Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Gift of Black

Chapter Eight: Awkward Limbo

Curiosity killed the cat, or in this case Sirius's brain. He now knew for a fact that Isadora is his daughter. Why had he asked. What good would this knowledge do him? He was a fugitive. He'd lied to Harry -not fully intentionally, but he'd still lied. He was a father.

That thought stopped Sirius dead in his tracks.

He was a father. Did this mean he had to start acting like one. He was the closest Harry had to a father, so maybe he didn't need to change that much. No, that was different. Harry is his Godson, Isadora on the other hand, is his thirteen year old daughter. Thirteen. Thirteen. His daughter was a teenager... and not an ugly one... what was he gonna do about the inevitable boys that were bound to come around? He'd only been a father for one minute and he was on verge of a nervous breakdown. He needed to talk to someone, and the closest door happened to be Remus's.

"Remus, I nee- ...What's going on in here?" he asked seeing Tonks and Remus standing on either side of the bed, with looks of deep contemplation on their faces.

"Sirius! Perfect timing! You and Remus are going to be roommates!" Tonks declared brightly.

"Please don't make me sleep in his room." Remus begged wearily.

"He has his own room, he can stay in it. Now-"

"Can't. It's going to be rather crowded with me and the kids sleeping in here and I'd feel bad making him sleep on the floor so-"

"We are NOT sharing a bed!" Sirius and Remus burst out in unison.

"Oh it's not that bad." Tonks said dismissively. "You didn't mind sharing a bed with me." She added to Remus.

"YOU DID WHAT?" Sirius turned on a nervous Remus.

"I needed somewhere to sleep, Sirius." Tonks stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Don't you have your own house?"

"I do, but I'm staying here to help with the children. Plus I got off of work for the week because Sorcha is 'ill' and Blake needs help taking care of the kids. Can't be found lounging at home, now, can I?"

"But why were you-"

"Why do you care, Sirius?"

"B-because you're my little cousin!" He spluttered.

"Not that little Sirius." Tonks interjected, only to be ignored as Sirius continued.

"And your perspective on these things certainly changes when you have a daughter! Especially a thirteen year old one." He finished, whining out the last part.

"What?" Tonks's suddenly wide eyes snapped to Sirius, while Remus looked intrigued. "What are you talking about Sirius?"

"Isadora."

"You think she's your daughter?" Tonks asked cautiously.

"I know she's my daughter." Sirius corrected.

"Sirius," Remus cut in calmly, "while I can see the evidence that makes it seem likely, that's a rather large conclusion to come to."

"Yeah, besides I already told you-"

"I know what you told me." Sirius cut Tonks off angrily. "I know what you all told me. But I'm not as stupid as you seem to think, and Sorcha just confirmed it."

"Was she half asleep?" Tonks asked. "You know you can't always trust sleep talk-"

"NO!" Sirius yelled, now having lost it. "I'M SICK OF THIS TONKS! I'M SICK OF BEING LIED TO AND HAVING TO ARGUE ABOUT THE OBVIOUS! SHE IS MY DAUGHTER AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE NOT THE LEAST BIT CURIOUS AND ARGUE SO DEFENSIVELY THAT SHE ISN'T MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT YOU DO KNOW!"

The cousins stubbornly glared death at each other while Remus looked on ready to intervene if needed. After a time, Tonks let out a sigh and rested her head in her palm for a few moments before looking back up at Sirius.

"I suppose you're right. There is no point in lying to you anymore... Isadora is your daughter, but Sirius, she doesn't know, and you can't go around telling everybody."

"How long have you known Tonks?" Sirius asked somewhat more calm.

"Since before she was born," Tonks answered, "but I was sworn to secrecy for obvious reasons."

"And who else knows?"

"My parents, Blake, Dumbledore... Mad-Eye known since you escaped Azkaban..." Tonks trailed off as if she was nervous.

"And..." Sirius pressed. "Who else?"

"Snape." She answered quickly before suddenly becoming very intent upon packing Remus's bag.

"Snape?" Sirius asked. "Snivellus knew about my daughter before I did?!"

"Sirius, I'm sure there's a good reason for it." Remus said calmly.

"What about you?" Sirius turned on Remus. "Did you know?"

"No. I told you that I haven't seen her in fourteen years. And I'm assuming the reason is because she didn't want me knowing."

"So how do you know Tonks? Remus was her friend, but she never knew your parents before-"

The door made a creaking noise as it opened to reveal Andromeda standing with her hand on a tired and nervous, Isadora's back.

"Isadora needs to sleep but is understandably frightened." Andromeda announced. "I heard you and the children will be sleeping in here Nymphadora." Tonks glared at her mother as her first name slipped from her lips, "Do you think that you can stay with Isadora while she sleeps?"

"Sure." Tonks said as she swung the trunk at Remus, who managed to make it stop in midair before him. "Bye Remus. Bye Sirius, we'll finish this conversation later, keep it to yourself in the meantime."

"Fine." Sirius agreed, before turning to Isadora. "Well, uh, Isadora... enjoy your nap." He said a friendly but nervous manner.

