CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: THANK GOD FOR KIDS

One year later (July 10th)

Hermione stood in the bay windows of the hall, overlooking the small, peaceful village she and Harry had chosen to make their new home. Her wedding was more than an hour away, but she had long since donned her wedding gown and helped her bridesmaids, Ginny, Tonks, Emily Thea, and CeCe get dressed, too. They were out helping with the last minute preparations, while giving Hermione some time to think. She thought back nineteen years, to the first time she and Harry had met. Then to when they had become instant friends when Ron and Harry had saved her life from a giant mountain troll. She went back to when Harry had first asked her out, their first kiss, the night they had married, that same night when they had lost their virginity together. She remembered going with him so many times to face Lord Voldemort, saving his life and getting the favor returned too many times to count. She remembered how she'd felt when she was forced to watch him kiss another girl, have to fake having no romantic interest in her. To think that the girl he was faking it with was one of her bridesmaids. She thought back to how she'd felt when she'd learned that she was pregnant with Charlie, Charlie's birthday, when she'd found out she was pregnant again, how scared she'd been when there was complications with CeCe. All the other little moments they'd shared over the years ran through her head, from holding Harry after Sirius had died, to even more private moments together.

Hermione felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned around, expecting to see Remus, or even aging Molly Weasley, who was acting as the groom's mother. Instead, she came face-to-face with her real godfather. James Potter stood in a good-looking suit. He seemed to have aged well, although it baffled Hermione how one might age while still dead. He had a few crow's feet around his brown eyes, speckles of gray in his otherwise untidy black hair, so much like his son's.

"Hello, Hermione." He moved to embrace her; Hermione found herself locked in the arms of a ghost, although he felt rather solid to her. He planted a kiss on her temple as he drew her away from him to study her.

"You look great." he admired.

"You, too. How do you age when you're dead?" She asked curiously. James could only shrug.

"To hell if I know. You'd have to ask Lily. She'd know." Hermione grinned as they both realized the ridiculousness of the statement. "Better yet, I'll ask her and tell you when you get there." He winked.

"That's a little better. Anyway, what are you doing here, James?"

"I came to you on the day of this wedding," he said in his best mob-boss voice, "to tell you something of grave importance."

"Haha, very funny, but that's not how the line goes." She kidded him.

"I know, I know, who doesn't know how that line goes? But I was serious about the grave importance thing." he said solemnly. Hermione stiffened.

"What is it, James?"

"Your dad's not dead, and I think you should wait to get married until you get him back."

"Since when is my dad not dead? He's been gone for a year. Where is he?" She asked.

"His father's got him, in custody in a cell on an island in the South Pacific. He's alive, but only just. His time is running out, and as much as I miss my buddy, he misses you more than me. So, you have to go get him."

"Why didn't I know this beforehand?" She cried.

"Hermione, I'm really sorry, but it took me forever to figure out how to get down here."

"I have to go get him now?"

"That would be advisable. He's going to die, Hermione, and I think before he does, he might want to walk his own daughter down the aisle, for once."

"Shit. Goddamn it. Son of a bitch." She swore as she rushed from the room to go find Harry.

"It's kind of hard to offend him with that, considering he really is!" James called after his favorite friend's daughter.

Hermione ran shouting Harry's name down the hall. Harry emerged from the room where he was talking with Ron, who was his best man, Remus, who was acting for Sirius, and Charlie. Hermione ran into him accidentally, forcing them both to tumble to the floor. Slightly bewildered, and buried under Hermione and white, Harry sat still, trying not to tear the dress by thrashing. Hermione jumped up, gathering the gown around her.

"Harry," she said breathlessly. "We have to go. We have to go now. We have to go get my dad." Harry placed his hands on either side of her face, and exaggerated his breathing, silently telling her to follow him. She did.

"Hermione Honey, are you okay?"

"Yes, Harry, yes, I'm fine. Your dad. He was just here, and he told me that my dad was being trapped by Voldemort, somewhere on the South Pacific. He said I should go get him before we get married, because he wants to walk me down the aisle. He's dying fast, Harry, we have to go get him."

"Hermione, my dad's dead, and so is yours. You can't possibly have talked to my father, Hermione, he's been dead for 29 years. Yours has been gone for a year."

"Harry," a voice came from behind them.

"Harry," Hermione said at the same time. "I'm not crazy."

"Harry, she's not." the voice came again. Harry spun around to the voice, and went white as a sheet when he came face to face with almost an exact replica of him.

"Dad?"

"That's not the way to start a marriage, thinking your wife is nuts, you know." He scolded. Harry hesitantly walked over to James. Impatient, James reached over and snagged his only son's jacket, pulling him into a strong embrace. They stood there, locked tightly in each other's arms, each reluctant to let go. James was stroking his son's hair affectionately. "Your godfather is stuck on an island, missing you and his daughters. Go get him." James told Harry. "I'll go with you."

"Where's this island?" Remus asked.

