddler smiled and waved. "Hi!" He said.

Sirius pulled the toddler into a hug. "Oh, my dear boy," He said, tears filling his eyes. He looked up at Clarissa. "Is…Are you… Is he mine? Please, please, tell me he's mine." He begged.

Clarissa smiled and nodded. "He is." She said, her voice cracking a little. "We will still be checking in on you, but only once a year, now." She said and bent down to Harry. "Harry, this is Sirius. Can you say Sirius, Harry?"

Sirius let go of Harry and looked at him. Harry smiled and patted Sirius's shoulder. "Silly." He said.

Sirius smiled, tears had begun to escape down his cheeks now. "Close enough, buddy. Close enough."

"Sirius is going to take care of you, okay? No more Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia, do you understand?" Clarissa explained.

"No Uncy Vern?" Harry asked.

Clarissa nodded. "No uncle Vernon."

Harry clapped and cheered loudly. "YAY! NO UNCY VERN!"

"Obviously that family was not treating him very well if he's this excited to be with you, Sirius." Remus said. "When I found out I couldn't afford my apartment I was pretty depressed to have to move in with your sorry behind."

Clarissa giggled. "Shut it, Moony." Sirius snapped. He turned back to Harry. "You're going to stay here with me, I'll take care of you. Remus, bring Brielle over here."

Remus did as Sirius told him to. He placed Brielle on the ground next to Harry. "This is my daughter, Brielle, can you say Brielle?"

Harry giggled and hugged Brielle. "Brielle!" He said excitedly.

The scene warmed Sirius's heart more than anything else ever could. "And this is Remus, you can just call him Auntie." Sirius said playfully.

Remus smacked him and Harry pointed at Remus. "Remmy, bad! No hit!" He said very demandingly.

Remus laughed. "I'm sorry, Harry. I certainly won't do it again."

Clarissa smiled. "He's yours now, Sirius. They both are."

Sirius got up, tears streaming down his cheek and pulled Clarissa into a hug. "Thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me."

Clarissa patted his back awkwardly. "You're welcome, Sirius." She said and detached him from herself gently. "I will see you in a year."

She left then and Sirius turned to Remus, who also had unmistakable tears in his eyes as well. Harry was contently playing with Brielle on the floor at their feet. "He's like a tiny James, Sirius." Remus said.

Sirius wiped his eyes and pulled Remus into a hug. He couldn't have been happier even if galleons had started raining from the ceiling. This tiny family, this made him whole.