"Brumous"

"Chapter Forty-Six: The New House"

Sirius stood in front of his brand-new house that he purchased near Ludlow – or rather the home Remus found and took care of acquiring for him. It was a large Tudor-style manor on nine acres of flat fields that were meticulously maintained. It was far larger than Sirius needed with seven bedrooms, but he thought about tearing down walls to make a training room. But none of that really mattered. There was only one main feature he wanted in a house: seclusion. There were no buildings that could be seen with the naked eye.

It was the perfect safe house. They could place it under the Fidelius Charm. This time, Sirius would be certain that the Secret Keeper was someone he trusted. He refused to be hoodwinked again, not when it was Harry's life that was at stake. Glancing down at Andromeda by his side, he couldn't help but think she was the perfect person. They could be each other's Secret Keeper, so if Voldemort gained any more momentum, they can both just hide out in their perspective houses and never be found.

"This is massive, Sirius," Andromeda whispered, her mouth hanging open. "How much did this house cost?"

Sirius shrugged. "Over a million pounds. I don't remember the exact amount."

Andromeda scoffed, her head shaking. "Merlin, Sirius. Your nonchalance with money astounds me."

Sirius rolled his eyes. It wasn't like buying the house even put a dent in his finances. The Blacks had more blood money stowed away in Gringotts than he cared to even think about. Besides, there was a lot of assets he could liquidate if he needed cash fast. First on his list of assets to sell would be Grimmauld Place.

"Can you help me get it ready by Christmas?" Sirius asked, slinging an arm around her shoulders and tugging her into his side.

"Sirius, Christmas is in two weeks," Andromeda reminded him.

"You're the best person for the job," Sirius buttered her up, because he wanted the boys to come home to a proper house for the holiday.

Andromeda laughed as she rested her head against his chest. "All I'm good for is snake potions and interior design."

Sirius grinned, resting his cheek against her head. "Nah, you're also good for clothes shopping, making sure I don't starve, and being our little family's resident mother."

"Somebody has to keep all of you boys in line," Andromeda retorted as she pulled away and look up at him. "Nymphadora is no help. I swear she causes as much trouble as the rest of you."

Sirius chuckled. "Well, you shouldn't have given her the name Nymphadora if you didn't want trouble."

Andromeda gently pushed him away from her. "Show me your bloody mansion."

Looping his arm with hers, Sirius led her up the brick walkway towards the front porch. He had already taken it upon himself to remove the doorknob and place an Unlocking Charm on it. With a grin, he showed Andromeda the pattern so that she could come and go as she pleased to get the house ready for him.

Any thought that Andromeda had been annoyed with him quickly evaporated when she pulled paint swatches out of her pocketbook. She instructed him to hold up certain colors to different walls and he stuck the chosen color on the wall with his wand. Andromeda marked places on the floor where she would arrange furniture and also pointed out where she would set up the Christmas tree. Sirius went along with it all, never once questioning anything she said. He trusted her implicitly and knew she'd make it a cozy home for him and his kids.

His kids.

The words swished around in his head. He had two teenage boys who relied on him to protect them, to be there for them, and to do whatever it was that a parent did for their teenagers. Oddly enough, he very well-equipped to care for Harry. Sirius understood the kid's quirks and knew how to ease his anxiety. Cepheus was vastly different. He, unlike Sirius and Harry, had been loved unconditionally as a child. He grew up expressing emotions and talking about feelings. Sirius felt very ill-equipped to know what to even say. Harry and Sirius could find solace in each other's silence. It was just ruddy awkward with Cepheus.

"Is there anything you have an opinion on?" Andromeda asked as they made their way up the stairs. "Perhaps what you want for your bedroom."

"I have one request," Sirius replied, leading her down the hallway before they turned right. "These four bedrooms are the furthest away from any entry points," he explained as he pointed to the furthest door. "I want Harry there." He pointed to the door next to it. "Cepheus goes there." Then, he turned around to point to one of the doors across the hall. "I'm there."

Andromeda arched an eyebrow as she peered into the bedroom that Sirius claimed as his own. "This isn't the master suite," she explained, turning around to face him.

"Andy, I lived in cramped Azkaban cell for twelve fucking years. That room is a fucking palace," Sirius reasoned. "Besides, I don't care about having a big room. I want to be close to Harry and Cepheus and I like how it's so far away from any outside entry points."

"Sirius, the boys will be fine," Andromeda stressed as she reached out to rub his arm. "You purchased the house under a trust, didn't you?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, Remus set it all up."

"No one will be able to link this house to you," Andromeda reasoned. "Even if they did, they'd get bloody well lost trying to find you."

Sirius didn't find their safety a joking matter, but he told himself not to snap at his cousin because she was a ruddy saint to put up with him. Besides, he needed her now more than ever.

"There's one more request I had for the house. It's a big request," Sirius said in a grave voice.

Andromeda arched an eyebrow. "Anything."

Sirius swallowed, refusing to break eye contact. "I need a Secret Keeper. Andy, you are… you're my sister in every single way that matters. You have always looked out for me. You have always taken care of me. I need you, Andy. I don't think I'd still be alive if it wasn't for you."

Andromeda blinked, her eyebrows tugging down. "Are you sure you don't want Remus?"

"You and I both know that Voldemort is eyeing up taking control of the Ministry," Sirius started as he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "He's been planting his little moles in every single department he can. If he takes the Ministry, we're all fucked. The entire Order will have to go underground. You know that Harry and I will go after the Horcruxes. Remus knows about them too. He's been attending the meetings with Dumbledore about them. He'll go underground with us as well. But they'll suspect Remus. They'll go after him if they see him out grabbing provisions."

"Sirius, they could go after me," Andromeda interrupted. "I'll be next after Remus."

"Ah, but, you see, I'm your Secret Keeper," Sirius reasoned, pointing a finger at her. "And if you're mine… well, all we have to do is stay in our perspective houses."

Andromeda nodded, her face scrunching together. "If Remus goes with you, that means Nymphadora will as well."

Sirius nodded. "I suspect she will."

"Sirius, everyone Ted and I care about will all be together," Andromeda reasoned, her gaze wandering around the house. "Can't we… can't we all stay here? Together."

Sirius shook his head. "Andy, we have a job to do. A very dangerous job. As much as I love you and Ted, you two aren't fighters. You'll be a liability to us," he explained, his tongue peeking out to lick his bottom lip. "So would Cepheus."

Realization dawned on Andromeda's face. "You can't abandon him! You just adopted him!"

"He'd be with his Aunt Andy and Uncle Ted," Sirius explained, kicking off the wall and closing the space between them. "I'll keep Nymphadora safe and you keep Cepheus safe."

"Sirius…" Andromeda trailed off, tears welling in her eyes.

