Disclaimer:...we should all know the drill by now.

His Boy

Chapter 21: Babysitting

"Leeeeeeeeeeeexiiiiiiie!" Harry called, running from his bedroom to the top of the stairs and peering down at Lexie who poked her head around the corner of the living room door to look up at him. She blinked, staring up at the four year old who was currently covered from head to toe in paint. She started up the stairs quickly.

"Did you have an accident, Harry?" She had left him alone for one minute to go get a cup of water so he could wash his paint brush in-between colors. One minute… and somehow he had managed to get completely covered in every single paint color they had gotten out.

"Yeah." Harry nodded and led her into his bedroom where his little table for art projects was. All of the paint jars were on the floor, the carpet covered in non-toxic, washable gobs of gooey paint. "I dropped my brush and I was getting it. And then I hit the table." He rubbed at his little head, wincing and looking worried. But it had been an accident. Sirius had instilled it in him that accidents were ok and he wasn't going to get in trouble for them if he asked for help.

"Oh my!" Lexie blinked, staring at the rainbow of colors on the carpet. She waved her wand, siphoning it out of the carpet and pouring it back into the little jars, unable to unmix the colors properly. "It looks like you won't e able to paint anymore, bucko, at least not until we get you some new paints or Sirius and Remus get back."

"But…" Harry looked longingly down at his paints, quite devastated. He had been looking forward to making a really good picture this time. He hadn't even gotten the chance to start because Lexie had been getting the water. He felt his eyes welling with tears and he sniffled, picking up one of the jars and peering inside. It was supposed to e blue, but instead, it was all a mishmash of gunk. "Can't you change it back?"

"I'm sorry Harry. I'm no wiz at Transfiguration, unfortunetly. Neither was your mum, the concepts were a bit over our heads. But how about we get you in the tub, ok? I'm sure Sirius can fix it all up once he gets back in the morning."

"Could my Daddy have fixed it?" Harry asked curiously as Lexie helped him strip off his painty clothes before they headed into the bathroom. She put his clothes in the sink and turned on the water in the tub. She let it get warm before she plugged it and then poured a copious amount of magical rainbow bubbles into it. She also dropped a color tablet into the water to make it change to blue and then helped Harry climb into the tub.

"Yes. He was the very best at Transfiguration in our entire class. He was so very good he could change into a stag, like Padfoot can change into a dog. Your daddy helped him learn how."

"So my Daddy was good at transfigurations and my Mummy was bad at it." Harry nodded, glad for this new information. Padfoot and Moony tried to give him little tidbits every day to help him get to know his parents, even though they were no longer around. Lexie was wonderful for helping with giving him bits of Lily, as she'd known her better than either of them had.

"That's right." Lexie smiled and turned the cold water on in the sink to rinse the paint off of Harry's clothes before she tossed them into the hamper.

"I dun get baths a night."Harry pondered curiously, splashing about in the water and making his boat sink by pressing it down beneath the surface. "Paddy and Moony always give me my bath in the morning after breakfasts."

"I know." Lexie grabbed up the shampoo and squirted some into her hand. It was the good kind, special for little wizards and witches. It didn't irritate one's eyes and it foamed up really awesomely whilst changing colors. It made Harry want to have his hair washed. She got his hair wet with one hand and then began scrubbing. "My mother used to wash my hair when I was little, and she'd always tell me how much hair I had. She'd say 'Lexie, you have more hair than a hippogriff has feathers.' And do you know how many feathers a hippogriff has?"

"No, how many?" Harry asked, tilting his head back as Lexie rinsed the soap from his hair.

"Enough to cover the front half of a horse."

"Woooow!" Harry stared up at her in shock. "That's a lot of feathers."

"It sure is." Lexie grabbed up a wash cloth and helped Harry get the pain off of his skin before moving to sit on the toilet and letting him play for a little bit. He seemed to quite like playing in the water, his ships floating around him, his duckie keeping them in line while he made storms with the water and land with the bubbles.

