Anything in italics is a thought.
Any scenes in bold is occurring at a different time (Flashback).
Enjoy!
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Silver Strands of Dreams
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Eventually they released each other from their embrace. Reluctant to move too far away lest something happen to ruin the moment, they simply moved themselves to the carpet in front of the small fireplace.
Silence filled the air again as they looked everywhere except each other, neither knowing what to do or how to act.
"You probably have many questions for me." Sirius began tentatively.
Relief poured over him as he realised that the first step in breaking the silence had already been taken, causing him to answer eagerly, "Yes, the more time that passed the more questions seemed to pop up in my mind. I never did let you explain yourself that d–" he stopped, afraid that he had spoilt the moment by referring to their fight.
Sirius, however, didn't seem bothered by it and merely brushed the comment away, "its okay Harry, we've both been rather temperamental lately."
"Well, at least now I know where I got my wonderful temper from." He joked, trying to light up the mood. To his pleasure he heard a bark like laugh from his father and saw some light return to his eyes.
"James always used to joke around, saying that if I ever had a child they would have to stock a room full of calming potions for he was bound to get my temper. When he heard that Lily was pregnant the first thing he gave us was a box full of them… we used to joke around like that all the time with each other…"
Harry noticed that his father's voice held a tinge of nostalgia and he seemed to have lost himself in his memories for a moment.
Well, at least this answered one of my questions, James did know about them then. Now, how to find out the answered to all my other questions?
"So, about those questions…"
"Can I just ask them?" He blurted out blushing, "I – I mean… I don't want you to feel like I'm interrogating you or something…"
"No, no. That is perfectly fine with me, fire away."
"Umm… okay," He paused, trying to organise all the questions he had inside him, "So, how did you and mum get together? How did James find out about you? Why did everyone think he was my dad instead of you? And–"
"Whoa! Calm down" Sirius interrupted him, chuckling slightly, "We have all afternoon to answer any question that you may have."
He just blushed harder in response.
"Lets see then, I began dating your mother in my sixth year and it was Christmas when we finally admitted that we liked each other, so–"
"But didn't she hate you? I mean, all the Marauders?" His curiosity caused Sirius to chuckle again.
"She did, in face she was one of the few who ever stood up to us, you know. An attractive trait I'll tell you, but we started to hand out during my sixth year."
Before he could interrupt his father again, Sirius spoke again, "No doubt you've heard of the prank I pulled on Snape?" at his nod he continued, "Well, let's just say that James, Remus and Peter weren't very pleased with me, so I had to hand around other people then…that's when Lily made the, how did she call it…the grand discovery that I wasn't the conceited bully that she thought I was."
"But I thought that James liked her, I mean, everyone is always telling me how much he loved her and tried to impress her with his tricks and stuff…"
"Ah, well, that…he didn't like it at first. After a while, thought, he realised that it wasn't love like he originally thought and in the end, he decided he was okay with us, so everything was fine…well, I guess that depends on what you consider fine, really…" he chuckled a bit, "Once James realised that he didn't really like Lily like he thought he did they began to dislike each other even more, it was almost impossible to have them both in the same room and still be sane afterwards."
A quick look at Harry told him that he couldn't imagine what he was trying to describe, with that an idea came to him.
"Here, let me show you."
Standing up, Sirius left the room. Before he could follow him, however, he was soon back again, only this time carrying something with him. He instantly recognised what it was, a Pensive, remembering what Dumbledore had told him last year. Watching as Sirius took out his wand and transferred one of his memories into the pensive; he waited until all was ready for him to look.
OOOooo§oooOOO
"They want me to what?" shrieked a red haired woman.
A man with straight black hair flinched at the tone of voice, "Lily, I know you don't like it but–"
"You can bet you ass and I don't like it!" She screamed, "I am never going to marry or pretend to be married to him!"
"Hey Evans, I like this idea as much as you do but you don't see me screaming like a lunatic do you?" snapped a man with unruly black hair and glasses.
"Shut up Potter, if I ever decide to ask your opinion on anything I'll make sure to check into St. Mungo's before I ask it!"
Falling into a chair, Sirius help back a chuckle at the two of them, he should have known that something like this would happen.
"Lily, it is not like we have much of a choice here, we all read that letter from the Ministry."
"Damn the Ministry! They can't expect to tell me how to live my life!"
"Actually, they can and they just did," James stated peevishly.
"Potter, I'm this close to hexing you to the moon!"
Deciding to intervene before someone got hurt; Sirius stood up and embraced his fiancée. "Calm down Lily, we're doing all that we can so that this will have the least impact on our lives. Unfortunately the Ministry has the law of their side and they can and will force you into marriage if you don't comply within the given time."
