A/N: Because I feel like people will try to correct me on this, I often use godson/son and godfather/father interchangeably throughout the story, specifically when James is mentioned by Harry or Sirius. I'm doing this on purpose just because I don't want Harry to forget who his real father is either. This is a shorter, fluffy chapter, but we've finally reached the Third Task. Don't forget to review!
"Does it hurt to touch right here?" Sirius said, beginning his hourly check up again that evening by touching Harry's side right above the injury. It was definitely beginning to close up and Harry looked to be a little more comfortable.
"No dad, I told you that an hour ago." Harry mumbled grumpily, tired of being stuck in the hospital wing while his friends were at dinner in the Great Hall.
Sirius chuckled and slid his hand across the front of Harry's middle to his uninjured side. "What about here?" he asked, grinning as he tickled Harry's rib cage.
Harry laughed and shied away from his father's hand before grabbing it and placing it back on his forehead. Sirius gave him a questioning look and Harry shrugged. "Your hand's cold and I've still got a fever, it feels good."
"I'll get you an ice pack," Sirius said, starting to get out of his chair.
"No, just leave it." Harry said, grabbing his father's hand again and putting it back against his forehead. "Besides, it's one less hand for you to try and annoy me with."
Sirius chuckled and started stroking Harry's hair again, while they waited for Remus to bring dinner and news on the attack. Harry had slept most of the afternoon and was now awake and aware of how much he hated being in the hospital wing, despite having a very serious injury.
A few minutes later, Remus walked in with leftovers from the kitchens. "Here, Harry. Got you some of your favorites, lamb meat, potatoes, and treacle tart. Tuck in."
Harry immediately started scarfing down his meal and Remus pulled Sirius over to a corner. "Have you guys found the person behind this? They practically melted my son's stomach off!" Sirius said angrily, finally able to let out some of his pent up frustrations since Harry was distracted.
"Yep, it was Malfoy, though he acted very odd. He said he couldn't remember doing it, but his wand showed that he casted it. It's advanced magic for a fourth year, it just doesn't add up. They're searching his dorm now for evidence that he did the last attack as well, and if they find Harry's wand then he's as good as suspended and awaiting trial." Remus said, a smile spreading across his face.
"Good, I knew it was that little git the whole time. Merlin, I wish they'd just leave my boy alone." Sirius said, turning to walk back to Harry.
"Wait, Padfoot, don't tell Harry yet. I don't want to get his hopes up or spread something around, you know how Lucius Malfoy can be. He's not going to take his son getting in trouble lightly."
Sirius growled in response but nodded, accepting that, in the least, Malfoy would get some form of discipline. Both walked back over to Harry's bed and sat down in the chairs again, spending the rest of the evening talking about the Marauder's days with Harry in an attempt to cheer him up.
Harry was released from the hospital the next evening and greeted with an unpleasant sight: a new Rita Skeeter article talking about Harry going crazy one morning in his father's room, then needing to go to the hospital wing to be given a calming draught. The pictures that went along with the article showed Sirius tackling Harry to the ground in their living room, in what had actually been a playful wrestling match, and then Sirius sitting by Harry's bedside in the hospital wing. These innocent and fun moments between the two had been morphed into something negative, and Harry hated it.
"How is she getting these pictures? I just don't understand! We would notice if she was in here." Harry exclaimed, burying his face in the couch the way he had done a few days ago.
"I don't know, puppy," Sirius mumbled, lifting Harry up long enough for him to sit on the couch and then putting Harry's head in his lap. Harry immediately sat up and scooted away, but Sirius grabbed him and pulled him back under his arm.
"Stop, Siri," Harry grumbled, attempting to move to another chair, but Sirius was too quick and had the boy sitting in his lap with a smug grin on his face. Harry tried to squirm away and, once that proved impossible, turned to glare at his father. "What are you doing? Do you want tomorrow's Daily Prophet caption to be 'Ex-Convict Seduces his Underage Godson?'"
Sirius barked a laugh and hugged Harry before letting him off his lap. "No, I'd rather that not be the caption, but she's going to write about us anyway. I don't see the point in ignoring my child because of her."
Harry contemplated his words for a second before nodding and laying his head back down in his father's lap. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Sirius grabbed at Harry's shirt and started lifting it.
"Dad, stop, my stomach's fine. You checked it ten times before we left the hospital wing, the injury is completely gone." Harry protested, pulling his shirt back down defiantly. "You're being too lovey."
"Now, you're never too old to be shown some love kiddo… but if you're that worked up about it..." Sirius started, lifting Harry's head off his legs and beginning to stand up to leave the room.