After bath time, Lexie helped Harry into his lion pajamas and they went down into the kitchen to have dinner. She felt it would be pushing it to put him back into day clothes when he'd be going to bed soon anyway. "So let's see… want some spaghetti?"

"Yeah!" Harry nodded, jumping up and down. He liked spaghetti, especially when Lexie made it. Her's was always the best spaghetti because she always made meat balls to go with it. "Can I help?"

"Sure ya can." Lexie nodded, turned on the oven to preheat, and got the meatball mix she had made at her house earlier out of the fridge. She placed the bowl on the counter and then pulled a chair over for Harry. He climbed up onto it, watching excitedly. "Now this is the fun part. Here." She handed Harry a bit of the mixture. "You know how you like to play with your play-dough? It's just like that, only you've got to be gentle, don't push it too much together. Just like this." And she rolled the mixture between her hands until it formed a nice little ball.

"Oooo!" Harry grinned. This was definitely something he could do! He was always making balls out of his playdough. He rolled it just the way Lexie had showed him, making a small meatball.

"Good job, Harry! That looked great! Now you hold onto these." She handed him her meat ball and bent down to get the pan from the cupboard. She washed her hands really quick and then greased down the pan before setting it on the counter. "We'll put them in here so we can cook them after."

"Ok." Harry placed the meat balls down into the pan and then held his hands up for more. Lexie gave him more mix and he began rolling again. They rolled until they had a bunch of meat balls and no mix left in the bowl. The pan was nice and full. "Now we cook em?"

"Yep, but first we need to wash our hands cause we don't want to get raw meat on anything else."

"Why?" Harry asked as she turned on the water and he held his hands under it, scrubbing as she poured some soap onto them.

"Because if you eat meat that isn't cooked, you could get sick." Lexie scrubbed her hands clean as well and then, using a pair of over mitts, put the pan in the oven to cook. "Ok, now we need to make the spaghetti."

"I know this part!" Harry climbed down off of his chair and tugged open the pots and pans cupboard. He pulled out the pot Sirius used to make noodles in and held it up like a prize.

"That's exactly right, Harry!" Lexie beamed, taking the pan from him and filling it halfway up with water. "Can you get me the second one just like this for the sauce?"

"Ok." Harry nodded and tugged out the second pot they had that looked just like the first one. He set it on the stovetop, the oven separately in the wall next to it as opposed to below it. "Like this?"

"Yep!" Lexie put the water pot on the stove and turned on the heat. "Now we need this to boil, and while we wait for it to do that, we can heat up the sauce."

"I'll get it!" Harry ran to the fridge where he knew the pasta sauce was. Lexie had made that at her house too. He pulled out the big glass jar and, holding it above his head, carried it over to her proudly.

"Wow, you're such a good helper, Harry!" Lexie praised him, patting his head as she took the jar and opened it. She poured half the contents into the second pot and then turned on the burner. She could have used her wand for half of this, but she knew Harry liked to help. It was more fun for him if they cooked the Muggle way. "Now this is the really hot part and I don't want you to get burned."

"I know." Harry nodded and moved to sit at the kitchen table like he did sometimes when Moony or Paddy was cooking. He knew not to touch the oven or the stove when they were on, and Moony had taught him to keep to the table so that he wouldn't get underfoot. He had his coloring books and crayons there in the center and he tugged them towards himself, not wanting to leave the kitchen, but not wanting to be bored either. "How long does it take?"

"Not too long." Lexie said, stirring the sauce with a wooden spoon. "Once the water is boiling we can put the noodles in to cook. And by the time those are done, the meat balls will be ready too."

"Yay!" Harry grinned and began coloring a train in his book. He liked trains.

"Do you want to help me pour in the spaghetti?" Lexie asked, pulling out the box as the water began to boil.

"Yeah!" Harry nodded and climbed down out of his chair excitedly. Lexie slide an oven mitt on over each of his arms, they reached right up over his elbows. Harry took the box of noodles.

