A/N: hey all same old same old. Just thought I'd keep you from reading the next chapter for a few minutes... ok I'm done lol.
Oh, and btw this chapter is parallel to the last one ok? So while they sit there drinking coffee, shadow has just woken up for the first time... hope that isn't too confusing.
Dedication: well this goes out to Electra Black small orange haired one, fellow rocker and buddy extraordinaire. Cheers, Miss Black, here's to our mutual agreement about a certain race of very cute guys, with very cute accents.
Disclaimer: see last last chapter.
Sirius, Remus and Harry were all sat round the kitchen table, mugs of coffee in hand, staring into space. Harry felt so bad.
Voldemort had come, and dared to take her. And it was his entire fault. In a moment of fury, Harry had sealed her fate, at he hated himself. His mind brought forward a memory, the first time he'd met her. They'd been sat round here, this very table...
Flashback
"Remus, I didn't know you had a daughter!"
"Adopted, but yeah. Harry Potter, meet Shadow Lupin."
"Hey Shadow. I had honestly no idea! You went to Hogwarts?"
"Yeah, I was in 7th year, when you were in... 2nd. I just missed Dad as a teacher, thank God!" She winked at her Dad, and all four laughed.
"No way. Your Dad was the best Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher we had!"
"Oh Harry, you're making me blush."
"Oh Harry you're making me sick."
He inwardly grinned at her memory, remembering their handshake, and her wink. He felt a stab of affection towards her, and groaned. She'd still be here, still sat round the table flirting, laughing and talking. He needed to get her back. His parents had died to protect her, and he had cowardly run away. He owed his parents. And Shadow.
He'd noticed her studying him afterwards, and was surprised he'd manage to keep a straight face, and not grin like some idiot, get up and shout around the room:
'SHE'S STARING AT ME, SHE'S STUDYING ME AND I'M TOTALLY BEING COOL ABOUT IT. HAHAHAHAHAHA IN YOUR FACE BLACK IT'S ME SHE'S STARING AT NOT YOU; IT'S ME SHE LIKES, NOT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
He was glad he'd resisted. It would have made him look ridiculous, and would have completely ruined his chances with her. He wouldn't give Sirius that satisfaction.
He didn't hate Sirius, just found it amusing that he was so openly flirting with her, and it was him she was staring at...
Shaking his head, Harry sighed. Girls are weird. He noticed Sirius looking at him, and smiled. Sirius returned the smile, and Harry looked down. But then again, was Sirius really competition? It was Sirius, for fucks sake. What would Sirius say if he found out Harry had had a vendetta against him about Shadow... Sirius was the nearest thing to a father he had. Would his affection for Shadow ever get in the way of that?...
Sirius was continuously stirring his coffee over and over again. But he wasn't even aware he was doing it.
Flashback
"Moony, Moony, Moony... chill out dear friend." He took Shadow's hand, and kissed the top of it. "I wouldn't dare!" and winked at Shadow. Remus simply groaned, and slammed his head on the table. Harry was in hysterics. "I mean, come on-"he let go of Shadow's hand, and slightly pushed her chair back. "You're obviously NOT my type!" and he reached forward, and pulled her off her chair, and onto his lap. Moony shrieked.
"Black you fiend let her go this instant!"
"No it's ok, I got this." Shadow turned slightly, and whispered in his ear.
"Should I tell Dad about the fact you've had your hand on my thigh since we came in here?"
End of flashback
He had felt himself go pale, and instantly let her go. Remus would kill him, if he had a proper suspicion that there might be slight attraction between the two... he had noticed her wink at Harry, who was laughing his head off. That had surprised him. She didn't like Harry did she? He remembered himself panicked slightly. Harry was young, handsome, fit and famous. Sirius, however, was nearly 40, had few of his good looks left, and was still on the run from the ministry. And besides, she was an Aurora, who had been one of the many sent out to find him when he escaped. An Aurora and an ex-con from Azkaban? He could see that match working... yeah right...
Looking at his god-son now, he wondered what Harry was thinking. He looked pale, grim, haunted even. Did he really think of his god-son as competition? No, far from it. It was Harry, after all. He saw him shake his head, clearing out some unwanted thoughts. He needed Harry. He was the only bit of family he really cared about. He never wanted to loose him. Ever.