"Remus, old buddy, how's life treating you?" James asked him enthusiastically, grabbing him in a rough hug. Remus squeezed him back with as much vigor.

"It's good to see you again, James." Remus said. James smiled.

"Dad," Harry called on his way outside, pulling Hermione along by the hand. "Where are we supposed to go?" The men separated their hug and ran after the large group of people leaving the hall.

"15° North, 135° West"

"Can we Apparate there?"

"No, the center of the fortress is right where the lines cross. You'll have to swim to the island, so Apparate a few hundred meters west of that point." James and Remus had sprinted and caught up with the jogging group. "You're going to have to change your clothes, Hermione."

"Damn, that's right, I'm still in a wedding dress. Are all of you going swimming in suits?"

James, Harry, Remus, and Ron all looked around at each other, and in one movement, four suit jackets hit the muddy ground outside. Hermione, ever sensible, muttered an enchantment that changed her gown into blue jeans and a black sweatshirt. "Let's go." She mumbled and started to the head of the group.

Not long after, there was a salt-and-pepper colored head bobbing in the front of a group battling the rough Pacific Ocean waves, followed by a brunette, a black head, a totally gray head, and a fire-red head. Hauling their pathetically wet bodies from the salty brine, they shook themselves off like dogs and set out to scale the cliffs that the fortress stood on. By the time they reached the top, hidden in the shadows right along the west wall of the massive castle, their limbs were shaking from overexertion.

"Harry," Ron panted. "You're going to have to intensify the training Aurors do. Most would be shit out of luck if they had to do this!"

"No joke," Harry muttered under his breath, which was still escaping his grasp. "Dad, where's Sirius?"

"His cell is underground. We have to get to the East wall, find the hatch that leads to the tunnel that leads to the dungeon. Hopefully, we won't encounter too much resistance. The only guards we should meet are the ones at the cell door, but they should be easy. It's only Crabbe and Goyle, those gorillas that followed the Malfoy brat around while you all were at Hogwarts." Ron laughed at James' words as he remembered them, and all the times he and his two best friends had been able to dupe them.

"Uggh. Why couldn't we have just Apparated to the East? Wouldn't that have been much easier?" Harry ranted.

"No, there's a watch tower. We'd have been seen. You have got to trust your old man," James said as he grabbed his fully grown son down and ruffled his hair, which really didn't make all that much difference in its appearance.

"Your mother always hated how my hair never set straight." James recalled

"I won't let him do anything to it. I like it like that." Hermione smiled at him.

"You've got a wedding to be mushy at. Let's go get my friend." James said to them as the two of them talked, without really ever saying anything at all.

James was right in predicting that they would encounter no resistance. They made it clear to the dungeons with no mishaps and only one close call when they got within view of the East Wall watch tower. Things definitely went more smoothly than Harry had anticipated they would. When they found the hatch that led to the dungeons, Hermione sprinted ahead of the group, pulled it up, and disappeared behind it before any of the others came close. Tearing down the narrow corridor, running blindly to reach her dad, she didn't stop until she saw light at the end of the tunnel. Slowing as she neared it, she heard two slow-talking morons discussing a new siege planned on the Order of the Pheonix. Standing motionless, she heard all of their new plans. Feeling Harry creep up behind her, she finally made her move and paced into the little room, where Crabbe and Goyle caught sight of her.

"Well, I know how to stop that one," she said to their wide eyes as she and Harry Stunned them and erased their memories.

"That was almost too easy." Harry said.

"They always were." Hermione stepped over the aging baboons and up to a small door, with a tiny window letting in only a tiny bit of light.

"Harry, James! Come quick!" she called over her shoulder.

"I know, Hermione, he's in there." James placed a hand on her shoulder, drawing her away, and set to work on the lock. No matter what spell he tried, it wouldn't budge. Hermione looked around for something to hit the lock with, finding nothing. So, whether it hurt like hell to or not, she propped the lock up with a small rock stuck between it and the wood of the door, and kicked with the heel of her foot at an angle. The lock came free.

She threw the door open and hurried inside. It was, to say the least, pitch black on the inside. Lighting the tip of her wand, she searched the dark until she stumbled. Looking down, she saw something that made her stomach turn. A severed human arm lay alone in the cell, bloodied and rotting, beetles consuming it piece by piece. The worst part of it was that, by the size of it and the pink nail polish on the tiny nails, Hermione could tell that she was looking at a young girl's arm, most definitely the same age as her own daughter. Holding back the vomit rising into her throat, she stepped over the little thing, hoping to avoid finding the owner of the gruesome sight. What terrible person or thing could do that to a little girl like that was beyond her worst fears. She continued in silence, the small group a few yards behind.

They searched the huge cell meter by meter, finding the mutilated bodies of a man, woman, and a girl that looked to be about eight or nine.

"By God," Remus had cursed when he saw her. "She can't be any older than Emily Thea." He set to work transforming them into three small jewels to put in his pocket and carry home to try and identify them and give them a proper burial. Hermione, who was crouched beside him, stopped suddenly. She had heard it, for a few fleeting seconds. She swore she had. Leaving them all intent on helping Remus with the people, she ventured off into the dark alone. Her heart was hammering against her breast. She prayed her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. She thought she had heard raspy breathing coming from somewhere down the way.