"Ok, now, you're going to dump it all right in ok? Really quickly." Lexie hoisted him up and held onto him tightly, making sure he was the right height above the pot to get the noodles in without splashing, but also so he wouldn't get burnt. And if it did splash, well, that's what the gloves were for. Harry turned the box upside down over the pot and watched as the noodles fell into it. He laughed and Lexie set him down, away from the stove.

"Good job, Harry! You poured that perfectly. Now then, you color some more, and I bet, by the time you finish your picture, this will be all done."

"Ok." Harry went back to the table and took off the mitts.

About ten minutes later, Lexie set his plate in front of him, spaghetti cut up into manageable pieces, covered in sauce, cheese, and meatballs that Harry was proud to have helped shape. He dug in with relish, glad that Lexie was here tonight because it meant delicious spaghetti.

"We did a good job, didn't we Harry?"

"Mhm!" Harry nodded through a mouthful of noodles. "It's really good."

"That's because you helped me. Things always taste better when you put love into them."

"You can put love in food?"

"Yep. When you make it for someone or with someone you love, it always tastes better, because you shared it with someone." Lexie smiled, reaching over and ruffling his hair. They spent the rest of the meal nomming away and giggling about how good it was.

Once his plate was clean, Harry put it in the sink like he'd been taught to and Lexie cleared up the rest of the table. She poured the remaining sauce back into the sauce jar, put the rest of the meat balls and spaghetti into separate Tupperware boxes, and then all of it went into the fridge. She and Harry washed the dishes together and then she carried him upstairs to his room for a bedtime story.

"Now, which book do you think we should read tonight, Harry?"

"This one." Harry said, tugging out one of the photo albums he and his guardians had been filling. This one was full of photos from the summer. Lexie laughed and sat down next to him, flipping it open. Harry liked looking at pictures as much as he liked looking at regular story books.

"Look, here we are at the zoo, do you remember that?"

"Yeah. We saw lions and snakes and lots of other stuff." Harry nodded, happily, snuggling down under his covers. Lexie wrapped an arm around him and they leaned up against his pillows, looking at the pictures. "And that's when we went to the beach and that's Ronnie and 'mione's sand castle."

"And how about this one? Do you remember this one?" Lexie asked pointing to another.

"Yeah, that's…" Harry paused, cut off by a wailing howl that came from outdoors. He shivered and, though it scared him, he slid out of bed and peeked out of his window. Lexie followed him, standing behind him. Outside was dark and covered with the light dusting of snow that came in early December. Big flakes were still falling from the sky, easy to see from the light that shone outwards from the kitchen windows below Harry's room. He pressed his face against the window, peering out as hard as he could. "There's something there… Do you see it? Over there…" And he pointed, far to where the white snow met the horizon of the dark night sky, quite a ways beyond the backyard fence.

"Yeah. But it's all right Harry. We're safe. It's not going to come anywhere near here." Lexie nodded, knowing for a fact that the howl they had heard was that of Remus, probably from the pain of just changing. It was about that time of night, when the full moon took effect.

The reinforced shed had been moved further away from the house and then spells had been placed around it, a half mile diameter of a circle where Remus could run with Sirius, to keep the werewolf safely tucked away from any and all people. Hagrid typically dropped off a some large dead animal for Remus to sink his teeth into when the desire arrived. Dumbledore also said there was hope for something better… a potion that was in the process of being developed to battle the darker side of all werewolves and leave them at least docile during their time of the month. Healers at St. Mungos were getting closer and closer to having it work. And once it was, Dumbledore said he'd be more than willing to get the school's current Potion Master to make it for Remus, in order to help make the world easier for him and to help protect Harry even better.

Remus howled loudly again and Harry covered his ears, not liking how the creature sounded. It was so… sad but scary at the same time. "Lexie?"

"Yeah, Harry?"

"Will you stay with me tonight 'stead of the guest room?" Harry asked, turning around to look up at her pleadingly. He didn't know why, but he always heard the howls whenever Lexie came to stay the night. Normally they woke him up when he'd already been asleep and he thought it was a dream, but tonight, they were occurring earlier than normal, due to the daylight hours shortening.

