Author's Note:

Some more steamy scenes for you guys below.

Reviews and Comments: To darkhk: No broken hearts, but I know, poor Harry! To jadely31: Thank you very much! There's a lot more to come! To E-Dett: Thank you! It was a lot of heavy stuff so it's nice to hear that you think I did a good job at having Sirius show Harry the love and support he needs. Our boy has a lot of trauma to deal with and yes, it won't disappear overnight. To kirsty21: Thank you. To lojosmom: Thank you! How can you not fall in love with Remus? Sirius really is doing his best to be an amazing father and I think he's killing it. Thanks for saying Harry is so darn cute! To M: I also wish lots of pain and suffering on the Dursleys. Thank you very much! To Matelle: Thank you! We will see more of Fee and Monty as there will be lots more flashbacks and memories. Thank you for saying I am a very talented writer! To coloredwords: They really did! Thank you! To : Thank you very much. To littlehughesy: Thank you for saying this is turning out to be "one of the better Sirius raises Harry stories you've read." I am enjoying writing the flashbacks as I wanted to show some of the Marauder vignettes and this gives me the opportunity to do so. Thank you!

Thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you!

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:

The One Where Sirius Learns the Key to Moony's Secret Pranking Success

While Remus and Harry went to the show, Sirius left Hogwarts and headed to London. He waited outside of St Mungo's about five minutes before he noticed Althea heading out and he waved at her.

She smiled and headed in his direction. "Why, hello there."

Sirius grinned at her. "Hello to you too."

He wrapped his hands around her wrist and tugged her up against him, lowering his head to kiss her deeply.

Althea's face was flushed when he pulled away. "I was hoping you'd stop by this afternoon."

"Yeah?" he asked her, his voice rough with arousal, making her smile.

"Most definitely," she murmured, moving closer to him and kissing him again. "Where's your bike today?"

"Home. I just came from Hogwarts so, I Apparated."

Althea smiled and fisted her hands in his hair. "Hold on tight."

Sirius barely had time to register that they were Apparating before they landed somewhat haphazardly outside of her flat and he grinned.

"Trying to seduce me, Castellanos?"

She took his hand, leading him up the stairs as she turned to grin back at him. "I didn't know that I had to try."

Sirius grinned wickedly and followed her into her flat. The door barely closed behind them before he pinned her back against the wall and feasted on her neck in such a way that the whimpering noise she let slip from her lips made him grind his hips closer to her. His hands slid her healer robes off, dropping them to the floor and finding the grey skirt and dark green short-sleeved blouse beneath. He unbuttoned the blouse, ripping it open impatiently and letting it fall to the floor before his hands slid her skirt down. His mouth never left hers as he left her standing before him in a pale green lace bra and matching knickers with black heels.

"Mmm," he murmured, humming as he kissed her neck, her collarbone, her shoulders, the exposed skin above her bra.

Althea moaned, letting her head fall back. "You have too many clothes on."

Sirius only grinned at her, kneeling down in front of her and using his teeth to tug her knickers off as she gasped. Then his mouth was on her and her fingers clutched his hair desperately, her hips jumping off the wall to meet his eager and talented tongue.

"Oh, God, yes," she gasped.

"Sirius is fine," he murmured, smirking at her. "God is much too formal."

She swatted his head as he bent back down to her.

By the time he stood up, she was panting and then he spun her around, lifting her hips and lowering her onto him as his lips locked onto the back of her neck. She groaned, reaching back to squeeze his bum as she rode him.

They slid bonelessly to the floor afterwards, panting, and Sirius kissed her.

"Have I told you how glad I am that you only work half a day on Mondays?"

She laughed, kissing his chest. "No, but I'm starting to think it's a good choice as well." She stretched cat-like next to him and climbed to her feet, stepping out of her high heels and he sat up, slapping her behind.

"You have the nicest arse," he said, spanking it again.

Althea grinned at him. "Is that why you keep riding it?"

Sirius stood up, his hands settling on her hips as he kissed her. "Want me to stop?"

She reached down and gripped him. He was hard again and she smiled against his mouth. "Naturally. I have too many things to do."

"Do me instead," he told her, pushing into her hand.

Althea chuckled, kissing him softly. "I don't think that was on my to do list."

"Give me the list, I'll add it."

