hold on to this lullaby

by lilralien

raise

2. 6-10

Hold on to this lullaby 6-10

Chapter 6

Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

It was nearly Christmas before Remus and Sirius could bring themselves to go back to the cottage in Godric's Hollow. Sirius stepped through the floo first, saying "The Burrow'' confidently and disappearing in a puff of green. Harry tucked in closer against Remus' chest at the flash of light, making displeased whimpers as he always did when the floo was used. Remus soothed him with a ruffle of his hair and the two of them followed after Sirius.

Remus was beginning to feel more confident with Harry now, after nearly two months as his primary caregiver. He didn't have Sirius' ease with the boy, his carefree comfort and instant connection, but they'd bonded in their own quiet way. Harry made it easy. He was a quiet and happy baby, overall. James and Lily had done well. He would do everything he could to uphold their hopes and dreams and sacrifice for this tiny child.

The Burrow was loud and bright and chaotic and entirely comfortable. It reminded Remus, in an odd way, of the Gryffindor common room. Sirius was already surrounded by a gaggle of red headed children. A toddler aged twin clung to each of his legs.

"Hello, Remus, dear, you can set him down with Ronnie over there," Molly said, gesturing to the corner of the room where a baby Harry's age chewed determinedly on a battered and stuffed dragon's wing that an older boy was trying to pull away from him. "Charlie, let Ron have that old toy, already, you haven't played with it in years! William, will you get the twins off of Sirius?"

"It's Bill , mum!" The oldest Weasley child said, still in his Hogwarts robes and a Gryffindor tie. Probably a first year, Remus thought. He remembered how proud he was that first holiday back home in his own little robes and tie.

"Honestly, Molly, I don't know how you do it," Remus said with a shake of his head as Bill and Charlie began to wrestle, "Are you absolutely sure you don't mind watching over Harry for a bit today?"

"He's no bother at all, what's an eighth when there are already seven running about?" She said, "Besides, Arthur should be home soon-"

The door opened to punctuate her sentence and five red haired boys ran to tackle Arthur Weasley, who fell dramatically to the floor under the force of enough children to make an entire Quidditch team. Ron waddled determinedly after them, giving up to crawl after a couple of steps. Molly walked over to her husband, who still lay on the floor, and handed him the littlest baby before coming back to Remus and extending her arms to take Harry.

"You boys take your time, okay?" She said kindly, "We'll be just fine here." *

Remus and Sirius extricated themselves from the pack of children and went to the little shed behind the Weasley's house to get Sirius' pride and joy: his motorcycle. He'd been letting Arthur look at
it for a bit as a sort of thank you for agreeing to watch over Harry during the full moons. Arthur was completely fascinated by everything Muggle in a way that bordered on obsessive, but Sirius loved being able to show off his bike. It would have been easier, of course, to simply apparate to

Godric's Hollow, but this would be much more fun. Besides, Remus really didn't want to go back to the village the same way he did last time. The thought of popping back into existence in front of the torn building, a shell of the love that once lived there, made his stomach drop. This would be better. They could ease themselves into it rather than get there in one burst.

"Alright?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah. Yeah, let's do this. Are you?"

Sirius swung a leg gracefully over the motorcycle and patted the seat behind him instead of answering. Remus clambered on with less grace, feeling more than a little silly as he wrapped his soft, jumper covered arms around Sirius' firm chest and supple leather jacket. He was acutely aware of the odd pair they made. Still, the pleased groan he felt vibrate through Sirius' body over the loud growling of the engine made him smile. He was, somehow and still unbelievably to him, very much wanted here.

A thrill traveled through his body and his stomach felt like it decided not to join them and stayed behind on solid ground when the bike raised steadily into the air. He didn't mind the motorcycle as much when they simply drove around the streets, but the sky was an entirely different matter. He wasn't even a fan of flying on broomsticks, much less this death machine of an unidentified flying object. Still, he knew Sirius loved it more than just about anything, and he trusted whatever spellwork Sirius had done on it to hold. His spells had always been strong and brilliant, just like the rest of him.

