Chapter 10 - The Birth

Harry left the Great Hall after lunch, on his own and went back to the Gryffindor common room, feeling dejected. He was enjoying being back at Hogwarts, it was his favourite place to be bar none, but he wasn't fully happy. He knew that Sirius had been avoiding him, but he didn't know why. He understood the need for Sirius to be alone after what he had been through, but he felt he needed him, and then felt selfish for thinking this. Just as he slumped into an armchair, the portrait opened, and Sirius came in. He smiled briefly at Harry, then sat down facing him.

"Harry I'm sorry," he said bluntly. Harry just looked at him, not expecting this and not quite knowing how to deal with it.

"I have been avoiding you, and I am sorry," Sirius said.
"But why?" Harry asked, "I understand that coming back to here after dying, must have been a bit of a shock, but I thought you would be happy about it."

"I am!" Sirius exclaimed, "You did a great thing by bringing me back, but I had issues that I wasn't up to facing, until I spoke with Buffy today. I've been avoiding you because of my death. You probably figured that out, but its more than just being dead. When I died, I died knowing I would see my best friend in the whole world, and I was so happy then. But when I didn't, you can't understand the pain." He smiled grimly, "Well actually you probably can. Then coming back here, was great, but still no James. And then every time I looked at you, I saw him, and Lily, both of them, and you're like him, when I talk to you, its like James…" His voice cracked. Harry felt a lump in his throat.

"I'm sorry" he mumbled, "I am, I wish it wasn't like that for you, but I can't help it I wish I could."

"But its not you," Sirius said, "Its me. I'm taking out what I feel on you. And I'm sorry, again I'm sorry. I need to put the past behind me, and start being a good Godfather to you again."

"What was he like?" Harry blurted out, unable to stop himself, "My dad, what was he like?"

Sirius smiled a sad smile.

"The best friend I ever had," he said simply. "He was like me, we were the same, loved getting in trouble, we would've definitely given the Weasleys a run for their money, back in those days. And the best Quidditch player in Hogwarts by far. I doubt there would have been much between the two of you.

Then when we grew up, a great husband toy your mother, and still a great friend, he was always there for me. And when you were born, you were the most important thing to James and Lily, and me for that matter. He wanted you to have the best life we could give you, and that's' why he died, trying to honour that."

Sirius looked at Harry, tears falling from his eyes.

"He and Lily would've been so proud of you, so proud. You are everything they would've wanted you to be and more. Never ever forget that."

Harry felt his own tears falling, and he held his head in his hands.

"I want to show you something," Sirius said, rubbing his face with his hands. He pulled out Dumbledore's pensieve and added some of his memories to it.

"This was the day you were born."
Harry and Sirius leant into the bowl and fell into the memory.

"That's right Mrs. Potter," a nurse with a plump friendly face said, "Just keep breathing. The maternity healer will be along soon."

Harry looked around and recognised the room as one of those at St. Mungos.

He looked at the occupants and then just stared. His parents, right in front of him, his mother red faced, in a little pain it appeared, and his father anxious , trying to help, trying to smooth his hair, in a way that Harry ahd done many a time. The door behind Harry opened, and the Sirius from then came rushing in.

"is he here yet?" he demanded, "My Godson, is he here yet?"

"Not yet Sirius," Lily replied, still puffing away, her red hair in disarray, "But soon."

Sirius came forward and clasped Lily's other hand briefly, before turning to James.

"Not long them Prongs," he said grinning, "Worried about your kid being anything like you?"

James grinned back at him.

"He'll be better than we were," James said, "We'll make sure of that."

The door opened again, and in came a tall, skinny witch, the maternity healer.

"Very good," she said, "You're breathing well. I think its about time." Harry watched his own mother giving birth to him, the most odd experience he'd ever had. But he saw his father, and Sirius, together, with his mother, supporting her. And there he was, a tiny black haired screaming blob. He was put into his mothers arms, and tears freely streamed down hers, James and Sirius' faces.

"He's so beautiful, he's special." she said tearfully.

"Still Harry, right?" James asked, touching the cheek of his son wonderingly. Lily carefully passed him to James, and James stood there, just staring at the tiny afce of his son.

"He's perfect," Sirius said, kissing Lily's cheek. "Absolutely perfect. The best Godson, and I'm going to be the best Godfather I can be."

But Harry was watching James, who just stood next his wife, staring down at the now sleeping peaceful face of his son.

Harry felt a tug on his elbow, and landed back in the common room next to Sirius.

"Why'd you make me leave?" Harry asked, "I wanted to stay."

"Because Dumbledore was coming, and I didn't want to have to see your parents faces when he told them of the prophecy," Sirius said quietly. Harry looked down at the floor.

"Thank you," he said hoarsely, "Thank you for showing me that." Sirius clasped Harry's shoulder and they just sat, staring into space, reliving that memory in their heads over and over.