Chapter Twelve

Sitting cross legged on the floor of Harry's bedroom, she helped him into jeans and a maroon shirt embroidered with snitches, bludgers and quaffles. Samantha shook her head.

Who bought him this shirt? Certainly was not me! Sirius couldn't have bought. He's stuck at home. Must have been Remus, then. . . It is kind of cute though.

Remus certainly never liked to admit it, but he was no better than Sirius when it came to Quidditch. Samantha shook her head again. Sirius and Remus, both only twenty-five sometimes seemed more childish than Harry at times.

"Now my shoes, Sam!" Harry exclaimed to her happily. "I can do it!"

He jumped to his feet, raced to his closet and retrieved his shoes. She watched him closely as he sat down by his bed and yanked his shoes over his sock clad feet. The laces tightened and then tied themselves. Sometimes, Samantha had to marvel at the wonderfully clever inventions Wizards made everyday. Self-Tying Toddler Trodders were one of the many inventions that had found their way into her reference book.

"I'm weady!" he announced.

Samantha got to her feet and put a finger to her lips as she approached the door. Harry giggled and covered his mouth with both hands. He watched as Samantha stuck her head out into the hall and listened intently to what the men in the kitchen were talking about. Unfortunately all she could here were their muffled voices and then, surprisingly, laughter. She straightened her posture.

Laughter. Laughters' good, real good. . . Right? Sirius must have told Dumbledore that we have Harry by now, right? I can not certainly do it . . . Grrrr, he better have! Or . . or no sex! -- Wait. . . That seems a little too extreme. . .

"Can we go now?"

Sam turned to Harry. "Oh, Har-bear, I'm holding you up! I'm sorry!"

She took his hand and they walked at a very snail-like pace to the kitchen. Samantha leaned into the kitchen while keeping Harry in the hall by his hand. Sirius, Remus and Arthur sat at the kitchen table talking.

Mr. Smithy and Dumbledore were no where to be seen.

She let go of Harry's hand and set them on her hips glaring at the three men as Harry skipped into the kitchen and into Sirius' arms, with chicken pox, calamine lotion and all. Samantha had used this nifty charm to keep the lotion from smearing off and onto someone else. Molly had taught her so many nifty child friendly spells.

Sirius and Remus looked at her with wide eyes while Arthur looked on curiously, his eyes on Harry. By the look on Samantha's face someone was most certainly in big trouble. Even Harry knew that certain face expression.

"Where's Dumbledore?" she asked with a growl.

Sirius handed Harry off to Remus and stood looking uncomfortable.

"Well, er," he said sounding uncertain, "he went with Mr. Smithy to Arthur's work shed to see Pettigrew."

"Did you tell him about Harry?"

". . . No? . . . I . . forgot? I'm sorry?"

Samantha huffed, one had still on her hip and the other pinching the bridge of her nose. "So, you got me all scared for nothing, Sirius?! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Sirius looked offended. "I'm gunna tell him! I am! Just not now! It's kind of hard to even look him in the eye at the moment and he is coming back, you know!"

Arthur flew out of his seat with his chair flying back, his finger pointed at Harry. "Bloody hell! The Ministry was right! You do have Harry Potter, Sirius!"

Laying a hand onto her forehead, Samantha sighed. Today was going to be a long day.

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Molly Weasley sat on the rocking chair in Harry's room, while Samantha sat on the small bed. Harry, Ron and Ginny played in the corner while Fred and George schemed together by their mother. Bill, Charlie and Percy opted to stay at home with strict rules to stay away from the work shed.

"I just can't believe he had not told him yet!" Sam raved from her spot, watching the twins with eyes of a hawk. "And after he sat me down and gave me his little speech about how we were going to seek Dumbledore's help and everything was going to come out and . . . argh!"

Molly nodded continuously, watching the twins just as closely as Samantha. "I know exactly what you mean, dear. They say one thing and do another. Take my Arthur for example. He said to me that he would stop experimenting on that bloody Anglia. But the next day the contraption can all of the sudden fly and turn invisible for the muggles!"

Samantha shook her head and chuckled. That had to be the same Anglia that Harry and Ron would drive into the Whomping Willow. Or would they? "That actually sounds kind of neat."

Molly Weasley glared at the younger woman. She pointed a finger at Sam menacingly. "Shut it, you. Don't you dare turn to the dark side on me!"