He tucked his head in against Sirius' back and closed his eyes against the sharp whip of the cold wind. It had the added benefit of him not being able to see how high up they are. He could feel how relaxed Sirius was with just the two of them flying quickly on the noisy motorcycle. For most of the ride from The Burrow to Godric's Hollow he could pretend that they were in a simpler time. Forget the war, the betrayal, the deaths. He could close off the world and it could be just the two of them. Two young men barely in their twenties happy, having fun, and blissfully in love.

To distract himself from the height, he concentrated on the strong lines of Sirius' body. His partner oozed confidence, controlling the large bike between his muscular thighs. Sirius' long, dark hair whipped into Remus' face, forcing him to tuck his head closer into Sirius' neck. He could feel Sirius' face pull into an even larger smile, though he dared not open his eyes to check. It had been so long since they'd been like this. Just the two of them out in the world, alone without the threat of a moon or a mission hanging over their heads. He missed it. He missed the looseness that spread through Sirius' muscles the faster they flew. It was contagious. Everywhere they touched he felt a sense of calm until eventually that feeling flowed through his entire being.

The capillary effect of love.

Eventually, Remus was able to relax and even brought himself to pull away from the shield of Sirius's back and look around, though he kept a tight hold around his partner's waist. It was truly beautiful, he had to admit. The English countryside sprawled around them as far as he could see. There was a sense of freedom to fly above it all, hidden by a concealment spell so that random Muggles wouldn't notice the large motorcycle and its two riders zipping by overhead. Though he was loath to admit it, he could see why Sirius loved the motorcycle. Remus might even have to find excuses for them to go out on it more often. Without, of course, admitting to him that he may have found a change of heart about the noisy death trap of a thing.

Chapter End Notes

Thank you for reading! I appreciate every single comment and kudos and hit so very much. They are truly so motivating.
Up Next: Godric's Hollow.

Chapter 7

Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

Sirius became much less relaxed in Remus' arms when Godric's Hollow came into view. Remus pressed his forehead deeply into Sirius' shoulder in comfort, knowing he couldn't say anything that would be heard over the roar of the motorcycle's engine. That in itself was a bit of a blessing. There were no words that he could conjure to make this any better.

The village looked so peaceful. That was why James and Lily had chosen it, of course. It was a gentle place, somewhere far away from the clamor and danger of big cities. It would be safe there; a good place to raise children.

It should have been.
It would have been, if not for Peter. Peter.

Oh, Peter. The betrayal hurt him deeply and he couldn't help but push into the pain every time it passed through his mind. He poked at it like a bruise, just to feel the throbbing intensify. To remind himself of the harm. To pick at the scab so that it might bleed again and reopen the wound. To make sure the scar it left was ugly and uneven and raised.

The Order had been rounding up Death Eater's after Voldemort's fall. Just last month the Lestranges (Bellatrix, her husband Rodolphus, and his brother Rabastan) had been sent off to Azkaban along with Barty Crouch Jr. That certainly caused a stir, to have the son of a Ministry employee sent off to Azkaban as one of Voldemort's most loyal followers. It was Bellatrix who had confirmed it, ultimately. Through teasing, horrible laughter she taunted the Order about Peter's betrayal. Sirius had to be physically restrained from attacking his cousin, much to her amusement. She grew louder as he struggled.

They stopped going to watch trials after that.

The motorcycle landed bumpily along the cobblestone street in front of the cottage. It looked much the same as it had two months ago, hole in the wall and all. Wordlessly, Remus and Sirius climbed off the motorcycle and walked to the door. They hesitated at the little gate around the garden: a weak line of defense. How little it had done to save them. He couldn't help but think that he and Sirius were like this fence. That they were just as symbolic, just as useless when it came to protecting James and Lily. The familiar guilt roiled his stomach. If only he'd been faster. Gotten there sooner. If only the Marauders had trusted each other more, loved each other a little harder and more openly. Listened just that much more carefully. Maybe they would have seen the signs. Maybe it could've gone differently.

Sirius placed one hand on the gate to open it and then gasped, pulling his hand away as if he'd been shocked.

Notes, hundreds of them, burst into appearance tied to the gate and carved into the fence. They only appeared at his touch, probably a charm to keep curious Muggles from seeing them. Children's toys sat in a pile just behind the gate, waiting on the path. They'd been rained on. The colorful fur of the stuffed animals wasn't quite bright and new. Some of the ink on the notes had

run. But there were so many. And they all brought the same message. "Sirius, they're..."
"They're thanking him. Them. " Sirius said with a catch in his voice.