"I hate this Sirius! What right do they think they have? All this because of a stupid prophecy," she muttered as she hugged him back.
James merely turned away from the private scene in front of him, his mind going over all that they knew and how to they could overcome it.
A thought occurred to him then.
"Evans!"
"What is it now Potter?"
"You're a muggleborn right?"
"Oh, did you only just realise it?"
"I'm trying to help here! You could be nicer or is that beyond your capabilities!"
"I can be perfectly nice when I want to. The point being that I don't want to right now!"
Sirius couldn't help it, he sniggered, causing both his irate friends to turn to him. Before he was the one getting threatened he asked, "So, what idea did you come up with Prongs?"
James paused for a second, as if trying to remember his idea, "Since Evans is a muggleborn, why don't you get married to her in the Muggle world? I doubt that Ministry checks these kinds of records and this way at least you'll have some of what you want."
Silence…
Sirius and Lily just stared at James, processing that he said.
"That is absolutely brilliant Prongs!" Sirius shouted, whooping in joy. Even Lily had something nice to say about James' idea, "See Potter, you are capable of using that inflated head of yours for something other than annoying people."
OOOooo§oooOOO
As the memory faded away Harry found himself back at his room in Grimmauld Place. Waiting for his head to stop spinning and for his brain to process what he had just witnessed he turn to Sirius who was looking at him anxiously.
Smiling he said, "I can't believe my mum made that big a fuss, they really argued a lot!"
"Yes they did, it was an excellent form of entertainment."
They chuckled together before silence fell over them again.
"So, you and mum were married in the Muggle world? Why did the Ministry want her to marry James?" He asked
Sirius smiled, "Yes we did, I'll show you, together with the explanation for your other question."
It continued like that for the next couple of hours; he would ask a question he and Sirius would explain it before showing a memory he had of the event in the Pensive. By the end of the afternoon they were both in better spirits, talking and reminiscing together as they had always wished to do.
God, I haven't had this much fun since the last time Ron and I invaded the Slytherin Common room and changed all their clothes and colours around!
It was then that he remembered the one question that he still hadn't asked.
He stopped laughing.
"What happened?" asked Sirius concerned voice.
I guess it must be confusing to watch someone go from happy laughter to sad silence in less than one second.
"…can I ask you a question…?"
"Isn't that what you've been doing for the last couple of hours?" Came the amused reply.
"No…this, this is different…" he explained looking away.
"You know that you can ask me anything Harry."
"…why… why did you leave me with the Dursley's? Why didn't you tell me all this when I first found out about you in my third year…?"
Sirius seemed taken aback by his question.
"Harry…I–"
"I know you were in Azkaban! But why did you have to go after Wormtail? Why did you let me go to the Dursley's? Why couldn't you have thought about me that night?!"
"That's not it Harry! Of course I thought about you! You're always in my mind!"
"Then why did you let me go to chase after Wormtail? Why didn't you come after me when you ran away?!"
He knew that he was losing his temper again, which was the reason he had been delaying in asking this question, but he had to know. The pain and sorrow of being left in the Dursley's resurfaced and he didn't care that Sirius couldn't have possibly taken him while he was on the run. He just wanted to know why he hadn't thought of him, why he had chosen Wormtail over him…
Did he not want me? Is that it? Maybe he is only telling this to me now because Remus accidentally let the truth slip out…maybe he doesn't really want me…he can't want a freak like me…
He was surprised when he was tackled and embraced in a strong hug.
"Don't say that! Never say that! You are not a freak! Of course I wanted you to live with me, even before I knew that you were my son! That is what I most want in this forsaken world!" Sirius whispered fiercely to him, pressing him tightly into the hug, "you're the most important thing to me."
That was all said with such sincerity that Harry felt tears come anew to his eyes, trying to distract himself in order not to cry again he asked: "What…what do you mean 'even before I knew that you were my son'?"
Releasing him from his tight embrace, Sirius sat back and looked at him.
"I just recently, well, remembered would be the most appropriate word I suppose, that you are my son," Sirius explained, at Harry's confused and hurt expression he elaborated, "when we decided to change secret keepers there was no way that James would have been able to handle pretending to be me for months and vice versa. So it was decided that he would stay with Lily under the Fidelius and I would go back to my normal life style, after a few months if everything was well we would switch back again. Since I was not going to be under any special protection we decided to block any memories I had concerning you, Lily and our marriage, that way if I was captured there was no way I'd be able to reveal our secret."