She grinned, gently stroking him torturously. "It's my to-do list, shouldn't I be the one adding to the list?"

Sirius nipped at her lips as she continued her ministrations and he groaned. "I think I need to see this list."

Althea slid her other hand down between his legs and he moaned. "Don't think so."

Her hands squeezed and stroked and tugged and rubbed until he was panting and then she merely slid her hands up his chest and kissed the pulse in his throat.

"I think it's time for you to go, Sirius."

"Is it?" he asked, grabbing her hand and tugging her to her bedroom, where they fell laughing onto the bed.

He pinned her wrists over her head and kissed her deeply, his tongue trailing down her throat, between her breasts and circling her belly button before he placed a soft kiss on the apex of her right thigh. By the time he reached her lips again, she was panting.

"So, are we coming or going, Castellanos?"

Althea struggled until he let go of her wrists and he was sitting on the bed grinning at her. She straddled him, lowering herself onto him, her hands fisting in his hair. "I'm planning on coming, are you?"

He groaned against her throat as she rode him; her head falling back and giving him a perfect view of her firm, round breasts bouncing before him and his stomach tightened. "I'm definitely coming," he moaned.

And they both did.

Sirius zipped his jeans up a little while later and handed her the ripped blouse. "This may need to be replaced."

Her eyebrow rose slightly. "You're going to owe me a whole new wardrobe, Black, if you keep this up. I've never been any good with household repairing charms."

He smirked at her, tugging his shirt over his head. "Too bad Priya had to work late, or she would see exactly what your wardrobe looks like strewn across the entrance here."

Althea blushed. "Next time we have to get to the bedroom first."

"Oh? Are you saying that there's going to be a next time?" Sirius asked her, his eyebrows rising in surprise. "Is that on your to-do list?"

She smiled as he took her hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles. "If you play your cards right."

Sirius stepped into his shoes, picking up her lace knickers as he did so. "I happen to be excellent at cards."

He passed her the undergarment and she grinned. "See you around, Black."

He shot her a wicked grin as he opened the door to her flat. "See you around, Castellanos."

When the door closed behind him, he couldn't stop grinning.

~ ASC ~

When he got home, he found the place empty except for Marauder, who yipped in excitement to see him. He let the puppy outside; wincing when Marauder took off after a rabbit. He chased him for five minutes, finding him in the back garden of the Morrisons little pink cottage. After making small talk with the neighbours, he dragged the puppy home lecturing him on the responsibilities of staying in the yard before he headed up to take a quick shower. Thirty minutes later, he stood in the kitchen, opening cupboards and desperately trying to decide what to feed his rumbling stomach. He decided on bacon sandwiches and soon he was frying up bacon and watching in amusement as Marauder sniffed the air in appreciation.

Remus had been helping him a lot with the cooking and when he realized that his friend had a pot roast simmering in the crock pot on the counter, he thanked his lucky stars that he didn't have to find food for dinner. Once he had put his mind to it, cooking wasn't that hard. It was like following a particularly detailed potion, something that he had always done well enough at. It had always infuriated Remus and Lily how he and James barely had to study as things just came naturally to them both. Remus was still a much better cook than he was, but he wasn't terrible, and Sirius figured that was a vast improvement.

He remembered that there were potatoes in the pantry and he figured he could mash those up with some garlic and cheese and throw a salad together to go with the pot roast. He almost winced to himself at how incredibly domestic that sounded. But he liked it, he realized. He liked being domestic and taking care of Harry.

It was the two of them against the world and the feeling made him feel great.

Occasional bad dreams, shyness, and hesitation around adults he didn't know — but those were small things, and Sirius knew that McGonagall and Dumbledore were right, — he would eventually get past them. But it wasn't going to happen overnight. He wanted to help him in any way that he could.

He thought about the chores that Harry had quickly adopted over the last two months. He made his bed every morning, he set the table and helped with the dishes, and he was even helping Sirius with some of the cooking (he was a quick study in that department). He was great with tools and Sirius loved teaching him about the mechanics of an engine. He was a great little helper.

He should probably have an allowance, Sirius realized. He was working hard and should get something for it. He'd talk to Remus about it, he thought, draining the bacon grease from the pan before he made a few sandwiches.

