Complicated

When Ginny arrived home in the evening, she went to the drawing room and found Harry sleeping on the couch. The house seemed splendidly Animagus-free, although she needed to check everywhere to be certain. Looking over at the portrait, she saw that Professor Snape was seated at the desk in his portrait, reading a book. He glanced up at faint sound of her approach and she waved, smiling happily at him before she headed for the kitchen. Enjoying a few minutes to herself, she began heating some leftover casserole and set the table for two.

Idly, she pondered the fact that they were now three, in a weird way. Some girls would not be amused by a husband's intense and complicated relationship with a Headmaster's portrait. But Harry was happier than she'd ever seen him, even with stupid Sirius yapping at his heels. And Professor Snape… Ginny smiled, realizing how much she liked his cynical wit. He didn't intrude, but was simply there, making Harry happy. It felt like unexpectedly acquiring a really delightful in-law.

Tiptoeing so as not to disturb Harry, she went upstairs and peeked into the future nursery. The painting was finished, a light, pretty blue that resembled a clear winter sky. She smiled at the idea of poor hung-over Harry taking such pains for their baby. He'd be a great dad, she thought, glancing out the window. Then she groaned. A huge black dog was trotting toward the house. He stopped to sniff the post box and then peed on it before heading for the front door.

By the time she made it downstairs, Sirius was standing in the front hallway, opening his mouth to call out.

"SHHHH!" she hissed at him.

"Where's Harry?" he asked.

"Taking a much needed nap. Even after you tried to poison him last evening, he still managed to paint the nursery this afternoon," she snapped.

"I know he did. I helped him," said Sirius meekly.

"Really?" Her brown eyes bulged in disbelief.

"You must think I'm a real ass," he said, looking hurt.

"Um, well, thanks for helping Harry," she said grudgingly. "Are you staying for dinner?"

"If you don't mind," he replied. "I'll go wash up."

Wondering if a courteous person had been Polyjuiced into Sirius Black, she went to the kitchen and set a third place at the table. Rather defiantly she placed a large jug of pumpkin juice on the table.

"Young Mistress, is the dog man back?" asked Kreacher, looking apprehensive. "Kreacher went to help Master Harry paint the room upstairs, but the old master told him to go away."

"He's behaving himself now, so he's staying for dinner. Find something nice to eat and rest a bit," she said kindly.

Kreacher smiled up at her and said, "Be careful of the dog man, Young Mistress."

"Thanks, Kreacher," she said, smiling. "I'll keep an eye on him."

The elf slipped out of the room at the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Can I help you with anything?" asked Sirius, his voice ringing with sincerity.

"I think everything's ready. I'll go wake Harry up and we'll eat," she replied.

Rather suspicious, she went to the drawing room and shook Harry awake. He seemed remarkably bright-eyed, compared to the wreck he had been that morning.

"Hey, Gin," he said, sitting up with a smile.

She glanced over at Professor Snape and said, "Okay, you two. What happened to Sirius while I was gone? He just showed up now and he's being pleasant!"

"I, uh, went off on him after you left with your mum," said Harry. "I was kind of upset. He apologized and helped me paint the nursery. Then he said he had a few things to do and he'd come back for dinner if it was okay."

She stared from Harry to a smirking Snape, shaking her head as if to clear it.

"Potter is giving you the abridged version," said Snape coolly.

"I'm curious, but he's waiting in the kitchen and supper is ready," said Ginny, studying the portrait skeptically.

"Enjoy your meal," he replied, his lip curling slightly.

Harry looked as though he was about to say something to Snape, but he shook his head and grinned ruefully at the portrait wizard as he followed Ginny to the kitchen.

"Harry! Have a nice nap?" asked Sirius, a jovial smile contorting his face.

"It was fine," replied Harry, wondering who this guy was and what he'd done with the real Sirius. Whatever, he hoped it was permanent.

Sirius poured out pumpkin juice, smiling gamely. He smiled when Ginny put a large serving dish of something on the table.

"It smells great, Ginny. What is it?" he asked, his smile beginning to resemble a grimace.

