Chapter 2
Three years in the Making
"Si! Si! Si! Si! Si!" Harry bounced up and down on Sirius's bed saying his nick-name like a chant as he tried to wake him up.
Sirius rolled away and faced towards the wall with groan.
"Siiiiii!" Harry pulled at his godfather's sheets then finally his hair. Suddenly he stopped and sat down with a crest fallen face that would have made any adult give in, "You promised!"
Sirius bolted up-right just then remembering what Harry was talking about, "Sorry Harry; let me get dressed." With a wide yawn he pushed himself out of the bed, his training session the night before with Kingsley had exhausted him to no end. With Harry being older now they had to move them to later in the night.
Today though, Sirius was going to enroll Harry in to a preschool. He had debated of course with actually doing it, considering he was a wizard and all; he didn't really have to go. Then again Harry still didn't know of the wizarding world and at the moment the two lived in a muggle community just outside of London, and they thought it strange enough that little Harry hadn't been enrolled already.
Harry watched patiently as Sirius pulled on a pair of jeans and black t-shirt. "Have you eaten?"
"Yep!" the four year old smiled pleased with himself.
"Packed lunch?"
Harry shook his head.
"Go pick out what you want and I'll come make your sandwich in a minute."
Harry leapt off the bed and ran down the stairs to the first landing.
Sirius turned, picked up his wand and a waist holster to keep it hidden under his shirt, strapped it on, then walked out. He walked into the kitchen, "Have you got everything?" he looked over at Harry sitting up on the counter with his feet swinging and banging against the cabinet below him.
Harry nodded quickly as he looked into the brown bag again.
Putting the sandwich together in silence, Sirius watched out of the corner of his eye as Harry jumped down and ran out of his field of vision. When he turned around he found Harry struggling to get into a jean jacket. "Here Harry…" he kneeled down in front of the small boy and helped him into the jacket properly. "Now tie your shoe and we'll be off."
While Harry did as Sirius asked, he picked up Harry's very light book bag and dropped his lunch inside.
"Ready Si?" asked Harry beaming up at Sirius as he handed him his book bag.
"We'll see…" he returned Harry's smiled and held out his hand for him.
In the past three years Harry had come to be a son more then anything else. He had to admit the two of them looked to be related. Dark hair, slightly pale complexion, most just assumed he received the rest from his mother. In reality, Harry looked exactly like his father, with his mother's brilliant green eyes.
Sirius loaded Harry into the seat behind the drivers' side of the car, and then they were off. By the time they reached Orchard Preschool, Harry was bouncing in his seat excited, but quiet.
Peering out the car window Harry studied the house like school. It was actually once a home; the owners only change it slightly by adding an addition, putting up a sign, and fencing in the back yard.
Sirius got out of the car and opened the door for Harry, whom fumbled with the seatbelt and got out with his bag. Harry's hand latched on to Sirius's. The two stood frozen in the warm early September air staring at the building. It was a warm gray, with black shingles, and dark blue shutters. Laughter from children inside and out of the house drifted to them with a light breeze.
"Let's go Si!" Harry smiled as he dragged Sirius towards the patio and through the front door.
"Why hello there." A woman's voice drifted through the door he was being dragged through.
Harry stopped immediately causing Sirius to nearly topple over his halted form. "Ahh!" grabbing for the door jam his right shoulder rammed into the door causing it to fly the rest of the way open. Sirius's body jerked to a halt as his arm stopped his fall. Using the door jam once more, Sirius pulled himself up correctly and looked down at Harry, "You ok kid?" he ruffled his hair.
"Sorry Si…" Harry's cheeks were burning a bright red as he stared at his feet.
"Your just lucky I didn't fall on you." Sirius laughed and took Harry's small hand once more before looking up at the slightly startled woman. "Hello." Sirius flashed one of his charming smiles that made any woman melt. "Sorry about that."
Harry hid half-way behind Sirius suddenly shy.
"And here I thought you were excited to be here." Sirius looked down at Harry amused, "I was hoping I could get Harry enrolled here."
"Oh yes of course." The lady shook her head making her dirty blond hair wisp around her face as she broke her gaze. "Let me get the papers. You can let Harry go and play with the other children."
Sirius watched her leave then looked down at Harry who was holding on to his pants still. "Well," Harry looked up, "What are you waiting for?" Harry smiled then began to run off but stopped and ran back and handed his bag to Sirius. Sirius shook his head as Harry ran off again into a room that had several other kids in it.