He ate standing up in the kitchen lost in domestic thoughts about chore charts, allowances, and cooking. When he finished eating, he grabbed the Queen album A Night at the Opera and placed it on the wireless, cranking the music up as he cleaned up his mess in the kitchen. He sang loudly; dancing around as he peeled potatoes and crushed garlic for dinner that night.

Sirius only realized that Remus and Harry had returned because of the flash of the camera and his eyes widened as Remus simply smirked at him, camera in hand.

"Did you just take a photo of me?"

Remus grinned widely, turning down the record player so that he could speak. "Padfoot Domesticated — what do you think?"

"Piss off, Moony! There's no bloody way we're keeping that photo!"

"No bad words!" Harry exclaimed, his hands on his hips as he looked sternly up at Sirius. "Uncle Moony said so."

Sirius' eyes widened in surprise. "He did, did he?"

Remus put the camera down and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sirius, we have to be more careful around him. The last thing we need is for Harry to grow up swearing like a sailor."

Sirius grinned. "The first week of school you told James and I that we were full of bleeding shite and to stop fucking taking the piss out of Peter. Are you saying that was bad?"

"Yes!" Remus exclaimed, flushing at the memory. "I was eleven and that was very bad!"

Sirius laughed. "All right, Harry, Uncle Remus and I will try not to say so many bad words, yeah?"

Harry grinned. "Okay. I'm going outside with Marauder."

"Sure, Prongslet," Sirius said, smiling as he watched Harry head into the garden with the dog before he turned to Remus. "This pork roast smells amazing, Moony, have I mentioned how much of a Godsend you are in terms of cooking?"

Remus smiled, moving to take a seat at the kitchen table. "I find it cathartic to cook sometimes. What are you making?"

"Figured garlic and cheesy mashed with a salad?"

Remus nodded in approval so Sirius continued what he was doing.

"Harry told me about last night," Remus said casually.

Sirius nodded, slicing potatoes carefully. "I spoke to Minerva and Dumbledore today. I just don't know if we're doing it right, Moony. I mean, he seems fine, but then at night… something scares him… or someone? How long is he going to be…"

"I think you know the answer to that, Sirius," Remus said quietly, tapping his fingers on the table.

"I didn't have a problem trusting people," Sirius told him. "It was only… it was different."

Remus didn't say anything.

"It was different," he insisted.

"You have to have noticed how similar you and Harry are by now, Sirius," Remus said carefully. "You were both abused by those who were supposed to take care of you."

Sirius shook his head. "It's different, Rem. I was older when it started for me, Harry was still a baby."

Remus merely tilted his head, eyes flashing in annoyance. "It's not different."

"It is! I remember the first time that my parents punished me for something. I was six years old and I'd run outside into the street to play after my father came home and I made friends with one of the neighbouring boys, a Muggle."

"That boy is a Muggle, Sirius."

"I know, Father," he said. "He said that he's going to show me how to play football. I don't know what it is, but it sounds brilliant!"

"He's a Muggle, Sirius. We do not associate with such filth."

Sirius' brow furrowed. "He wasn't dirty."

Orion gestured for his son to follow him into the living room and told him to sit down. "Sirius, we're wizards. You know what that means?"

"We have magic."

"Yes, and Muggles can't do magic."

"They can still do other stuff. Like those cars, Father — I want to drive a car!"

Orion glared at him. "You will never do such a thing! Muggle inventions and Muggles themselves are disgustingly low creatures. They are not worthy to lick the mud from your boots, do you understand me?"

"Muggles are bad."

"Very bad. We are so much better than them. We do not associate with them. We do not play with them or speak to them at all if avoidable. Am I clear?"

Sirius nodded, his eyes downcast. "Father, can Regulus come outside with me tomorrow to meet Robbie so he can show us what football is?"

The slap sent him reeling. He fell off of the chesterfield, holding his cheek, his eyes wide as he stared up at his father. His eyes watered and Orion raised his hand again.

"That boy is beneath you, Sirius, and you will not learn a stupid Muggle sport from him nor play said sport nor subject your younger brother to that disgusting and foul creature. Have I made myself clear?"

"But why? He was so nice."

The second slap jogged his tear-ducts and they ran down his face.

"Blacks don't cry," Orion said sternly. "Now get upstairs to your room and think about what I told you. At dinner you will tell me what Muggles truly are."