He pressed his hands to her shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze. "Look, this is worst case scenario, all right? We're not there yet. Hopefully, we never get there."

Andromeda nodded, her fingers coiling around his forearms. Sirius couldn't help the fear that clawed at his chest. He had lost so much in the first war. He didn't know if he could handle losing anyone else. Since Voldemort rose from that cauldron, he told himself Harry was the only one he cared about. He wouldn't survive Harry's death. But he would be a fool if he said he wouldn't be severely affected if Andromeda, Ted, Remus, Dora, or Cepheus died. Harry would be devastated to lose any of them as well.

Sirius forced a smile on his lips. "You know I love you, Andy. I'll do everything in my power to make sure we all survive this. But you have to listen to me. I made so many mistakes the first time around that I'm well-versed in how exactly not to fuck up. I just do the opposite of what I did the last time."

He offered her a weak smile, though he wasn't entirely joking. Sirius was far more methodical this time around than he had been last time. At twenty, he had been running around on pure arrogance and delusion that they were untouchable. Now, he knew just how mortal they all were. James' and Lily's deaths proved that.

Andromeda's eyes slid closed, a sigh sounding in the back of her throat. "Sirius," she whispered, her eyes snapping open. "You shouldn't shoulder this responsibility alone. It's not healthy."

"Andy, you watch out for our family's emotional well-being," Sirius replied in a sincere voice. "Let me watch out for our family's physical well-being. We each have a role to play in this family. Mine is to make sure we all survive the war. Yours will be to pick up the pieces after the war."

A sob escaped Andromeda's lips, her hands dropping from his arms. Her fingers clawed at his leather jacket, forcing him down to her height. She wrapped her arms around him, desperately clinging to him. Sirius sucked in a breath as he wrapped his arms around her waist, his nose burying into her shoulder. He felt her hand tangle into his hair. Sirius' throat clogged at the motion, being painfully reminded of their Uncle Alphard. He screwed his eyes shut to keep his emotions at bay.

"I love you, Sirius," Andromeda whispered. "But you're wrong. My job isn't only to pick up the pieces after the war. My job is also to take care of you so you can keep us safe. We're a team, Sirius. We won't win if we don't work together. You're not alone. You will always have me."

Sirius pulled back so he could look at his cousin. A stray tear escaped his eye as he stared at her. Andromeda only smiled tightly as she brushed the tear off his cheek with her fingers.

"We're family," Andromeda said in a sure voice. "None of us are alone as long as we have each other."

Sirius searched Andromeda's face, knowing he had to come clean with her so she didn't make the same mistake that he did. He had avoided telling her, because he didn't want to see her crestfallen face. Andromeda saw the good in people. It was a blessing but also a curse.

"It was Narcissa," he croaked.

Andromeda's brows furrowed. "What do mean?"

Sirius swallowed, his fingers wrapping around her wrists and holding them close to his chest. "She was the one who told me where to find Cepheus. She was also the one who told Malfoy we would be there. She betrayed us. She set us up. She tried to have me murdered."

Andromeda's eyebrows raised, her face falling just like he predicted.

"I know you wanted so badly to believe she was trapped," Sirius croaked. "I did too. I looked at her and all I saw was Regulus. I thought about how I didn't do more to help him get out. I thought I could help her get out. I offered her my help, to give her money to run away with her son. All she did was betray us. She betrayed us, Andy. She's not our family anymore. You can't trust her if she comes to you."

Andromeda blinked rapidly, her head nodding. "You are the only Black I trust, Sirius."

Sirius' face pulled. "I'm sorry, Andy. Our family is just… awful."

Andromeda sniffed, her head shaking. "No, it's not. You're my little brother in every way that matters and you gave me two amazing nephews. I have Ted by my side. He's the love of my life and gave me the best daughter I could ask for. That's our family. That's the best family I could ever ask for."

Sirius cleared his throat. "I, uh, at Cepheus' custody hearing. I thought about how I don't give you enough credit. You knew exactly what I needed to do to gain me custody of Cepheus and I bitched the entire time you dragged me around all over London. You always know what to say and do and, and I just snap at you and take my frustrations out on you. Then I expect you to do things for me like get an entire house together in a fortnight. I'm sorry, Andy. I don't thank you nearly as much as I should. But I need you to know that I appreciate everything you do for me even if I don't always show it."

Andromeda gave him a watery grin. "You know why you take your frustration out on me, don't you?"

Sirius searched her face. "No."

"Because you feel safe with me," Andromeda whispered. "You know I won't turn my back on you. That I will love you no matter what."

Sirius sniffed. "That's stupid."

"It's true," Andromeda insisted. "And it's all right. I know you don't mean any of it. Your bark is far worse than your bite."

Sirius looked down at his feet, his jaw tightening. "I murdered Lucius Malfoy. It was me. And I… I enjoyed it," he admitted, his gaze snapping up. "It's not the first time I've murdered someone either. And it sure as hell won't be the last because I will slaughter anyone who so much as looks at Harry wrong. So do you really think my bark is worse than my bite?"

Andromeda cupped his face, her face hardening. "We're at war, Sirius."

"I don't feel remorse at all, Andy," Sirius admitted, voicing his fear out loud for the first time ever. "What does that say about me? Maybe I'm no better than Voldemort is. Maybe that makes me more like him than I want to be."

"Lucius Malfoy tormented you as a child," Andromeda said in a sure voice, her thumbs brushing along his cheekbones. "He hurt you. He degraded you. It's hard to feel remorse towards a truly despicable monster."

"Right," Sirius replied.

He knew that wasn't it. He hadn't felt remorse either when he had killed Bertham Nott. He tried not to linger on those thoughts, not wanting to feel anymore connected to Voldemort than he already did. But he had to admit, when he was feeling particularly dark, he saw more similarities between him and Voldemort than he cared to. Sirius pushed those thoughts to the very back of his mind.

Sirius cleared his throat. "You actually have less than two weeks to get it done," he said in a light tone. "The boys come home the Friday before Christmas on the twentieth. I'm picking them up to avoid the train on Saturday."

"Then, I'm afraid I'm going to force you to take me to lunch, take you furniture shopping, and then make you charm the walls to the color of my liking," Andromeda explained, looping her arm with his. "I'll need all the help I can get."

Sirius laughed. "Oh, just how I wanted to spend my Wednesday."

"Every Wednesday should be spent with your favorite cousin," Andromeda pressed, bumping her hip against his.

Sirius glanced down at the top of her brunette hair. "You mean my favorite sister."

Andromeda laughed. "Oh, who are you and what have you done with Sirius? You're being awfully sentimental and open this morning."

Sirius shrugged. "I think therapy is turning me into a sop."

Andromeda pressed her temple against his shoulder. "I'm glad it's helping."