"Sure, Harry." Lexie nodded and picked him up, flopping him back down onto his bed and tugging the covers up around him. "Let me just get my jammies on ok?"

"Ok." Harry nodded, hugging his lion tightly, not liking the idea of being left alone while there was howling. Lexie hurriedly left the room and went to changed into the pajamas she had brought with her. She returned in a few minutes, teeth brushed, ready for bed. She climbed into Harry's bed beside him, letting him stay on the out edge so he could still see his music box once it had been cranked and set open. Harry pressed himself up against her beneath the covers, his small face against her neck. She stroked his hair, shushing his shudders as the werewolf howled again.

"I don't like when it does that." Harry said after a moment.

"Why not?"

"Because… it sounds really sad."

"I think maybe he is sad, Harry."

"Why?"

"Well, because most werewolves are sad when they turn into wolves. They don't like it because they'd rather stay human."

"It's a werewolf making those noises?" Harry shot up straight in shock, his green eyes wide.

"Yeah, but don't you worry about that. Werewolves aren't all bad like they are in stories. It's not their fault they're werewolves. You don't have anything to worry about, bucko. That werewolf isn't going to come and hurt anyone. We're safe here, and he's safe there."

"How do you know?"

"I just do." Lexie said after a moment's deliberation. Harry had not yet been told Moony was a werewolf. Sirius had figured they better get Harry thinking better about them before they did that, and Lexie had agreed to help in any way she could. "There are lots of magical creatures that people think are mean that aren't. Like vampires and goblins."

"Really?"

"Mhm. I've met a vampire. They're actually really nice. They don't go around sucking people's blood so much anymore. They get their blood from a blood bank at the Ministry, and goblins, well, you know how Muggles have a bank where they keep all of their money?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded. He had been to the bank lots of times with Aunt Petunia when she had had to take him and Dudley along on their way home from school.

"Well, wizards have a bank too, called Gringotts. And goblins run it."

"Really!" Harry asked surprised. "There are goblins at the wizard bank?"

"Yep. Lots and lots of goblins. They're not bad. You just have to treat them respectfully. Now I think, it's time for sleep." Lexie waved her wand, turning out the light and reached over Harry to open his music box. She kissed the little boy's head and snuggled him. "Good night, I love ya, bucko."

"I love you too, Lexie." Harry smiled, snuggling down comfortably. He really liked it when Lexie came to stay, even if it meant missing his Paddy and Moony. Lexie was always fun. She would play games with him, and give him plenty of snuggles and kisses, just like Padfoot and Moony did when they were here. And she always told excellent Mummy stories and cooked really yummy food and sometimes she would bring a present with her, whether it be an old picture she had unearthed of Lily, or a small toy she thought Harry might like. Today she'd brought him a red metal kazoo that he'd spent most of the afternoon playing with until she had suggested painting instead for a while. The kazoo was now sitting safely on his night stand, a string tied to one end of it so it could hang from around his neck. He'd probably play with it again tomorrow, but had forgotten about it for the time being.

….

Sure enough, the next morning after Harry had eaten and gotten dressed (they skipped the bath due to last night's paint mishap triggered bath), he found his kazoo, pulled the string on over his neck and went around the house tooting away on it like it was the greatest thing ever. It was a really fun toy and he couldn't wait to show his Padfoot and his Moony and tell them all about the fun he'd had with his Lexie. He knew they usually came back shortly after he woke up whenever Lexie stayed over. He sat on the stairs, watching the front door anxiously, ready to see them again.

When the door opened, Harry gave a cheer, throwing his arms in the air and bouncing down the last of the steps excitedly. "Paddy! Moony!"

Sirius stumbled in the door, smiling tiredly as he caught up his godson, glad to see him. "Hey there Prongslet."