Sirius scrambled to his feet, sucking back his tears as Orion watched him. "Yes, Father."

"I'm only doing this for your own good, Sirius," he said quietly. "I don't want to hit my son."

"I'm sorry, Father."

Orion nodded. "Go on now, upstairs, and think about what you've done."

He shook the memory from his head. "I was never really… I was eight when they used the Imperius on me because I wouldn't follow the rules," he said. "Mum was pissed when I could throw it off by the time I was twelve, but I think that she was secretly pleased too, you know? Only the strongest of wizards can throw off the Imperius Curse."

Remus' mouth opened and then he closed it again.

"What?" Sirius asked in annoyance. He knew that look and Remus was trying to bite his tongue. "Just spit it out, Moony."

"Just because your physical abuse didn't start until later doesn't mean there wasn't emotional abuse early on. I won't say anything else on it, Sirius. I was only saying that you understand Harry in a way that I never will because of what you both went through. He trusts you and he trusts me explicitly and that's great, but he's wary around other adults."

"I know," Sirius said, moving to sit at the table. "He just needs to spend more time with them. Like the Weasleys for instance, they were great and they have such a big family, six sons and a daughter — they're friendly and full of life and I think that's a great influence on him to see that."

"I agree," he said. "We should try to get him to talk more about it or I don't know, try to implement more rules or something. He's… he's an angel and so sweet all of the time. Not that it's not wonderful, because it is, but boys his age should want to be a little devilish sometimes. He should want to get into trouble — to cause pranks and mischief. He just… goes along with whatever we ask of him."

Sirius nodded, eyes on the window watching his godson run around with his puppy. "He helped Ginny prank her twin brothers yesterday. When he told me about it, his eyes were just full of laughter and joy. He'll get there, Moony. We just have to give him the opportunity. Speaking of the Weasleys, I noticed that they had this chore chart on the wall of the kitchen and I kind of liked the concept. I was thinking that we should start one up for the three of us."

Remus rolled his eyes. "I don't live here, Padfoot; I'm not letting you con me into doing your chores."

Sirius laughed, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "Damn, I thought I had you." At his friend's grin, he continued. "Harry makes his bed every morning and he helps me with dishes, sets the table, and helps with the cooking. But I thought maybe we could give him like a checklist of things to do over the week and as he completes them, he gets a prize or an allowance or something. I noticed Molly had gold stars and a list of things like five gold stars earns extra flying time or something. I don't know it was something I was tossing around in my head earlier."

"I think it's a great idea, Sirius. You can also implement a meal plan. You two can decide together food choices for the week, I can help with that and it will also help ensure Harry gets the vegetables, protein, calcium, and fruit that he needs on a daily basis. Plus it will stop you from having to figure out what to make each and every day, which is a chore in itself." Remus suggested, smiling at his friend. "And Marauder is his puppy, he should take more responsibility for him."

"Agreed."

"As for pranks," Remus began, smiling at his friend. "I was thinking we could start playing little pranks on him."

"What?" Sirius asked in surprise. "Play pranks on the child? Moony, are you joking? That can't be good parenting!"

Remus laughed, folding his arms in front of him on the table. "Now, now, hear me out," he said, chuckling. "I mean fun things to make him laugh and to help him realize that it's okay to have fun. Like filling a glass full of jelly with a straw so it hardens and giving it to him as juice. Or making up our own daily fortunes as a lunch time surprise. Something funny like 'your brain is zombie food.' Freeze a bowl of cereal and give it to him in the morning. Or hide bubble wrap around the house under the rugs and watch his surprise when he steps on it. You know, stuff like that? My mum used to help me do those kinds of things all the time as a kid. I loved them."

"This explains a lot, Moony," Sirius told him with a grin. "Jamie and I always wondered how you were so annoyingly good at coming up with pranks."

"Mum once put a balloon in a cake pan and covered it with icing and sprinkles for my birthday. When I went to cut the cake it exploded everywhere. I laughed myself silly," Remus told him with a grin.

Sirius slapped his hands together, grinning wickedly. "I'm in. Operation Prank The Piss Out Of Harry Potter has commenced."

Remus grinned at his friend. "Let's start tonight. I have the perfect idea in mind for dessert."