Stopping at the top of a step that lead to the room Harry was looking over he looked around curiously. There was a girl with brown hair in a far corner reading a little kids book, a small group of kids were playing with some blocks to his left, to his right was a group of girls playing with dolls (something he decided he would avoid), and right in front of his very eyes was something he found quite revolting, even as a four year old.
With a small amount of interest he watched an enormous boy with wispy blond hair, whom looked like he should have been in second grade, bend over another boy his own size with shaggy dark brown hair and seize the kid's toy. Then the boy laughed when the other started to cry. Harry couldn't stand to see that. Even with a simple mind of a child his age he knew the different between right and wrong and this was obviously wrong. But no one was stopping it, why weren't the other kids helping? Even as Harry pondered over this he didn't know, but he knew what he had to do.
Mustering up all the courage and height he could he marched up the enormous boy and said in the loudest voice he could emit at the time and said, "Give it back!" the boy on the ground behind him stopped crying and stared at the scene unfolding.
The large boy looked down at Harry like he was a bug and shoved him a side with a grunt, still Harry got up, "Give it back he had it first!" said Harry a little braver, by now all the kids were watching the spectacle, no one had ever dared to speak up to the big kid. No, they had all learned the hard way.
"No its mine." Claimed the big boy matter-of-fact like thinking Harry knew who he was.
"No, it was his," he pointed back at the other boy on the ground behind him, "I watched you take it from him." He lashed out and took the object from the big boy's hands and a collective gasp went up from all the other kids at this.
The big boy's face contorted in anger and annoyed and he shoved Harry again.
This time Harry only stumbled back readying for the response, he handed the soldier figurine back to the kid it had originally belonged to. A moment later Harry was flat on his back and there was a lot of shouting. A little dazed Harry rubbed his head and Sirius came into view suddenly.
"You ok kid?" he asked with concern etched in his face.
Harry nodded, "Ok…"
Sirius gave him a worried look before helping him to his feet. Not far off the woman who had met them at the door was giving a now crying Dudley a stern talk. One word drifted in their direction, "…parents…" many of the kids started to murmur around them in excitement.
The boy that Harry had helped walked over to the two shyly, "Thanks…" he said quietly.
"No problem!" Harry imitated one of Sirius's common phrases, he smiled at the boy. "What is your name?"
"Comrade."
"Cool!"
Sirius eased himself away from the becoming friends to talk to the woman he now knew as Janet. He paused to look back at the two though for a moment while she finished up with Dudley.
Comrade brightened up at Harry's comment, and he finally smiled, "What's yours?"
"Harry."
"Wanna go play?"
Harry smiled, "Yeah!"
Before the two had run off the bushy haired girl from the corner walked over to the two, "You ok Comrade?"
Comrade smiled and nodded, his day already getting better.
"Who are you?" asked Harry curiously, the only other girl he knew was a neighbor of his that he always played with, he was hoping she was just as fun.
"Hermione."
"Herm-nee?"
Hermione and Comrade laughed at Harry's pronunciation, "Hermione." She said it slower.
Harry thought a moment then said her name again, "Hermione." He received a nod of approval from his friends. "You wanna come play with us Hermione?"
Hermione smiled, "Yeah!"
The three ran off and out one of the glass doors to a small play ground area in the back.
Sirius turned around to find Janet walking towards him, "I'm sorry about that, I'm having his parents come right over. Is Harry alright?"
He nodded, "He's fine. Hardly cries that kid. Harry's a tough one." He looked out one of the windows to see Harry chase after Hermione with Comrade not far behind. "Oh yes, here are the papers." He handed them to Janet.
"Oh you left the employment box empty." She looked up at him puzzled and holding it out for him.
Sirius didn't take it back; rather he tried thinking up a way to explain to her why he did.
"Are you unemployed?" she asked hurriedly her own cheeks burning at the question.
"Oh no it's nothing like that." Sirius shook his head. "I'm opening up a shop here soon." Well more like today…He thought to himself.
"Where did you previously work then?"
Sirius shook his head, "My inheritance was enough and is still enough for me to live off of. No need to worry about Harry's home or welfare. Once I have everything worked out with the building I'll finish that up. It won't stop his enrollment here will it?"