"Oh, Daddy," she said aloud. "Where are you?" Rushing forward she ran into the dark, hoping she wasn't too late. As if in answer to her prayers, she heard the sound again. This time, a shuffling could be heard with it.

He scared the hell out of her when he reached up and grabbed her pant leg. All she saw when she lit her wand and looked down was a horrifically bony hand holding her. With a small cry of terror, she jumped away. She saw the stick-like figure fall to the ground. That's when she realized she recognized the thin body, the shaggy hair, the corpse-looking face. Her father lay feet from her, sprawled and weak. She rushed forward, knelt, and gathered what was little was left of the man she knew and loved in her arms. Sirius, after having not seen her in what felt like forever, didn't do anything but let her hold him. She brushed the dirt from his brow, kissing it repeatedly.

"I knew you weren't dead, I never believed it, I knew you were alive!" she wept quietly. Sirius was totally unable to talk and barely able to move, but he looked up at her face, shining with tears and the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and smiled. He was thrilled that he'd been right about her. He remembered thinking that she would know the truth when Voldemort had stood before him and said she wouldn't. Clearly the monster never understood, and therefore could not have, the connection a parent had with their child. This would prove it to him. Voldemort had always underestimated the power of love. It was his loss. With all the strength Sirius possessed within him, he raised his arms and wrapped them around his daughter, content.

Harry had noticed that Hermione had vanished. Fearing the worst, he ran after her. She was out of sight of him, running ahead, but to what, he didn't know. He heard her to the front of him, heard her give a shriek, and silence. Please let her be okay. Please let her be okay. God, don't let her be dead. Please don't let her be dead. Harry prayed as he ran faster in his haste to reach her. With his wand light, he saw her, bent over on the ground, hugging a heap.

"Hermione!" He dived at her, catching her and the bundle in his arms. "Why'd you run?" He asked as he kissed her temple.

"Harry, you're squashing Dad's face." Hermione smiled patiently. Looking down in disbelief, Harry saw Sirius's face held fast to Hermione, and definitely squished by Harry.

"Sirius!" Harry hollered. He grabbed his godfather in a tight embrace. "You're alive!"

Harry's shout was heard by the others, who, having finished transforming the people to jewels, hurried to them. James and Remus reached them first. James didn't have to ask what Sirius thought when he saw him. It was written in his eyes, and being his best friend, James knew.

"Lily did it." he said as he plucked his best friend from his son's arms, Remus helping, both wrapping the deathly thin man snuggly.

"Good God, you're cold!" Remus said as he grasped Sirius closer. Sirius was still unable to talk, but smiled at his buddy. Oh, Remus wouldn't know cold until he had spent as much time here as Sirius himself had. Pointing to where light was filtering in through the crack in the cell door, everyone understood what Sirius meant.

"Okay, okay, we'll go already." Remus stood on one side of Sirius, James on the other. Ron went to the head of the group. Harry and Hermione stood behind them all to cover the rear, where the most trouble would be most likely to occur. Hermione wasn't looking up as they walked out. Harry was. Nudging her, he pointed ahead of them at the Marauders, standing three wide, supporting their fellow. Hermione smiled.

"After all these years, together and apart, they haven't changed much." she whispered, knowing that it would be a mental image she would never forget.

"I love being a Marauder's kid. It's good to know I've got some of them in me."

"Harry, we are them. All over again."

"I know. But you can't beat the classics."

"We certainly gave them a run for their money, though."

"If you don't shut up, you're gonna wake him up!" Hermione said in a harsh undertone.

"Sorry, Mom. I just can't believe he's alive!" CeCe whispered back, resisting the temptation to fling her arms around the sleeping neck of her mother's father. Sirius was listening to his daughter and her daughter above him, wanting to go back to sleep. He knew this was just a dream. He'd been hearing their voices every time he'd laid down to sleep for what felt like eternity. Rolling over to his side, trying to find a comfortable spot on the brick floor, he was stunned to realize that he was laying under a down comforter, his head consumed by floral scented pillows. He bolted up out of the bed and looked into his daughter and granddaughter's faces. Both were smiling.

"Grandpa!" CeCe finally did hug him. Sirius held his granddaughter tightly, not willing to believe that this was really happening. She certainly felt real, more warmth and love than he'd felt in a long while.

Hermione threw a t-shirt at him. He recognized that he was only wearing sweat pants, probably Remus's, and had been bathed recently.

"What the hell happened to me?" he finally said, in a slightly hoarse voice.

"Good to see you're talking again." Hermione replied, moving around to the other side of the bed to hold her father close.

"How did I get here? Better yet, where am I?"

"You're at mine and Harry's house. We brought you back here after we got off that island, which, in case you didn't know, was in the God-forsaken middle of nowhere."

