Series title: Paternity
Chapter 3?
Title: Anything Your Heart Desires Will Come To You
Writer: Azure K Mello
Prongs, I love the stickers and as I recall I was decorating a room with them last year.
Words: 568
Harry had sunk into thought. He looked up at the tapestry of the Black family tree. They had never managed to get it off the wall but they had restored the missing names, now it stood proudly behind the Christmas tree. Following his son's gaze Sirius looked towards the tapestry and pointed his wand at it. The names James and Harold appeared embroidered on the fabric in gold thread. Pointing at the tapestry Harry said, "Oh God, eww."
As he followed the direction of Harry's pointed finger James read the name Narcissa connected by a double line of gold embroidery to Lucius Malfoy. Beneath the pair he saw the name Draco. "It's not that bad," said Sirius realizing what the boy was looking at.
"You're speaking form experience? You dated your second cousin once removed? Wait, isn't Arthur Weasley your second cousin once removed?"
"Well, let's be honest, you did a lot more than date Draco," Sirius laughed with sick glee.
"Shut up, Dad." Harry still hadn't sat up or removed his head from the man's thigh. Changing the subject Harry said, "We need to decorate the dining room and kitchen." To James he said, "We're having a sort of open house on Christmas. Some teachers are coming for brunch; Dumbledore, Minerva, Severus," James gasped but Harry forged on with the list, "and Hagrid. The nine Weasleys and Hermione are coming for lunch and Draco, Oliver, and Remus will be here all day. We need the place to look festive." He knew that his Dad knew most of the names only vaguely but he made no move to explain.
"It's already a happier place than it was when that old cow lived here.," said James helpfully.
"She still lives here," Sirius smiled, "in a portrait anyway. Harry and Draco like to annoy her. We can't get her off the wall. Her and the damn tapestry."
"We make out in front of her. She thinks it's disgusting because I'm a half blood." He seemed half asleep as he spoke. All comfortable and slow, "I can't wait to tell her that actually I'm a blood traitor. She might fall off the wall."
"I like the tapestry," said James softly.
"The Order of the Phoenix stayed here for a while, they helped clean out some of the dark magic. And when everyone thought I was dead Harry and Remus cleaned the place up a bit more. Once I clawed my way out of hell Harry and I finished clearing up and redecorated."
"But," James laughed apologetically, "You hate it here. Why are you still living here?"
"I did hate it. And I was forced to hide here while they thought I'd killed you. It was hell. Then he was here. He slept in my old room with his friend Ron. And he was comfortable here. I watched him sleep and I went back to my mother's room. Until then I'd been housing a hippogriff in there hoping it would ruin the room. But I realized it wasn't her room. It's the master bedroom. And I'm the master of the House of Black. I spent my whole life hating them but I am them. Harry's a Black." He looked down and realized that the boy had fallen asleep, "I can't hate them anymore."
James watched the pair with a quiet smile and then said, "Wait! You clawed your way out of hell?"