A/N: I wrote a one-shot today about Sirius and Remus raising Harry. Go check it out for something different from this story and review it for me please! I do intend to keep writing this story, I just wanted to take a break and try something slightly different. I have more ideas for one-shots and stories, but I would like to finish this first before I pursue too many. Anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy and review!
The summer started out quiet due to Harry's lingering distress over the tournament, as well as the issue of having to avoid both Voldemort and the Ministry. The three tried to get back into their old schedule at the Marauder's Mansion: Sirius and Harry went flying in the mornings while Remus cooked breakfast, then they would part ways to complete whatever work needed to be done for the Order or, in Harry's case, his summer homework. After lunch, the three would reconvene and spend the rest of the afternoon and evening together doing whatever they pleased.
Despite the relaxing days, Harry was still plagued with nightmares from the tournament. Sirius woke Harry up almost every night to comfort him while Remus prepared hot chocolate for the three of them to sit and drink until Harry was ready to sleep again. It was on a night like this that Harry had a more realistic nightmare - one that unnerved him when he awoke, considering it had nothing to do with the tournament. He also felt a prickling in his scar, similar to what happened last summer. Realizing that he hadn't been loud enough during his nightmare to evoke a response from Sirius or Remus, he stood and walked out of his bedroom.
He walked quietly across the hall to his godfather's room and hesitated - he had a quick flashback, remembering the Dursley's reactions to being woken up when he was younger. He attempted to push the thought away. Sirius was always there for him, he wouldn't mind; besides, he was woken up every night due to Harry anyway.
Despite this, Harry still stopped himself from opening the door. Perhaps he should just go back to sleep in his own room? This was, after all, the first night he had not woken his guardians due to a nightmare, he didn't want to be a burden to his father. He should probably just let him get some well-deserved rest.
As he took an indecisive step back to his room, he heard Sirius's husky, sleep-filled voice call him back. "Come on in, puppy."
Harry smiled slightly, but couldn't help but feel guilty for waking his dad up - obviously he would have heard Harry walking around with his animagus abilities.
"Sorry," Harry mumbled when he stepped into his father's line of vision. Sirius was still lying back in bed, but he was fully awake and had his usual, good-natured smirk playing on his features.
"And why are you sorry?" Sirius asked, propping himself up and gesturing for Harry to sit on the other side of the bed.
"For waking you…" Harry mumbled, sitting down but not meeting his father's gaze.
"Ah, see, I wasn't actually asleep. It seems my body has developed a schedule of it's own." Sirius said, smiling apologetically.
Harry's face clearly showed guilt and Sirius wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders and pulled him close. "Don't worry about me, puppy. I don't mind helping you with your nightmares at all - I must admit, if it weren't for you, I would certainly wake up from my own nightmares quite often."
Harry looked at him questioningly, but Sirius shook his head. "Don't worry about that. What's got you up so late?"
"I had a dream… not really a nightmare this time. It didn't make any sense though. All I could see was a dark door in a dark hallway - that's it." Harry said shrugging and leaning into his dad.
"Hm, peculiar," Sirius mumbled, appearing to be deep in thought. "Perhaps it's one of those dreams that represent something? Like that divination rubbish that you learn?"
Harry smiled at his father's quip against his least favorite subject and nodded. "Maybe," he said simply, closing his eyes and listening to his dad's heartbeat.
Sirius noticed that Harry didn't want to talk more about the dream and started rubbing his son's back to soothe him to sleep. He kissed the scarred forehead before whispering, "go to sleep now, puppy. I'll be here if you need me."
Harry nodded slightly against his dad's chest before falling into a peaceful slumber.
Harry awoke in his father's room to an empty bed. It was early in the morning still, the sun barely rising over the countryside, visible out Sirius's large window. He rubbed his hand across the sheets and noticed they were still warm from where his father had been sleeping.