"Yours and Harry's. You mean you're sharing it?"

"It's a long story, Dad. At the moment, I have to go tell James you're awake. He only has about another hour before he has to go back. He was hoping you'd wake up."

"James? James who?"

"Potter. Do you know another James?"

"Wow. I was thinking this was real there for a second. This is by far the worst dream I've ever had."

"Dad, knock it off. James is the reason you're alive. He led us to you. He's the only one who knew for certain that you weren't dead, although I must admit, I wasn't entirely sure you were gone." The scene in the cell came back to him, all those people he loved, finally there after so long. He really was back.

"Are you saying James came back? I didn't think that was possible. How'd he do it?"

Hermione shrugged. "He said we'd have to ask Lily. She figured it all out." She looked him over, worried at the amount of bruises and scars on him, worried too over how malnourished he was. "How'd you do it, Dad?"

"I don't know. How long was I there?"

"A year. Did they abuse you?"

"Yes."

"Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry I didn't come sooner!" She fell into him, sobbing. He held her and stroked her hair, whispering to her.

"It's okay, Baby Girl, I'm okay. You came, that's all that counts. I'm here with you now, everything's going to be okay."

"I know, but when I first saw you in the cave, I thought you were one of Voldemort's Inferi. You looked so terrible. I thought I'd lost you forever, again."

Sirius shuddered at the thought of all those he'd seen turned to Inferi while he was there. He remembered the small family that he'd been with last in the cell, wondering if they now guarded one of Voldemort's stashes. There had been a small girl with her mom and dad. She'd hardly stopped crying while she was there. It had been painful for Sirius to listen to, not only because he knew she wouldn't last long in the cell, but because it made him think of his own daughters.

"Hermione, did you guys find anybody else in the cell?"

"Yes." she said quietly, not looking at him. Sirius gulped down the lump in his throat.

"They didn't make it. Remus was turning them into gemstones when I heard your breathing and ran after you. They are with him. We'll bury them later."

"Their names were Mary, Bill, and Bailey Yates. She was eight."

"Oh, how sad. I thought my guess at her age was about right."

"Hermione, there's something else."

"She's fine, Dad. She was born on June 9th, right after you left. Remus and I came home from your funeral to find her bundled on the doorstep with a note from Michelle. Remus was scared to take her, but I convinced him in the end. She had a disease, though, that made her age too quickly. Her body was eleven years old by the time she really should have been eleven weeks. But, thank Merlin, it slowed down. She's perfectly healthy now. She just finished her first year at Hogwarts. She calls Remus "Papa", and has since she started talking. We had her thinking I was Remus's friend, until she found out what mothers and fathers were, then we sat her down and explained to her that Remus wasn't her father and I wasn't his friend. She knows I'm her sister and you're her dad, but she still thinks you're dead."

Weak in the knees, Sirius, who had stood, collapsed back on the bed, overcome by all this new information.

"I knew you'd keep track of her. I was worried Michelle would wig out when I wasn't there. God, thank you for keeping her. Where's Michelle?"

"We don't know. We haven't seen her since Harry's birthday last year. She came at about eleven that night and demanded that Remus and I give her her daughter. We didn't, and Harry showed her out. We haven't seen her since."

"Hermione, I'm so sorry I put you through that."

"You didn't. Don't worry about it."

"Can I see her?"

"She's at a friend's house. She'll be here later. You just visit with James. You don't have a lot of time left with him." She paced to the door, and went out. He could hear her calling for James and Remus.

The next figures he saw were those of his two best friends in the door frame. In an instant, they flew at him, tackling him against the bed amidst friendly punches and heartfelt hugs. "Sirius, buddy, you're back!" they said. He slugged them back, laughing at the most affection his friends had ever shown him in front of anyone else.

"God, guys, let me breathe!" Sirius said through his smile. They let him up and sat on either side of him, grins plastered on their aging faces. "Damn, you two look good for how old we are!"

"Sirius, we'll clean you up and you'll be a knockout again, too."

"Okay, between us guys, what is going on with our kids?" Sirius turned to James. "When did our children get back together?"

James burst out laughing, a sweet sound to his two buddies who hadn't heard that sound since they were twenty.

"They kissed on Harry's birthday on your grave last year." The other two men started laughing.

"And now they're married again, right?"

"No. They will be though. I found Harry butt naked walking down my hall the morning after they 'reunited'. He gave poor Emily Thea an eyeful. They were only an hour away from getting married when James showed up to Hermione and convinced her to go get you." Remus was still had tears running down his face from laughing too hard.

"I thought you might want to walk your daughter down the aisle for once."

"Yeah, just maybe. I knew they'd get back together."

"You've got a couple of great girls, Sirius." Remus mentioned.

"Thanks for taking over for me, Remus, I owe you."

"You do not. I love them both like they were my own. Emily Thea is a blast. She's made a better man out of me."

"When are you going to go out with Tonks and get your own kids?" James questioned Remus.

"What about Tonks?" Remus looked puzzled.

"You know, my cousin?" Sirius said.