And they were. The little cottage had become a memorial. The wizarding world knew who had saved them. James and Lily's death wasn't the anonymous, thankless sacrifice that Remus had convinced himself was the case. Their salvage mission all but forgotten, Sirius and Remus took the time to read every note, look at every photo. He wanted this etched into his memory, burned there like an acid engraving so that it would remain for all time. They didn't notice the sun moving on its course slowly across the sky as they read note after note. It took hours, there were so many. Time meant nothing compared to reading their names over and over again, reminders that James and Lily mattered to more people than just Sirius and himself.

All the emotions that Remus had been trying to stifle since Halloween came bubbling up to the surface with silent, shuddering tears. This was proof. James and Lily had not died in vain. They'd done it. They'd ended the war. Won it. The world knew and remembered them, celebrated them for it.

The price was still too high.

It was almost too much to go into the cottage after that. Remus wiped his face, wincing slightly at the salt water tears that stung his still healing scars. Another reminder of what he'd lost.

"Ready?"

"Keep close to me." Sirius said, taking his hand.

"Always."

The house was still. Quiet in the way that tombs are quiet. Remus caught himself holding his breath like everything would blow away on his exhale. It felt that fragile.

"Right, we just need the rest of Harry's things, yes?" Remus said quietly, forcing his brain back on track as if this were any other mission. "And the... and the photo albums."

"And the mirror."

"And the mirror, right. The cloak?"

"Dumbledore has the invisibility cloak. I'd asked to borrow it for a mission a few days before.. Well, before , but Ja- but he didn't have it with him."

"Right. Okay. Let's do this."

They collected the things they'd come for solemnly, trying to shut the emotions of what they were doing out to keep some form of composure. Later Remus might wish that he could have sat with these feelings. That he could have lingered in the doorways. Taken in the exact texture of the couch that they used to pile together on, so small that Lily always ended up perched on the arm of the couch or else in James' lap as they couldn't all fit. He would've laughed at the scuffed paint on the wall from one of Sirius and James' famed wrestling matches. Cried at the dried out potted plants that Lily had tended to so carefully. He could not do this now, though. The notes on the gate had taken everything he had. He wasn't strong enough to be anything but numb now. That was alright. He was strong enough to keep moving, and that was what mattered.

When they left, the words on the notes echoed in Remus' ears, above the roar of the motorcycle.

Thank you, Harry Potter.

Chapter End Notes

Will I take any given opportunity to repurpose the word "always" into something not creepy and give it the romance such a word deserves? Always.

Chapter 8

Chapter Notes
Content warning for a brief mention of unhealthy drinking habits.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Harry Potter was blissfully unaware of the fact that he saved the wizarding world. As young as he was, he was in fact unaware of most things. These things included potty training and the importance of a regular bedtime. The bedtime was the matter of tonight's temper tantrum. Though, temper tantrum was putting it lightly. It was a few weeks after Harry's second birthday and Remus was beginning to understand why they were called the "terrible twos."

"Merlin's beard, what are we going to do when he's a teenager?" Sirius said, sliding a hand down his face.

"Sirius, we've been at this for nearly a year now, I think we've just got to accept that it's not working out." Remus said seriously when Harry was finally asleep in his crib after an additional snack and three bedtime stories. They were hiding out in their bedroom, afraid to go anywhere else in the flat lest they wake the boy.

"What?" Sirius said, giving him a look as if he'd just been kicked while in his animagus form.

"This," Remus gestured out to the living room where Harry lay sleeping. "It's just not sustainable. Surely you've realized that by now? I've been thinking about it for a while, hoping you'd be the first to say something, but clearly it's up to me. We've got to get a bigger place. The kid needs a bedroom. I know neither of us are working still, but I could pick up some odd jobs and if we sold this flat we might just be able to make it work financially."

"Son of a hippogriff! You scared me. I thought- it doesn't matter- Gods, Remus. Learn how to phrase a sentence." Sirius said, breathing heavily.