Harry reluctantly pulled himself out of bed to go find Remus or his father. When he reached the landing above the sitting room, he stopped. He heard Remus's voice first, followed by Sirius's barking laughter. He smiled, happy to hear that the two were enjoying themselves. He continued downstairs and stood outside the den to determine whether or not he should interrupt them.
"I told you she would want to see you, Sirius. I knew it was a matter of time before she sought you out herself." Remus said, a tone of laughter echoing through the house.
Harry heard Sirius chuckle again and wondered who the girl Remus was talking about was, and why she was seeking out Sirius.
"I won't lie to you and say I don't miss Lucy. But Remus, I've got all I need here with Harry and you. Besides, what kind of girl would want to date a nutjob that's been in prison for twelve years?" Sirius said good-naturedly, and Harry bit his lip. He hated that his father was so down on himself about Azkaban, even if he was joking - all the girls at Hogwarts thought he was extremely charming, so why didn't he think this girl would like him? Especially if this was the same Lucy from the story Sirius told Harry earlier that year.
"Just take her up on her offer, invite her over! Catch up, you haven't seen each other in fourteen years. It doesn't have to lead to anything." Remus said.
"I know, but… Harry needs me. I don't want to risk losing my boy's trust over an old-" Sirius was cut off abruptly and Harry was confused. He was now sitting on the floor with his back to the den entrance, leaning up against the wall and listening closely. His heart started beating fast; what if someone broke through the wards and were threatening his father or Remus?
Before Harry could turn around and see, he felt himself being tackled to the ground and heard his father's bark-like laugh in his ear. He was lying on his stomach, face pressed into the soft carpet, with Sirius kneeling on top of him and Remus moving around in front of him.
"Harry, my boy, hasn't anyone ever told you it's rude to eavesdrop?" Remus asked, mirth leaking out of his voice.
Harry muffled an incoherent response into the carpet. "Hm, now that won't do," Sirius said, playfully, ruffling his son's messy hair. "Looks like we're going to have to teach you some manners. What do you think, Remus, elephant ears for a week might show him?"
Harry howled in protest and tried to kick his father off of him, realizing he had been caught red-handed by two marauders.
"I don't know, Sirius, I was thinking more along the lines of blue hair that flashed fluorescent pink whenever he tried to listen into a conversation." Remus said, chuckling.
"G'off my back, ya ol' mutt," Harry yelled into the carpet, still attempting to escape.
"Oi! Add insult to injury? You're not making it better for yourself, puppy." Sirius said, laughing again. "Perhaps this will teach you." Sirius promptly poked Harry's ribcage with his fingers, causing Harry to buck up under him and squirm.
"Dad-no!" Harry gasped, laughing and attempting to pull out of his father's grip. "Please!"
Sirius chuckled and stopped tickling his son, but refused to let him up nonetheless. "So, little prongs, what are you going to do next time you're tempted to eavesdrop into your father's personal affairs?"
"Be quicker in my escape," Harry said dully, earning more laughter from the older two Marauders.
Sirius got off his son's back and helped him up, ruffling his hair playfully. "Do you want to invite Ron and Hermione over? You deserve to have some fun."
"I'll invite them, if you invite Lucy," Harry said with a grin, causing Sirius to look indignant and Remus to laugh again.
Sirius stood there for a moment before shaking his head. "Fine, I give up! I'll invite her. It's more for you two than for me though, you've worn down my resolve!" He said, feigning dramatics.
"Whatever you say, Siri," Harry said, laughing and walking to the kitchen to help the older men make breakfast.
The day wore on and Hermione and Ron had indeed joined Harry in the Marauder's Mansion. Harry was able to relax and enjoy the day with his friends; Sirius on the other hand, was feeling nervous, though he would never admit it to Remus.
He had taken up Lucy's offer to meet up and invited her over, though it was only to talk, he told himself strictly. He refused to start a relationship at this point in his life. Sure, he was once very popular among the female wizarding population, but he felt too broken now - twelve years in the world's darkest prison would do that to a man. Besides, Harry needed him and he refused to let anything get in the way of his relationship with his son.