"But… but you remember now!"
"Yes, I remembered everything the day that the charms placed on you failed, on your fifteenth birthday."
"….I'm sorry, I shouldn't have accused you like that, I–"
"You had to know," looking at his son he realised that while he understood the explanation that he had given him, he still wasn't entirely convinced that he was very much wanted.
"Here, let me show you something." Taking out his wand and acquiring another memory, one of his most precious one, he placed it in the Pensive.
"Have a look." He smiled as he saw his son look inside and experience one of his favourite memories.
OOOooo§oooOOO
Harry landed rather clumsily in a finely lit room of a house he was sure he had never been in before.
The room was rather large, probably a living room if all the couches and comfortable looking armchairs were anything to go by. A door in one direction of the room was slightly opened and vague noises could be heard coming from there while a closed door resided behind him.
Sirius is probably in there, or else there would be no reason for this memory to even exist…which means that that door leads either to a kitchen or another room of sorts.
Taking more time to look around he noticed a large Christmas tree standing in the centre of the room, surrounded by presents and packages, giving the room a warm and loving atmosphere that he instantly took a liking to, The idea that he may have once been cared for in a house similar to this made most of his previous uncertainties leave him.
It still doesn't explain why he decided to show me this particular memory though…
He was just about to open the door in the far side of the room when someone else came through it.
Thank Merlin that I'm not solid or else I'd be on my rear with a really sore nose right now.
Harry couldn't help but gape as his father came out of the dinning room, which he could now clearly see, laughing happily with his eyes shinning brightly in a way they rarely did nowadays.
He was holding a child in his arms. Holding him with such care and love it was impossible not to notice it.
This is what he must have been before he was sent to Azkaban, carefree, boisterous, jovial and ever so loved and loving…
He was so lost observing his father and himself interact that he didn't notice the other two occupants that came out after him until they passed through him. Two occupants who were equally joyous, joking and laughing about one thins or another with his father.
He gasped.
That's my mother and James! They are all here, together… with me.
He watched, gob smacked, at they went into the living room and sat down next to Sirius and him. So happy and so alive it was almost as if he could go there and touch them. Once more, Harry felt tears prickle at the corners of his eyes as he watched them interact and play with his baby self.
A sense of nostalgia grew in his heart.
"I can't believe it's been a year already! When I agreed to this, under protest I must remind you, I thought time would go by incredibly slowly. Now look at us! Harry is already five months old and I couldn't be happier!" Lily said in a soft voice filled with happiness.
"Hmm… I wonder why you thought things were going to be boring and irritating. You and Prongs get along so well after all, no arguments whatsoever!" Sirius joked, trying to prevent his wife from falling into joyous tears. He loathed seeing her in any kind to tears, no matter the reason.
"Don't even start, Padfoot! I will be very grateful to get by this Christmas without being half deaf and bruised, thank you very much! Last Christmas was enough for me." James said moving away from Lily who had tried to slap him.
"Come back here Potter and I'll give you a bruise to complain of!" said a laughing Lily, "you're lucky it's time to give Harry his presents or else I'd have gone after you with my shoe."
With that said Lily moved to sit down next to the Christmas tree, followed by the other two men, and they began to hand each other presents, giving baby Harry his own first and playing with him for a while they alternated opening their own presents.
Harry nearly laughed when another argument broke out between his mother and James.
Dad was right, it is very entertaining to them argue!
"He is not even one year old! How can you give him such a… a…. present!"
"Stop being a spoilsport Evans! Harry loved my present!"
"That's because he is too young to understand what it really does!"
Sirius, probably used to it by now, was laughing hysterically on the floor. After all, why should he spoil such good fun?
The three adults were so entertained with themselves that no one noticed as little Harry, bored with his parents, tired to crawl towards something more interesting: the blazing fireplace.
Normally that wouldn't have been possible for him to do, since baby Harry was still earning how to crawl, but he was already very near the fireplace and the only thing he had to do to get closer was roll sideways, once. That was something he surely knew how to do.
Baby Harry's outstretched hands were nearly touching the fire, trying to grab the flames in the cute way only babies could do, when he felt someone pick him up, mere millimetres from achieving his childish goal.
Annoyed, he did the only thing a child his age can do, he cried out and began to toss and turn in the arms of the adult who had spoiled his fun.
"No, no Harry dear, they are dangerous. We do not play with fire, okay?" Lily said as she sat down with baby Harry in her arms, who was still struggling to get free.
The only answer she got was some displeased gurgles and more struggling.