"What did you think I...?" Remus went over what he'd said in his head, "Oh you dumb dog! Absolute idiotic mutt! No! You are quite stuck with me, I'm afraid. This flat, though... I think we've outgrown it. And I fear Harry is going to take over our room if we don't find something bigger and you know how I get when I have to sleep on the couch."

"We could just shove him in the cupboard," Sirius suggested.
"What kind of monster makes a child grow up in a cupboard? Besides, we both know how awful it

is to be closeted , I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"Come here you beautiful man," Sirius said, laughing at the pun. "We'll find us somewhere then. Somewhere bigger. Maybe it can even have a library for all your silly Muggle novels and those textbooks that you're still holding on to for some reason." Sirius pulled Remus to bed with a relieved smile. "Besides, he shouldn't grow up in London like I did. He should grow up somewhere he can play in dirt."

"Dirt? Really? Is that a vital part of a childhood?" Remus asked, amused.

"Absolutely."

That is how they ended up in Tinworth a few months later, proud owners of a little cottage of their own in a mixed Wizarding and Muggle village. It had enough of a wizard population to make Remus and Sirius feel comfortable, but enough Muggles that the statute of secrecy would be firmly in place to stop those wizards from making too big a deal over Harry. Frank and Alice Longbottom lived on the other end of the same town, too, along with their young son, Neville. Living close to two incredible aurors and fellow Order members added a feeling of security. There would be help nearby, if they ever needed it.

Their home was small and overgrown with ivy in a frankly alarming way that Remus absolutely loved. It had two bedrooms and no library, though there were plenty of bookshelves for Remus' collection. Remus preferred the look of books scattered everywhere, anyway. The only place where books should be tidy and perfectly shelved and organized should be a library, he believed. Maybe a bookstore, but that was pushing it.

The ceiling in Harry's room was once more charmed to have the dog star glowing brightly from its place in the night sky. A beautiful moon now joined it, permanently smiling down in its crescent form. They added two more stars that glowed the brightest side by side. For James and Lily, Sirius had explained unnecessarily. If Remus wished that there could have been more stars to represent loved ones still living, he did not say anything aloud.

The first Halloween as a trio passed as quickly as it could, with moving boxes filling their flat and a schedule made busy to make it hard to mourn. Remus pretended to not notice that Sirius spent most of it drunk. Ignored the taste of firewhiskey on his lips and his frequent trips to the kitchen. One of them had to make it through sober to keep an eye on Harry and it was his turn. Besides, Sirius had given him the space to quietly fall to pieces that first Christmas, right after their return from Godric's Hollow. Remus owed him this private slip.

By the time winter settled its cold blanket across the land, their little family was properly moved into their cottage. It felt better here. Fresh and warm, without the heaviness of memories layered like dust in every corner. This was a place where they could try and start again. A place to live without the War. Remus sat on the rug by their hearth and obediently pretended to eat the play food that Harry brought him, course after course.

"Truly delicious, Harry. What is this?" He asked.
"Apple s'prise"
"What's the surprise?"
Harry ran off giggling and Remus shot Sirius an amused look.

Smiles were coming more easily to them both now. The traumas of the previous year had followed them into 1982 in memory only. It hurt still. Oh, it hurt. The gaping ache in Remus' chest still opened so widely sometimes that he was afraid he'd tumble in, head over heels, and never find his way back to the surface. But the times that it was becoming entirely overwhelming were spreading further and further apart. The bottle of firewhiskey that they bought after Halloween still held liquid and that was its own victory. They had to keep it together. Couldn't fall apart for Harry's sake.

That didn't mean there weren't still bad days.

He missed them. He missed Marlene's loud sass and Dorcas' calm energy and laser focus. He missed Lily's advice, how she'd dance into a room and make anyone feel like they were important. That their presence wasn't just wanted but was so, so vital . He missed James. Merlin, did he miss James. It felt like he'd lost a brother last year. More than that, like he'd lost an entire limb. He missed who Sirius was around James. Their quick witted jibes and constant playfulness, the way they'd riff off each other in rapid fire jokes of scenarios so complicated that you'd think they would have rehearsed ahead of time but never did. He'd long since stopped saying it out loud, but he missed Peter, too. Peter had bound them together. He was a vital part of the Marauders and one of Remus' best friends. Peter who, along with James and Sirius, had turned into an animagus illegally to help him when he needed it the most. Sweet Peter, who would surprise you with a stunningly elaborate prank idea that always had hilarious results.