Despite this, Sirius still felt very nervous - he wasn't sure why, but perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he hadn't seen Lucy in almost fourteen years, and of those fourteen, she thought he was a blood-thirsty murderer for the majority of it. The encounter would be awkward in the least.
It was for this reason that Sirius practically jumped out of his chair every time a noise sounded through the house, which mostly came from Ron and Harry's game of exploding snap. After the third time it happened, Harry smirked at his father and Sirius abruptly left the room with the excuse of needing "peace and quiet."
"Blimey mate, what's gotten into Sirius? I haven't seen him this unsettled since the night we were in the Shrieking Shack!" Ron said, taking his turn at exploding snap.
"Yeah, really," Hermione added, looking at the door Sirius just went out of with concern. "He's normally so carefree, what's going on?"
"It's kind of a long story," Harry said with a shrug. "There was this girl he sort of fancied his last year of Hogwarts and they were this perfect match or something back then. Now that he's been proven innocent, she wants to see him again. He didn't really want to, but Moony and I convinced him."
"Oh, but that's wonderful!" Hermione said with a smile. "He's been lonely for such a long time, he deserves a little love."
Harry frowned. "He's got me though, why would he be lonely?"
"It's different," Hermione said, matter-of-factly. "I mean, he obviously adores you, but having someone to share such intimate affection with is important."
This did little to comfort Harry. He hadn't thought about it that way before - he just considered Lucy to be an old friend of the Marauder's that was stopping by for a visit, not a potential love interest for his dad. Was it selfish of Harry to be against sharing his father's attention with someone?
Hermione caught onto Harry's thought process quickly. "Don't think about it like that, Harry, this will be good for Sirius and you. If she went to Hogwarts with them, she could probably tell you more about your parents! And you know, if it goes well, she could be like a surrogate mom or something-"
"I don't want a surrogate mom, Hermione. That's not how I see Sirius, anyway. I know he's not my real dad and I don't want him to replace my real dad… I don't think Sirius wants that either. But Sirius and I have a special bond and I love him and don't want to miss out on spending time with him over some… some girl." Harry shrugged and looked down at his lap.
Ron cleared his throat, clearly feeling slightly awkward at Harry's show of emotions. "Well, mate, it might not be all bad. Besides, do we even know that's what she's here for? She might just want to catch up with old friends."
Harry nodded and smiled gratefully at his best mate. "Yeah, that's it. I doubt it will turn into anything other than that."
Hermione rolled her eyes but didn't comment anymore. Harry and Ron continued their game of exploding snap, Harry feeling more uncomfortable and nervous than he had been before they started.
"You ready?" Remus asked, sending his friend a knowing smile.
"Of course, it's just Lucy, Remus. Not like I'm meeting the queen or anything." Sirius said with a shrug, feigning apathy.
"If I didn't know you so well, I'd say you were nervous." Remus prodded, a smug look on his face.
"What are you implying, Moony?" Sirius asked, slightly defensive.
Remus studied his friend for a moment. "You really don't want to see her, do you?"
Sirius looked down at his lap. "It's not that, necessarily. I mean, I miss her and all our old friends and how things used to be - but I've accepted that things won't ever be that way again. I'd rather move on and take care of Harry right now, and I can't do that if I try and bring Lucy back in my life. The main reason I asked her to come was because she was Lily's roommate. I'm sure Harry would like to hear about his mom from one of her friends. Maybe someday I'll meet someone, Moony, but right now I don't want a girlfriend, I want to focus on my godson."
Remus smiled and nodded. "I know, but don't get rid of the idea entirely - you might be surprised how much you enjoy her company when she gets here."
"Yeah, maybe," Sirius said with a shrug. "I wonder if Ron and Hermione are still h-"
A ring from the doorbell cut Sirius off and Remus stood to answer the door, patting Sirius on the shoulder as he left.