Sirius silently agreed. Despite the shitstorm surrounding them, he felt oddly better about things than he had two months ago. October had crushed his soul and weighed him down. Now December brought new hope. He knew what the exact connection was between Harry and Voldemort, he had a plan to fix it, Cepheus was safe, and he had finally acquired his safe house if everything went to hell.

Even though he didn't want to admit it, he felt hope with Marlene too. He could actually talk to her without wanting to run for the hills. His chest clinched at that thought. Because while he was happy he could actually communicate with Marlene now, it made his not-relationship with Tegan more complicated. Tegan was like a breath of fresh air. They could just have fun together. That was something Sirius needed and appreciated.

He walked with Andromeda and told her the latest news from Hogwarts. Because talking about their youngest family members enjoying themselves at school was always a safe topic of conversation.

Remus didn't exactly know how he found himself in the situation he was. What started out as a normal Defense lesson for Harry had turned into Ginny and her friends giving him advice on how to propose. Apparently, Marlene had let her fifth years leave a half hour early to work on a research project in the library. Of course, Ginny and her friends stopped by to say hi to their old and, apparently, favorite professor. Somehow, though Remus wasn't entire sure how, the conversation turned to Remus' personal life. Ginny mentioned he was going to propose to Nymphadora. Harry guiltily looked away.

"A carriage!" Niamh squealed. "A horse-drawn carriage in the snow!"

"Under the fairy lights!" Ginny added.

"At a Christmas market!" Gemma gave her two Knuts as well.

"Have the carriage stop right in front of a large Christmas tree and get down on one knee in the carriage to propose," Demelza explained. "Have someone positioned in a bush or something to snap a picture."

"Sirius!" Ginny exclaimed. "Have Sirius hide in the bush! He'll do it."

Remus wasn't too certain about that. Sirius didn't have a romantic bone in his body and he would probably complain the entire time. Remus glanced over at Harry to see him looking between the girls like he was taking mental notes.

"You need a speech too," Niamh told him in a very serious voice. "You can't just say, 'will you marry me?' You need to have a speech about all the things you love about her and why you want to spend the rest of your life with her."

"You should write it down and then rehearse it in the mirror," Gemma offered.

Demelza pointed at him. "Definitely memorize it. You can't have a bloody bit of parchment in front of you."

Remus needed to have words with Marlene for letting the kids out early. What was she thinking? He knew it was close to the holiday break, but he wanted Harry to be more confident with nonverbal magic before the break started. He certainly didn't want to talk about his proposal with a bunch of teenage girls.

"As much as I appreciate your input, I must request you leave Harry and I to our lesson," Remus interrupted.

The girls did not seem happy. There was a collection of groans as well as last minute details that he could add, including but not limited to bringing Nymphadora flowers, not wearing a cardigan with patched elbows, and to be clean shaven. Remus let out a long-exasperated sigh as soon as the classroom door shut.

"Sorry," Harry mumbled, his neck flushing red. "I told Ginny the other night. She promised she wouldn't tell Tonks. She was really happy for you two."

Remus waved him off. How could he be upset when Harry seemed genuinely excited for him and Nymphadora? "It doesn't matter. I should just propose already, shouldn't I?"

Harry nodded. "Are you going to do the carriage idea?"

Remus realized that Defense was officially over with. Harry was done concentrating and had clearly moved on from his coursework. If Remus was trying to build a more personal relationship with Harry, then he ought to engage in personal topics when Harry was interested.

"It's better than any idea I've come up with," Remus admitted, although he had exactly zero ideas so far. "Or any idea you came up with," he added in a teasing tone.

Harry laughed. "Yeah, I don't think just pitching a ring at her is a smart idea anymore."

"I should have you hide in the bushes and take the pictures since you started all of this," Remus said with a soft smile.

"Yeah, if you can convince Sirius to let me hide in a bush alone out in the open," Harry replied, his eyes rolling. "He's overprotective. He doesn't even allow me walk in public without holding onto me."

Remus folded his arms on the desk between him and Harry, leaning forward. "If the first war taught us anything, it was to keep our loved ones close. I can safely say that I think that Sirius is afraid of losing you again."

Harry shrugged. "It's not like I'd run away."

"I don't think Sirius believes you would," Remus assured him. "Him keeping a hand on you at all times is more for his peace of mind in case the two of you were attacked. He could Disapparate in a second."

Harry toyed with the pages at the corner of his textbook. "Remus, can I ask you a question?"

Remus dropped his hands in his lap, sitting up straighter. "I'll do my best to answer it."

Harry didn't look up, his eyes squinting at his textbook. "Did Sirius tell you about the… about me entering Voldemort's mind during Marlene's class the other day?"

That wasn't what Remus had been expecting. Honestly, he thought Harry was going to ask how James proposed to Lily.

But, regardless, Remus had heard about Harry slipping into Voldemort's mind. Sirius asked him to try to fit in a bit of Occlumency into their Defense lessons, but Remus hadn't yet. He thought mastering nonverbal spells were of a greater importance since Harry's Occlumency walls seemed pretty stable before.

"I did," Remus admitted.

"Do you think…" Harry trailed off, blowing a puff of air out of his lips. "Do you think my Occlumency walls are, are bad?"

Remus searched Harry's face, seeing the very subtle worry lines creasing between his brows. Harry's glasses slid down his nose but he didn't bother to push them back up. Remus' heart cinched in his chest. Harry suddenly looked older. Harry also suddenly looked like James did just months before his death: anxious, afraid, slowly falling into a bottomless pit of depression. If Harry was asking him, then certainly Sirius had told him not to worry with his face void of emotion.

Remus rubbed his hand against his mouth, his gaze not leaving Harry's. "Sirius said you've been exhausted lately."

Harry nodded. "I just had a lot of stuff going on. I dropped the dueling clubs."

"Exhaustion can make your walls crumble," Remus said in a low tone. "You can't wear yourself into the ground, Harry. Because it's not just your Occlumency walls that will crack. Nonverbal spell casting is advanced. It takes a lot of concentration to learn. Once you learn, it becomes easier and easier. But you can't expect to master this if you're dead on your feet."

Harry nodded. "Okay."

"I don't think your walls are bad, Harry," Remus added for good measure. "I think you're sixteen and you have a lot of weight on your shoulders right now."

Harry stared at him, his Adam's apple bobbing in a sure sign that he was swallowing down his words. Remus noted that Harry had done that a lot the year he taught at Hogwarts as soon as he found out that he had known James and Lily. But Harry never dared to push or prod him no matter how desperate he looked for knowledge. Remus had been an arse back then, so wrapped up in his own shit that he couldn't even give a thirteen-year-old crumbs about his deceased parents.

"I think that if we're going to have a close relationship, then you need to say whatever it is you want to say," Remus pushed, hoping he didn't regret it.