Remus wanted to find him. To see if he was alright. To ask why he did it. Why did he do it? How could he have betrayed them? Betrayed all of them? Did he regret it? Was he washed in the same stain of guilt that Remus felt, one so deep that it wouldn't fade away no matter how hard you scrubbed? Remus felt it, and he hadn't even done anything to deserve it. On the other hand, not having done anything was probably why he felt guilty. He cursed himself again for not seeing the signs.

"Earth to Remus," Sirius said from the couch, grabbing Remus' shoulders and tugging him backwards so that he leaned back against the front of the couch, crowded in between Sirius' legs. "Where did you go?"

"Nowhere," Remus said, punctuating the word with a chaste kiss to Sirius' knee over his trousers. "I'm right here."

"Somehow I don't believe that."

"I just. I miss them."

"Oh, Rem," Sirius ran his fingers through Remus' hair, "me too. So much."

Harry ran back into the room with a second serving of play food to be sampled with great and exaggerated glee. If the smile on Remus' face looked forced, Sirius let him get away with it.

Chapter End Notes
Something a little bit musical next update.

Chapter 9

Chapter Notes
An early update, as a treat.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

One day, Remus came home and the sounds inside made him hesitate before opening the door. The fact that he could hear music was not unusual. Their old record player that followed them from when Sirius bought it during third year at Hogwarts was almost constantly playing. But this wasn't Bowie's familiar voice calling out through the speakers. No drum beat or guitar accompanied it. No. This was softer. Gentler. He felt his heart flutter, break, and then reform undamaged with every note that sang from the sole piano.

He opened the door carefully, as if afraid that breaking the seal to the house would let the magic of that music escape, and shut it just as softly. Not daring to waste time taking off his shoes, Remus tip toed gently across the floor. Somehow the creaky wooden floor did not betray him.

Sirius sat on a wooden piano bench, fingers dancing expertly across the keys. The upright piano, Remus was almost certain, had not been there when he'd left that morning. Harry shared the bench with Sirius and seemed transfixed by the music. The little boy reached up and plonked his chubby fingers across the keys at random intervals. Sirius bumped him playfully and seamlessly transitioned from the graceful classical piece he'd been playing to Chopsticks. He played overdramatically, much to Harry's delight, if the peals of laughter were any standard to judge joy by. Sirius threw his own head back, dark hair falling in a cascade down his back as he laughed along with his godson.

"You play the piano," Remus said breathily. Sirius turned and smiled at him, with only a small jump of surprise at his presence.

"Very out of practice."
" That was out of practice? Unbelievable."

Sirius got off the bench and walked over to properly greet his partner, leaving Harry to bang at the keys.

"Will he break it doing that?"
"If he does we'll just get it fixed. Not a problem," Sirius said with a shrug. "How did we come into a piano? And how did I never know you played?"

"Well, what did you think these long fingers were good for?" Sirius asked with a wink that made Remus blush. "We went to town today, for a bit, and there was a free piano sign in someone's window and I couldn't make myself walk past. It was always more Reg's thing than mine, but... well, no pureblood of my family's standing was going to grow up without learning it."

Regulus. It had been three years now since Sirius' little brother had died. They still didn't know much about the circumstances, only saw the headlines in the papers. Remus was surprised to hear

Sirius bring him up. The two brothers had a contentious relationship, to say the least. Sirius had always gotten the worst of their parents' abuse. Quiet, obedient Regulus would have looked like an angel in comparison to his chaotic, Gryffindor brother. At least in their parents' eyes. Still, Remus knew that Sirius loved his brother deeply. He'd been devastated to see the Dark Mark staining his pale arm, to know that there was no saving Regulus from their family's influence.

Years ago Sirius had admitted to Remus that he wasn't just the "bad son" on accident. That he drew his parents' focus on purpose, pulling them away from little Reg. He could take it, he'd sworn, Regulus could not. And take it Sirius did, for as long as he possibly could. He bore the pain until the curses became unforgivable and he'd barely escaped to James' house.

