Chapter Four

It's been almost a week since Sirius James and Remus stayed over Isabella's home. Remus apparated his way there the same night Sirius and James took the Floo Network and wondered how Isabella managed to get a muggle home into the network.

"There was this form that they gave me," she explained the day after he arrived. "You pay 2 galleons and they let the muggle home be part of the Floo Network for a day, as long as there's a witch or a wizard present."

Sirius was starting to enjoy himself, although he was still a little apprehensive about spending some time alone with Mr. Stonewall. It was also hard to get Isabella alone in the house, most of the time, one of her older brothers would just pop up out of nowhere whenever Sirius would try to kiss Isabella. He was almost beginning to think that they were watching his every move when Isabella gave them one look and they all backed away.

"You know," said Sirius, pouting slightly, "I'm not a mentally challenged sociopath."

"You could have fooled us, Sirius," said a voice. When he turned around, it was Remus with James and Lily, who was carrying a large tray of cookies.

"Cookies," said Lily, grinning, "I baked them myself."

Isabella grinned and took a cookie quickly and handed it to Sirius. Sirius looked awkwardly at Lily. "Er.." he said, "is it safe to eat?"

Lily gave him such a McGonagall like glare that Sirius crammed the entire large cookie in his mouth in one bite and muffled something that he wished Lily would take as a compliment.

"Don't mind him, Lils," said James, glaring slightly at Sirius and then grinning at Lily, "I think that these are the best most delicious cookies in the whole entire world, and that I could eat it all day knowing that this was made by your loving hands and your - "

"All right, Potter," said Lily blushing slightly, "I get it."

James smiled at her.

"And thank you."

James grinned at her.

Sirius gaped at them. When he looked at Isabella, she stopped, stunned in mid chew and Remus was curiously looking from James to Lily, as if waiting to see what would happen next.

It was Isabella who first came out of the trance. "Aww, look at you two," she said swooning as she grabbed for another cookie and leaning her head on Sirius' shoulder. "Don't they look cute, Sirius?"

Lily looked at her. "What are you talking about Bella?"

Remus stared at her. "Even I know what you two are doing."

James blushed slightly but didn't answer. Sirius sniggered at his best friend. He knew that he had always loved Lily, he said so the minute that he saw her, and he had been pursuing her for the past seven years. He thought that it was high time that James gets a chance with Lily, just one date, maybe then Lily would realize just how much James had fallen for her.

"What are we doing, Remus?" asked Lily.

"You're bonding!" said Remus and Isabella together.

"You were having a moment, Lils," added Sirius.

Lily stuttered to form an answer, but before Sirius got to hear it, Jason came striding in from the kitchen and headed towards them, obviously with a purpose.

"Sirius," he said.

Sirius turned. "Yeah?" he asked, rather apprehensively.

"Dad wants to talk to you."

Isabella stood up. "Why?"

Jason shrugged. "Dunno." he said. "He wants to talk to him alone."

Sirius gulped, and turned to Isabella. He stood up and she accompanied her to the living room. "Don't worry," she said, "dad's not going to eat you alive."

"You don't think so?"

"I know so," said Isabella reassuringly. "He'll just have a few questions, answer them as truthfully as possible."

"And don't stutter," said Jason.

"Jason!"

Jason shrugged. "Well, he shouldn't!" he said. "And salute when you see him."

"Jason!"

"Okay," said Jason, "so maybe you shouldn't salute. But keep a cool and calm head and everything will be fine."

Isabella stared at him. "Jason, do you actually approve of Sirius?"

Sirius looked at him. He had liked Jason among the three older brothers. He was the most fun and kept criticizing James' hair and playing jokes on Isabella. At the same time, he was always checking that Isabella was alright and that she was always having fun and often wondered and stared at her whenever he felt that she gets too quiet.

Jason shrugged. "I guess he's rubbing off me," he said casually, "he's a lot better than your ex boyfriends that's for sure." He leaned down to Sirius. "She had horrible taste before you, believe me," he whispered.

"I heard that!"

But Sirius didn't pay any more attention to Jason's retaliation, for he was bring pushed into the living room, where Mr. Stonewall was sitting on his armchair and studying him while smoking a pipe.

Sirius almost took Jason's advice to salute, only to remember that it was joke and quickly made his arm stock still to his said.

"Hello, Sirius," said Mr. Stonewall warmly, putting the pipe down. "Come sit down."

Sirius sat down on the couch facing Mr. Stonewall and said, "you wanted to talk to me sir?"

"Come now, there's no need for the formalities," he said lightly, "I just wanted to ask you questions regarding my daughter."

Sirius' ability to become an Animagus had always paid off dividends for him. He could hear the others hissing at each other from the kitchen. They were obviously trying to eavesdrop on the conversation, but Sirius forced his mind away from that. "I'd be happy to answer anything that you want answered. sir."