"It's just leftover casserole. But there's beef in it," she offered.

"I can smell it," he assured her, reaching for it and scooping at least half of it onto his plate.

She rolled her eyes when he wasn't looking and went to fetch some bread and cheese so she and Harry wouldn't starve. As the meal progressed, she wondered what precisely had caused this strange transformation. Sirius seemed to be exerting himself to be charming, with rather mixed results.

They finished up with ice cream and Sirius pushed back his chair, groaning.

"Great meal," he told her. "Ah, this is the life, isn't it?"

Harry smile at him as he rose to clear the table. Sirius frowned, but remained resolutely silent. Since they had heard enough about how unmanly it was for Harry to work in the kitchen, this was puzzling. He ran the dishwater and then set the dish brush to magically scrubbing before he sat back down.

"So," said Sirius, looking intently at his godson, "I don't understand why you want a portrait of old Snivelly hanging around in your house. I was thinking, and if that's a Hogwarts portrait, it belongs there, not here."

"Um, Professor Snape's portrait stays," said Harry firmly, waiting for the tantrum that would undoubtedly follow.

Sirius frowned for a moment, but then his face brightened. "Harry, I've missed a lot of your birthdays, so I got you a very special present. Wait right here."

Sirius went out the back door, leaving Harry and Ginny staring at each other. The door banged open wide as the Animagus returned, flourishing something large. He waved his wand toward the wall and a large painting was suddenly affixed there.

"Do you like it, Harry?" asked Sirius, beaming.

It was nearly as large as Professor Snape's but rather crudely done. The occupant seemed to be sleeping, but Harry was shocked to see his father's face there. The portrait wizard seemed to be the age at which he had died, and was therefore slightly younger than Harry.

"Ah… Gods, Sirius," he stuttered. "Where did you get a portrait of my father?"

The occupant of the portrait opened hazel eyes, looked at them and said, "Sirius? Merlin, you look terrible, mate."

Harry turned to Ginny, and she was surprised to see that he was absolutely horrified.

"It's not a permanent Sticking Charm," said Sirius, smiling ingeniously. "He'll look better in the drawing room, across from Snivellus. But since you're in the kitchen, I wanted to surprise you. You need to hear James's side and realize what an amazing bloke he was."

James Potter's portrait had the Gryffindor Common Room for a background. He wore fine robes, glasses and had untidy black hair. He ran his hands over his body, looked at the edges of his frame and then stared at all of them in some surprise.

"What do you remember, James?" asked Sirius. "You died, of course, so I had a magical portrait made. This is Harry, all grown up and showing signs of dreary adulthood. I want him to know who you were."

The portrait subject looked from one face to the next as he digested this information. Gradually a knowing look came to him and he exclaimed, "Voldemort! He was coming! I remember the Killing Curse, but if Harry's alive, it means I saved him and Lily!"

He leaped up in his frame and gave a victory whoop, sending his glasses flying out of sight in bottom of the portrait.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, and she saw pain in his eyes.

"Excuse me," she said softly, and having no doubt that Sirius was completely fixated on the portrait, she fled to the drawing room.

"Professor!" she gasped, stopping abruptly before his portrait.

"Is something wrong?" asked Snape, rising from his desk and coming to stand before her.

"Oh bloody hell, it's stupid Sirius again!" she snarled, stamping her foot. "Professor, he's finally realized Harry wants you to stay here, so he… Sirius…" her voice failed her from sheer fury.

"Yes?" he asked, as his eyebrow rose enquiringly.

"Sirius managed to get a portrait made of Harry's father. He put it on the kitchen wall and please, please, don't leave. Harry needs you. He's back there, looking sick as mud," she finished in a rush.

Snape's eyes narrowed as he absorbed this information.

"The magic that creates a magical portrait is rare. How did an imbecile like Black manage to get a portrait made of James Potter?" he asked.

"I don't know. But it looks… strange. Not like yours, although Harry's father is alive in it. He's young in it. He thought, when he saw Harry alive, that he had somehow saved both Harry and his mum… He doesn't know anything!"

