The Black Line Continues
Disclaimer: I do not own incredibly much, though I wish I did.
Thank yous: RoschLupin-Black, ozumas girl, Aurora Enkeli Medeis, CountingSheep123, DragonHUnter200, Sweet Mercy, KawaiiWhiteWolf, Moonglaze, xbreakawayx, Alia, Sasami Tombo, catseye348, Anastasia Snape, NuTHoUSe, Sassy Aloo, NalanaSpinderOfSouls, Elphin, Serena Black, Goddess of Gorgeousness, crescomellonnin, catseye348, Skyla Gerdes, Marblez, moongirlSelene99, Shinigami, Emerald princess3, AnnF, SBRL forever, and Dortha.
DragonHunter200: Thank you! I'm glad you like this mpreg fic!
Sasami Tombo: No need to apologise, I've been questioned about it before. I try not to leave things like that in, but sometimes I over look them.
Catseye348: Its fan fiction for a magical story, anything can happen, especially when a slash writer gets a hold of a keyboard.
Sassy Aloo: Now, now, don't spontaneously combust on me :-P
Elphin: You have just hit my biggest problem on the head. I am terrible with rushing things; I do it in all my fics whether deliberately or not. I can't help it.
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Ok, I think a couple of people misinterpreted James's affair a little bit. James cheated on Lily with Lucius, whom he was with before he proposed to Lily. He has never, and will never sleep with either of his best friends. Also, this chapter takes place the day after the end of last chapter.
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You are all very overdue in an update, and I am very sorry you have had to wait so damn long. I could go into my excuses (which are all real and plausible) but you probably don't really care so long as I update.
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Chapter 8: An Explanation: Part 2
It was early the next morning when Sirius woke up, he wasn't normally an early riser but he figured that the anxiety about telling Harry of James's presence was what woke him up. He turned his head to the left and saw Remus was curled up on his side, his back to him.
Sirius lifted his head and propped it on a hand so that he could watch Remus sleep, his lycanthropic lover looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. He looked as though he had absolutely no care in the world, and it was times like this that Sirius wished he had been there for his lover all these years. It wasn't just he and James that had suffered since Voldemort attacked that Halloween night, Remus had as well, if not through torture or Azkaban, he had still been all on his own. Remus had deserved having someone there to love and care for him, when he was down or when he had a terrible full moon night, sometimes Sirius thought that Remus deserved much better than him as well. Someone that really did love Remus would not have gotten himself thrown into Azkaban for twelve years…
Sirius's thoughts were cut off by Remus stirring.
"Mm…you know I don't like it when you watch me sleep," mumbled Remus, he was always so eloquent with words even when he had just woken up. Unlike Sirius who would just scowl and grunt for a couple of hours after he had woken.
Sirius smiled and pressed a kiss to Remus's pale neck, "I know, but if you weren't so damn cute when you're asleep then I probably wouldn't." He rested a gentle hand on the werewolf's growing belly after his lover had turned onto his back. "What do you reckon? Boy or a girl?"
Remus moved Sirius's hand to where he could feel the baby was at the moment, then he rested his own on top, "I don't know…I'm not sure I want to know until its born, what do you think?"
Sirius bit his bottom lip lightly for a moment, his eyes focussed on Remus's belly for a few moments before finally answering, "It would be good to know beforehand so that we could get a nursery ready…but I do like the idea of being surprised as well. I wouldn't mind having a girl though," Remus gave a small smile. "I mean, remembering the trouble James and Lily had with Harry when he was born…it might be easier… I need a little princess to spoil, as well."
Remus lifted his head and pressed a kiss to Sirius's chin, "You're going to be a good dad, you know that?"
Sirius smiled, "So you've been telling me," he kissed Remus lightly on the lips. "Mm, love you."
"Love you too, Siri," They kissed again briefly before Remus spoke again. "I think we should get up."
"Mm, probably should," said Sirius before giving Remus another quick peck and getting out of bed. "Even I don't think I want to trust James in a kitchen alone, if he's up already."
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Half an hour later Sirius was washed and dressed for another day of hanging around Twelve Grimmauld Place, he headed down the stairs and to the basement kitchen while Remus was in the shower. He entered the kitchen and found James sitting at the table gazing mournfully at a mug filled of what smelt like coffee. "Morning, Jay." He sat down opposite James frowning a little after his old friend failed to reply. "James?"
James finally looked up at Sirius, as though he had only just realised the man was there, "What?"
Sirius furrowed his eyebrows, "What's wrong?"
James chewed his bottom lip for a moment, he averted his gaze from Sirius's and went back to staring at his mug, "My son hates me…"
Sirius was beyond confused now, where was this coming from? "Why would you think that? How can he hate you if he doesn't know you?"
"He saw me," replied James quietly, he glanced up momentarily and caught Sirius's look of confusion. "…He flooed here a little while ago, Siri, looking for you. He saw me."
"And?"
