Title: Broken Roads (Chapter 44)

Author: Britt

Disclaimer: I own nothing, end of story. JK Rowling owns the characters (except for John Davidson, Kevin McBride, Rob Stanton who I own) and Rascal Flatts owns the song.

Author's Note: Sorry that this is almost a week late. I got caught up with school.


7 months later (March 20th)

Harry James Potter was now 8 months old and he was a very happy giggly baby who hardly ever cried. Except now because he didn't feel good.

"James I really do think we need to take him to the healer."

James sighed. Lily was a typical momma bear. Every time Harry had the hiccups she wanted to rush him to St. Mungos.

"Lily, he'll be fine. Did you take his temperature?"

Lily shook her head before bursting into tears.

"I'm a terrible mother!"

James sighed before taking his son from his mother and placing him back in his crib, noticing that while he was warmer than usual, he didn't seem to have a terribly high temperature, before gathering his wife in his arms.

"Lily darling, you're a great mother. He's just got a cold. He'll be okay. You remember what the healer said when he got his first cold at 3 months? That all he needed was lots of fluids, that nutrient shake and rest. Now we've still got the nutrient shake downstairs and he's already resting so he'll be okay."

Lily nodded, knowing she was over-reacting.

"I'm sorry, I've just got this terrible feeling that something really is wrong with our baby boy."

James smiled, simply thinking that his wife was insane (who could deal with him 24 hours a day and not be a little insane).

"Our son is just fine."

The two Potters left their sleeping son in his room, never realizing that Lily was right.


"So you said you're an Auror? Wow! That's fascinating!"

Sirius sighed and pulled a fake smile while all the while wondering if he could actually kill himself…or the woman seated across from him.

It had all started out as a joke, or so he thought.


*FLASHBACK*

"Sirius, when are you going to settle down with a nice woman?"

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. Kingsley Shacklebolt, John Davidson, Kevin McBride, Rob Stanton (all fellow Aurors), and himself were currently seated at the Leaky Cauldron drinking Firewhiskey as if it was going out of style. All 5 men were highly drunk and all found everything extremely funny.

"Please Rob! Not one woman out there could handle me!"

Rob stood up suddenly, a feat which none of the other men knew how he did it as they could barely sit straight up and got into Sirius' face.

"Want to bet on it?"

Sirius stood up and towered over the shorter man.

"Yeah!"

The other men stood as well, wanting in on the action.

"Alright, here's the deal. We each set you up with a good that we think would be good for you. Whoever's girl you pick they get 100 gallons from each of us."

Sirius quirked an eyebrow.

"And if I win? If none of them hit my fancy?"

Rob thought for a moment before shrugging.

"Then you get 100 gallons from each of us."

Sirius thought for a minute before smiling.

"Deal!"

*END FLASHBACK*


The next day Sirius couldn't remember a damn thing about that night but apparently Rob hadn't been as drunk as the rest of them and he showed them the memory of the bet, so here he was.

"I think Aurors are fascinating! I mean is it hard?"

The woman seated across from his was beautiful, there was no doubt about that. She had long blonde hair and beautiful brown doe like eyes, killer body and was tall without being freakishly so. However, she had a voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard and it hurt Sirius' ears (he was a dog animagus, hello!) and red lipstick on her teeth. However, part of the bet was that he had to spend one evening with each of his fellow Aurors' picks so he couldn't just leave. So the dog animagus smiled and shook his head.

"It can be. The training is sort of intense but as long as you know your stuff it isn't too bad."

Kylie Andrews smiled even more.

"I think Aurors' are really hot, with all that training and the bodies…"

While she had been talking Sirius felt the woman's long nails run up his leg and he couldn't help but shiver. Before he could comment he felt something inside his pocket warm up.

"Uh…hang on a second."

Putting his had inside his pocket he realized it was the mirror and that James apparently wanted to talk.

"Hey what's going on?"

James sighed, desperately wanting to know where his best friend was that he was shielding his surroundings. He had tried to get a hold of him at work, at his flat and at Hogwarts with no results.