"Did you not know?"

"Know what? What are you talking about?" Remus's confusion was evident. James and Sirius eyed one another. James took a breath and told him all about it.

"Tonks is so in love with you it's not healthy. I mean, she really loves you."

"Me? Tonks loves me? You can't be serious."

"We are." Sirius said simply.

"Oh Merlin, that's something new." Remus was flabbergasted.

"No," James countered him. "It's not. She's had a crush on you since she was in school. It got worse as she grew older and joined the order. It's been almost unbearable for her lately, watching you with Emily Thea and wanting a family with you for herself."

"That's not going to happen." He said stubbornly.

"Why not?!?" Both Sirius and James rounded on him, eyes boring into him.

"What could she possibly want a family with me for? I can't approach her with it, and after all these years, if she hasn't done anything, well, you both know her."

"Which is just how we know this is killing her softly! Watch her the next time you're around her. She's head over heels in love, and Heaven only knows (James chuckled) how much she wants you to finally realize it. You'll see." Sirius said. James reached up to put his hand on Remus's shoulder. Even though he felt his hand, when he looked at Sirius's face, he realized something was wrong. He looked down at his hand. It wasn't there.

"Well, gentlemen, we have to wrap this up. I gotta go. Harry! Get your scrawny ass in here!" He shouted.

"My ass isn't scrawny, Dad." Harry stopped short in the door. "What happened to your legs?"

"Get over here. I have to say goodbye to you." Before he got the chance to advance on Harry, he felt his two best friends come up behind him. On their feet, Remus hugged James. "I'll see you later, bud."

"Bye Moony. I'll miss you until then."

Sirius was next in line.

"James, thanks for giving me a second chance. I owe you."

"To hell with that! You didn't honestly think I was gonna let you die, did you? Not when our children's love story was about to get interesting." Sirius laughed aloud as he squeezed him tightly. "I'm really gonna miss you. I love you like a brother, James. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, Padfoot, I know. I love you, too." Sirius released James, allowing him to turn to his son. Wasting little time with words, James pulled Harry into a warm embrace, wishing he never had to let go. He hadn't really held his son in thirty some odd years, and after all that time, a few hours with him felt like nothing at all, now that James knew full well how time could crawl. "I'm proud of you, Harry. You're my son, my one and only child. You have children of your own, so you know how much I love you. You make sure you treat that fine wife of yours right, she's the best thing you've got. Tell her I love her, too."

"I will." Harry replied, unable to shift his gaze from his marvel of a father. "Tell Mom I love her. I love you, too." Now that the only part of James remaining was his torso and head, he knew it was time to be heading out.

"I'm watching you all, so don't try anything stupid. I'll have to give you static for eternity. Please don't make me. Eternity is a long time." James waved at them one last time, the people left on Earth who meant the most to him. His son and his two best friends. He couldn't have said anymore, and instead turned on his invisible heel and vanished.

"Bye, Dad." Harry whispered into the silent, empty space his father had just occupied. Sirius and Remus each slung an arm around his shoulders, pulling him from the room and to Hermione, who was waiting patiently for Remus in the living room, with a twelve-year-old blonde named Black.

Remus rounded the corner first. He saw who was sitting on the couch with his oldest goddaughter and damn near choked on his own tongue. Stopping suddenly, he shoved Sirius and Harry further from the corner and back towards the bedroom. Talking rapidly to the confused men, he spoke directly to Harry.

"Take him back to my house; show him Emily Thea's room. We'll be there in a minute."

"Who's 'we'?" Harry asked. Remus glared at him, trying not to be too mean. Harry got the message and gasped. "She's here?"

"Duh. You have to let Hermione and I explain to her what's going on before she meets him."

"Are my daughters out there? Both of them? Let me see Emily Thea." Sirius tried to push past Remus, but Harry grabbed him from behind and Remus refused to budge from in front of him.

"Not yet, Sirius. You'll see her soon. Let's go." Harry dragged him down the corridor away from the living room and down some stairs at the end that led to the basement and out into the fading evening light, where they could Apparate to Remus's. Remus watched them, wishing to be anywhere but where he was at that moment. He took a long, soothing breath, and stepped out to the girls.
Emily Thea jumped up from the couch and ran to him, wrapping herself around his waist in a tight hug.

"Papa! Hermione says you have a great surprise for me. What is it? Can I see it?" Remus chuckled. She was hyper today. He picked her petite form up. She was tiny for a twelve-year-old. He looked at her pretty young face. Her life was about to change forever. He kissed her forehead and set her down.

"We have to talk." He said gently.

"Papa, did you finally ask Tonks out?" She looked at his face with earnest, and giggled as his expression changed.

Remus gaped at the little girl, and then looked up to see Hermione on the couch, struggling to control a burst of laughter threatening to escape.

"Yeah, Papa, even I knew about that." Emily Thea laughed again.

"Who didn't?" he replied weakly.

"You." Emily Thea said shortly. Remus roared with laughter. "Come on, you."