"They will hurt you darling. Fire bad, they bite" she explained once more before she tried to distract him, acting out the biting part, using it as an excuse to tickle baby Harry out of his anger.
Soon enough, baby Harry was laughing happily, having forgotten all about his interrupted entertainment.
"That's my boy." Laying a kiss his forehead, noticing that he had calmed down, she then turned to glare at the two men in the room.
"You should have been watching him," she didn't bother to specify whom.
"Kinda difficult when you're being harassed because of a present." James muttered sarcastically.
Sirius cringed, feeling guilty in having neglected his son long enough for him to nearly get hurt and because his friend had just done what Lily had told Harry not to, messed with fire.
Baby Harry saw his mother take a deep breath and, bored with all the talk and no play, used it as an opportunity to break free of her grasp.
"If you hadn't given him such a stupid and ridiculous present, James Potter, you would not have had to deal with the consequences!" she replied in a low but lethal voice.
Baby Harry wasn't even bothered by his mother's voice, and focused his mind in reaching out for the Christmas decoration on the tree that was moving and dancing merrily. Sure, he still couldn't move properly, but that wasn't going to stop him from playing around with pretty and shinning things.
"No, don't eat that Harry. It's not very tasteful, are you hungry?" James asked, interrupting his argument with Lily to look after his son in everything except blood, retrieving the ornament from his small hands.
Harry swore that the Christmas decoration yelled Cannibal before being placed back on the Christmas tree.
However baby Harry wasn't going to be detained so easily, for he was already picking another Christmas decoration, which was clearly yelling in panic, as it was shoved into a five month old baby's mouth. Smiling in amusement, James bent down, picked Harry up and took the decoration out of his mouth.
An obvious mistake because baby Harry cried out in dismay and began to struggle as soon as his new toy had been taken away from him.
The second James loosened his grip to place the decoration back on the tree where baby Harry wouldn't be able to reach, the five months old baby slipped through his arms and down to the floor.
Baby Harry, finding himself next to a tablecloth, began to pull it downwards, seeing that it shimmered and changed colours with every movement. Never let it be said that he wasn't flexible with his toys.
"Harry, no! Don't pull that! It'll fall on you, wait, don't eat that either! It's dirty! Oh, come here!" James said, picking Harry up who, apparently, was having a great time reaching out for everything around him and seeing James so distressed.
"Honestly Padfoot! Your son is nearly as bad as you! He can't sit still for a moment!" said a chuckling James, who made sure that Harry couldn't get away from his again. "You're an energetic kid aren't you? You love trying to drive me mad, don't you? Tell me…was it your mother who put you up to this?" he said to Harry, bouncing him up and down.
Harry just gurgled happily as James levitated him and made him fly over him a bit, all the while conscious of the reproving look Lily was sending him.
After some minutes James started to tired out as baby Harry's energy surpassed him own. Turning to the two very amused parents sitting next to him he said, "Hey, isn't this your job? I'm only his Godfather you know, not a baby sitter."
"Oh, but you were doing such a fine job Prongs, I'm sure little Harry is having a lot of fun playing with you." Sirius said smiling too nicely to James liking.
"Haha, very funny Padfoot. As much as I love your son, you know I would do anything for him, I am just too old to keep up with his endless energy. Merlin! If he is already like this at five months I don't even want to know what will happen when he begins to walk!"
Both parents laughed at their friends' distressed expression, especially because Harry had the most innocent expression then.
"Who's turn is it to watch him? I know it is not me so don't even think of it!" James added before they could speak.
"Seeing as how Harry is hungry I'll go get his food and bottle, it is nearly time for him to go to sleep anyway." Lily said, standing up and kissing baby Harry on the forehead again before leaving through another door that lead to the rooms above.
"Give him here Prongs; it's my turn to watch over him." Sirius said with a smile as he stoop up to get his son, who at once began to gurgle cheerfully in his father's arms.
"Lets go get some food in the kitchen kiddo?"
Harry smiled and giggled in response.
"I guess that leave you to clean up, Prongs old friend!" Sirius called out before he left the room, chuckling together with his son at the muttered complaints he could hear from his friend.
Entering the kitchen, he placed Harry on his chair while he turned to grab a fruit to eat. Turning back to baby Harry he saw that his son had grabbed his food bowl and was smearing its contents, or what still remained of it, all over the table, chair and his face.
The observing Harry half expected his father to get angry or exasperated, like he remembered the Dursleys being. It was a surprise to him then, when Sirius let out a bark like laugh, shaking his head in amusement, while walking back to his baby son.