Harry pushed his glasses up his nose, his eyes moving to the left to stare out the window. "I think my Occlumency walls are bad."

Remus leaned back in his chair, resting his ankle on the opposite knee. "Why?"

"Because I could tell Sirius was worried," Harry admitted, turning back to look at Remus. "He wanted to practice with me. He had Dumbledore show him how to check that my mind was my own. He told me that we should talk in code about certain things. He also wanted to check my mind more often."

Remus sucked in a breath, wondering how to respond Harry truthfully. Sirius had been on edge ever since Harry's name had been spit out of the Goblet of Fire. When Voldemort rose from that cauldron, Sirius' mood shifted drastically. While Sirius was soft and patient with Harry, he was anything but with everyone else. Remus had been seeing him act more and more like he had during the first war once the Potters went into hiding. Sirius trusted no one, lashed out at everyone, and could be downright vicious.

Remus didn't know whether Sirius was just paranoid after Harry had invaded Voldemort's mind or if there was something he wasn't saying. While Remus and Sirius were closer now than they had ever been, Remus knew Sirius wasn't telling him everything. Because Sirius liked his secrets. He always had.

"Sirius is worried," Remus replied, his jaw tightening. "But not over your walls per say. We lost everything in the first war, Harry. Halloween is an awful fucking day. But hell, Sirius, and I hate the whole month of October because of it. There was a six-month period during the first war where we attended more funerals than we could count. I dreaded opening the paper every morning because I didn't know who would be announced dead. I cringed whenever I saw a Patronus, wondering if I was receiving a message about another Order member who had been murdered or injured."

"Do you think it'll get that bad again?" Harry asked, a deep frown etching into his face.

"It's certainly something that Sirius and I are preparing for, what everyone is preparing for just in case," Remus decided to say, because it really wasn't an if but a when, though he couldn't say that to Harry. "I think that Sirius is very afraid to lose you. He's already lost James and Lily. He can't lose you too."

Harry nodded. "Do you know how to make sure my mind is my own?"

Remus shook his head. "I don't, but if you would like me to learn, I will."

Harry swallowed visibly. "Please?"

Remus would be sure to pay Dumbledore a visit before he left the school. If it would help put Harry's mind at ease, then he was willing to help.

"I think the most important thing you can do is try to stay calm and relaxed," Remus instructed.

Harry winced. "Yeah, Marlene was talking about trying to brew some potion to relax my mind so that if Voldemort attacks then my walls will shift instead of crack."

"You need to figure out what makes you happy," Remus added, his head nodding. "If that's Quidditch or flying or whatever it is. You just need to figure out what that is and seek it out as much as possible."

Harry shifted in his chair. "Could it be a person?"

Remus raised his eyebrows. "Yes, being around someone you trust and care for can help you relax," he replied, watching Harry carefully but the kid wasn't giving anything away. He had been spending too much time with Sirius. "Do you have someone in mind?"

Harry licked his bottom lip, his eyes gazing up at the ceiling. "Ginny," he whispered before he looked back at Remus. "Sometimes when we're together, I forget all about Voldemort and how I'm the Chosen One or whatever. When I'm with Ginny I feel like I'm just Harry and being just Harry is okay."

Remus smiled. "Then, I think you have a very valid reason to be with your girlfriend as much as possible."

"I try to be already," Harry confessed, wiping his hands on his trousers as his neck flushed.

A bell rang, indicating class was over with. Harry didn't move from his spot. Remus knew Harry didn't have class until after lunch, so it wasn't like he was in a hurry to go anywhere.

"Are you worried about the holidays coming up?" Remus asked. "From what I've been told, you're going to Andy and Ted's for Christmas Eve and then you'll be at the Burrow on Christmas. So, you will see Ginny. I'm sure if you asked Sirius, he'd invite Ginny and Ron to the new house for a visit. Don't repeat this, but I may have also heard that Sirius, Arthur, and Bill were trying to connect your new house and the Burrow with an illegal Floo connection."

Harry's brow furrowed. "Why illegal?"

"Sirius bought the house in a trust so his name isn't attached to it," Remus explained. "If he'd go to the Ministry to set up any Floo connections, then his name would be attached to the property."

"Oh," Harry replied, his face scrunching together. "Wouldn't the Death Eaters just be able to follow through the Floo though?" he asked, his bottom lip sliding between his teeth.

"Ah, well, that's what they're trying to avoid as well," Remus elaborated, not entirely understanding Sirius' rant when he had tried to work out the problem aloud with him the other day. "They don't want the legal house names to be used. They don't want any talking necessary. I think Bill was trying to work out the fireplaces only accepting certain wand signatures in order to travel through. But it's highly complicated and we don't have anyone in the Order who specializes in Floo Transportation. But if anyone can figure it out, I think Sirius and Bill will be able to. You know how Sirius enjoys his puzzles. It's just a massive puzzle to him."

"Why are they even bothering with a Floo connection?" Harry inquired.

"While the house will be under the Fidelius Charm, Sirius wanted a contingency plan in case the worst-case scenario happens again," Remus explained. "I don't think your parents had a contingency plan. They had so much faith in Peter that they didn't think of an escape route. I think that's why your mother ran upstairs with you instead of trying to leave the house. She didn't know what to do in case they were found. The faith that they had in their friends seems so foolish now. But it's just a sign that they were good, trusting people."

It had been the only possible solution Remus could come up with in fifteen years. He spent a lot of drunken nights wondering why Lily hadn't fled the house, why they hadn't fled together, why James would go up against Voldemort without a wand. But Remus supposed that they never thought they'd be found out. They had been too trusting for their own damn good. Remus hated that.

Harry frowned. "You and Sirius didn't trust each other during the war though."

Remus shook his head. "There was a lot of distrust between us for one reason or another. Sirius and I have talked about it after he escaped Azkaban. James had told both of us that we were idiotic not to trust one another, that he had faith in all three of us. He refused to believe that any of us were the traitor no matter how many of our friends started to die around us."

Harry looked down at his textbook. "I wish he would have listened to you and Sirius. Not about each other, but… if he wasn't so trusting, maybe they wouldn't have died."

A strained smile crossed Remus' face. "James regarded it as the height of dishonor to mistrust your friends, because he didn't view us as friends. We were brothers. He just drew you in towards him. He was so friendly, so funny, so honorable. He was the type of bloke who would give you the shirt off his back in the freezing cold to suffer so you wouldn't have to," he explained as Harry looked up at him with sad eyes. "It's why Sirius and I struggle so much with your parents' deaths. We loved Lily as well, but there was just something about James. We had been together since we were eleven, forging what we thought would be an unbreakable bond between the four of us."

Harry tapped his thumb against the desk, his gaze boring into Remus. "But Pettigrew didn't feel the same? Was it the entire time or, or did something happen?"