He reached for her hand to guide her to the couch. He felt like he'd had the wind knocked out of him when he realized how well it fit into his. He would do anything to keep her with him. But she was his best friend's little girl, so what was he to do? Tell him he couldn't have her? There wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that he would - could - ever do that, and he knew that for certain.

"Em," he started when they had seated themselves on the couch, Remus on one side of her, Hermione on the other side. "You remember who your real father is, don't you?"

"Yeah," she said. "You."

"No, Emily Th..." he stopped when she put a hand up to silence him.

"Yes, Papa. What makes you not my father? You raised me, so what if I don't have your same genetics? What difference does that make?" she said quietly.

"You're not making this any easier." he said, looking away from her. God knew she'd grown so well. At that moment, she was no longer the little girl looking for her surprise she was moments ago. She was a mature young woman.

"Life is hard, and so is love, remember saying that to me?" she quoted. "What's on your mind, monkey?" she continued, in a tone perfectly matched to his, saying the same words he'd always said to her as she was growing up. He knew then he'd done a good job with her. Hermione, realizing that Remus couldn't speak, jumped in for him, breaking the news so he didn't have to.

"Em, Dad's not dead. Our dad is alive. We went to get him today when we got a tip that he was alive after all. That's why Harry and I aren't married yet"

Emily Thea looked thunderstruck. "But, but..."

"I know, Sweetie, but it's true. Sirius Black is alive and well, and he wants to see you. He's at our house, waiting for us right now. He was here a few minutes ago, but we snuck him out so you could meet him later." Remus finally said.

"What now?" Emily Thea asked, almost whispering, in awe her very own real father had been so close without her knowing.

"Do you want to meet him?" Hermione asked

"Yeah, but what about Papa? What about after the meeting? He's my dad; do I live with him or with Papa?" She looked at Remus, eyes reflecting fear and a heart about to break.

Remus pulled her close and cuddled her. "I don't know, baby, I don't know yet. Your dad loves you. You're about to see you love him, too. I promise. Just because you have your real dad back doesn't mean I don't love you anymore and you can't love me, okay? I love you so much, sweetheart." He kissed her as she snuggled closer, holding onto him for what seemed to be dear life. He was asking himself the same question she'd just asked him; "What now?"

"Are you ready?" Hermione asked her little sister. She looked up from her spot on Remus's chest, resolve in her wet eyes.

"Yes, I'm ready."

Sirius was seated on a pink flowery comforter in a tiny, brightly colored room, clutching a framed Muggle photo of Hermione, Remus, and, as Harry told him, Emily Thea. There were photos everywhere throughout the room, documenting her time growing up. There was one of the three of them piled on the couch when she looked to be about eight or nine on top of the dresser, one of her covered in mud when she was three, her smiling in front of the Hogwarts Express on her first day, one of her blowing out a cake with six candles on it, the results of when the cake blew up (he guessed that was Fred and George). There was one of her and her sister up to their ears in cookie dough, and one of Harry teaching her to ride his old Firebolt, a gift from him. The photo Sirius found it hardest to look at was the one on the nightstand. It was of Remus, holding a sleeping infant to his chest, a serene look on his face. It was the only other Muggle photo in the room. In the corner of the frame, scrawled were the letters SHMILY. Harry, when he had caught Sirius looking puzzled at the letters, told him that they meant "See How Much I Love You", a saying the two in the photo shared. It was starting to become clear to Sirius how much he'd missed in her life, and that, no matter how hard he tried to deny it, Emily Thea Black was as much Remus Lupin's daughter as she was his.

A knock on the door knocked Sirius from his wanderings. There was a significantly large lump in his throat, forcing him to not speak.

"We're here." Harry called. "Come in."

In what felt like slow motion to Sirius, the door opened. Behind it, Hermione stood, Remus behind her, and another small figure hidden behind him. Hermione stepped over to Harry. Remus put a hand behind him and drew out a shy looking girl with platinum blonde hair and bright blue eyes, giving Sirius his very first glance of his young daughter. She looked him in the eye. Everyone in the room was silent. He just stared at her, taking her in, and she at him. Nobody would have expected her to make the first move. She broke the trance they had both entered and ran to him. He caught her in his arms and held her. This was it. This was his baby girl.

"Daddy." She cried. He broke down then, letting the tears he'd held back come. She'd said it. She had called him "Daddy". That was all it took.

Sobs still shaking her small shoulders, she turned her head. He felt her small, soft lips touch his cheek. A smile came to his. He looked up to see Remus standing with his hands in his pockets, looking at the little one and her true father. Was that pain Sirius saw on his friend's face? He looked away, fearing that he had just seen something Remus didn't want him to. He looked instead to his daughter and godson. Harry had Hermione bundled in his arms, head rested against her hair, eyes watching the scene playing out in front of him. Hermione was looking back at him, watching her father and her sister, crying with them. He let the little girl cling to him as he played with her pretty hair. She was beautiful already. Sirius thought back on finding out she was coming. He remembered telling the people all standing here now, how every one of them had not reacted as well as he wanted them to. But now, in a sign of good character, they had come to love the little girl. They were the most important people in her life. He remembered the first time it had occurred to him that, although she was unexpected and quite the shock, he wanted her. Desperately. There was that first time he heard her tiny heart beating away inside her mum's belly. The memory came back to him as he felt that same heart beating on his shoulder now.