Isadora stared at him apprehensively and backed up further into Andromeda, who wrapped a protective arm around her and watched Sirius with a hawk-like expression as he walked by them and out of the room. The moment Remus was out of the room with his trumk, the door closed and he and Sirius were left standing in the hallway an old tattered trunk.

"What was that all about?" Sirius asked in annoyance.

"That would be best discussed in private." Remus replied.

"Right, right. You're right. We need to find you a new room. I think there's one spare left."

"Ted and Andromeda are using that one until Sorcha's back on her feet." Remus told him.

"...We're not sharing a bed."

"I'd rather sleep with Buckbeak."

"What if we set up a cot in my room."

"I'd still rather sleep with Buckbeak."

After determining that the drawing room and Buckbeak's room were both too dangerous for Remus to sleep in, a cot was set up in Sirius's room. Remus settled down on the cot uncomfortably and looked around at the wall plastered in motorcycles and bikini clad muggle women.

"I hope the new sleeping arrangements will be figured out soon." Remus sighed.

"It's not that bad." Sirius said. "Just think of it like our Hogwarts days again."

"That will be hard to do with your choice of décor."

"Would it make easier if I told Tonks that you complain incessantly about my posters and have eyes only for her?" Sirius asked with a smirk.

"If you do any such thing, I shall be forced to tell Sorcha that you were the one who put her kitten in the Great Lake back in sixth year."

"You can't do that! You were sworn to secrecy!" Sirius cried out panickly.

"That was nineteen years ago and I don't recall any unbreakable vow occurring." Remus reminded him. "Why did you do such a thing in the first place?"

"I don't know, I probably thought it would be funny at the time. Her temper was much funnier back then."

"Yes, until her big brothers and Hagrid went on a manhunt, it was certainly amusing."

"Is that cat still alive?"

"Again, Sirius, I haven't seen her in fourteen years, I wouldn't know."

"Yeah... so what was all that glaring and freaked out staring all about?" Sirius asked sitting up straighter. "You seemed to know about that."

"Isadora is afraid of you, and Andromeda is apparently very protective of her."

"She can't be scared of me!" Sirius exclaimed. "I'm her father! I just saved her! She was just telling Sorcha about it!"

"Yes, true, but the first thing to remember is that she's Sorcha's daughter. She's slightly less temperamental, but still... She's Sorcha's daughter."

"True, but what makes you say that she's scared of me?"

"Besides the way she was staring at you? Sirius, I may not have known that she was your daughter, but she was one of my students when I taught at Hogwarts. Which was the same time as your terrifying appearances."

"She's scared of me because I broke into Hogwarts?" Sirius asked slightly disbelieving.

"No -although that didn't help maters much- she heard some gossip when she was younger, specifically gossip about you and Sorcha. She's afraid that you'll take her away from Sorcha and Blake."

"So in other words, she wants nothing to do with me."

"Probably wishes you were dead."

"Well that's comforting."

"I know this isn't easy, Sirius, but just give it time. She has to stay here until September, and once Sorcha and Blake are on their feet again they'll sort things out. By the time she leaves for Hogwarts, she'll... things will be better. But until then... just keep what you know to yourself and try not to win Awkward Father of the Year Award."

"So treat her like the rest of the kids?"

"A little more space than that." Remus advised.

"Fine." Sirius agreed with a sigh.

The week passed by in a blur of chaos. The very next morning started with an Earth shattering scream of horror waking the entire household. Sorcha had woken to find Kreacher reaching into Blaithnaid's crib with an expression that she later described as 'downright evil'. Hermione immediately jumped to Kreacher's defense, 'he meant no harm', he was probably trying to take care of the children like he did when Sirius was a child, she reasoned. A quick interrogation soon revealed that Kreacher was merely 'taking the trash out of his Mistress's house'. All further attempts to defend Kreacher were met with death-glares and stink-eyes from Sorcha (and occasionally, Molly). Kreacher was henceforth banned from going anywhere near the babies and anything that would go near them.

The fiasco with Kreacher, led to Nymphie and Deirdre finding Blake. The discovery of their father caused all new waves of trouble among the Chang children and a guard had to be posted at the door. The unused dining room soon became a craft room for the kids to make get well cards for their father and other various gifts for the adults and teenagers residing in Grimmauld Place.

Grimmauld was proving to be a dangerous place for children, especially ones as curious and clever as the younger Chang kids, who spent two days playing a game that consisted of seeing how many times they could give their assigned guardians the slip. They were good at it. After a few close calls and far too many screaming portraits, the young ones gave up on this game and began adapting the new house and rules. Accidents continued to happen around the children. At the suggestion of Murk, Sirius applied his rules about Kreacher and the babies, to all the young children. After that the accidents mostly ceased.

There were bits of relief here and there. With Ted and Andromeda around to help with the children, Molly was able to successfully keep Order's business secret. With Andromeda around, and Isadora and Eamon being recruitedto help, the war on the house was ahead of schedule. Sorcha was back on her feet in a matter of days, and despite her exhaustion and caring for two babies, she was able to help reign in the children and deal with any stray doxies and other unwanted fairies.