"Hey Harry." Moony smiled, looking even more tired than Sirius did. He reached out and Sirius handed Harry over. Moony gave him a very tight, very much needed hug, snuggling him and burying his face in the little boy's hair. It was always harder becoming a werewolf when he knew he was missing reading Harry his bedtime story, as had become their own personal nighttime ritual. Harry liked the way he read best and it left time for Sirius to do the dishes and still be done in time for helping to tuck him once the story was over. "Mmm, I missed you, mate."

"I missed chu too, Moony." Harry snuggled up to him, glad to be back in one of his main caregivers' arms. "Lookit! Lexie bringed me a kazoo!" Harry held it up brightly and then blew into it.

"Awesome!" Moony smiled and placed him back down on the floor. "do you think you can toot it quietly for a bit though? I need to go take a nap."

"Ok." Harry nodded and tooted his kazoo as quietly as he could. Moony was always very tired and needed a nap after he and Sirius had been gone. Harry wasn't sure why this was, but after living with them for going on five months, it had become quite normal. Sirius wasn't as tired, but he usually took a nap and was up right before lunch, so Lexie would be here until after dinner to help out still. Harry liked these days the best, when he could have all three of his very favorite grownups at the same time.

"Harry, why don't you go upstairs and get Moony and Paddy's jammies ready for them?" Lexie said as she came into the hallway.

"Ok." Harry nodded and dashed up the stairs, always ready to help out when needed. He was at that age.

"So, how'd it go?" Sirius asked, leaning against the wall with a yawn. Lexie wanted to talk about something, he could sense it. She wouldn't have sent Harry upstairs otherwise.

"We heard you howling last night." She said, sitting down on the stairs. "Harry got nervous."

"Maybe next month we should go to Hogwarts then, hang out in the Shrieking Shack…" Remus suggested, sighing and looking a bit bummed out at this. He didn't want Harry to be afraid, even though there was every single reason to be frightened. He couldn't control himself in when he changed. Sirius made it easier on him, made it easier to remember who he was, but still…

"I just hate being so far from him though. Even if it is just a night…" Sirius shook his head.

"Well, he didn't like it mostly because he said the howling sounded very sad. I told him not all werewolves are bad though. He felt sorry for you mostly, I think."

"Oh Harry." Sirius sighed, slumping down to the floor now, exhausted. "He's such a caring little boy. We should probably tell him sometime soon, if he's starting to feel more sorry for werewolves than afraid of them."

"I guess you're right… I'm just worried that he'll be scared of me afterwards though." Remus sighed, not looking too happy about the idea, but knowing that they would have to tell him eventually. He was a smart kid. He knew werewolves came out on full moon and he would notice at some point that the trend of Sirius and Remus going out every month matched every single full moon. Every thirty days was marked on a calendar in Remus's room, the knowledge of years of transforming making him known the exact minute in each particular month that he would change. The moon was always exactly halfway to being directly overhead when it happened and always halfway beyond the horizon when it ended, something that even the best wizard researchers had not been able to determine the reason for.

"Harry loves you, Remus. This werewolf thing, it's just like… being sick once a month. It's not something that can be controlled, only contained. He'll learn to understand it. If he grows up knowing what you are and also how loving you are, then… maybe he can help convince other people of the same in the future."

"You could teach like you've always wanted." Sirius suggested with a smile, standing up and clapping Remus on the back.

"I got them!" Harry called, appearing at the top of the stairs, holding up two sets of pajamas. He carried them down and handed the green ones to Remus, the blue ones to Sirius.

"Thank you very much Harry, that was wonderful of you." Sirius smiled, hugging him. "I'll see you at lunch ok?"

"Ok. Sleep good."

"I will."

"Sleep good, Moony."

"Be good for Lexie." Moony kissed the top of Harry's head and he and Sirius headed up stairs, both ready for a well deserved rest.

I really like the way this one came out. I wanted to give a bit more insight to Lexie's character than we've previously seen. Now what have we learned... oh yeah. She can cook and she's got good parenting skills. I honestly love her a lot. what do you guys think? Lemme know! I hope you liked it.

Loves!

S.Q.O.