Chapter Thirteen
Sirius' grumpy mood did not last as he and May were getting ready for the arrival of their baby. Remus and Cecilia were helping, in between Cecilia's tutoring. "Right," whispered Remus to Cecilia, during their tutoring session, "I've asked your mother if you and I could go out for the day tomorrow."
"Ooook." Cecilia said unsure. "Why?"
He chuckled as he marked her Defence Against the Dark Arts essay on counter-curses. "I haven't got your mum and dad a present just yet. I was thinking of going to the old Potter manor and fetching your mum's old cot for the baby."
"Mum would love that. She said she wished that she could have used it when I was a baby." Smiling as she wrote her second essay, which was a charms essay. "Why do you want me to come?"
"We can have another present for your mum and dad. Since you are moving into the manor in the summer, I thought it would be nice for us to get the manor ready for you when you all move in."
Cecilia grinned widely. "That's a good idea. I'd love to see where Mum used to live." She dipped her quill into the ink well and continued with her work.
He gave her a small smile. "Anyway, this essay is excellent. You can sit your exams next year and have no trouble." He handed her the essay, which had an 'O' grade. "Well done. Now, finish your homework." He stood up from the long table. The two of them had started working in the drawing room, when no one was using it. "I'll go and get us some snacks and drinks." He kissed the top of her head before he left the room. "Oh hello, Nymphadora." Smiling as he nearly walked into the young woman.
"Remus! Don't call me that!" She growled at him in annoyance. "How are the lessons going?" She asked.
"He's bullying me, Tonks!" Cecilia called from the drawing room. "Help!" She laughed.
Remus closed the door. "Just like her father. A joker. I'm going to the kitchen. Would you like anything?"
"I'll come with you. I was just leaving but I can stay a little longer." She smiled and blushed slightly as they walked away together.
The next day, Remus and Cecilia caught the Knight Bus to Godric's Hollow. "Dad?" She asked as the two sat on the top deck of the bus. "Do you like Tonks?"
"What do you mean?" He stuttered and refused to look down at his adoptive daughter. He kept his eyes focused on the passing city. "She's a nice girl."
"Not like that, Dad." Cecilia could not help but grin. "Like. Do you really like her? More than a friend?"
Remus laughed nervously. "No, darling." He finally looked over at her. "Besides, I am too old and too poor for any woman." He gave her a small smile and groaned as the bus lurched forward.
"Shut up, dad. You're not too old for anybody." Cecilia rolled her eyes.
"Godric's Hollow." Annoyed the conductor.
"Come on." Remus chuckled. The two left the bus and walked ten minutes through the village until the reached the old manor. "Wow." He smiled. "I haven't been here in such a long time."
"This is so cool." Cecilia stepped forward and took in the sight of the manor. "I knew Mum was rich but not this rich." She laughed softly. "Shall we go inside?"
He smiled and raised his wand. "Let me just take the wards down." Waving his wand and then opening the gate. "Right, in you go. I just have to put them back up again." He turned around, closed the gate and placed the wards on the gate once again.
"Dad, will you be moving in with us?" She asked as they walked up the long drive.
"I don't know yet. I have a lot of things to do for the Order. So, the only time I am here is to tutor you." He smiled as he unlocked the large door. "Here you go." Allowing Cecilia to go inside first.
"Wow!" Cecilia gasped as she took in the foyer. It was still clean and not a speck of dust anywhere. "This is so cool! Why can't we live here now?"
Remus chuckled and started walking up the stairs. "Well, everything is very clean. Your mum must have employed a house-elf to keep it clean. Come on. Let's get the cot. We don't really need to do anything." He smiled back at her as they walked up the stairs and turned right. They walked along the corridor slowly, allowing Cecilia to take in everything. There were many portraits of her past family members. "Here we are." He opened the door to May's parents' room. "This was your grandparents' room." They walked inside. Remus went straight to the cot, which was still covered in a white sheet.
"What were they like?" She asked as she looked around the room.
"Your grandparents?" He asked as he pulled the white sheet away.
"Yeah." She sat on a chair and watched him.
Remus abandoned the cot for a moment and sat in the chair opposite Cecilia. "Well, I don't know how to describe them." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Your grandfather was an amazing man. He could not say a bad thing about anyone. He always worked hard but he would do anything for your gran, your uncle and your mum. When Lucius Malfoy threatened your mum, your grandfather did everything he could to protect her and get him convicted." He smiled at his daughter, who was listening intently. "Now, your grandmother was the most loveliest person I knew. Like your grandfather, she could not say a bad word against another person. She would have loved you. Spoilt you rotten."
She laughed softly. "Really? More than Mum does?" Laughing softly as she stood up. "Can I explore for a bit?"
"Sure." He nodded and stood up. "I'll take the cot downstairs and I will be in here sorting things out for your mum."
"Thanks Dad." She smiled and kissed his cheek before she sped out of the room and looked around every room in the manor. She spent a good two hours exploring her mother's childhood home. Remus had a different job in May's parents' old bedroom. They spent most of the day there until it was time to go back to London.
Later that evening, Sirius and May were sitting in the kitchen together. They were organising the load of baby clothes Molly had given them. Everything was white or yellow. May had two months to go and they were now get everything in order. She had come home from work to find Molly with a large bag of baby clothes. May was extremely grateful as she had not enough time to go shopping for baby supplies. They were now separating clothes. Ones they wanted to keep and ones they would give back. There was a large pile of keep clothes and a smaller pile of give back clothes.
