Chapter 60: Christmas

Later that evening, I joined everyone in the den, they were all waiting for me and Sirius to bring the baby out for everyone. Arthur had been attacked by my father's snake so we sat beside each other in our wheelchairs. He was allowed over for only a couple hours before he needed to return to the hospital so as soon as he arrived, everyone began to eat the lunch that everyone helped prepare. He looked at the sleeping baby in my arms and smiled, his bandages covering most of his body. "He's beautiful. Enjoy this little guy. They grow up to that." he joked as he pointed at the twins, who were playing with their food and decorating their faces to try to make everyone laugh.

I looked at Sirius, who was just beaming with pride and joy, we were surrounded by our friends and had a happy home with our little family. "So Phoebe, Sirius, have you come up with a name for him?" Harry asked and I shrugged, we thought we had time so we didn't talk about names just yet. "Not yet. But he surprised us all." "Guess he wanted to enjoy his first Christmas outside of your belly." Ginny said as she cooed and awed with Hermione. I handed him around, letting everyone hold him as I ate my food, Sirius's eyes never left his bundle, I shook my head, he was so over protective. Once everyone was finished eating, they lounged around and enjoyed the weather, being on an island even in winter it was warmer than their homes.

Sirius followed me to our room while I was feeding the baby and we sat together on the bed. "If I would've known, I would have bought some presents for him for Christmas. I wonder if I could get some delivered by the morning? Like a real Santa." I laughed and patted his leg, making him look at me. "How about our gift being a name for him. Let's start there, Sirius." he kissed the feeding baby and kissed me deeply, nodding, "Alright, well. Any ideas?" I thought about it, I mean neither of our families were really…you know. "What about Phil?" I looked at Sirius, did he really say that? "No way. He'll be called Philly. That's weird." I laughed and we continued to rattle off different names, some from his family, some from my mother's side.

"The Black family usually names their children after stars right? Are you wanting to continue that? I mean, you may have disagreed with their views on bloodlines, but now we are the Black family and we can lead it into a better future." I explained as he was scratching his beard. "Well, there was a name I liked when we were in school, studying the sky and everything. I just never wanted to follow after my family's anything." "What was it?" I asked, burping the baby as I watched him with a smile. "It was Caelum. I can't remember what it meant though." "It means stars in heaven." I told him, having recalled that name from our studies. I looked down at the sleeping baby, he was so handsome even an a newborn. "Caelum Black. I like it."

Sirius agreed and we sat there, enjoying our moment of our family, it was amazing that our child was here now, so big and healthy, completely perfect. I looked at Sirius as he was dozing off, "Hey, are you wanting more?" his head snapped up as he snorted and looked at me. "More what?" "These." I lifted Caelum up and his eyes went wide, "Already planning for more when we just got this one here?" he laughed and I shrugged, "Just planning for the future of the Black family. Not anytime soon though." he kissed my cheek and sighed, "We can have as many as you would like my love. Just one, or 3 or 12 if you want. I will always be here for you and our family, we will raise them all in love and this beautiful home. Phoebe, it's going to be amazing to raise our family up and create a better world for our children."

I laughed, he was thinking so far ahead, but with my father looming over, plotting and planning, we needed to handle that first before we planned for anything else. We put him down for bed and sat with everyone else for a while but Caelum was demanding and hungry often so I was in and out the rest of the evening. Everyone seemed to enjoy his name, saying it was lovely and soon it was time for bed. We all retired to our rooms and I moved his rolling bassinet into our room, not wanting to wake anyone with getting up to feed him all night. Sirius slept peacefully as I napped when Caelum napped and soon it was morning.

Everyone had decorated for Christmas and were opening presents when we joined them, Harry came over and handed a gift to Sirius and me. "Thank you Harry. Here, hold Caelum please." he was a little awkward as he held him, unsure of what or how to hold him right as we opened our gifts. Sirius got a framed photo of James and him, from some point before leaving school. I seen mine was a framed photo of Lily and myself, laughing and hugging each other tight. We thanked him and he tugged another box from his pocket as I took Caelum from him. "This is for Caelum." Sirius opened it, revealing a toy snitch, it was fluffy and soft.