Remus had thought about it a lot since the Shrieking Shack incident. Sirius' betrayal made sense. He was a Black, a family that was notoriously dark and avid followers of Voldemort. Remus had just assumed his family had gotten to him, that he wanted the prestige and the money back. Also, in the back of Remus' mind, he had always remembered Sirius telling Snape about the Shrieking Shack. Sirius hadn't been a stranger to betrayal in Remus' mind.

But Peter made him pause. He didn't believe it was just because Peter was weaker than the rest of them. Peter had loved James, followed him around like a little lost puppy dog. He oohed and aahed at every single thing James did. It had been something that annoyed Sirius, made him snap and poke fun of Peter for years. Peter betraying Sirius, screaming in the middle of a crowded street for all to hear that Sirius was a traitor and a murderer made sense. Peter could have snapped from Sirius' constant teasing that was borderline not teasing. But James? Betraying James made zero sense. There was only one reason he could think to justify why.

"I don't know for sure," Remus admitted. "I have my theory but that's all it is."

"What's your theory?" Harry pushed, sounding curious.

"Every single one of us, we considered James our best friend. But James only considered Sirius his best friend," Remus admitted, his features tugging down. "That never bothered me. I was still very close with James, closer to him than I was to Sirius or Peter. In fact, I was probably the least close with Sirius as kids. It wasn't because I was jealous of his and James' friendship. I understood it. They both had an eerily similar sense of humor and seemed to always be on the same wavelength. When Sirius ran away from home, Sirius became a Potter in every way but by name. They were closer than ever after that to the point where people would joke they were co-dependent."

Harry nodded. "I heard someone say once that they were always together, never saw one without the other."

Remus chuckled. "It was true. The only time you saw them apart was during Quidditch practice and games for the longest time. Even when Lily started dating James, people joked that she was dating the both of them. Sirius didn't even care about being a third-wheel. He had started to grow close to Lily around fifth year, after he ran away. Sirius had changed after that, became quieter and less interested in pranks. Lily and him would spend hours talking. I don't know exactly what she knew, but I think she saw he needed all the support he could get. Whenever James wasn't around, Sirius started gravitating towards Lily. I remember them cheering together at Quidditch games, hugging and screaming whenever James or Marlene would do something impressive. In sixth year, much to James' shock, Sirius partnered with Lily in Potions."

"Really?" Harry asked, his body leaning forward as though he were hanging on Remus' every word.

Remus nodded. "Her and Severus always partnered together but they had a huge falling out at the end of fifth year. Severus had a habit of, well, harassing Lily after that. He'd sit outside the common room just waiting for her. He was always trying to apologize and talk to her. But Lily had been beyond hurt. She had no interest in repairing the relationship. It angered Sirius to see him harassing her like that and Sirius took it upon himself to always intervene whenever he saw Severus going towards her."

"Is that why Snape hates Sirius so much?" Harry asked.

Remus shrugged. "Part of it. The other part was just that he hated Sirius for Sirius. Though, I'm sure he wasn't happy that Sirius became her Potions partner. For years, the partners in Potions had always been Lily and Severus, Sirius and James, Marlene and Dorcas, and then Peter and me. Peter dropped Potions after fifth year, so I partnered with James that year. Marlene and Dorcas stayed partners. Sirius decided that he was going to partner with Lily to help her avoid the awkward no partner situation with Severus."

"I know that Sirius was close with my mum too, but I didn't know they were that close when they were in school," Harry admitted. "Close enough to ditch my dad as his partner."

Remus chuckled. "Well, James and I were right behind Sirius and Lily's table," he clarified. "So, Sirius was always turning around to goof off with James still. It was more like the four of us started working together to be honest with you since James' and Sirius' worst subject was by far Potions. But it was the start of James and Lily becoming friends, I think. By seventh year, James and Sirius were back to being partners since Snape had eased off his harassment by the end of the year. Lily and Marlene paired up. I went with Dorcas."

"So, you think this is when Pettigrew started to separate from you?" Harry asked.

Remus sucked in a breath, forgetting that's what they were talking about originally when he started to go down memory lane. "Well, like I said, it never bothered me that James didn't consider me his best friend back. But I think it bothered Peter, especially since Sirius could be rough on Peter at times. Then, James started to date Lily. Suddenly, her friends were always with our group. Well, then James and Lily got married and, as you know, Sirius was best man. Peter and I were in the wedding still, but I think it might have peeved Peter not to be best man. When you were born, naturally Sirius was named your godfather. Sirius was always around the Hollow. He was always over there when we were, holding you in his arms or playing with you on the floor. Sirius paid little attention to us, because he was so focused on you. Sirius and Marlene were the only ones asked to mind you, the only ones that James and Lily allowed you to be alone with. Sirius was always the one they asked to bring them provisions and grab stuff for them since they weren't leaving the house often. Again, I never took offense. They were the godparents. I never thought it weird that I wasn't asked to mind you for the evening. But, in hindsight, I remember Peter making comments about Sirius. Like every time James chose Sirius, Peter saw it as a slight."

"You think Pettigrew betrayed my dad because he wanted to be the best friend but wasn't?" Harry asked, a deep frown etching into every crevice of his face.

"It's just a theory," Remus said with a shrug. "It's not like Sirius and I have sat down with him for a chat to figure out why. We've heard rumors that Peter is with the Lestranges and Malfoys now. Sirius seems to think it was just Bellatrix fucking with him by flipping Peter all those years ago, taking the weakest member of our friendship group and turning him against us because she knew of the prophecy and how valuable your family was. But, even if that was true, I think there had to be some animosity growing within Peter before that. Because I couldn't imagine betraying my friends in the way Peter did. Even being the least close with Sirius back then, despite the growing mistrust between us, I never would have willingly hurt him unless I had saw the Mark on his arm for myself."

Harry nodded, his gaze dropping to the desk between them. His finger traced a drawing etched into the wood, probably from some bored student during class.

"I don't understand how nobody suspected him," Harry whispered, his voice strained.

Remus sucked in a breath. "It was… a difficult and foreign time, Harry. We weren't that much older than you are now. We were dumb, naïve kids. Through the betrayal, through all the heartache, Sirius and I have managed to become closer than we have ever been before. It's ironic to me that the man I thought was capable of the most heinous atrocities is now my best friend. I never would have thought at your age that Sirius and I would ever be as close as we are now."

"It's hard for me to picture the two of you not being close," Harry admitted, looking up at and squinting at Remus behind his glasses.

Well, that was something Remus supposed. Sometimes Remus felt so out of his depth on how to handle Sirius' mood swings. But if they looked close from the outside, then maybe he was a better friend than he thought.