Mr. Stonewall nodded. "Good, good," he said. "Now, what are your intentions with my daughter?"

Sirius gulped. "Intentions, sir?" he asked.

"Intentions," repeated Mr. Stonewall. "What do you see in her? What are your plans? Do you plan to leave her anytime soon?

"Mr. Stonewall, I have nothing but the best intentions for your daughter!" said Sirius indignantly, "I always try to give her the very best of anything that she desires. Obviously since we are young I cannot give her everything that she wants, but I would never try to hurt her in any way or make her cry! I have never made her cry in our entire relationship, and if I can help it sir, I will make sure that not a drop of tear falls from her eyes."

Mr. Stonewall raised an eyebrow. "Those are pretty strong words from a seventeen year old."

"I have very strong feelings for Isabella, sir," said Sirius, "I like her, I like her a lot. I would go out on the limb to say that I love her. I know that that is a pretty strong thing to say" - for Mr. Stonewalls eyebrows were both raised now - "but I would give up everything to make her happy, and to know that she would always be happy."

"It sounds like a speech that you've made too often."

"I do not make speeches about the people I love, sir." said Sirius. "James, Remus and Lily are some of my dearest and closest friends, and I would do anything for them to be happy and most especially when it comes to Isabella. We have a good strong relationship, sir, and I would be very stupid if I mess it up now."

"Are you stupid?"

Sirius huffed indignantly. He didn't like where this conversation was going. "Sir, I am not stupid," he said calmly, with every fiber of dignity in his voice, "I came here to see if you think that I am worthy enough to have a meaningful and wonderful relationship with your daughter, and if you ask me sir, I think I deserve to have your daughter by my side. I believe that she is very happy with me and I am very, very happy with her. Besides, I am not the only one who is in this relationship. This isn't about me. This is about us, and the only way that we can make this work out is if we work through it together, and believe me, sir, I intend to make this work out."

Sirius thought that he heard clapping from the other side of the door, but he didn't care. He just wanted to answer the next question and prove that he deserves to be in Isabella's life. Mr. Stonewall looked deep in thought and he smiled at Sirius, which startled Sirius a bit, because he thought that this was such a serious conversation.

"I believe you, Sirius," he said, "I saw the way that my daughter looks at you, and I am old enough to know and understand that you mean to her as much as we do. I am not a cruel father, Sirius. I do not intend to mean you or your relationship harm. But as a father, she is my one and only daughter, the only link I have to her mother. Do you know that she is the splitting image of her mother?"

"I didn't sir," said Sirius quietly, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," said Mr. Stonewall. "It is her very face that keeps me going. In her I see my wife, the love of my life, and in her I see the love and care that she had bestowed upon Isabella.

"I believe that you are perfect for my daughter, I do. I can see the love in her eyes when she looks at you, and the smile that forms in her face every time you make or do something funny. And I have seen the way you look at her, with love, not lust, and with caring, and I know, by the way that you look at her, that you will take care of her to your last dying breath.

"However, you are only seventeen," and here Mr. Stonewall's voice becomes very stern. "I do not want to know that you two are taking things fast. I am a father, Sirius, I would know when things are wrong. You two have plenty of time to be together, and to plan out the rest of your lives properly. As a father, I implore you to take care of my daughter, and make sure that no harm comes upon her.

"Do I make myself clear?"

Sirius didn't know what to say. If he had just heard right, her father had just given him his blessing. Sirius' insides were starting to relax and unravel. It was all right, he approved of the relationship. He knows that it was okay! Sirius grinned at Mr. Stonewall and nodded, not sure what to say to him after he had spoken so eloquently and elegantly. Now he knows where Isabella gets her fantastic and elegant vocabulary. If his fathers talks like this, then he would sound regal and refined as well.

"Oh, and one more thing," said Mr. Stonewall, "are you gay?"

Sirius stared.

"Daddy!" said Isabella indignantly, bursting in from the kitchens. "That is not funny!"

"Yes it was," said Jonathan, who had just come out of the other side of the house. "I thought it was very funny."

Isabella was heartily arguing with Jonathan, but Sirius was barely taking in a word she was saying. All he thought about was that he was practically part of the family now, and that he was accepted and that Isabella loves him...

"Congrats, mate," said James, patting him in the back. "That was some speech. You too, Mr. Stonewall."

Lily nodded. "It was very romantic." she said.

"It was very moving," said Remus, who was grinning broadly, "Isabella was jumping from giddiness all over the kitchen was James was applauding your performance - not that it's all an act Mr. Stonewall," added Remus hastily. "I know Padfoot (Mr. Stonewall already knows their nicknames), he loves Isabella very much."

James was looking at Lily with an odd smile in his face.

"What?" said Lily.

"Nothing," said James.

Isabella hugged Sirius tightly. "You were awesome," she said.

Sirius hugged her back tightly. "I know."