"No!" Harry said, grabbing his dad's arm. Sirius raised an eyebrow at him, the same smug smile playing against his lips. Harry mentally berated himself for sounding like a pathetic child, but Sirius's tenderness when placing his head back in his lap reassured him that his father didn't think any less of him for this weakness.
After another moment of silence, Sirius looked down at his boy warmly. "What?" Harry asked, noticing the sincere love radiating off his dad; he couldn't stop himself, he smiled too.
"Sickle for your thoughts?" Sirius asked, stroking Harry's hair away from his forehead. Harry smiled to himself before shaking his head and looking away. "What do you mean no? I'm offering you a sickle and all you have to do is tell me what you're thinking about."
"I'm thinking about something secret, dad. Can't tell you." Harry said, laughing to himself.
"And why in Merlin's name not? After all I've done for you, all the nappies I changed with your father, all the late nights trying to get you to sleep - this is how you repay your dear old godfather?" Sirius exclaimed dramatically, grinning at his boy.
"I'm just thinking about… well… about how lucky I am… to have you." Harry said sheepishly, looking away. "I don't say it to you enough. The Dursley's punished me for weeks for simply wetting myself when I was a toddler, and you've stuck around through two separate attacks and this entire tournament and I'm not able to do anything to repay you for all the time you've spent with me… so I guess what I'm trying to say is… I love you, dad."
"You don't have to repay me puppy, and the time I've spent with you has been some of the best of my life. I love you very much, son." Sirius said, stroking Harry's fringe off his forehead and savoring the sweet moment.
March turned to April and April to May, and the third task was looming over the champions. The students continued with their lessons and Rita Skeeter spent her time berating Harry and the other champions. Hermione and Ron had been arguing more often over Victor Krum as the end of the year approached, so Harry found himself spending a significant amount of time training for the third task with Remus and his father.
Though these were supposed to be serious mock-duels to prepare Harry, the time was often filled with playful banter between the three.
"Come on, you can do better than that!" Sirius said, barking a laugh as he dodged a stunning spell Harry sent his way. Harry, fed up with losing these duels to his father, sent a tickling hex at him and refused to let up on it until Sirius admitted he was by far, the superior duelist.
Despite their attempts to keep a light atmosphere, Sirius and Remus knew they only had a matter of time before their fears would either be proven or diminished; with this, they passed on as much of their knowledge of defense to Harry as possible in preparation of the worst.
Time continued to pass on and, much to Harry's dismay, Malfoy was not found with possession of Harry's wand and was able to worm his way out of the consequences of attacking a fellow student. This left Harry with an old wand of Dumbledore's for the tournament and a potential attacker on the loose.
The night before the tournament came quickly, and Harry was dueling Sirius again in a mock trial.
"Come on, kiddo, an attacker won't be forgiving," Sirius said, walking over to finite Harry after using petrificus totalus.
Harry groaned as he picked himself up off the ground. "I know, I'm just tired. I need to sleep, I think. Besides, we don't even know if I'll be attacked tomorrow… other than whatever the maze sends me."
Sirius sighed and nodded. "I know, pup, let's go back. I just wanted to be sure you're ready, I can't lose my boy."
Harry smiled at Sirius and they left the defense classroom to return to Sirius's quarters - now also Harry's quarters. Sirius wanted Harry to stay with him as much as possible since the attacks had gotten worse, and refused to let his son out of his sight unless he was with Ron and Hermione.
Once they returned to the room, Harry said goodnight to his father, then went to his bedroom to get ready for bed and the challenge tomorrow.
The next morning, Sirius brought Harry pancakes for breakfast and spent time talking to him and hugging him close, secretly very worried that this would be the last time he saw his son, though he only expressed this concern with Remus.
The time for the task came faster than either of them would have liked, and Sirius walked his son out to the middle of the quidditch pitch where the maze had been growing over the past two months. Cedric Diggory was there with his father, as well as Fleur and Krum with their headmasters. Harry wasn't listening to Ludo Bagman as he announced the contestants; he only thought about the fact that he would be the first one in the maze and he might actually finish this tournament alive. This was the last task, and soon after he would be returning back to the Marauder's Mansion with Sirius and Remus. This thought brought a smile to his face, and he was only taken out of his trance when he felt Sirius pull him close.
"This is it, puppy, you'll be great. I'm so proud of you." Sirius whispered to him, kissing the top of his head before holding him at arm's length and smiling.
Harry smiled back and heard the cannon explode, signaling his entrance to the maze. He stepped in, and with one last glance toward Sirius, the maze closed and he was alone.