He could have stayed in that position, just holding her, but once again, she made the first move. She pulled away, holding his hands in hers. She took her left hand from his and used to trace over her father's face. She skimmed her finger over his eyes, his lips, his defined cheekbones. Finally, she was satisfied that she had memorized every inch of his face. She took his hand again, and bent closer to brush her eyelashes over the tip of his nose. It tickled, but he resisted jerking.

"Do you know what that was?" She asked him. Sirius leaned forward and did the same to her.

"Those wouldn't be butterfly kisses, would they?" he responded. A grin broke out over her face. She nodded her head. She brought his palm up to her lips as she had seen her sister do so many times to Remus, and placed a real kiss in the center.

"I'm gonna go to sleep now. I'm tired. Goodnight, Daddy." She turned from him and walked to Remus, where she hugged him and received her ritual goodnight kiss. "Goodnight, Papa. I love you."

"I love you, too, baby. Good night."

Harry left the room after her, having whispered to Hermione to kiss the two men goodnight and follow him. She did as he suggested. She walked to her father, kissed his cheek and wrapped him in a hug.

"Welcome back. I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too, Hermione. Thank you for everything."

"You gave me life. I returned the favor. Don't mention it. Goodnight, Dad."

She then crossed to Remus. He picked her up in a great big hug. "I love you, Hermione."

"I love you, Papa." She left the room and caught up with Harry.

"Do you think they've ever had a knock-down drag-out fight before?" She asked him curiously.

"No." Harry replied gruffly.

"How much do you wanna bet they're about to have their very first right now?"

Harry laughed. "That's what I want them to do. It's a little reverse psychology. Watch and see." They made their way to the couch, just feet away from Emily Thea's door.

"Come to think of it, where did Miss Thang go?"

"She's probably lying awake in Papa's bed."

"Oh, you're probably right."

"Probably?" she eyed him mischievously.

"Fine, you're right." He said, just to butter her up. Hermione laughed as she laid her head on his shoulder, tired herself.

The two men were silent back in the tiny bedroom of Emily Thea. Sirius had picked the photograph up again, needing something to do with his hands. Remus had his back to his friend, debating over whether to break the ice or leave it up to Sirius to do.

"You've done a great job, Remus. She's incredible."

"It was mostly Hermione. I would have been lost without her." Remus turned around to face Sirius, relieved he didn't have to start, but still tense over the battle he could feel coming.

"What now, Remus?"

Remus chuckled dully. "She asked me that same question when she found out you were alive. I told her I didn't know."

"They love you, obviously. Emily Thea loves you more than she does her own father. I know that's not your fault, but."

"I get it, Sirius. She's your daughter, not mine."

"She is practically yours, Remus, you raised her."

"No, Sirius. She's got your blood, your heart, and your genes. She'll never be mine."

"Remus, let's get one thing straight. Yes, she's my daughter, and I want her, with me, living with me. I want with her everything I was cheated out of with Hermione."

"There's our problem, Sirius. You just nailed it. I want her, too. I would die readily for her, and I want her with me. I'm not quite ready to give her up."

"And you're going to stand up to her true father to keep her, right?" Sirius's voice raised as he started to get angry.

"How can I?" Remus said in anguish. "What am I supposed to do? I really don't know! Am I supposed to get into a fight with you over her, trying to keep her, and lose, or do I just let you take her? Either way, I lose her. The first way, I might lose you, too. That would suck royally. But I'm not really for going down without a fight, either. So, what choice do I have? Am I really gonna stand up to you, my best friend and her true father, over someone that rightfully belongs to you? I love that girl, Sirius. What am I going to do?" Remus partly growled, partly sighed.

Sirius was taken aback at his friend. Remus never seemed the type to butt heads with anybody. What was more shocking was that he was butting heads with Sirius over something Remus seemed to be passionate about. This guy definitely wasn't the same person Sirius left when he was kidnapped. Emily Thea and Hermione had changed him. "What would she want?"

"Sirius, she can't grow up without you. I want you to have what you didn't have with Hermione. Don't get me wrong. But she has been raised by me up to this point. I know where she belongs, and that's with you. She'll be fine, I'm sure. She's a good kid, and it's probably best for her. Just promise me I can visit her anytime at all, okay? And please, don't ask her to call me Remus. That would be a knife in the back. Not unless she wants to stop calling me 'Papa'."

Sirius was silent for a long time, trying to sort out what to do. The part of him that held a deep love for his friend Remus could see his buddy was hurting, and was prepared to do just about anything to take that defeated look out of his eye. But the stubborn and selfish side of him wasn't going to let him give up what was his.

"Sirius, goddamn it, say something."

