Chapter 17: Father meet Son

It was a few days later they had found out the results.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked, confused.

"I'm confused as you are, Padfoot," Harry and Remus said in unison.

Alice, Delaney, Neville and Zach walked in.

"You're the guy from the photo that Neville sleeps with under his pillow!" Harry exclaimed looking at Zach.

Neville blushed as Delaney giggled and kissed his cheek.

"I'm Zach," He said, glancing at the occupants of the table.

"Nice to meet you."

"You too."

"What's this about, Alice?" Sirius asked.

"Zach is our old friend Marlene's son."

Sirius blanched and looked closer at Zach. He definitely looked more like Marlene but there was no question that who he inherited his grey eyes from.

"He's your son, Sirius," Alice said.

"When's your birthday, Zach?" Sirius asked.

"April 23rd."

Sirius nodded and said. "I suppose you were conceived the last time I saw your mother in July 1979. We had always been on and off even at Hogwarts especially after she graduated. We were both free spirits and didn't want to be tied down."

"I don't remember much about her, I was only with her for a year and a half when she was killed."

Sirius smiled at his son and said. "I can tell you so much about her."

"Okay."

"You've been in America all these years?"

Zach nodded and said. "I was raised by this great American family, the Gilmans, They had a son who is seven and a half years older than me and a daughter who was two years older than me."

"Where does Delaney come into this?" Harry asked curiously.

Delaney smiled, stepped forward and said. "I started muggle school late when I was five and the class bully Dimitri was picking on me and Zach bravely defended me. It turns out we were neighbors as well."

"I guess father like son."

Remus and Harry chuckled to themselves.

"Okay, maybe I wasn't exactly the defending type since I did bully Snape," Sirius admitted, sheepishly.

"Snape?" Zach asked, confused.

"He teaches Potions at Hogwarts, Zach," Delaney said as Neville shuddered slightly next to her and she patted his hand.

Zach nodded.

"What's your Wizarding school like?" Sirius asked interested.

Zach tugged at his collar nervously everyone noticed except for Sirius. Only Delaney and Neville knew the reason Zach was nervous.

"What's wrong, Zach?" Remus asked the boy gently.

"I don't go to Wizarding school, actually."

"Why?"

"I'm a squib," He muttered softly, so only that Neville and Delaney could hear.

"What's that, Zach?" Alice asked.

"I'm a squib," He said tearfully, looking up at his father.

Before Sirius could respond there was a muffled outburst from a talking picture. "What an abomination, a squib in the family!"

"Oh, meet your grandmother," Sirius smirked, walking over and uncovering the picture.

Zach looked over at the picture of the formidable woman and shuddered.

"I don't blame you for your reaction, Zach, She was worse when she was alive."

"Do you think I'm an abomination?" Zach asked.

Sirius didn't respond he just hugged his son and said. "I don't think you're an abomination, she said that about me countless times while I was in school until I ran away to Harry's dad's house."

"You ran away?"

Sirius nodded glumly. This is when the rest of the occupants of the room dispersed so Zach could find out more about his mum.

Delaney and Neville sat down on the couch.

"Well, bringing together a family sure takes a lot out of you," Delaney giggled, lying down with her head in Neville's lap.

"It sure does," Neville smiled down at her.