The dark haired woman laughed outright at the red haired woman. The twins snickered at the swear word that their mother had unknowingly spoke, before going back to their quiet whispering.

At six years of age the twins were at the height of their trouble making activity. Samantha would sometimes volunteer to watch after them whenever it seemed as if Molly was about to erupt like a volcano of mad hysterics. It was certainly hilarious to witness, but then Samantha would stop and think . . . What if her future children would cause her the same madness?

Her stomach growled startling her out of her hair raising thoughts. There was a knock at the bedroom door and it opened a second later. Sirius stuck his head in and looked around.

"I brought lunch," he said flatly.

Sirius pushed the door open with a hand and walked in, moving quickly out of the way of the trays levitating into the room behind him. Sirius looked everywhere but on her. Guilt was written all over his face and Sam felt her lips upturn into a smile. There was no staying mad at the man she had fallen in puppy love all those years ago when he had fallen into her world. Over the years that puppy love had turned into full passionate love.

With a flick and swish of his wand a chair and table appeared beside Molly. One tray landed on the table and the other on the floor. The children squealed in delight and settled in a circle around the tray laden with grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, cheese crackers and cups filled with pumpkin juice.

Molly clapped her hands together, looking pleased as Sam brushed past Sirius to sit beside her. "Why, thank you, Sirius! I had no idea that you were so adept in the kitchen!"

Sirius beamed slightly at her praise, though part of his attention looked to be veering toward Sam as she sat. "Well, with four years stuck at home I had to do something to keep myself busy. I hope you enjoy your tea, Molly."

Just as he was about to turn and walk out of the room, Samantha grabbed his arm and pulled him closer to her. Sirius turned looking pleasantly surprised as she made him bend from the hip so that she could give him a peck on the cheek and then on the lips.

"I thought you were mad," Sirius said, leaning down for another kiss.

"I was," she gave him yet another kiss, "but then I remembered that I love you and I wasn't angry anymore."

Sirius grinned and walked toward the door, his footsteps light. Before he closed it, he stuck his head into the room again. "I love you, too." He closed the door behind himself.

Samantha returned his grin and then looked to Molly, who presently had a smirk plastered upon her face.

"I thought you were mad at him?"

"I changed my mind. Can't a girl change her mind, Mol?"

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Sirius strolled into the kitchen a grin on his face. Remus was pouring himself a cup of tea and Arthur watched from the table.

"Forgive you, did she?" Remus though his back was to them, he sounded very amused. "She can never stay mad at you."

Sirius strolled to the table and sat down on the edge of his seat.

"Well what can I say, I'm a very -- Sir, your back!" Sirius promptly fell out of his seat.

Albus Dumbledore walked into the cottage, his famous eyes erupted with in sparks of amusement at the sight of Sirius picking himself up from the floor and massaging his buttocks. He was fingering his long silver beard with one hand and holding his glasses in the other.

"Hello again, gentlemen," he said to them. His eyes dulled and looked somewhat sadly upon them. Dumbledore than turned his gaze to Sirius. "Dear boy, I feel I must apologize again for the terrible circumstances that have fallen upon you."

Sirius shook his head, no. "Sir, please, you have no need to apologize! None of this was any of your fault!"

Remus nodded, and hurried to stand beside Sirius. "He's right, Headmaster. The only one to blame is Peter."

"Let's not think about Peter now," Sirius said quickly nervously before someone else could speak, "There's someone else who needs to be brought up. Someone more important than Peter, in my opinion."

"Yes," Dumbledore nodded, agreeing with the wrongly accused convict, "I was wondering when you were going to decide to bring up Harry, Sirius."

Sirius looked sheepish and opened his mouth to speak. A very unmanly squeak came out and Remus' eyebrows raised in amusement. Arthur watched intently as if he were watching the muggle contraption box that was in his work shed. Dumbledore merely smiled.

"If you have the boy," said Dumbledore, a tiny twinkle in his eye as he looked to both Sirius and Remus, "I believe now would be the moment to say so."

With Sirius temporarily unable to form clear words or sentences, Remus answered.

"Yes, we do have him."

"I thought so. . . I have already informed the Aurors to come retrieve Pettigrew, though they were skeptical they decided to begrudge this old man. I look forward to the flabbergasted expression that shall no doubt be plastered upon Cornelius' face."

They all grinned.