"Sirius was… well, he still is a very difficult person to become close with," Remus explained. "His upbringing has made him very closed off. He has a very explosive personality. It would annoy me when Sirius would blow his lid over the smallest thing as kids. I just wanted to tell him to relax. It seemed like James was the only one patient enough to deal with Sirius' personality, the only one who could get him to calm down."

Harry folded his arms on the desk in front of him. "I never thought Sirius was hard to become close with. I mean, I know he's closed off. He doesn't tell me things until it all boils over. But, I don't know. I never had trouble getting close to him. He's always written me and been around to help me. He's never been distant with me before. Well, I guess for a little bit in October he was, but I didn't know October was so awful for him. And we're good now. He's been way more honest with me about things."

Remus smiled. "It's because you're a Potter. Sirius always had a soft spot for Potters."

Harry didn't laugh like Remus thought he would. He only frowned in response.

"You think that's the only reason Sirius likes me?" Harry asked. "Because I'm a Potter?"

Remus shook his head. "No, of course, not! He's your godfather. He was always close with you, even when you were a newborn and did nothing but sleep and cry. If he didn't like you for you, he wouldn't still be around. Sirius has no problem cutting people out of his life that he doesn't like. Trust me, he thinks the world of you and that's not going to ever change."

Harry visibly relaxed. Remus thought it was sad that Harry even had an intrusive thought like that over a joke. When Sirius had the conversation with him about being all in or all out, he would be lying if he said that Sirius hadn't been a tad bit overdramatic about it. But Remus realized now that he hadn't been. It was clear as day that Harry had deep-seeded insecurities from the way the Dursleys treated him if he would question Sirius' love for even a moment based off some teasing comment.

Remus tried to remember what they were even talking about before the conversation was derailed to bring it back around. Harry grabbed his textbook and his supplies, packing them away in his satchel. Remus wondered how Sirius did it, day after day after day. Not mucking it all up and making the kid more insecure than he already was.

Then, Remus remembered. They were talking about the new house and the security around the house. But Harry only rose from his seat, swinging his satchel on his shoulder and looking down at Remus.

"Thanks, Remus," Harry said, a closed-mouth smile spreading across his face. "Sirius doesn't like talking about things, especially things that revolve around bad memories. The only time he talks about the past is when he's talking about me as a baby."

Remus nodded. "I think that the first fifteen months of your life that you were all together, it was the happiest of Sirius' life. Maybe that's why he likes telling you stories from that time," he explained, his eyes searching Harry's face. "But that's not to say he's not happy now with you," he added in a rush before Harry could think anything negative. "He is. Trust me, he's far happier and relaxed when he's around you than when it's just the two of us. But I know he misses James and Lily. Despite not wanting to admit it, I know he misses Marlene as well."

Harry looked as though he were processing the words, his brows cinching just a tad. "Sirius said once that there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't miss my dad."

Remus nodded. "I know that you've struggled with some of the things you've heard about your dad from Severus," he said, standing up to his full height. "James was… well, James was raised in a very loving household. He was the golden child, never went without a want or a need fulfilled. He was very comfortable with who he was and extremely confident. I think, I think that can be misconstrued as arrogant sometimes. Maybe he was. But I also know that James never judged me for being a werewolf, it was his idea to became an Animagus for me, and he took care of the people he loved. He listened to you for hours without judgement, offering the best advice that he could. Though, I highly suspected that he just regurgitated a lot of classic Fleamont Potter speeches."

Harry's closed-mouth smile broke into a lopsided one, the one that had seemingly always been etched on James' face.

"If your dad wasn't a great man, there wouldn't still be people missing him and talking about him fifteen years later," Remus reasoned, his hand reaching out to grip Harry's shoulder. "People in the Order still talk about James, making comments or telling stories. When people see you, they want to talk about James as well. They want to compare the two of you, to comment about how much you're like him. That's not a bad thing, Harry."

"I know," Harry whispered.

"I think the greatest measure of a man is the fact that the night Voldemort attacked your family, James went to face him without a wand," Remus said in a soft voice, his grip tightening around Harry's shoulder. "James knew he was going to die. There was no way he didn't. If I knew James as well as I think I did, then I don't think he cared as long as he could potentially save you and Lily. Family meant everything to James."

Remus cleared his throat, his fingers loosening around Harry's shoulder. His hand moved, tapping Harry's gently on the side of the neck twice before he took a step back. The two of them stared at each other for a few moments before Harry offered him a genuinely smile and told him he'd see him next week.

Remus let out a long sigh as soon as Harry left the room. His eyes screwed shut, his mind focusing on a past he always tried so desperately to forgot. Sirius and Remus rarely talked about the past. They tried to avoid the topic of James as much as possible. They didn't sit and reminiscence very often, because some wounds had never fully healed. But somehow, it felt good to talk about James with Harry.

Harry sat in Potions, his quill tapping on his textbook while he listened to Marlene talk about Amortentia. A comforting floral scent filled the room. Harry knew he had smelled it before but he couldn't pinpoint where exactly. Ron doodled on his parchment next to him. Malfoy and Nott were still not back in class. Harry suspected that they'd be gone until the new year at this point. Why would they come back to school for a week at this point?

Harry had read about the funerals in the Daily Prophet, had seen the picture on the front page of the paper with Draco Malfoy and his mother dressed in all black in front of a freshly dug grave. There had been little emotion on their faces. No tears in sight. Harry had vaguely wondered if they knew Sirius was the one to kill him.

With Malfoy and Nott absent from the castle, he couldn't have Kreacher tailing them. The most he could do was ask Kreacher to find the cabinet with runes etched into it, but Harry didn't know if he could do a good enough job explaining what it looked like. Sometimes, depending on his mood, Kreacher could be less than happy to help. He often found himself wondering how to get into Kreacher's good graces. Harry didn't think Kreacher despised him like he did Sirius, but Kreacher certainly only did things for Harry begrudgingly.

The bell rang. Everyone scrambled to gather their things to leave for lunch. Harry stuffed his Potions book, quill, and parchment into his satchel neatly while Ron shoved everything in haphazardly.

"Harry! Cepheus! Can you two stay behind?" Marlene called.

Harry told Ron that he'd meet him in the Great Hall before he turned around to see Cepheus waving goodbye to Sophie Roper, who had become his Potions partner. Harry shoved his hands into his robe pockets and waited for Cepheus to join him before they made their way up to the front of the room.

Marlene smiled at them. "Sirius is on his way over."

Cepheus' brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Is everyone all right?" Harry demanded.

"Everyone is fine," Marlene assured him. "He's going to take you out to lunch and then to your house new for a bit. The Fidelius has been placed around the house and he wants to divulge the secret to both of you so that Friday goes smoothly."

"You mean Saturday?" Harry pressed, his brows furrowing.

"No, I mean Friday evening," Marlene clarified. "I'm sorry, Harry, but Sirius decided that the train wasn't ideal for both of your safety. He's going to grab you Friday after class to take you home."