"Potter will have a difficult time," Snape muttered. "Since he does not share his father's…"

He paced back and forth, his expression grim, yet far away. Finally he returned to Ginny.

"What do you wish me to do?" he asked, looking seriously at her.

Watching him, she remembered that Harry said his father and Sirius had hated Professor Snape when they were students. She didn't want it to be awful for him.

"I want you to stay here," she exclaimed.

"Perhaps Potter needs to know what his father was like," he suggested in a low voice.

She looked reproachfully at him. "I think he already does know. I know magical portraits aren't real people, but they're powerful. I'm getting to know you, Sir, and that's good. But I'm afraid James Potter will make Harry feel awful. The guy was Sirius's best friend, and Sirius wants to put the portrait in here with you!"

Snape closed his eyes for a moment. He inhaled deeply and let out the breath slowly. Then he opened his eyes and said calmly, "If it is necessary, by all means put James Potter's portrait in here. I shall stay."

"Thank you," she murmured. "I'm sorry to ask this, but Harry was making peace with the past until Sirius returned. Now we have Sirius's stupid view of the past. All the stuff he thought he'd never have to deal with is right in his face. He trusts you, Professor."

She turned and headed back toward the kitchen, and thus she missed the look of surprise on his face.

Harry was staring into the eyes of his father when she returned, and silence reigned.

"Well, well, well, Ginny. Isn't it wonderful to have James with us?" asked Sirius heartily.

"Remarkable," she said, wishing knew what Harry was thinking.

"So Lily died too," said James, and his somber expression touched Ginny's heart. "I'm sorry, Harry. I tried. But no one could have stopped Voldemort. But I don't understand, did Lily fight him off before she died? How did you survive?"

"No, she didn't have her wand either," said Harry heavily. "But Voldemort offered to let her live if he could kill me. She refused and when he killed her, her sacrifice protected me. His curse rebounded and I lived, with only a scar on my forehead."

"My brave Lily," said James. "I'm glad you made it, son, and glad my old mate's still alive. And who's this pretty lady? At first I thought she was your mother."

Harry heard a snort and hesitantly he pulled Ginny forward. "This is my wife, Ginny."

"I wasn't here to stop him, old friend," said Sirius. "He was as big a fool as you."

"Sirius, it's a good thing to be married. D' you mean to say that after all these years you haven't tied the knot with some sexy witch?"

The Animagus shuddered. "Women are more trouble than they're worth. Harry's tied tight to the old apron strings, no time for any good old mischief."

James chuckled. "You haven't changed a bit, have you? So why am I here in a portrait? Did I go on to the afterlife? I'm not a ghost or anything, floating around the halls of Hogwarts and snogging old Myrtle, am I?"

"How can you say that?" asked Harry quietly.

"It was a joke, boy," said James. "Obviously I'm really in heaven, snogging your mum senseless, but here I'm… I don't know exactly, but it's okay."

"Anyway, you're here because my idiot godson's taken a fancy to old Snivellus," Sirius snapped. "I want him to know what a great man his dad was, and that the greasy git's nothing but rubbish."

"Shut it, Sirius," said Harry, an icy gleam in his eyes. "You don't want to go there."

"Merlin! Can you be my son?" asked James, a mocking smile on his face. "Maybe Sirius was right to bring me here, young Harry. What on earth could that pathetic freak have done to impress you?"

"What do you say, Harry? Let's bring your dear old dad into the drawing room and make him comfortable. Then we'll all have a nice discussion."

"No!" exclaimed Harry, reaching for his wand. "I won't let you idiots hurt him. You don't know!"

"Harry," said Ginny softly, putting a restraining hand on his arm. "It's okay. Let him go ahead."

Harry was sick with shame, remembering that day when his own father had bullied and humiliated Severus Snape, de-pantsing him in front of everyone. "Gin, you don't know. They've been horrible to him."

"He says it's okay," she whispered. "He's a big man, Harry, big enough to take on these two. Trust him."

He did trust Professor Snape, thought Harry bitterly. But he had no faith in his own father and godfather.