Sirius stuck close to Ramona's side as the two of them, with a partial subset of the Order and the Weasley family all entered the King's Cross Station- an escort for Harry and the other children to see them safely to the Hogwarts Express.
He'd been wagging his tail, as Padfoot, happily bouncing with each step as they made their way through the crowded train station. They made their way down to the level that Platform 9 3/4 was on. Padfoot spotted a telephone hut with a bench, large enough that he could tug Harry inside with him for a quick word before having to put him on the train. Padfoot whined up at Ramona and snorted, pointing his snout to the hut and tugging at his lead rope. Ramona sighed and grabbed Harry's arm, tugging him over. She opened the door, tucked Harry in, then released the leash and allowed Padfoot in as well. She closed the door behind him and stood with her back to the door, hiding Sirius and Harry from passers by, as the door had a glass window.
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Madeye Moody growled at her as the entire party paused, waiting for Harry.
"Resting. I'm 21 weeks pregnant and not used to all this walking anymore." Ramona snorted, rolling her eyes at the old Auror.
"If he's spotted..."
"He's a service animal, perfectly allowed in the train station, Alastor." Ramona spoke over him, loudly correcting him as to not draw attention to the statement Moody was trying to make about Sirius. Remus, hearing his sister's voice raise in anger, moved over from where he'd been with the Weasley kids, coming to her side. He stood silently along side her, back to the door, adding to the barrier made.
Behind the door, Sirius was sitting on the bench with Harry.
For a long moment, the two were silent. Harry leaned against Sirius' shoulder for a moment.
"So, will there be a baby 'round the next time I see you? At Christmas?" Harry ask quietly.
"January." Sirius corrected, shaking his head. "Mid-January." He looked the boy over, but Harry's eyes stayed on the floor. "That's not what's on your mind, is it?" Sirius guessed.
"Do you actually think there will be a war, Sirius?" Harry ask, his voice shaking.
"There is that feeling in the air... I was just a kid when He started to accumulate power and followers, and my family was very, very invested. By the time we were old enough to fight, things had gotten very bad. Disappearances, kidnappings, killings..." Sirius closed his eyes and shook his head. He reached inside his shirt pocket and produced a photograph.
"What is this?" Harry ask, looking at the group of people who were looking back at him. There must have been fifty-odd members, all standing eyes forward. There were a few he could recognize, and several others he'd seen come and go in the current headquarters. Others, Harry guessed, had been casualties from the first war. "Is this the first Order?"
"Most of us." Sirius nodded. "The twins, just there-" He pointed, "Molly's elder brothers. Fred and George's middle names are for them. And that there, Marlene..." His voice broke a bit, "Her whole family was taken out. She was my girlfriend at the time. She was a great friend of your mum's, then there next to Moony, that's Benjy Fenwick..."
"Its' okay, Moody told us what happened to him. Well- not us. But we heard him talking about it." Harry shuttered. "This is really real, isn't it?"
"We're going to be alright, son." Sirius wrapped an arm around Harry. "We're going to fight, and win, again."
"What about Ramona and the baby-"
"That's what we're fighting for. For you kids, all of you. We've been trying this entire time to make a better, safer, Voldemort-Free world." Sirius smiled sadly, and Harry watched as it did not reflect in his eyes.
"You think you're going to die." Harry whispered, tears welling up in his eyes.
"I will do what I have to, Harry. I have too much at stake to not give everything."
"I don't-"
"I don't expect you to understand, mate." Sirius sighed. "And believe me, I don't want to, or plan to, die. But if protecting my children comes at that cost, I'm willing to pay for the two of you. Don't you ever doubt that."
Harry slammed into Sirius' side again, and Sirius wrapped his arms around the boy, stroking his back to sooth him.
"Come on, Harry." Sirius kissed the top of Harry's messy hair, "Let's get you on that train."
"Please don't be reckless." Harry choked into Sirius' chest.
"I won't." Sirius promised. "But you can't, either."
"I love you." Harry murmured, ignoring his comment. Sirius kissed the top of the boy's head again.
"I love you, too, son." Sirius sighed.
Harry flopped down in this carriage, a bit annoyed that he'd not get to spend his trip with Ron and Hermione, as they were now Prefects. He'd joined Neville Longbottom and Ginny, along with a girl with nearly white blonde hair, who was wearing oddly matched, large sparkly earrings along with her Ravenclaw uniform. He gave a small smile as he took a seat by the window, laid his head against the cool glass, and closed his eyes.
He tried to ignore the rumblings of other students boarding the train, and was thankful when Neville finally decided to close the door, dampening the roar of the carriage walkway.