"Oh no of course not," she didn't know what to think now that she knew he was from a wealthy family, "just procedure, we have to check out the family's finical standings to see whether he need to make and changes."
"I see." He watched as Janet studied the paper once more.
"No mother?" she asked concerned.
Sirius had been prepared for that question, "Ah no, not currently, soon though I hope." He smiled thinking of Kristen.
Janet smiled slyly, "I see, we'll, good luck with that. But I don't want to delay you any longer then. We close down at six; you can come any time before then though."
Sirius nodded and silently he turned and left. He had plans for the day. What he had told Janet had not been an entire lie; he was actually going to open up a book store. He was going to open up a book store. It was actually quite funny. What the others would think if they knew about this. He was sure James was rolling in his grave right about now at the prospect. Of course it was only going to be a cover job for him while he worked as an Auror and acted as a father to Harry and a muggle for his neighbors. But the best part was he was able to buy property that was back to back with another plot that was in Diagon Alley. This way he'd be able to stay connected to both worlds and be able to say he worked.
Making his way into downtown London Sirius allowed his thoughts to drift from Harry, to Hogwarts, to the present time and finally to Kristen. Not long after they had met Sirius discovered she had been widowed the year before and had two kids, a son and daughter. Her daughter, Aaralyan, was the same age of Harry, and her son, Daniel, was two years older. Sometime in their relationship in the past year he had managed to get her pregnant, and she was still not sure how to react to it. At the moment she was in her eighth month. Sirius actually planned to purpose to her that night. He suddenly noticed he was where he wanted to be and pulled into a parking place his thoughts already beginning to slip away.
Getting out of his car Sirius locked it and dodged his way across the walk way to get to a dark building. Shifting through his keys he found the proper one and opened the door and slipped in and flicked the lights on. With the lights on he revealed a clean and newly furnished room. The front of the store was occupied by three circular tables with three chairs each by the window. Just across from the door was a counter for checking out, and buying coffee and other beverages, as well as assorted foods. Further to the back of the store was where the books were. The shelves were currently full, now all he had to do was take care of hiring someone to manage the counter. He had the supplies, but not the man power just yet.
Pulling out the sign from behind the counter he put it in the window and went about making sure he had everything set up properly, and then he started the coffee and went back to the door and flipped the sign so it now read 'Now Open.'
By 11 Sirius had wandered around his whole store checking the shelves, gotten some coffee going, and cleaned all of the tables and the counter. With a sigh he pulled out a bag of chips and opened them as he sat down on a stool behind the counter. Staring out the window he watched as people walked by, a girl paused at the Now Hiring sign and looked up into the store as Sirius looked away and brushed a cloth over the already sparkling counter. There was a ding as the door opened, and Sirius looked up. Before him stood a young woman, she had long black hair that had additional blue and red streaks that were very dark but made her look very different. She was dressed down in a pair of jeans, and a black tank top with a green pull over.
"Hello…" she smiled slightly at him.
"Hello." Sirius sent her a charming smile and put the cloth in a bin behind the counter. "What can I do for you?"
"I saw that you're hiring, and I was hoping I could gat an application or something."
Sirius looked down at his watched, "Do you have time right now?"
She looked startled; "Oh-um…" she glanced at her watch, "Yeah, about an hour and a half."
"Ok, take a seat if you'd like." Sirius sat back on his stool.
She followed his suggestion and took a seat at a counter across from him.
"So I'll start with your name." he gave her an application, "Just fill it out as we go. I unfortunately have to keep all this stuff on file," he sighed, "so we gotta go through all the back ground information and such."
"Marie Holm." She wrote as she spoke and then looked further down the paper and checked a few boxes.
"So how often will you be able to work?"
"Most of the week, I have a majority of morning classes. I will be able to start at 2:30 on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. On Wednesday I'll be able to start at ten, can't work Fridays but I can on Saturdays, and no Sundays. Will that work?"
"Ok that's fine, better then I was expecting. I'm hoping to get a few more people and then we'll go from there, but other then that, your hired."
"What?" Marie's face was blank in shock of surprise. "Nothing else?"
"Just fill out the application, and when can you start?"
"Oh um tomorrow?"
"Prefect, its Wednesday. I'll need you in at ten; I'll be here around 9 after I drop off Harry."
"Harry?"
"My son."
"Oh! Oh I see. How old is he?" she asked with curiosity.
"Four."
"Oh he must be a hand full." She smiled.