"I'll hang it above his crib, he'll love to watch it. Thanks Harry, here, let me get yours." they walked off as I sat down, feeling tired still and watched the kids opening all their stuff. Apparently Molly had taken them out at some point and let them get a gift for Caelum before Christmas, I was happy for them, it made me feel like what could have been my life had it not been for my father and his effect on my mother. "Phoebe, are you alright?" I nodded at Molly and smiled, "I'm just happy that everyone is here. It's a great time to be with family." she hugged me tight and took Caelum from me, telling me to go get some rest, I looked tired. She had given me something from the Muggle world, called a breast pump and it allowed others to feed the baby when I was too tired.

I enjoyed my nap, getting some decent rest while everyone was enjoying the holiday. I woke up sometime later, the baby was in Sirius's arms as he was humming to him in front of the fire. I snuck up behind him, kissing his head as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Have I told you that you're the most perfect man ever?" I whispered and he shivered and shook his head, "Not lately." he laughed and turned to kiss me as Caelum gurgled and cooed at us. We sat together and played with him until he got tired and we put him to bed. Too soon the holiday was over and everyone had to leave, but there was still plenty to do with a newborn around.

Caelum grew everyday, making us so happy as well as making us so tired. "I told Harry he was his godfather. I hope you don't mind." "Of course not Sirius, he would be my choice as well. Well, him or Remus." "What about a godmother?" I shrugged, normally it would be my friend and closest friend, but Lily was gone. I didn't really have any other close female friends. "What about Molly? I mean, she would be so good with him, he would have friends with the Weasley's, we could connect our families by more than marriage."

It was true, the Blacks and Weasleys and even Potters were all related, only mine wasn't because I wasn't from Britain or at least my family wasn't. But still pureblood from Sirius and Half-blood from me, our son will be strong. He will be raised right and with love, kindness and wouldn't be like my father or Sirius's old family beliefs. They needed to die off after we defeated my father. Sirius and I enjoyed our family as Livy assisted us whenever we needed a break, saying it was a pleasure to serve us, even though we reminded her that she wasn't serving us anymore, she was an equal member of our family.

Months passed as Sirius would keep the Order updated and even went back to his home to keep his house-elf in line or get updated on what was happening. I let him, understanding that he needed a break from our simple life, he had always been rowdy and adventurous. I wrote to Harry, telling him to join us when school was over, before he returned to his Aunt's home, he could enjoy a few days of happiness before having to return to the house he always spoke bad of. He said he would be so happy to come, that he was looking forward to it after the year he was having.

Molly informed of us what the twins did during exams and we laughed, it was just like them, something that James and Sirius would do as well. Sirius had just returned from his old home as I was playing with Caelum on the floor of the living room, he was giggling and kicking his legs like crazy, trying to grab my hair as I hung it over his face tickling him. "That's the most beautiful sight ever." I looked over and saw his smiling face, but it didn't reach his eyes as I picked the squirming baby up who was happily tugging at my hair as I walked over to Sirius. "What's happened?"

"Dumbledore is saying something important is going to happen soon, although he hasn't said what. It's just something he is feeling. It is giving me a bad feeling in my gut." I kissed his cheek and held up Caelum. "Tell daddy we have a surprise." "What's that little one? You have something for daddy? Do tell." he couldn't help but laugh as his son grabbed for him and giggled so loud, almost squealing. Sirius scooped him up, tossing him in the air and catching him with ease and spinning around. "What's this surprise son? Tell daddy, pretty please." I took it out of my pocket and handed it over, getting his attention back my way.

His face changed for a moment, before it broke out in a laughing smile, pulling me into a tight hug with our son. "Caelum! You're getting a baby brother or sister!" he dropped the test, the pink plus clear as day as he held his family tight. "Yeah, apparently we got a bit too happy with ourselves while this guy was sleeping. Only 6 months old and another on the way." I informed him, Caelum was born on the 22nd of December and I must have gotten pregnant at some point in the last month or so. School was about to be out, Harry would be joining us for a few days, the Black family was growing bit by bit. We agreed that like before we would keep it quiet until further along to make sure I didn't lose the baby.