It was probably another twenty minutes until the train departed, and it was a long journey. He planned to sleep all of it he was able, not having much to say to anyone. Ginny knew all of his personal things, sure, but otherwise his company would not understand how his summer had been. He couldn't talk about his nervousness regarding the impending war, or Sirius' comments, to anyone at the moment. He cleared his throat, which he instantly realized he should not have done, if he wanted to pretend to be asleep, which prompted Neville to speak up.
"You alright, then, Harry?" Neville ask, and Harry noted the genuine concern on his friend's face when he turned around and sat up. "I mean, other than all of the... everything."
"No, I get what you meant. I'm just-" Harry sighed heavily, "I have a lot on my mind, that's all."
"Of course." The blonde girl nodded, giving a kind smile. "My dad and I believe you, by the way, Harry. My dad runs the Quibbler. Won't print the rubbish the minister keeps saying about you. Dad reckons Fudge is just being intentionally and willfully ignorant to avoid facing the horrible reality."
"Oh, thanks." Harry gave a small, confused smile. "I just-"
"Right-" Ginny perked up in her seat next to the girl. "Harry, this is Luna. Luna Lovegood. She's in my year, but Ravenclaw."
"Nice to meet you, Luna." Harry finished. "And thank you, really."
"My gran and I are the same, Harry. She canceled her Prophet subscription over it." Neville added. "Been a subscriber since she was fifteen years old, and cancelled it over their lies about you and Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore and I will be alright, neither of us is a stranger to being dragged by the papers. I imagine Cedric's poor father is hurting something awful with the Ministry refusing to acknowledge his son's murder for what it is." Harry sighed. He hadn't realized just how little he'd really talked about it, not that people weren't trying to speak about it. Just something about the people closest to him trying to get it out of him, made him want to clam up. But he was just passive friends with Neville, and didn't know Luna at all. Their instant support and lack of knowledge of it made him feel a bit more like he could just vent.
Silence fell over the cabin at the mention of Cedric and his murder. Harry felt bad, as he hadn't exactly given warning before just blurting his feelings out about it. He sat with the heavy quiet for a moment, until the plant Neville was holding made a wet, squelching sound.
"What is that thing, Neville?" Ginny ask, her face twisted in disgust. The fat, grey-ish green plant, like a swelled cactus, pulsed a bit, making the noise again.
"Oh- Its a present I got for my birthday!" Neville said proudly. "A mimbulus mimbletonia. They're really rare! I think it is getting ready to give sap, and I want to get Professor Sprout to help me harvest it. Maybe even use it in Hagrid's class. Its sap, stinksap, is really useful for healing wounds on both magical and non-magical animals."
"What does it-"
"Ginny, no-"
Neville tried to stop the redheaded witch from reaching out and touching the bloated plant, but he was too late. With just one touch the plant and burst forth with thick, green, extremely foul smelling goo which covered the cabin and all passengers.
Luna tried to stifle a gag, but Ginny was already on her feet, getting her wand from her pocket.
"Don't worry, I've got this. I live with George and Fred, heaven knows I can get both goop and a smell out of my hair and clothes. Tergeo!" Ginny repeated the spell and moved her wand slowly around the cabin, until every last bit of the mess was gone, leaving no trace that it had ever been there at all.
"Thanks for that." Neville said, his face red with embarrassment. "I wanted to warn you- it also gives sap when it feels threatened. I don't think its usually that smell when mature- though it can't be much better with a name like stinksap."
"Thanks Ginny." Harry agreed. "Would you guys mind if I grabbed a nap for a bit?"
The other three agreed and Harry once again leaned over onto the window, enjoying the cool glass on his skin and closing his eyes.
Ramona and Sirius (as Padfoot, of course), broke off from the rest of the Order as they departed the station. Ramona had been insistent on their time near King's Cross not be wasted, given its close proximity to Ted and Andromeda Tonks' home.
They'd discussed it at length, and decided that the best way to go about the visit would be without the Tonks' daughter in tote, as she had been harboring their secret, which could potentially anger the couple.
They made their way through the busy streets to the neighborhood Ted and Andy lived on, and at the top of the turnoff, Ramona hesitated. She looked down to Padfoot, who offered her a paw, in the way Sirius would take her hand in a moment like this, and she held to him for a moment before nodding and letting him go, continuing on their way.
The blouse and skirt Ramona had chosen were specifically maternity clothes, and did cling to her small bump in a very cute and flattering way, so she knew that when they saw her, they would know. It was a way of stopping the hiding, at least for Ramona. She'd wait until they ask about the baby's father to reveal Sirius.
As they walked, Sirius could feel the tingle of wards on some of the lawns in the area, signaling that if this weren't an all magical neighborhood, it was at least a half and half mix.
Sirius was not at all surprised to find their destination had a great many colorful lawn ornaments and wind chimes, mostly if not all on the influence of their daughter. Ramona brought them up onto the porch, stood for a moment, then knocked quickly, as if she might lose her nerve.