"Amazingly no, he's a really good kid."
Marie smiled, "Well that's good to hear, I suppose I don't have to hear you complaining about him a lot then?"
Sirius shook his head, "No, but you'll hear about him I am sure. Well I won't delay you any longer. I'll see you tomorrow morning then."
Marie nodded, "See you then." She walked out of the store with a slight sigh.
Sirius relaxed back against the counter behind him and banged his head against a microwave. If he had to be this chipper to everyone he met and greeted he was going to shoot himself. It defiantly was not him; his normal personality was sarcastic and wild. But of course much of the wild part of him had been thrown aside when he had to pick up Harry and go under cover. But things happen (a new motto of his).
Sirius left the front and walked down one of the aisles to check for a certain book then turned back once he was sure it was there and began to make his way back to the front not sure what to do now.
"Well this is a sight for sore eyes." Claimed a familiar voice making Sirius jump out of his skin, he hadn't heard the bell ring.
A familiar face met Sirius', "What the hell are you doing here Remus?" he asked surprised.
Remus let out a laugh, "I could ask you the same thing. Where have you been? You just kind of disappeared after," he paused, "after Lily and James…" he left the last part unsaid.
"I…I know I'm sorry they said I had to cut everything off…Peter's still out there…" he sighed.
Remus's eyebrows furrowed, "What about Peter?"
Sirius sighed mentally, so he still thought he had been the secret keeper, what did everyone else thing then? "He was the Potter's secret keeper."
"I-I thought…"
"We switched, he was the more unlikely one, only Dumbledore knew..." His expression had darkened, "I had to cut myself off from everything after…"
"Why? Unless…you have him?" asked Remus his voice suddenly hushed as if he were afraid someone was going to over hear in the empty store. What were the books going to tell on them? Well actually that had been known to happen, well only in the magical world anyway.
Sirius nodded, "He's safe."
Remus nodded.
With out anything said the two gave each other a brotherly hug and stepped back. "This whole time I was thinking you were…I can't even say it…"
"Dadddddddd…" a child's voice entered the scene.
Remus looked over his shoulder, "Come here Fable…Sirius a lot of things have happened since you've been gone."
"I can see that." He looked down at the black haired girl.
"This is my daughter Fable. Fable, this is Sirius." He smiled at them both.
"So you and Arya?"
Remus nodded, "Not long after you disappeared. She's Harry's age." After a moment he paused, "So what are you doing in here? Of all places."
Sirius smiled, "All well about that…I just opened it this morning."
Remus blinked and took a step back blinking, "No really…You can't be serious, Sirius."
"Ah! Not with the serious joke!" Sirius wiped his face with his hands, "Now this is my store, paid for and all. I have a connected one in Diagon Alley, only I haven't opened it. It takes a while to get the books in."
"You and a book store…a book store? Of all cover ups?"
Sirius shrugged, "Notice the title?"
Remus shook his head, "No, Fable just kind of dragged me in here." He looked over Sirius's shoulder and saw it, "LJSR?"
"The original four." The two broke into grins at the same time.
They stood in silence for a moment not sure what to say now. Sirius looked from Fable to Remus, "So is she…"
"Yep…"
"Ohhh…" he winced.
"You have no idea, she won't take the potion."
Sirius winced further. "Ouch."
"Only if a person is around." He referred to the werewolf's thirst for human blood.
Sirius nodded, then suddenly stopped, "Oh shit…I forgot to let the dog out…I have to call Kristen." He rushed around the back of the counter.
"Kristen?"
"One minute…"
Remus watched as Sirius naturally dialed a number on the phone and stood waiting. "It seems someone has adjusted to their new life."
Sirius smiled as he waited, "Hey…wait what?" he winced, "I'm coming over tonight…this afternoon I mean…I just wanted to ask you if you could send Daniel across the street to let the dog out." He held the phone at arm lengths away, "He'll be fine, he's crossed the street plenty of times." He winced and let out a sigh, "I'll see you tonight…" he hung up slowly. He looked back at Remus and rubbed his ear.
"Trouble with this Kristen…"
"Not quite…More like she's eight months pregnant."
"I see…should I even ask?" a sly grin was plastered on Remus's face.
Sirius smiled, "I'm purposing tonight."
Remus rocked back on his heels, "Ohh…I can see why she's the way she is…."
"Oh shove it Moony…"
"As much as I'd like to stay and chat, Arya is expecting us home to take the potion with in the hour."
