Sirius smiled as he finally managed to go through the floo with Remy. He had to laugh at Severus and Remus. It was not the first time Remy had spent the day with his Uncle or with anyone else without them as he often spent an afternoon with Draco or Neville. He was grateful for shrinking spells for the stroller and a few toys unless they were needed, to put them in his pocket, a bag already over his shoulder.

"Tom." Remy called with a smile as they stepped out of the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron.

"Hey Remy, I see you brought your Uncle this time." The bartender called. Tom was fond of the little boy.

Remy bounced up and down. "Uncle taking me to Dagon Alley."

"First we're going to have some breakfast. Daddy tells me you didn't eat a bite of breakfast even for him." Sirius said putting him in a chair he transformed to a high chair.

"Me not want breaky. Me want to see Dagon alley." Remy pouted.

"You know Papa's rule, no ice cream if you don't eat. You don't want Mr Fortescue to be sad because we didn't come for a visit." Sirius suggested.

Remy shook his head. "No make Mr Forty sad. I eat my breakfast like a big boy."

Tom smiled and came and retrieved Harry's sippy cup to heat it up and returned with a plate of toast and eggs for Severus and some yogurt for Remy as well as his milk. Remy only used bottles at bed time and even that was rare now.

Sirius smiled as Remy fed himself, though he got a lot all over himself more then in his mouth. "Me done."

Sirius laughed and cast a cleaning spell on him. "Time to go shopping. Where should we go first?"

"Gobbys." Remy clapped.

"You and those goblins. Only you could find them so cool Remy."

Sirius personally was a bit put off by the goblins but Remy had got over his initial fear from the first time he had seen them and insisted on a trip to the bank every time they came here. He had shared his obsession with Draco.

When they entered the bank Harry saw his favourite Goblin. "Grippy".

Griphook gave the closest thing to a smile Sirius had ever seen on a goblin. "Master Remus, how nice to see you."

"Grippy take us for ride?" Remy asked.

Though Goblins very rarely showed anything other then their stern exterior, there was something about the little boy which warmed even their hearts. He had the same effect on house elves. Even Kreacher has been won over by Little Remy.

"I think we could arrange that." Griphook said and steered them towards the entrance into the vaults.

Sirius groaned as he was no fan of the cart ride but he could not deny Remy. Sirius did need to retrieve some coin from his vaults but he would have much preferred to just have one of the goblins retrieve it.

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By the time they left the bank Remy was beaming from ear to ear and Sirius was just glad to be back in fresh air once again. Remy was rambling about the story about a dragon in the bank that Griphook had told the boy.

"Where to next little man?" Sirius asked.

Remy stopped to think and then smiled. "Flurry and Botts."

Sirius took his hand. "I shouldn't have had to ask. Between your Daddy and Papa, they're going to turn you into a book worm."

Remy peered up at him. "Me no worm, me going to be a doggy like Paddy."

Sirius smiled at this. "You know maybe when you get older you'll be able to change like me and you never know, your form might be a dog."

Remy nodded. "Me know I be dog, a white doggy."

Sirius just smiled at the child's declaration, he seemed so certain of what his form would be. They walked into the store and Remy ran straight for the kids section where after a bit of looking he found a book on animals and pointed at a picture of a white dog.

"See, me like that."Remy exclaimed.

Sirius could not contain his laughter. "I'm sure you'll be Remy."

They spent some time in the bookstore before Sirius heard a voice from the backroom that sent shivers running up and down his back.

"I told you Frank that you ordered to many of these books." Lily protested.

Frank Blotts' voice rang through. "I did not hire you to complain about my stock. Now get back to inventorying those books or you'll be staying late."

Lily grunted. "Fine."

Mr Blotts came out and noticed his customers and smiled. "Hello Sirius, how is work going at the ministry?"

Sirius smiled. "Pretty good except the ministry is trying to get Moody to retire. They want me to side with them with the promise I can take over."

Blott shook his head. "To big for their own good their heads are getting after this war. Moody is the best man for the job, no offense Sirius."

Sirius shook his head. "I agree with you. I am one for the streets still. I'm not ready to run no department. Kingsley is the better choice even if Moody retires."

Blotts turned his attention to Remy. "And how is my best customer there?"

Remy beamed at the man. "Good. I be two tomorrow Mr Botts."

He smiled at the boy. "Well in that case I think that calls for a gift. You can have any book you'd like Remy."