Harry held his breath, less than thrilled that he would miss the train ride with Ginny and Ron. Not to mention, it would be one less night he would be able to sleep with Ginny. They had been taking turns on where they slept, much to Kreacher's annoyance. But Harry couldn't find it within him to care every time Kreacher rolled his eyes at him. Harry was always sure to show a lot of gratitude, but Kreacher didn't seem to care unless he was smirking when he said he 'won't tell the other master anything about it.'

The door opened and Harry turned around. Sirius and Ted walked into the classroom. Harry felt Cepheus stiffen next to him. Turning to look at him, Harry's eyes searched his face. Harry couldn't help but wonder when Cepheus would become comfortable around Sirius. If it wasn't soon, it would make for one awkward holiday.

"Boys," Sirius greeted with a nod, his hand clapping against the back of Harry's neck. "I trust Marlene told you why we were coming?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

"Brilliant. I thought we'd stop by the house first and then have lunch in the village if that's all right."

Harry nodded again when Cepheus didn't say anything. "Sure, that's fine."

Cepheus shifted, worrying his bottom lip, as he stared at Sirius.

Sirius observed Cepheus for a few moments. "Amino," he said.

Cepheus relaxed just a tad, a tight smile crossing his face.

"Cepheus! It's wonderful to see you again," Ted greeted in an abnormally loud and cheerful voice, pulling Cepheus into an embrace.

Sirius pressed his hand against the back of Harry's head before he walked behind him towards Marlene. Ted tucked Cepheus into his side before he opened up his other arm.

"Harry, get over here and give your favorite uncle a hug," Ted demanded with a smile.

Harry grinned, stepping forward and allowing Ted to pull him into his other side. His chest expanded warmly, his eyes roaming over to where Sirius stood hunched over Marlene's desk to sign them out of school.

"You should know that Severus was complaining about you at the last faculty meeting," Marlene said, her body leaning against the side of her desk.

Sirius didn't look up, instead he glanced as his watch briefly. "I don't know how you can even be around that fucker."

Marlene shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest. "What am I going to do about it? I'm not going to quit my job and give him the sick satisfaction that he got to me."

Sirius tossed the quill onto the desk and straightened to his full height. "I have no doubt that he'll get his one day."

Marlene smiled, her chin tilting back so she could look up at Sirius. "He said that you sign Harry out of school too much and that Dumbledore would never give anyone else so many privileges. He said you get away with too much because your last name is Black."

Sirius snorted. "Yeah, like that's ever helped me in my fucking life."

Marlene chuckled. "Apparently, you may be using your money and influence to get what you want."

Sirius' eyebrows raised, his body leaning in close to Marlene. "I don't know about my influence, but I do have the money. Andy says I carelessly toss money around, so maybe he's onto something there at least."

Harry's eyes flickered between his godparents. It was a far different interaction this time around than last time. There was an ease between them, as though they were friends again or something.

Marlene rolled her eyes. "You were always careless with money. I remember that posh flat you and James had in Knightsbridge. I don't even want to think about what you two paid for that."

Sirius laughed, the wrinkles around his eyes becoming more prominent. "Nothing. I paid absolutely nothing on that place. Fleamont and Euphemia paid for it for us as a welcome to adulthood present."

"You're joking," Marlene replied, her head shaking. "They spoiled the two of you."

"Well, I mean, the cottage we lived in was my Uncle Alphard's so it's not like I spent a bunch of money on that," Sirius reasoned. "I can show restraint if I want to."

Marlene's lips curved, her eyebrows raising. "I'm just surprised you haven't burned down Grimmauld Place yet and collected the insurance money."

Sirius offered her an upside-down smile. "Don't tempt me, Marly," he said in a light tone. "You know once a seed is planted in my head, it's very hard for me to get rid of it."

Marlene touched his arm, her thumb brushing against the crease of his elbow. Sirius leaned down even further to her height. Harry didn't know what to make of the newfound closeness of Sirius and Marlene. Nor did he know how they went from screaming in each other's face to… well, whatever that was. Harry was fairly certain they were flirting, because Sirius was looking at Marlene in the same way he looked at Mrs Robins. Harry's stomach rolled at the thought of Mrs Robins. Surely, Sirius wouldn't be one to cheat on someone. That was infinitely worse than Sirius' spot of fun relationship.

Ted cleared his throat, his hand rubbing against Harry's arm. Sirius jerked back, snapping his attention to his family and looking as though he forgot they were all waiting on him. Harry frowned.

"Right, well, I'll have the boys back by dinner," Sirius said, straightening to his full height. "I know they don't have any afternoon classes today."

Marlene only smiled, biding them a farewell before they followed Sirius and Ted. Unlike Sirius, who was very tight-lipped when they left the school, Ted was overly talkative. He talked about the different biscuits and sweets that Andromeda was baking for Christmas Eve, how they had been invited to the Burrow for Christmas day, and how Andromeda had gone a tad overboard with her Christmas shopping for her two favorite nephews.

It became abundantly clear why Ted had tagged along with Sirius once they were outside of the wards of Hogwarts. Cepheus looked uneasy, his leg bouncing as he looked between Sirius and Ted. Sirius placed Warming Charms on each of their robes and Cepheus instantly shied away from Sirius' wand. When Ted asked Cepheus to side-along Apparate with him, he gladly stepped closer to him with relief spreading across his features. Harry automatically took a step closer to his godfather, leaning into his side as soon as Sirius wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Then, they Apparated.

They appeared in a field. All Harry could see was a field. Sirius dug in the pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out a piece of parchment, holding it out to Harry first. He instantly recognized Andromeda's handwriting.

The home of Sirius Black, Harry Potter, and Cepheus Black can be found at 7 Birch Lane in Seifton.

Harry looked up and his head jutted back in surprise at the massive house that stood in front of him. For some reason, Harry expected to be a small cottage and not a large manor. He held out the parchment for Cepheus to grab, his eyes soaking in the house.

"You don't like it?" Sirius asked, his head tilting down towards Harry's.

"I just didn't expect you to buy a mansion," Harry replied, turning to glance at his godfather.

Sirius shrugged. "I liked the privacy. We're in the middle of nowhere. The closest town is a good twenty minutes away. No neighbors. No one to bother us."

Once Cepheus saw the house as well, Ted grabbed the piece of parchment and set it on fire with a wave of his wand. Sirius led the way up the cobblestone walkway towards the house. Harry noticed that the doorknob was missing and that Sirius waved his wand in a complicated pattern that Harry had no doubt that he'd have to learn.

When they entered the house, Harry was surprised at how put together it was. While the house was missing a lot of personal details, like anything decorative and photos, it looked mostly furnished. The walls looked like they had a fresh coat of paint on them. Sirius didn't linger downstairs, directing them all towards the grand staircase.