"Ah yes the full moon is tonight…"
Remus nodded, "Unfortunately," he sighed, "I am expecting an invitation though."
Sirius smiled, "You'll be getting one hopefully. If she doesn't kill me first…" he finished under his breath.
Remus laughed, "See you later Padfoot."
Sirius watched him leave with his daughter, he had a daughter! He sure had missed a lot. "Ok have to get home!" he ran around locking things up cleaning things quickly and he was out the door by two, after having two customers and one taker on an application.
Running out, Sirius launched himself into his car and made his way home as quickly as he could in the afternoon traffic. Getting to sit there for a few moments though, at a light, helped him remember he had to pick a certain someone up. Making a quick left he pulled up to Harry's Preschool in a few minutes and trotted inside.
Janet looked up from a desk she had by the door as Sirius came in, "Hello." He smiled, "Here's the address and phone for my work place, and I have to get Harry and go."
"Sure fine." She watched him as he moved into the other room looking for his son. A dreamy smile was set on her face, he seemed like a good father, and he'd be a good husband in the future. To bad she couldn't have him. She looked back down at the papers on her desk, "Blasted work…" she sighed and picked up her pen once more.
Sirius scanned the room for Harry and found only three girls mulling over some dolls in the corner. Slipping out back he found the new trio (don't worry Ron is defiantly not out of the picture) sitting on swings and seeing who could get the highest, and so far Comrade was winning, and Harry and Hermione were in unison.
"Hey Harry!" He leaned against the play ground structure that was wooden and quite large; actually the whole back yard was bigger then normal. Sirius assumed she bought more property or Janet had just been lucky in the buy.
Harry slowed and jumped off the swing, when he found the time right, and ran over to Sirius. "Hi Si!" he smiled brightly.
"Time to go kid." Harry's bright face fell slightly, "You'll be coming back again tomorrow I promise."
Harry's smile returned and he looked back at Hermione and Comrade and waved, "See ya tomorrow!"
The other two yelled out their good-byes and continued playing. Sirius grabbed Harry's bag and they headed out together.
Harry chattered the whole way home about his day and his new friends, Hermione and Comrade. Sirius wasn't sure if he'd ever get the kid quiet that night. "…and Comrade, he's in karate! Its so cool! Can I learn? Please Si? Please?"
"We'll see Sirius…" As they pulled up to the house Harry fell silent looking out his windows as they passed Kristen's house. Aaralyan was playing in the yard, while Kristen stood posed with her hand at her back and the other was holding a hose that was watering the garden.
Sirius sighed and shook his head as he put the car in park, "Yes you can go play with Aaralyan."
Harry struggled briefly with his seat belt then the locked door before leaping out of the car and running to the end of the drive and looking in both directions. Seeing no cars Harry darted across the street to his friend's side.
Kristen looked up at Harry and Aaralyan, and looked across the street at Sirius who was now standing by his car. She looked away quickly, obviously annoyed about something.
Pushing the car door shut he made his way across the street to talk to the worst enemy he had at the moment. A pregnant, unmarried women, "Hey…" he gave Kristen a weak smile. "You should be in bed."
Kristen looked over at him with a glare, "I am sick of sitting all the time! There is nothing to do but stare at a damn wall!"
Sirius raised his eye brows, "You still should not be on your feet you're eight and a half months pregnant."
"Sirius I am perfectly fine, and I don't need you to remind me that I'm pregnant! I get reminded every time my ankles feel like exploding, or my back feels like its going to break, whenever I look down, and when ever I look at you when you're giving me that look."
Sirius smiled sweetly, "Come on I'll finish watering the flowers, and you just go sit on the porch." Harry and Aaralyn ran past them into the house.
"Sirius Black! I can very much take care of my…self…" an odd expression crossed Kristen then she suddenly winced.
"Kristen…" Sirius drew out her name as he tried to catch her eye.
She looked up at him, "Ohmigosh…my water just broke…"
Sirius's eyes flew wide, he shoved his keys in her hand, "Go get in the car, I'll get the kids and the suitcase!" he ran past her into the house.
"Daniel, Harry, Aaralyan! We have to go now!" he picked up the suit case they had put by the door at the beginning of Kristen's eighth month.
Aaralyan and Harry stumbled down the stairs together, and Daniel followed shortly glaring at the other two.