Remy chose the book he was holding and clutched it happily to his chest and sent the man a huge grin. "Thank you Mr Botts."

Sirius nodded. "Thank you, you didn't have to do that."

"He and his daddies are my best customers. I think he deserves something special for his big day." Frank said and waved them off.

Sirius and Remy left the shop without seeing that Lily had noticed they were there too. She had taken the job in February when the money had almost gone, and was working over time this week to try and ensure her daughter had tons of gifts for her birthday. How dare her boss give her good for nothing former son a birthday gift and nothing for her own daughter.

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Sirius and Remy were just leaving the ice cream parlour where Remy had been given a huge Sunday for his birthday from Mr Fortescue when they ran into James Potter who was pushing a stroller with Baby Chloe in it.

"Sirius". James barked. "I don't think we received an RSVP for Chloe's birthday from you."

Sirius grunted. "You'll be waiting along time before I accept an invite from you to enter your house. I sent the girl a gift."

James nodded. "Yes, I assume she'll look at that book at some point."

"I thought you'd be working today James, money been a bit tight hasn't it?" Sirius laughed.

James had managed to get a job in the ministry but not the position as an auror or unspeakable as he had once dreamed. He was working as a monitor for the floo network in and out of the ministry. He was basically a glorified security guard.

"I see you decided to take your son out for the day. Remus and Severus already tire of him and throw him out?" James asked.

Remy was pulling on his hand. "Uncle Siri, who that mean man?"

"Uncle Siri? How cute." James mimicked. "Hey Harry you don't remember your old man do you?"

Sirius scooped the child into his arms. "Don't go near him James."

A voice came from behind James. "Potter, is there something wrong here?"

James turned to see Lucius. "Malfoy. Let you out of prison did they?"

Lucius turned to see Remy. "Hey little man."

Remy calmed down with his Uncle Lucius . "Hi Uncle Luc."

Sirius turned to the man. "Lucius would you mind taking Remy with you for a few minutes. I need to take a talk with James."

Lucius nodded. "Hey Remy, how about coming with me? Aunty Cissa and Draco are in the Menagerie looking at some pets."

Remy beamed and held out his arms for Lucius to take him. "We'll just be over in the shop when you're done." Lucius said to Sirius as he left.

Sirius rounded on his former friend. "You'll never speak like that in front of my son ever again. Or come near him for that matter."

James laughed. "You're not even his dad, you're Uncle Sirius. A step up from before?

"My boy is happy and loved with his daddies. Much more then I can say when he was in your care."

James was snarling at this point. "That little bastard didn't deserve anything better then he got."

Sirius wanted to hit the man but wouldn't. " He deserves the world and he will have it. And if you ever come near him again I'll ensure you get demoted to bathroom attendant at the ministry."

With that Sirius stocked off into the shop leaving a steaming mad James in his path. He smiled as he watched Remy looking at all of the kittens in the shop. Draco and Remy were both scrambling to get a better look at the kittens.

He turned to Lucius. "Thank you for taking Remy for me. I didn't want him to see that."

Lucius nodded. "James does not know when to hold his tongue. Any way Remy was easily distracted by the animals."

Sirius went to retrieve Harry as they had a few more shops to hit. "You'll see Draco tomorrow." He reminded the boy as Harry did not want to leave.



He enlarged the stroller finally for Remy was to tired by this point to continue to walk and Sirius' arms were growing tired from carrying him every where. Remy didn't fuss as he could still see all of the shops and not tire out. He was relieved the boy did not seem any worse for where from the encounter with his former dad. Remy had not even seemed to have recognized him.

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When he stepped out of the floo that evening he had a sleeping Remy in his arms. Remus scooped his son into his arms and carried him up the stairs to his nursery to change him for bed. He had already had a bit of dinner so they didn't bother to wake him.

Sirius turned to Severus when Remus was gone. "We ran into James."

Severus sneered. "That man. Still thinks he's big man on campus even though he is a security guard at the ministry. Did he upset Remy?"

Sirius shook his head. "No. Lucius appeared and I sent Remy off with him to the menagerie while I dealt with James." He went on to explain the episode.

Remus had come back down and heard most of the story. "Dam James. Not bad enough he abandons the boy but now he tries to frighten him as well."

Severus took his husband against him. "We'll not allow them near our son. Lucius will make sure he gets bathroom duty or fired, if James does not stay away."