It occurred to her that she'd never actually knocked on this door before.
She'd apperated into it. Came through the floo. Even walked in the front door she was now standing at, unannounced, and each time she'd been welcomed as if it were her own home. On the other side of the sky blue door she could hear Ted calling out that he was on his way. She smiled to herself, knowing she'd be pulled into a hug by the slightly round older wizard before he even noticed anything strange- meaning the baby or the dog.
And she'd been correct- the door swung open and Ted's smile crept from ear to ear, his eyes gleaming.
"Mona's home, Andy!" He called over his shoulder, ushering her in. A noise carried down from the stairs, the sound of Andromeda putting down something and hurrying toward the staircase. She came down, halfway to the base of the stairs when she stopped, her dark grey eyes looking Ramona up and down.
"Hey Andy..." Ramona smiled at her pseudo-mother.
"Ted, Shut the door." She said in a small, firm voice. She pushed her long dark hair from her eyes and finished her decent. "Ramona, have you got something to tell us?"
"Could we sit down?" Ramona ask sheepishly, nodding toward the sitting room. Andromeda gave a tight nod, but Ted stepped between his wife and Ramona, unconsciously pushing Padfoot out of the way.
"What's wrong?" Ted ask, confused. He looked from one witch to the other, then back.
"Look at her, Ted." Andromeda said.
"Its been so long, I know!" Ted smiled. Andromeda raised an eyebrow that made Ramona think of Sirius' mother's portrait. Ted stepped back and looked Ramona up and down, then his wide smile grew again. "Are we about to be Grandparents?" He laughed.
"You are- Oh I'd hoped you would feel that way!" Ramona choked out, eyes still on Andromeda's piercing gaze.
"That's what kept you from coming around?" Andromeda said, still standing at the doorway to the sitting room.
"Can we please sit down? Its a long story, and my feet-"
"Right, yeah..." Andromeda shook her head, and moved over, waiting for Ramona to sit before she took her own seat. Padfoot had dutifully came over and sat next to Ramona's legs.
"Whats the dog's job?" Ted ask, sitting forward in his armchair.
"Emotional support, mostly." Ramona sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "Listen- I know this is a bit of a shock-"
"I just don't understand." Andromeda cut her off. "Why would you wait so long to tell us?"
Ramona looked at the hurt on Andromeda's face, but noticed that Ted did not share the emotion. He still looked absolutely delighted at the notion of a baby to spoil.
"Well she's telling us now, isn't she?" Ted defended his extra child. Tonks had mentioned once that when they spoke about Ramona, they called her their child as well, and anyone met with confusion at the concept, they explained they had 'adopted' her. These were her parents, both she and they saw it that way. She felt ashamed for keeping them in the dark.
"You said its a long story. Tell us about it." Andromeda pressed.
"You have to promise to be calm." Ramona sighed, closing her eyes.
"Why?"
"Please, Andy?" Ramona begged. Andromeda looked her over and clicked her tongue against her teeth, but finally nodded.
"Alright." She agreed. "We promise."
And so Ramona began telling them about her pregnancy. She'd told them about her decision to quit work, that she was expecting a boy, and that she was hoping very much they would want to be grandparents because otherwise her son wouldn't have any.
"So the father..." Ted ask after she'd finished, leaving Sirius out of her tale completely. "He's supporting you, then?"
"Very much so." Ramona nodded. Padfoot shifted closer.
"But you didn't bring him with you?" Andromeda questioned. "Why not?"
"Oh, no..." Ramona swallowed nervously. "I brought him. Darling, I think now is good as anytime."
Sirius stood from his canine form and shoved his hands into his pockets. Ramona watched as Ted gaped in shock, but Andromeda was on her feet, wand aimed at Sirius' chest.
"Ramona, you cannot be serious." Andromeda squeaked, stepping forward, eyes cut at Sirius.
"No, that'd be me." Sirius joked, masking his own nervousness.
"He's innocent, Andy!" Ramona said, stepping slightly in front of Sirius, gently pushing Andromeda's wand down to her side. "He's innocent, it was Peter Pettigrew, he framed him for everything. He was staying with my brother and I and one thing led to another- Its a really, really long story but-"
"You're really innocent?" Andromeda whispered, and Ramona stopped speaking. Andromeda's eyes were welling up with tears. Sirius nodded and nearly fell back as Andromeda rushed forward, wrapping him in a tight hug. She then let him loose and grabbed Ramona. "And you're having a baby?!" She laughed, tears running down her cheeks. "I can't believe it! I understand why you waited now. Oh! I am so happy!" Andromeda laughed as she cried again, this time hugging each other them with one arm. "Ted! We're going to be grandparents!"
Thank you for reading! Be sure to follow for updates and please review! I don't have much feedback on this yet, and it's so appreciated!