"Come on, we have to get the hospital!"
The three followed Sirius out of the house like ducklings and over to the car.
"Aaralyan sits in the middle!" declared Daniel taking a door.
"Not fair!"
"Don't argue Aaralyan! Just get in now."
Sirius dropped into the front seat just as Kristen relaxed back from leaning forward in pain, "Hurry!"
He threw the car in reverse and speed off in the direction of the hospital once in the street. Sirius's other foot (the one not controlling the speed and break) was tapping like mad in nerves. He winced when Kristen yelled out in pain suddenly. It took another five minutes to get to the Hospital, buy then the kids in the back were being noisy and Kristen wasn't looking in the best of shape.
"Come on, out of the car guys." Sirius ushered the kids out of the car before retrieving Kristen.
The two shuffled into the ER, people were running around. "Help! Someone please help!" no one took notice.
"Unless you want me to have this kid on the damn floor, get a nurse over her now!"
A few people paused and looked over at the motley crew of two adults and three kids. Finally a nurse came over and took Kristen away from Sirius. Sirius followed and so did the kids as they looked around curiously. They were taken to a different part of the hospital, the sound of several crying babies reached their ears in one hallway but once they had taken a right down another hallway it was a cry of pain as a woman delivered her baby that reached them all. Harry and Aaralyan clapped hands over their ears.
At the end of the hallway they entered a room, when the door shut all other noise was drowned out. Soon the room was milling with nurses prepping Kristen for the delivery and the rest of them were shoved into a corner of the room to watch and wait. Every time Kristen screamed and yelled in pain they all winced, and Harry and Aaralyan covered their ears like before.
As things started to calm Sirius suddenly remembered what he was planning to do that night. "Would you care if I asked you a question?" he asked Kristen as he began to fumble with his jacket looking for something. With a small slightly nervous smile he looked up at Kristen, who was giving him a scrutinizing look as he pat his pockets.
"If you ask me where you put the keys, I swear I will kill you myself Sirius!"
"Oh no nothing like that…" Kristen's expression didn't change. "Ah found it!" his hand grabbed something in an inside pocket of his jacket.
"Found what?" she gritted as a nurse stuck a needle in her arm.
"This." Sirius held up a small black box.
Everyone in the room paused; except for the kids, as Sirius moved to Kristen's side, "I know I am a little late in doing this…but…" he kneeled by Kristen's side and took her hand gently. "Kristen Summerland I know this isn't the most romantic place or ever how you imagined this happening, but" he opened the box to reveal an engagement ring, "Will you marry me?"
The look on Kristen's face was priceless, "What…I mean…" she shut her mouth before something stupid came out again. "Oh God YES!" as the two pulled into a kiss the room broke out into an applause.
Kristen pulled it off with a jerk as another contraction happened.
"That's two minutes!" announced a nurse.
Sirius was pulled back as they started up their work again. An ultra sound machine was attached to Kristen's large stomach. As the movement settled down a doctor came in a slid around to look at the ultra sound image. His eyebrows rose slightly, "Ok we're in for a rocky ride ladies. It's a triple." What he said completely slipped over both Sirius and Kristen.
A nurse came over and ushered the kids out of the room as Kristen began to deliver.
"Ahhhhh!" Kristen leaned forward in pain.
"Relax Kristen! It's not time yet!" ordered the doctor.
"It feels like it…" she growled in response.
Off to the side, watching, Sirius felt lame just standing there while Kristen continually screamed in pain.
Five minutes later… "He's crowning!" shouted the doctor. Two different nurses moved into place waiting.
Kristen screamed and crushed Sirius's recently given hand as she did so…
"Ahhh!" Sirius winced.
Kristen leaned forward her eyes squeezed tight together as she pushed under the command of the doctor. Suddenly her grip relaxed and she leaned back against the several pillows behind her back.
There was a small cry of a baby and the doctor looked up with a smile, "It's a boy." He handed the small child off to one of the nurses. "Ok Kristen you have a few minutes of rest before the next one."
Kristen sat up as straight as she could and Sirius's eyes flew wide. "Next one?" they asked in unison.
"Well there's actually two more to go, but you're doin' pretty well for most women."
"Wait did you just say two more?" asked Sirius.
The doctor looked back at the two from their first child, "You didn't know?"
They shook their heads together.
"Bloody hell…How couldn't you?"