The greatest relief, was that Remus's prayers were answered and the sleeping arrangements were sorted out fast. Two days after Isadora's rescue, the twins announced that Eamon was a kindred spirit to them and they would be honored to cram a cot in their room for him. This concerned all those who knew nothing of Eamon's adventure; but it was soon accepted as it allowed for more space to create new sleeping arrangements. Hermione and Ginny were now sharing a room with Isadora and Deirdre. Callidora was moved in with Ted and Andomeda, while Phoebus went with the Weasleys. After much complaining, Harry and Ron were forced to share their room with the five year old Peader. The two Nymphadoras remained in Remus's room, which he was allowed to return to with a cot while the woman and child shared the bed.

After multiple awkward encounters with the girl he now knew to be his daughter (who wanted nothing to do with him) and remembering the inevitable departure of his godson; Sirius began to spend increasing amounts of time with Buckbeak. The Hippogriff was good company, but it didn't seem to distract him from his problems enough, and he soon found that dealing with the chaos the children brought on, was more effective. While downstairs, he noticed his daughter and godson interacting quite frequently. His new found, 'Father of a Teenage Girl' instincts had started to kick in until he realized what the interactions really were, then he was simply ammused. Harry had a crush on Isadora's cousin, Cho Chang, and he was pestering her for information on Cho.

It was through these interactions that he first started to really learn about his daughter. She was loyal, it seemed, at least to her cousin she was. She refused to tell Harry anything Cho had ever said about him. She would give basic information, things that come up in regular conversation, but anything too personal or that Cho said remained quiet. From observing her whenever they had to be the same room, he learned that his daughter was on the quiet side, something he would not expect from a child of Sorcha, and especially not one of him and Sorcha. Her favorite color was lavender, she liked to sing and she was good with kids and fairies. She shared her mother's dislike of homework, but she did it quietly and without much of a fight. The most important thing he knew about Isadora (or Isa, as he sometimes heard others call her) was that she loved the parents who had raised her, and she wanted nothing to do with him.

Sirius and Isadora mostly stayed out of each others' way, but towards the end of the week the other kids had gone stir crazy and were taken to a park by some members of the Order, who wouldn't look suspicious together with them. The remaining adults were all resting and the house was quiet for the first time since the Changs arrived. Sirius had decided to get something eat in the kitchen after feeding Buckbeak. He had not expected to find Isadora, sitting at the table and rocking a purple clad baby in her arms. He looked around and noticed the two bassinets that had been temporarily set up in the kitchen and all the baby supplies laying on the table. Isadora must have volunteered to babysit.

"Didn't want to go to the park?" He asked.

Isadora jumped and the baby started make small fussing noises before she resumed rocking the baby and singing a quiet lullaby.

"Sorry." Sirius whispered, only to be ignored. "I was going to get something to eat. Do you want anything?"

His daughter continued to ignore him and sing the strange lullaby.

"What about something to drink?"

There was still no answer.

"Okay, fine." Sirius said as he walked past her and looked for something to eat and drink.

Sirius grabbed a pitcher of pumpkin juice and two goblets, before sitting down across the table from the singing girl. He poured the two glasses and pushed one across the table in case she wanted it. After the baby had been quiet awhile, Isadora stopped singing and continued to rock her.

"Are you really my father?" She asked in a small voice, not even looking up from her sister.

"Yes." Sirius answered. Isadora continued rocking her sister.

"Are you going to take me away?" She asked him, still focusing on the baby.

"No. Even if I had the means to do so, I wouldn't. You love your parents and they love you. And I know that you're in good hands with them." Sirius gave the honest answer he had come to after seeing Blake risk his life for a child that didn't share his blood. Isadora smiled for the first time since he had entered the kitchen and let a tear of relief fun down her cheek.

"And how do you feel about having me as a daughter?" Isadora asked. Sirius sighed.

"I wish I'd known sooner." Sirius said. "If I had known about you before..." Sirius caught his breathe. "...Before I went on a one man revenge mission, I wouldn't have gone Isadora. I would have stayed and told Dumbledore what I knew, and things would have been very different." Isadora was sniffling a bit as Sirius talked. "I'm not saying your mother and I would have stayed together -God knows that was crazy- but I would have been a part of your life. But I didn't know, and I made a stupid choice, and now we're here. I can't make up for that and I know that I can never be your dad, but I do want to be in your life Isadora... Do you think we can at least get to know each other?" He asked earnestly.

Isadora nodded while wiping away a few tears.

"Good. Now what's your favorite food?" He asked.

Isa- Eye-Zuh

Isadora- Is-Uh-Dora

Life is crazy.

This is not the end, there will be a few more chapters. At least one will still be in summer and a few will take place during the school year. The question now, is would people prefer that it stays focused on Sirius and life in Grimmauld or would you like to occasionally see what's going on at Hogwarts?