"Harry's not feeling well and he wont stop crying for me or Lily, I was hoping you could come over and take a shot at it."

Sirius almost breathed a sigh of relief, here was a full proof way to get out of it, I mean what woman didn't understand the needs of a sick baby!

"Uh yeah that's fine. I'll be there as soon as I can."

James nodded, having a feeling he knew what was going on and not liking it a bit.

"Sirius darling what's going on?"

Sirius winced before looking towards Kylie.

"My godson is sick so I'm going to have to go."

Kylie pouted.

"But honey! What about…"

Sirius tuned her out the rest of the way and turned his attention back to his best friend who was trying hard not to glare at him through the mirror.

"I'll be there in 20."

Before James could respond he was looking at his own reflection instead of his best friend's face.


After 25 minutes of waiting James heard the familiar POP of apparation and then a soft knock on the door, when he answered it he smiled a fake smile before allowing his best friend in.

"So what's wrong with Harry?"

James sighed.

"He's just been really fussy and he's kind of warm. He won't sleep so neither Lils and I have gotten any sleep and…"

Sirius cut him off.

"Go grab Lily, go cast a silencing charm on the room and go grab some sleep or whatever else you two crazy kids want to do. I'll watch Harry."

James was about to argue but instead nodded, desperately needing some sleep.


Once the two Potters were in their bed (sleeping thank you very much!), Sirius sighed. He knew James knew he had been on a date and by the glare he had received, he wasn't very happy about it. However the dog animagus didn't have any time to dwell on it because a familiar cry was heard and the Auror hurried into his godson's nursery. As soon as the green eyed child saw his godfather he held his arms up, wanting to be picked up.

The black haired man swooped the little boy into his arms and cuddled him to his chest.

"Hi puppy."

Harry instantly stopped crying and giggled.

"Ri!"

Sirius rolled his eyes. That was Harry's nickname for him. He had started talking at 7 months and had nicknames for everyone. James was Da, Lily was Ma, he was Ri, Remus was Moo, Peter was Ail, and Albus was Us. He had tried desperately to get Harry to say Padfoot but alas, it hadn't happened yet.

"Hey buddy. How you feeling?"

Harry moaned slightly, not feeling good but not wanting his godfather to put him down. Tears leaked out of his big green eyes but he just whimpered instead of crying. Sirius smiled and rocked him back and fourth gently.

"I'll sing to you, that always makes you feel better, k?"

Harry loved to hear his godfather talk or sing, just the rumble of his voice made the little boy feel safe.

The dog animagus sat down in the rocking chair and slowly started to sing a song he had heard playing throughout the restaurant he had been in earlier that evening.

I set out on a narrow way many years ago


Hoping I would find true love along the broken road


But I got lost a time or two


Wiped my brow and kept pushing through


I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you

Every long lost dream led me to where you are


Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars


Pointing me on my way into your loving arms


This much I know is true


That God blessed the broken road


That led me straight to you

Sirius smiled down at his son. He didn't get to spend nearly as much time with him as he wanted (though he did come over to see him, normally with a present in hand almost every other day). He felt as if he was growing up so fast. He was lucky to have been there for his first word, and the other day he had crawled for the first time to him as well.

I think about the years I spent just passing through


I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you


But you just smile and take my hand


You've been there you understand


It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true

Every long lost dream led me to where you are


Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars


Pointing me on my way into your loving arms


This much I know is true


That God blessed the broken road


That led me straight to you

Now I'm just rolling home


Into my lover's arms


This much I know is true


That God blessed the broken road


That led me straight to you

That God blessed the broken road


That led me straight to you.

Once the animagus was done singing he simply held his now sleeping son. He loved him more than life. He was what made everything worth it. However, he had this terrible feeling deep in his gut that everything wasn't as it seemed. He shrugged it off, never knowing that he was unfortunately right.


TBC! Sorry this was late, however it was a pretty long chapter. Anyway, please review! I'll post the next chapter soon.