"Going to teach Harry how to play, then?" Remus asked, pulling himself out of his own thoughts.

"Only if he wants to," Sirius said firmly. "I didn't bring this home with any expectation of continuing the tradition. I didn't even get it for Harry, I got it for me. Well, not even for me. It's for him . Regulus. And I just-" he started haltingly, "I just- I know, alright? I know he turned out as bad as the rest of them. I know he was a Death Eater and as cruel and ruthless as any of the others. He was a proper Black . I hated him for it. I still hate him for it. He was an utter bastard and there is no forgiving that. But I just... I can't rationalize that with the little boy who'd sneak downstairs to play the piano."

Sirius paused, watching Harry who was still poking away at the keys, giggling at the sounds they made. From behind, his black hair made him look like he could have been Sirius' son. Like he could have been a younger brother, were it not for the coarser texture of Harry's hair and the darker tone of his skin.

"I learned silencing charms for him, you know. For Reg. Did them while underage in the summers and winters that I came home. Even when things got tense between us I'd sneak downstairs and muffle the piano, give him the nod that it was safe to play, that Walburga and Orion wouldn't hear him and yell for waking them. It's just nice, I guess. It's nice to have something to remind me of the best of him. Makes me feel guilty, though. He doesn't deserve it."

"I think," Remus said generously, "That families are hard and yours was harder than most. Play your piano, remember what you loved about him. That's alright."

Sirius nodded sharply and Remus knew that it was time to let the conversation drop. The piano did not become a regular part of their daily routine. Mostly it just sat up against the wall, serving as an extra shelf for Remus' books, fallboard closed over the keys like the lid of a casket.

Sometimes, though, Remus would wake in the night to find the other half of the bed empty. He would quietly tip toe just far enough down the stairs to peer through the bannister into the silent living room. Those nights, more often than not, he'd find Sirius swaying from his seat on the piano bench, body moving in tune with the dance of his fingers across the music. The notes never reached Remus' ears, muted as they were by a silencing charm. That was okay. The music was not for him.

Chapter End Notes
Something much lighter and fluffier is coming on Wednesday!

Chapter Notes

Chapter 10

A bit of fluff to hurry up the arrival of Spring. Thank you so much for every comment and kudos. They're unbelievably motivating.

It was late spring in 1983 and Sirius checked his watch with a frown.

"I think," Sirius said, "That it's time."

"This is a bad idea. A truly terrible idea. This is the worst idea! Why did we volunteer for this?"

"It was, I believe, your idea, Moony. No going back now."

Remus steeled himself and gulped before stepping into the floo. There was no point avoiding it any longer.

The chaos at The Burrow was immediate, as always, but there was a tinge of extra excitement in the air as well, adding to the mayhem. Molly ran about the house counting children and tidying up her outfit. Arthur was trying not to trip over the twins, who it seemed were doing their best impression of human bowling balls as they raced about. As loud as it was in the house, no one even seemed to notice Remus' arrival until Sirius followed behind him with Harry, fussing from the floo, in tow.

"Boys!" Molly greeted happily, swooping over to Remus to kiss him wetly on each cheek. "Thank you so much, are you sure you can handle it?"

"Anytime, Molly," Sirius promised, "I'm sorry we didn't offer to babysit a long time ago. You and Arthur deserve a day on the town. Besides, it's such a nice day and I brought my broom, figured we could play a spot of quidditch since you've got yourself a whole team here, eh?" Sirius winked at a crowd of cheering children.

Arthur passed a giggling baby Ginny to Remus. His heart twisted a bit as he nestled her comfortably into his arms. She was about the same age now as Harry was when he first moved into their lives. He was surprised at how natural it felt to hold her, what a change it was from only a year and a half ago. His life was so different now. Harry was already so much bigger. He could properly walk now. More than that, he could run, climb stairs, open cabinets, and get into all sorts of mischief. Time passed quickly.

"Right, well we'll just be shopping in Diagon Alley. If you need anything send a message through the floo at the Leaky Cauldron and I'm sure Tom will get it to us," Arthur said. "But maybe try not to need anything," he added with a smile.

"Take your time, we'll be just fine here."