"I only wanted to know my baby was healthy when I went to the doctor…I wanted the sex to be a surprise…" answered Kristen.
"I see…" answered the doctor, "Well dad…" he turned slightly and looked at Sirius with a smirk, "Would you like to hold your son?"
Sirius nodded slowly and moved away from Kristen's side and over to the doctor's. The doctor picked up the baby and handed him to Sirius.
This was completely different from handling Harry when he had found him. The baby in his arms seemed much more fragile then Harry had ever been. After a moment of holding his son he relaxed and smiled. "My God…Kristen….its out son…" he looked up at Kristen who suddenly winced in pain.
"Oh God…" she leaned forward.
"Don't push Kristen! Not yet!" ordered the Doctor moving back into position.
Ten minutes later, Kristen was leaning back into the pillows again with a nurse dabbing at her forehead and cleaning the sweat away gently.
"You have a daughter Kristen." The doctor smiled over at the couple. "One more to go and you'll be able to sleep a good long while." He handed off the second born to a nurse who took her to clean her up.
Fifteen minutes later, Kristen dropped back against the pillows for the last time and closed her eyes for a moment. "Another girl." She smiled at the doctors words but left her eyes closed, too exhausted to even open them.
"You were great…" whispered Sirius's voice about Kristen, a light kiss landed on the top of her head and she let out a small sigh.
"I love you…" she whispered before dropping off.
"Love you too Kristen…" Sirius pulled away from his soon to be wife and looked down at his son for a moment.
"Mr. Black…"
Sirius's head jerked up, a nurse stood looking at him, "Yeah?"
"We need to take your wife and the children to another room and a few tests need to be done."
Sirius nodded and handed over his son, and watch as she and the other nurses left them all. He looked over at the other kids and saw that Harry had passed out in a chair. With a small smile he picked up Harry, "Come on guys…Lets see where they're taking your mom." He offered a hand to Aaralyan.
Three hours later, Kristen woke to a small cry of a baby. She looked around and saw Sirius holding one of their children. In a chair beside her Aaralyan was asleep on Harry's shoulder, and he was leaning against the arm rest. Daniel was staring into one of the cribs in the room that obviously was holding one of the babies.
"Hey…" she said quietly.
Sirius turned quickly and smiled at Kristen, "Want to meet your first daughter?"
Kristen smiled and nodded. Sirius walked over and handed her to Kristen, "So we have to some up with three names…" he said pulling up a stool and perching on it.
"I think I have one…"
Sirius raised and eye brow, "That was quick…What is it?"
"Well I was thinking if we had a boy we could call him Orion."
Sirius smiled, "Only thing is…You'll have to tell everyone you named him."
Kristen looked confused, "What?"
"My name is Sirius…same as a star…" amazingly he still remembered that from Astronomy class.
Kristen smiled, "Well…I'm thinking his name will be Orion then. It'll be cute!"
"Oh God…the cute thing…"
Kristen smiled pleased with herself for annoying Sirius. "Ok for that…You can name one of the girls."
Sirius sat back in thought for a few moments, he looked down at his daughter in Kristen's arms, she had very dark green eyes and the starting wisps of black hair, "Jade."
Kristen smiled, "I like that…" she said watching her daughter.
"Ok we have to agree on the last one…" Sirius got up and retrieved his daughter and held her with one arm and picked Orion with the other. Daniel followed Sirius over to his mother's side. "It seems they have all gotten my dark hair…"
Kristen smiled, "Yep…Jade had green eyes and Orion had blue, so does our youngest.
"How about…" Sirius paused, "Annelise?"
"I like it. Where'd you get that?"
"My past." Said Sirius with a knowing smile.
Kristen sighed, "Oh yes your mysterious past that I know so very little of…You know you're going to have to tell me about it sometime. Especially since we're going to be getting married."
Sirius smiled, "I suppose I should tell you a bit more about it. But this is not the place or time."
"So when is the time and where is the place?"
"Not now and not here."
Kristen gave him a skeptical look, "Well I better hear it soon."
"You should…"
"Just to let you know…no kids for a couple of years."
Sirius smiled making Kristen eye him wearily, "I'm serious I don't know if I'll be able to handle these three."
"Well I'll be by your side through it all."
Kristen smiled softly, "Good."
"So it's Jade, Orion, and Annelise." He said watching their children. Suddenly he smiled and looked up at Kristen, "We're going to need a bigger car."