"Sir," Sirius cleared his throat, finally finding his voice. "About Harry, let me just say that I mean no disrespect . . ." His voice strengthened and became more stern. Anger was quickly beginning to overtake him. "But, I won't allow you to take him back to the Dursley's. Yes, I do know about the blood wards and such, but he can not go back to those horrible people! They put him into a cupboard, Headmaster! They barely fed him while they allowed their son to grow into a baby whale, for goodness sake! When Samantha found him he was filthy! They had not changed his nappy in days, he was covered in his own feces and urine!"

The twinkle in the headmaster's eyes faded and his expression was grim.

"Why?" Sirius demanded angrily, "Why did you take him to them! Lily disliked her sister and made it known to everyone, including you! Petunia Dursley dislikes magic and disliked her sister even more! Damn those bloody Blood Wards! Harry has been with us for four years without them and we have taken care of him and loved him as if he were our own He has been without those Blood Wards for four years and nothing has ever happened to him here! He has been perfectly safe! I will not allow you to take my Godson away from me!"

Remus set a calming hand on Sirius' shoulder and Dumbledore bent his head, his eyes filled with sorrow.

"I am so very sorry, Sirius, Remus," his voice cracking, betraying his emotion, "If I had any inkling that Vernon and Petunia Dursley would behave in this manner toward Harry --"

Sirius wrenched his shoulder away from Remus and began to advance on the old professor. Remus held him back with gritted teeth.

"You did! Lily made it quite clear how her sister felt about her and especially about magic! How do you think those magic haters would have reacted to discovering Lily and James Potter's wizard baby son on their door step! --"

"Sirius!"

It was Samantha. Sirius flinched. He relaxed in Remus' grip, set a hand on his forehead and turned slowly. Remus let go of him as they both turned to see Sam standing in the door way, her bottom lip between her teeth and her brows furrowed in concern. A lump formed in his throat and his anger dissipated at the sight of her.

"Why are you shouting at Professor Dumbledore, Sirius?" she asked.

He could tell she was trying to stay calm. She never liked it when he was angry, Sirius knew. Sam stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. Sirius in turn wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her shoulder.

Sirius whispered into her neck. "He can't take Harry away from me, Sam. He can't."

Remus stepped over to them and set another hand on his shoulder. No doubt with his wolf eyes he had heard every bit of what he had set. All three of them startled at the knock at the kitchen door.

Arthur stood from his seat looking uncomfortable. "I uh, I'll get it."

Dumbledore shook his head. "No need Arthur. The Aurors must have arrived."

Samantha gasped and Sirius allowed her out of their embrace. "Aurors? Why are there Aurors here?"

"It's alright, Sam," her lover said, "they are not here for me, love. They are for Pettigrew."

Remus nodded from beside his friends. "Even if they did decide they wanted to take Sirius, I won't let them."

"Nor shall I, Miss Linney-Warren!" Arthur said from beside the door.

"I don't believe we have been properly introduced," Dumbledore said to her with a smile, "I am Albus Wilfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Samantha stepped forward and shook his hand in awe. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think she would meet Albus Dumbledore. She was just a small town girl from another dimension after all.

"Samantha Anne Linney-Warren, sir. I'm sorry for not introducing myself before, it's just that with an active four year old to watch over, one person hardly has time to do much of anything. Not that that's a bad thing, I enjoy watching over Harry. He's like my own child now! And I do believe I'm beginning to ramble. Sorry, I do it when I'm nervous about something and with Aurors here well I -- I'll stop now."

Sirius smiled slightly and Remus chuckled as she walked back toward them with a flushed face. The animagus welcomed his lover back into his arm as she muttered, "I've embarrassed myself horribly. What a wonderful first impression."

Sirius rubbed her back gently and kissed her forehead. He looked to Dumbledore who was nearing the door to answer to the Aurors.

"Headmaster, please, I want to apologies about my out burst --"

Dumbledore raised a hand and shook his head. "Dear boy, you owe me no apology. Your words were justified. . . I believe we should discuss this more at lengths another time."

Sirius nodded as he watched the old man's hand turn the door knob as the Aurors knocked again. His heart beat began to quicken as three Aurors and the Minister for Magic walked into his kitchen. Arms tightening on Samantha, she returned his squeeze and they both stiffened as the Minister set his eyes on them. He lifted his chin proudly and bravely, and waited, ready for whatever would happen next.

A/N: Don't worry, I won't leave anything out! Everything shall be clear in the next chapter! REVIEW! -- JMMendiola