"Molly is making us a blanket as well." May smiled as she folded up another baby-grow and putting it on the 'keep' pile.
Sirius smiled. "She's doing a lot for us." He grinned as he put baby gloves on his fingers. "Can I have these?"
"Hmmmm..." May scrunched her nose and shook her head. "They don't go with your outfit." She giggled as he put a baby hat on his head. "Sirius," laughing as he tried to put a baby bib on.
"Mum!" Cecilia bounded into the kitchen with a wide grin on her face. She laughed at the sight of her dad. "You look ridiculous." Rolling her eyes as he pulled off the objects. "Come upstairs. You too, dad. Remus and I have something to show you." She held her mother's hand and slowly led her up the stairs, out of the kitchen. "Well, Remus does. I just helped." She smiled back at her mother as she led her up more stairs and towards May and Sirius' bedroom. "Right," she stopped and held both of her mother's hands. "Dad, put your hands on Mum's shoulders. Then both of you close your eyes." She waited for them to do what she asked and then slowly led them both into the bedroom. "Nearly there. Stop." She let go of her mother's hands and moved away. She stepped back and stood next to Remus. "Okay. Open your eyes!"
May and Sirius opened their eyes and smiled at the sight in front of them. "Oh Cee." May gasped at the sight of the cot at the end of her bed. "Remus. Is this the reason for her day out?" Smiling at her oldest friend.
"Yes. We went to the manor to fetch it for you." He smiled as he rested his hand on the wooden frame. "Plus, I thought it would be nice for Cee to see the manor properly."
Sirius smiled broadly, wrapping his arm around May's waist, bringing her close to his side. "This is amazing. Thank you both." He kissed the side of May's head before she moved away to look at the cot.
"This was mine and James'." She smiled a wider as she ran her fingers along the wood. "I'm glad it is still in one piece." She looked up at Remus and smiled. "Thank you." She walked around the cot and hugged him as much as she could. "Thank you." She laughed and kissed his cheek.
"You're crying." He lifted his hand up and wiped away her tears.
"Bloody hormones." She laughed softly and stepped back from him. "You even got bedding." Reaching down and lifting up the pale yellow sheet. "You two are trouble together." She winked at her daughter, who was standing next to Sirius. His arm around her shoulder. May could see that Sirius was very proud of their daughter. "Now," she paused before she carried on, "I was going to say something else but I will say this. I need the toilet. Bloody child." She grumbled and left the bedroom.
"It is a lovely gift, Moony." Sirius grinned at his friend. "I was actually going to get you to go and out a buy one for us." He grumbled a little and kissed his daughter's cheek. "Go and put the kettle on. I need to talk to Remus."
"Okay." She smiled and kissed her father's cheek and then Remus' cheek before leaving the room.
Sirius sighed heavily and sat on the edge of his bed. "May will kill me if she finds out that I am asking you this."
Remus moved and sat next to him. "What have you done?"
Sirius barked a laugh. "Nothing yet. I want to come with you on your next transformation."
"She won't let you." He scoffed and laughed. "Plus, it's not safe for you. The Death Eaters know about your animagus form. I don't want to risk you getting caught and being thrown back into Azkaban. You have a baby on the way, Sirius. Don't throw it all away just for a night of freedom."
His friend sighed heavily and nodded. "I know. I just want to know what it feels like again." He lay back on the bed. "Oh well. In the summer, I will be safe to run around the grounds. Is the manor all right? I know May has one of the Hogwarts house-elves keep it clean."
"Yes. It's good. It's just empty and dull without you and James running around and creating lots of noise."
Sirius sat up and laughed. "True." He tapped Remus on the back and stood up. "Thanks for everything, mate."
"No problem. Any time." Remus smiled as he too stood up, just as May walked back in. "Right, I'll leave you two. I have a few things to do for the Order. I'll probably see you at the meeting next week." He left the room and leaving the two alone.
"Well, my wife. We have nearly everything for the little one." He reached forward and stroked her stomach, where their baby gave him a kick.
"You are not going with him!" She pushed his hand away. "I overheard your conversation. You are not going out!" She glared at him and folded her arms.
Damn, she was cross. Sirius could see it. "Sorry." He sighed heavily. "It's just... I've not left this house since September." He groaned as he sat back down on the bed.
May moved and sat next to him. "I know. But you heard Moony. I don't want you getting caught and going back to Azkaban." She reached for his hand and rested it on her stomach. "You have something very important to think about. Don't leave me on my own again."
"I won't." He shifted slightly, turning his body towards her. "I promise." He kissed her softly. "Come on. Kettle's on and it's late. You've been on your feet all day." He stood up and helped her to her feet.
A/N: Wellllll, we're getting close to the baby arriving but also close to the Battle at the Department of Mysteries. :P
Responses from chapter Twelve:
warewolf-princess558750: Cecilia will have trouble from both Sirius and Remus, no matter who her boyfriend is. Don't worry about Harry and May, it will work itself out.
CharlotteBlackwood: Hope you liked this bonding chapter between Cecilia and Remus. :) There will be smut but not saying when. :P I like the idea of George and Cee since Fred is with Angelina. Though it did weird me out that George ended up marrying his brother's ex-girlfriend. LOL. So, putting him with Cee is probably a better idea.
Lalina92: I know. He's not having the best of luck.
Harryginny9: You're welcome and thank you.