"You know, watching you try and grab everything around the house and leaving a trail of food and debris behind you can be very exhausting, but I wouldn't change this for anything in the world. You and your mother are my precious emerald jewels and I love both of you very, very much." He swiftly cleaned baby Harry with a charm and gave him a mischievous smile, "It sure beats cleaning up anyway."
"Ah, there you are! I was beginning to wonder when I only found a grumbling James in the living room." Lily said as she entered the kitchen with some foods and a bottle.
"Just in time too, I was going to have to battle with Harry over the food."
"I can see that, you would have lost too," she joked as she sat down, "come here, let me feed him."
Harry watched the tender scene that occurred between his parents and himself. It was as if he could feel the love around them, basking in its glow, and he wished he could remember the time when his life was so perfect and carefree.
Sirius smiled when they had finished and kissing baby Harry on the forehead, who was nodding off to sleep, turned to his wife and also gave her a loving kiss.
Looking back at his son he whispered tenderly, "Love you Harry" before baby Harry fell asleep, his small hand encircling his father's thumb firmly.
OOOooo§oooOOO
Sirius watched as his son's eyes focused once again once the memory finished.
He smiled at him and offered a glass of water, which Harry drank gladly. A silence settled between them, but not an uncomfortable one. It was a silence that seemed to smooth all the fears and doubts that had been plaguing their minds and souls.
"I…I- don't know what to say…"
"You don't have to say anything Harry, I wanted you to see that memory, I want you to know how much we loved you then and how much I still love you now." He answered softly, "Could you see how much we loved you, how much we still love you?"
Harry nodded, his throat dry, preventing him from speaking. His emotions were raging inside of him, and for once, he didn't care, he threw himself at his father and hugged him.
"I love you." Sirius heard Harry whisper to him and he smiled serenely, feeling warmth long forgotten sweep over him.
"I love you too…son. Very, very much."
OOOooo§oooOOO
Unbeknown to the two, a mind plotted that night. It planned something grand, something shocking, and something that would forever be remembered by all who live to see it happen.
A smile slowly crept its way to the person's face as he thought over his idea.
Yes, his plan was going to work perfectly.
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Feedback is always appreciated.
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You know, I was really tempted to change the last memory but when I re-read it, it was so cute, that I was unable to. After all, I need to allow Sirius to have some happiness in his life, even if it is in memory form, right?
I have finally reached the point where I had left this story off last time, now no one except Heaven's Demons and I know what shall happen! You'll just have to wait and see how this story will turn out in the end!
And now, Heaven's Demon, who will not tell what shall happen (because she is EVIL EVIL EVILLY EVIL EVIL DOOOOOOM!) will show you the behind the scenes!
[ "Whoa, that's really cute." Said Sirius, after reading the script. "And fluffy. I think I'll have a hyperglycaemia."
Heaven's Demon, who's usually locked up on the wardrobe, released herself and walked up to Sirius. "Oh, stop complaining. You'd end up even worse If I had written it!"
"Oh, really." He answered, raising an eyebrow. "How would you write this scene?"
Heaven's cleared her throat, then pulled the quill (which she stole from Rita Skeeter out of her hair and began.
SIRIUS: You probably have many questions.
HARRY: Yeah.
SIRIUS: Go.
HARRY: Mother?
SIRIUS: Love.
HARRY: James?
SIRIUS: Barchelor.
HARRY: Switch?
SIRIUS: Pulyjuice Potion.
Harry: Dursley's?
SIRIUS: Amnesia.
HARRY: Hate me?
SIRIUS: Love you!
HARRY AND SIRIUS: #Hug#
SIRIUS: Look.
#Shows Harry a memory about Baby-Harry's suicidal tendencies.#
HARRY: Daddy!
SIRIUS: Son!
HARRY: Love!
SIRIUS: Hug!
Hug: #Begins.#
MYSTERIOUS FIGURE: #Laughs at the distance#
"Oh, this turned out so nice!" Heaven's stated, looking extremely happy with her work. "I'm a freaking genius! I can publish this and become as rich as J. K. Rowling herself!"
"Oh, what the hell. Who let you out of your wardrobe anyway?" Sirius pressed a red button and in seconds a couple of body-guards came in and dragged a still gloating Heaven's out of the room. "Now I'm really depressed."
"Here, have some chocolate." Remus, appeared suddenly. "Oh, and Hell's sent me to ask if you have learned your lesson."
"Yes. I'mquitehappywithwhatIhavethankyouverymuch."
And he swallowed the chocolate much faster then a nutritionist would advice. The shootings were never so quick.
Until next time,
Hells Angel & Heaven's Demon