James folded his arms on the table and put his head down on them, "He was shocked, as you would be when your father's supposed to be dead, then he looked angry, and then he cut the connection before I could say anything." Sirius opened his mouth to speak but James started talking again after a few moments of silence. "I barely know the kid and already I'm a terrible father, I knew I was never cut out for this…"
Sirius got up and went around the table to sit down next to James, "That is not true," James snorted. "Jay, you were the worst of us two, if you aren't cut out for parenting, what chance do I have?"
James lifted his head a little, a hint of a smile on thin face, "How far along is he?"
"About six months," replied Sirius proudly, though he tried not to show it considering James was so upset. "Anyway, maybe Harry was just shocked, I know I would be if I was in his position." James put his head back down on his arms and groaned. "Do you want me to talk to him? Or to get Dumbledore to?"
"Please."
Remus came into the kitchen at that moment, a Concealment Charm in place to hide his growing belly, "Morning…what's wrong?"
James stayed silent so Sirius took that as his cue to give Remus an answer, "Apparently Harry flooed earlier looking for me, and he saw James, seems he was quite angry about it."
"Oh…"
Sirius nodded, "I'm going to try and talk to him."
"Maybe you should just let him stew for a while," replied Remus thoughtfully. "You know what he's like."
"I wish I did," mumbled James into his arms.
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By that afternoon, Sirius was all alone in the kitchen of Twelve Grimmauld Place, sitting at the table doing some paperwork for the Order. James had retreated miserably to his room before lunchtime, distraught at the thought that his son may not like him at all now, and Remus had gone to take a nap, as Madame Pomfrey had been ordering him too at this point in his pregnancy.
Everything in the old manor was quiet except for the scribbling of Sirius's quill and the crackling of the fire, until the doorbell rang. Luckily though, they had finally figured out how to permanently silence Mrs. Black's portrait so at least she didn't scream every time a loud noise was made now. Sirius grumbled and got to his feet, his peace was ruined, he took his time in getting to the front door, once he did reach it though, it took a few minutes to undo all the bolts and chains, as well as the magical locking mechanism that Dumbledore had installed.
When he finally got the heavily guarded door open, Sirius had not been expecting to see the man on the other side of it, "What are you doing here?"
Lucius Malfoy smirked and spoke in his usual arrogant drawl, "Polite as always, I see."
"Cut the crap, Lucius, what do you want?" replied Sirius none too kindly. Despite the loathing he felt for the blond Death Eater, he had to let Lucius into the foyer due to security reasons for the Order's headquarters.
Lucius raised an elegant eyebrow, clearly amused at the hostility of his wife's cousin; "I am here to see James, if you must know."
Sirius narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Why?"
"I thought you were one of the more intelligent ones, Sirius," Lucius quirked his eyebrows, which earned a dark glare of the other man. "Where is he?"
Sirius stayed determinedly silent, he had never liked Lucius, and he thought he probably never would. Though he had a fair idea as to why Lucius was here to see James, he just hoped that he was wrong, for Harry's sake at least. It was then that he saw Lucius slowly starting to remove his wand from the end of his cane; he wilted, "Second floor. Third door on the left."
"Thank you," Lucius pushed his wand back into his cane, and headed off up the stairs, leaving Sirius standing in the middle of the entrance foyer.
Sirius watched the blond man disappear at the top of the stairs before sighing and heading back down to the kitchen. When James was more up to it, he was definitely going to get his old friend to talk.
…
James was curled up on his bed, staring blankly at the wall when he heard a gentle knock on the door, "Come in," he sat up so that he could see who it was, he was expecting Sirius or Remus, but he got a much more pleasant surprise. "Lucius."
Before Lucius could say anything, he found that he had an under-nourished grown man clinging to him, "Nice to see you as well," he held James to him and rubbed the other man's bony back. "What's wrong?"
James pressed his forehead against one of Lucius's shoulders, "Harry flooed this morning and he saw me, he didn't look happy at all, and then he cut the connection before I could say anything." He had missed these hugs while he had been kept prisoner by the remaining Death Eaters, although Lucius had never been that forthcoming with them in the first place. The man had always had a problem with showing affection; in fact, Lucius had been making great progress with his shows of affection just before the Halloween attack. They would probably have to start all over again now.
"I take it he hadn't been informed yet, then?"
"No. Remus said we should just let him stew for a while before trying to talk to him."
"Lupin's usually right," replied Lucius, he pulled away from James a little bit so that he could see the shorter man's face. "Is that all that's wrong?"
James nodded his head meekly, "Can you stay with me for a while?"
Lucius frowned a little, "Black wants to kill me, you know that, don't you?"
James gave a small smile, "I won't let him. Anyway, I haven't told him, he's probably suspicious…Remus knows though, least I think he does."
Lucius pressed a kiss to the side of James's head; "I can't stay for long."
"As long as you're here for a little while, at least."
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A/N: FINALLY! Another update! This chapter was vastly different to how I had originally planned it, but as I forgot my original plan and the fact that it was hard to write (still is), that is what you get. Sorry if it disappoints.
Next Chapter: Long overdue Christmas chapter. Harry is refusing to leave Hogwarts for Christmas. Why is Lucius injured? Sirius and Remus find out the sex of their baby.