Sirius filled them in on how the rest of the day had gone and both men were smiling by the time he had left. Remy was such a sweet child, he had made friends with every shop owner on Diagon Alley as well as the goblins. It always amazed them how he could be so open and sweet after all he had been through.

They were reading later in bed when they heard crying coming from Remy's room. Severus got up and went to see him. "Remy, what's wrong?"

The little boy was sitting up with tears streaming down his cheeks. "Bad dream Papa."

Severus scooped the boy into his arms and carried him down to the kitchens to get him a warm bottle before taking him to his room. Remy went right for Daddy who scooped the still crying boy into his arms and got him to drink a bit of the milk and calm down.

Severus looked at Remy with concern as he had not had bad dreams for months. "Can you tell Papa and Daddy what the bad dream was about?"

Remy nodded and took out the bottle from his mouth. "Bad man from today was yelling at Remy. He hit Remy, locked him in room. It dark."

Remus hid a snarl as he hugged his son. "One visit and the boy has nightmares. I think firing would be to good for James if he ever comes near Remy again."

They calmed the boy down and Remy spent another night sleeping between his fathers on their bed with them. He did not wake again with a bad dream and in the morning he seemed to be in his bright cheerful mood once again.

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After breakfast Remus took Remy into the back garden which was decorated with hundreds of balloons and streamers. Remy's eyes lighted up at the sight especially when all of the guests appeared.

"Party?"

Severus nodded. "A birthday party for our big boy."

Remy wasn't sure. "For me? No birthday for me."

William and Katherine came over. "Yes Remy, a birthday party for you and Neville."

Remy saw Neville and was smiling from ear to ear. "Party for us Nev."

Neville smiled. "I know."

Agatha smiled. "Thank you for inviting Neville to share in the party."

Severus and Remus had thought it would be a good idea. The boys had birthdays one day apart and were like brothers anyways. Neville had spent the day before visiting his parents in the hospital but today he could just be a normal little boy.

Draco came running over. "Happy birthday Remy and Nev."

Remy hugged him. "Thank for coming."

There was a number of other kids who had come. Luna Lovegood, Blaise Zaibini, Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones had all come. They're parents were member of the order of the Phoenix and old friends of Severus and Remus. The Zaibinis had been spies from the start for the order.

As the kids were playing Anna Zaibini mentioned. "I would have thought you'd invited the Weasleys and their brood."

Severus shook his head. "Molly Weasley and Lily are friends. I'm sure that brood is over at the Potter flat for the party."

Lucius sneered. "Never mind. I'm sure you'd not want your back garden destroyed by their brood."

Harry and the kids were playing around the tree when Blaise decided he wanted a turn on the swing and pushed Luna off. She fell and scraped her knee on the ground and began to cry.

Remy ran over to Luna. "No cry Luna, it okay." And handed her a little flower he had picked.

Luna smiled and took the flower from him. "Thank you Remy."

Sirius was watching and laughing as he spoke to Xeno and his wife."I think Remy has found himself a little girlfriend."



Xeno smiled. "I think you might be right."

The boys tore into a pile of gifts which included clothes, books and a number of new toys including more of their favourite blocks. Oddly enough Agatha and Remy's dads had the same idea as the blocks had been gifts from one boy to the other.. Among Severus and Remus' gifts were some new ingredients for the child's first potion kit which had become a favourite recently for Harry. Sirius thought he had a winner with his mini quiditch robes and bed spread with a snitch flying on it but was once again out shone.

This time it was by Draco and his parents who handed Remy a basket. "Like mine." Draco said.

Remy opened the basket and squealed when he saw one of the small grey kittens he saw yesterday. "Kitty, for me?"

Lucius smiled. "We got Draco one yesterday and he was insistent that you needed one. Your Daddy and Papa said it was okay."

Remy turned to look at them for confirmation and they nodded with smiles. He took the kitty and said. "Dragon"

Draco and Remy ran off to show the cat to their other friends. Neville had received a game from the Malfoys as he was not a fan of animals.

Narcissa smiled. "You know what Draco named his new cat?"

Severus shook his head. "Something to do with Remy?" It had not gone unnoticed that Remy had used Draco's nickname, Dragon, for his cat.

Lucius confirmed. "Our son is a bit less creative, the cat's name is Remy."

They laughed at the antics of the two little boys . Sirius transformed and soon was giving the kids all rides on his back as Padfoot. Harry, Draco and Neville were certainly brothers or as close as. And it seemed Harry had his first little girlfriend in the form of Luna.