Writer: Azure K Mello

Title: A Bond Never Dies

Part: 56?

Words: 506

Warnings: Angst. Non-canon.

MRHG- Ding dong, the cunt is dead. The mean old cunt. The wicked cunt.

"What's wrong?" asked James slowly. He thought Sirius would be happy at the prospect of adopting Harry.

"I have no money," said Sirius acting as though it was a totally casual conversation. "I'm broke."

James laughed heartily. "No."

"The Ministry seizes the assets of any prisoner who is given a life sentence. They put the money towards public works."

"Thanks for the lesson in modern government." James smiled to himself, "Here's a lesson for you in pureblooded snobbery, if you don't want to give money to the government they don't get it. The Blacks like to give big monetary gifts to the Ministry. What they don't want is for the Ministry to make a scene by taking money away from them. And as they've given so much money to the government the Minister and his cronies ignored your small fortune in Gringotts."

"Did it collect interest?" asked Sirius with a glean in his eyes.

James laughed, "I guess it's not quite such a small fortune by now."

Having been watching with rapt attention Harry had heard them discussing houses and asked, "Wher 're we gonna go afder dis?"

"To the shops," said James not really understanding the question.

"But afder we weave here. Are we's gonna get a house of our owns?"

No," James shook his head slowly and spoke in a soft tone to his boy, "We're gonna live here. We've got to go to the bank and sign some papers. But then this will be your home forever and you'll live with me and Sirius and Remus 'til you're a grown up. Sirius is gonna make you of your own room today."

"And a bathroom to share with us," added Sirius distractedly as he tried ineptly to brush the little boy's hair down. He was smiling at the thick brown curls. It felt good to play at being a real adult. Finally giving up on taming the unruly locks he lent down to kiss the top of the boy's head but he found himself caught in a tight hug.

"Fank you," said Harry, "I've never hads a woom beefor."

Sirius smiled sadly into the warm hair. It wasn't something that should have made Harry so grateful. He just hugged the little boy in return.

James went to search for the boy's trainers but when he found them he paused. There were holes worn through the soles and they were at least a size too small for Harry. He had seen his son's strange gait and he now realized that his son's feet must have hurt when pinched tightly in the tiny shoes. "New plan. We go to Diagon Alley, we get done with the bank as quickly as possible and then we buy shoes. We can get out of the bank in under a half hour. The goblins don't like dealing with people much." Harry gasped and James added very quickly, "Even though goblins are very nice people. Some of my best friends are goblins. You're not gonna wear shoes, I'll just carry you."