"I can't do that, Remus."

"You can't promise me? Why the hell not?" Remus raged.

"No, I can't take her from you."

"Are you insane? We were just fighting over who had more right to her, and now you're saying you can't take her." Remus yelled.

"I have an idea." Sirius said suddenly.

"If it involves scheduled visits, I'm not interested."

"It doesn't. Hopefully, it's better than that."

Remus raised his eyebrows and made a waving motion with his hand. Sirius took the gesture to mean, "It had better be better. Lay it on me."

"How about we move in together? We could combine our resources, buy a bigger house, and we can raise her together. What do you think?"

"Us all living together. Oh, that will work." Remus said sarcastically.

"It wouldn't be any different for you and me than when we shared a dorm at Hogwarts. She would have both of us around. Do you see any problem with it?"

"What are we going to do when we start to irritate each other or disagree over something that has to do with her? Get a divorce?"

"Did we divorce each other in school? You irritate me all the time."

"Likewise." Remus threw in. Sirius grinned.

"But we don't end a lifelong friendship because of it. Of course we're going to argue over her, but how do regular couples get along? How do Hermione and Harry get along?"

"Fine, you win, but one thing. You have to watch what kind of characters."

"You mean women."

"Yes, what kind of women you bring around the house. Try to keep it stable for her sake, okay?"

"Are you going to watch what kind of women you bring around?"

"What woman would I bring around? Tonks?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Because, and please don't take offense to this, but I won't enter a relationship unless I'm serious. I have never had a wild fling with a woman, nor do I plan to. So if I ever brought a woman home, you best start getting your suit out, because you've got some best man duties to take care of."

Sirius laughed. "When are you gonna ask her out?"

"Eventually." Remus mumbled.

"So that's a yes on the date, just no certain time?"

"I guess."

"Whoo hoo!" Sirius grabbed his friend's head and gave him a sound noogie.

"Hey hey hey! Geeoffme." Remus struggled to remove his head from Sirius's grasp. Sirius let go

.
"You're blushing." He pointed out.

"I am most certainly not." Remus scoffed, with a small smile as he turned his head to try to hide the evidence that he was indeed blushing.

"Oh," Sirius said. "You two would be so cute together. Say she's hot."

"She's hot."

"Say you love her."

"I love her."

"Say you're gonna ask her out."

"I'm gonna ask her out."

"Say when."

"When."

Sirius doubled over with laughter. "That's not what I meant."

"I know. Let's go. I want to go to sleep."

"Do you act so old all the time?"

"I may seem old to the mentality of a sixteen-year-old."

"Alright, you got me."

"Hey, Remus?"

"What?"

"Do I still have my house?"

"Hermione kept it, but nobody's been in there for about six months."

"Can I get in tonight?"

"Why?"

"I have to go home, don't I?"

"You are nuts. You don't really think I'm going to let you out of my sight after you've been gone for so long, do you? No, you and I are going to kick it on the floor of my bedroom tonight. We have a lot to talk about."

"Why the floor? How about you get the floor and I get the bed?"

"One, because this is my house. Two, Emily Thea has the bed, so we're stuck on the floor."
"God, we are bickering like an old married couple." Sirius teased. Remus, playing along, turned back and started towards the outside door, hurrying through the living room, watched by Harry and Hermione in amazement.

"I'm going to go get myself a woman right now. Some hot redhead, with a fiery temper so she can whip your sorry ass back into shape."

Sirius sprinted ahead of him. "Not if I get to her first." He joked. Remus surged to him, knocking him to the carpet. They tussled, until Remus put his rogue best friend in a full body bind.

"Say Mercy" he panted.

"Never" Sirius refused, laughing fit to burst. Remus squeezed harder.

"Say Mercy."

"Never."

"Alright, you've left me no choice, then." Remus drew his wand, pretending to think hard on what spell to cast.

"Hum, do I turn you into a slug or a frog? What to do, what to do. I know! I'll turn you into a pretty, hot pink bunny. Sound like a plan?"

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, but I would. Want to see?"

"Expelliarmus!" Hermione shouted from the couch. She, like the grown men on the floor, was crying from the laughter. Harry was holding his ribs on the seat next to her.

"Fine, Remus, you win. Mercy."

Remus released him from the body bind. Who would have guessed that they were fifty years old, not twenty like they felt?

Who else would have known that from the doorway of her Papa's bedroom, Emily Thea had been listening to the two men who had assumed the role of her parents since she had kissed them good night? Who would have known that she had heard them arguing, felt bad that it was over her when they were best friends, but glad they both wanted her? Who else would have guessed what had happened as she watched them now, wrestling on the ground, crying softly to herself out of sheer happiness that they were okay with each other and a new life with them both was about to begin for her? Surely her sister, her brother-in-law, her papa, and her father didn't know. Nobody would ever know. Papa had been right. She loved her daddy, too. The one and only thing really bothering her as she crawled into her Papa's great big feather bed was her wondering if Papa really would ever bring Tonks home with him?