"Charlie! You're the oldest with Bill at school, help them out," Molly said, "Ginny will need a nap at some point but she can really fall asleep anywhere. There's sandwiches for lunch ready in the fridge. Try to keep the twins from blowing anything up, their magic is coming in strong right now and they're taking proper advantage of it."

"Really, as long as most of them are still here when we get back, you'll have done a great job. We made a few extras," Arthur joked.

It was hard not to feel overwhelmed when Molly and Arthur disappeared into the floo. Harry, who was running after Ron, was so startled by the floo's green flash that he fell on his bum, though he righted himself quickly enough.

"I think we've been tricked," Remus said to Sirius. "Come on, it will be fun!"

An hour and a half later, everyone was on broomsticks in the big field behind the house. The Weasleys had a crude set of Quidditch hoops set up and Sirius was in his element. He'd never been on the team at Hogwarts, was too busy in detention or planning pranks to ever make a proper practice schedule, but Sirius loved a casual match. Memories of James and Sirius practicing quidditch at James' parents' house in the summer flooded his mind. Remus never got into it at all himself. The fear of heights was one determining factor, but he couldn't be a reliable player, either. Matches were not organized around a lunar cycle. Besides, even as a child his joints had ached too much for that much exercise.

Remus was glad to act as referee from the ground. He'd become very good at strategy. "Right, Ginny, you're going to have to help me make the calls."

He got a special thrill from watching Harry scoot along on his little broom. It was a child's broom, charmed to not flip and only hover a few feet above the ground, and it was absolutely adorable to watch. The kid was a natural on it, already pushing the broom to its limits as he raced Ron about the pitch. James would have been so proud. James' old Nimbus sat in a closet back home, one of the few things they'd taken from Godric's Hollow. In a couple of years Harry would probably be able manage it.

"Hey, Moony! Moony, watch this!" Sirius said and tilted dramatically and quickly on his broom to pull it into a backflip.

Remus laughed and then groaned when Charlie immediately tried to copy him. To his credit, the kid pulled off the backflip fairly gracefully and managed to right the broom before hitting the ground.

"Check this out!" Fred, or at least Remus was pretty sure it was Fred, said. The boy stood on his broom and grabbed onto (probably) George's broom, who flew directly above him, for balance.

"Very cool," Remus agreed, "let's be careful, though."
"Isn't that against the rules?" Percy asked, looking very concerned.
"Ehrm, probably. It's just a warm up, though. What can you do on your broom? Give me a show."

Percy seemed delighted at the request and instead began explaining to Remus, in great detail, the intricacies behind playing keeper. There was a lot more technique and planning behind the position than Remus had thought. It was not, he had been solemnly assured, merely about stopping the quaffle. Remus listened carefully, taking the time to react appropriately in all the right places. It seemed he'd made a friend. He closed the lid tightly on a memory of a young boy with sandy blonde hair who also played keeper in backyard matches. Peter didn't need to squeak his way into this happy day.

The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully. The pack of red-headed children felt much more manageable when they were outside where the air could spread out their happy yells. The injury count from the quidditch match topped out at two scraped knees, a slightly bruised ankle, and one very dramatically bumped "funny bone" in Percy's elbow. It was a rather low total of damages considering how enthusiastically the boys had been playing. Sirius felt the game was an absolute success and Remus was inclined to agree.

By the time Arthur and Molly returned that evening, everyone was utterly exhausted. It wasn't just baby Ginny who needed a nap. Remus wanted one, too. It was a good kind of tired, though. A healthy tired. A tired that made him smile easily. It was the kind of tired that made him very agreeable.

This was probably how Sirius convinced him that sharing a broom back to Tinworth was a better idea than the much quicker floo trip.

They flew low over the countryside, Harry tucked in between his guardians. It was low enough so as not to trigger Remus' fear of flying, though he was honestly too sleepy for that to matter at this point. His toes could have brushed the tall grasses and grains if he stretched. He focused on not nodding off and enjoying the sunset as they flew home. Harry pointed things out to them as they passed, babbling a mile a minute about the day's events. The little yawns that interrupted Harry's speech barely slowed him down.

By the time they arrived home, Remus imagined that they cut a beautiful silhouette against the sky's colorful display. A little family sharing a broomstick. Here, there was happiness.