Sirius directed them towards the back of the house, down two long hallways. He gestured to one door. Harry peered at it to see Cepheus' name on a silver plague with a constellation hanging below it. Glancing at the door next to Cepheus' room, he caught sight of his own name on a matching silver plaque with a golden snitch hanging below it.

Harry couldn't keep the smile off his face, though he waited patiently for Cepheus to look at his own room first. He opened the door and immediately started to sob. Harry furrowed his brow as he stepped in after Cepheus, only seeing a nicely decorated room.

"I've been in contact with Elodie Lefèvre," Sirius explained, leaning against the doorframe. "She, along with a couple other of your old professors, stopped by your house at my request. It took a lot of logistics and, honestly, you should thank Andy because she was instrumental in figuring out how to get the stuff here, but I think it's everything from your old bedroom. Obviously, some of the photos and other trinkets are from throughout the house. They're collecting the rest of the furniture and everything else. I've opened a vault at Gringotts in your name to store everything until you have your own place. You can decide what to do with everything when you're ready."

Cepheus turned around, his face red and puffy. Cepheus dove at Sirius. Automatically, Sirius tangled his fingers into Cepheus' air and held onto him tight. Harry turned away, looking around the room. He saw a variety of pictures with Charlotte and Cepheus. Situated in the middle of the bookshelf, there was a picture of two young boys who looked nearly identical. There was no doubt in his mind that it was Sirius and Regulus. They both looked happy, their arms wrapped around each other. Harry could only assume it was from when they were still close, not long before Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor.

"Thank you," Cepheus whispered, his voice cracking.

Sirius smiled tightly, pressing his hands on either of Cepheus' face. "Anything else you want or need, just let me know. I have some stuff at Gringotts already, but not everything. If I have it already, I can grab it for you before you come home for the holiday."

Cepheus nodded. "Thank you, Uncle Sirius."

Sirius turned his attention to Harry. "Come on, kid. Let me show you your room."

Harry made his way over to Sirius, shooting Cepheus a smile as he went. Cepheus stayed behind in his bedroom, as did Ted. Harry could hear Ted speaking to him in low tones, but he couldn't make out what was being said.

"That was nice of you," Harry whispered as soon as they stepped out into the hallway.

Sirius shrugged him off as he pushed open the door to Harry's new room. "It's the least I could do seeing as I got his mum killed because I couldn't just stay the fuck away."

Harry frowned, but didn't say anything. It was no use arguing with Sirius when he was in a dark mood. Instead, he walked into his room and looked around. There was furniture, a few photos from his old room in Hogsmeade, as well as his toddler broom hanging above his bed. But it looked rather bare.

Sirius pressed a hand to his neck. "It's not done yet," he said in a regretful tone. "I, uh, well, I was talking to Remus about your room. I told him how I got a bunch of stuff from Charlotte's house for Cepheus. And, well, Remus agreed to go with me early next week to the Hollow and grab some stuff to decorate your room with."

Harry snapped his attention to Sirius, his heart beating fast in his chest. "You don't have to do that," he said in a panic.

The last thing Harry wanted was for Sirius to have a major step back emotionally by going to Godric's Hollow. He had seen the way Sirius had been the last time they were there together around Halloween. Sirius looked like he would rather be anywhere except for that house.

"I think I'm ready," Sirius admitted. "I was talking to my, you know, my Mind Healer. She thought it was a good idea too. I'm in a way better place mentally than I was before. The potion has really been making me feel better and, and the… I guess the coping strategies I'm learning have been helpful. But, anyway, I'd like to try for you. Remus is willing too."

Harry felt his eyes prickle, but he looked away quickly. He instead focused on a picture on his desk where a very young and handsome Sirius was holding a toddler Harry who was trying to shove a plastic carrot into his godfather's mouth.

"Was there anything you saw over there that you wanted?" Sirius asked.

Harry immediately thought about the stuffed animals of the Marauders' animal forms in his nursery. Wiping his sleeve under his eyes, Harry tried to find his voice but was having a hard time. He stepped further into the room, his fingers trailing along his nearly bare bookcase. There was a lone picture on one of the shelves of James and Lily Potter. They were dancing, obviously at their wedding, because Harry recognized the wedding dress his mother was wearing from other photos.

"Harry?" Sirius pressed.

Harry turned around to face his godfather. "Whatever you think," he croaked, his vision blurring slightly.

Sirius searched Harry's face. "Would you rather go with me? I can see if Remus is free next weekend. I'm sure Andy would come over and sit with Cepheus and the three of us could go."

Harry tugged on the sleeve of his robes. "I trust you," he whispered, shifting his weight. "I, uh, well, there was one thing I wanted but it's sort of silly, I reckon."

"I doubt it's silly, but go for it," Sirius replied.

Harry swallowed. "I saw these stuffed animals in my old bedroom. I think you said Marlene bought them for me. They looked like your animal forms. And, well, I don't want Pettigrew's rat but I'd like the other three."

Sirius smiled, his head nodding. "Nah, that's not silly at all. They're nice keepsakes. Marlene had them custom-made for you. What's funny is, uh, the day you were born, I bought you a black stuffed dog as a joke. It didn't look like Snuffles that much, but I wanted you to have a black dog, you know? When Marlene had that set custom-made, you never looked at my shabby knockoff dog again."

Harry let out a watery chuckle. "Well, I'll take the knockoff one too if you can find it."

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. "Probably in the bottom of your toy bin."

Harry sniffed, running his hand under his nose before he pushed up his glasses.

"I was thinking, if you'd want them, of trying to see if I could find your dad's old broom and your mum's cauldron," Sirius added, his hands shoving into the pockets of his leather jacket. "Well, I know where your mum's cauldron is for sure. But the broom, well, I might have to hunt for that. I know James was upset he couldn't fly while in hiding and hid it away so he didn't have to look at it."

Harry nodded. "I'd like those too."

"I'll have your room ready by next Friday, I promise," Sirius insisted, as though Harry had any doubt that he wouldn't. "I didn't get the idea to go to the Hollow until I started getting Cepheus' things."

Harry was not only glad that Sirius had the idea, but that he seemed all right mentally to go. Closing the space between them, Harry wrapped his arms around his godfather. He buried his nose into Sirius' shoulder, feeling his godfather pressing a hand against the back of his head. Harry melted in his godfather's arms, his eyes glancing around the room over the tops of his glasses. His grip tightened around Sirius. He was excited for the Christmas holiday for the first time in his life, because he knew he'd spend it with his new family.

Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! We are fast approaching Christmas just in time for real Christmas! Don't forget to drop a review. They keep me motivated to keep on writing!

Special thanks to prewettpotter for looking this over. She's fabulous!