"Alew"
"Chapter Three: Custody"
Sirius glanced up from his book to catch sight of Marlene playing with Harry on the floor. With the use of a Sticking Charm, Harry's Magpie figures were riding dragons in some odd game of dragon Quidditch or whatever Marlene had called it. Harry seemed delighted, his green eyes sparkling as he made roaring noises and swooped his figures through the air. Sirius may as well put his book down. He kept finding his attention on Marlene and Harry, a soft smile tugging on his lips. All he accomplished was reading the same couple of sentences over and over again.
Dog-earring his book, he sat it on the end table. He leaned into the arm of the sofa, propping his elbow on it. It was moments like this that filled Sirius' chest with a welcoming warmth. For a second, he forgot all about the horrid things happening around them. They were just a happy little family. Then, like a Bludger crashing into him, he remembered why Harry was with them in the first place and that thought always caused the smile to slip from his face.
He couldn't help his mind wandering to Peter, knowing he was still out there lurking in the shadows. Sirius wanted to know why Peter did it. Was it something James did? Had he just been beguiled by Voldemort's rhetoric? Would he come after Harry? Sirius needed a confession. It needed to make sense. Were they ever friends? Did Peter ever care? What was the tipping point? How could he sell James out, of all people?
A pecking sounded. Sirius turned his head and froze when he saw the owl he hoped he would never see again outside of his window. The great horned owl blinked at him with what appeared to be a scowl on her face. The expression matched her owner perfectly. Both miserable old hags.
Slowly rising from his spot on the sofa, Sirius kept his eyes trained on the owl as he crossed the room. Marlene's disembodied voice filtered through his ears but he couldn't understand of word of what she was saying. His hand reached out in slow motion to open the window. The owl stuck her leg out, her eyes shining with disgust as she ruffled her feathers. He untied the parchment as quickly as he could.
"Fuck off," Sirius hissed, slamming the window in the owl's face.
He eyes snapped down to the green wax seal on the parchment. The words Toujours Pur glared up at him as well as the damn family crest. His heart hammered in his chest as he numbly walked back to the sofa. He sank down into the cushions, his eyes staring at the damn letter. What in the world could his wretched mother want? They hadn't spoken in years.
"Sirius?" Marlene called.
Sirius swallowed. "It's from Walburga."
Marlene rose from the floor and made her way over to the sofa. She sat down next to him, her hand pressing on his thigh. Harry scampered over as well and climbed up onto the sofa next to Marlene with a dragon still clutched in his hand. He peered curiously around Marlene at Sirius.
Sirius broke the seal and unrolled the letter. Walburga's elegant and loopy writing appeared on the page. Holding his breath, he read.
7 November 1981
Sirius Orion Black
Greetings,
It has come to my attention through a third party that you intend to not only adopt the newly orphaned Potter child but are also expecting a child out of wedlock. Need I remind you that this is revolting behavior for a wizard of your status?
If you insist on keeping this child, then you must wed the mother immediately. At least you were intelligent enough to consort with the right sort of witch. While I find the McKinnons' beliefs unsavory, they are at least at the same station as we are.
As for the Potter child, it would be unbefitting for a Black to adopt a half-blooded child. I implore you to reconsider and send the child to live with a family member. I will not recognize this child into the Black family, especially not since his mother was a Mudblood. It would also not bode the family well to be associated with this particular child.
Your presence is required at Grimmauld Place to discuss the newest generation of the Black family. Both sets of your grandparents will be in attendance as well as your cousins and your Aunt Druella. This is a formal dinner. I expect you to act and dress in accordance.
Provide three dates which would be convenient for you to attend so arrangements can be made.
Sincerely,
Walburga Black
Sirius couldn't help but laugh. Walburga had officially lost it. She was bloody mental if she thought for even a moment that he was going to entertain anything in the letter. What happened to him being disowned from the family? Had Walburga realized that the male line could very well end with him? His cousins were all girls and not fit heirs given the change in last name. Regulus was dead. Orion was dead so she couldn't birth another heir from him. There was just him. If Walburga thought he gave two shits about the Black family, then she was fucking mental.
Sirius crumbled up the letter before vanishing it with a wave of his wand. Good riddance. He had zero interest in seeing her. In fact, the last time he had seen her was when they made eye contact across the cemetery when Regulus' empty casket was lowered into the ground. Sirius had kept his distance from everyone else, but Walburga had spotted him standing amongst the shadows.
"Sirius…" Marlene trailed off.
"I'm fine," Sirius insisted, his head shaking. "I think she's off her fucking potions if she thinks I'll even speak to her for a moment. Give up Harry?" he scoffed. "Fuck her and her fucking pureblood bullshit. I'd rather eat dragon dung until I bloody die than talk about the newest generation of Blacks with her."
"Well, at least I'm at the same station as you are," Marlene said in a light tone, her eyebrow arching. "Didn't think Walburga would ever have anything nice to say about me."
Sirius let out breath, a smile twitching on his face. "Way to look on the bright side of things."
"Don't let her bother you," Marlene said, her hazel eyes searching his face. "She's not a part of our lives. What do you call her? Your egg donor? That's all she is, love. She's not our family. This," she insisted, gesturing between the three of them and her baby bump. "This is our family. Just us. The four of us."
Sirius swallowed. Harry clamored over Marlene's lap towards him, his squeaky little voice calling out his name. Sirius leaned forward, easing Harry off Marlene's belly and plopping the kid down on his lap. Harry cuddled against his chest.
"It's a pretty great family," Sirius replied in a thick voice. "Everything I ever wanted."
Marlene smiled, her hand reaching up to cup his cheek. Her thumb brushed against his cheekbone and Sirius instantly felt at ease. Truth be told, Sirius never thought this would be his life. He never imagined he'd find someone he loved enough to spend the rest of his life with. He never pictured himself having kids, wanting the Black name to just bloody well die. But he couldn't deny himself happiness because of the awful people who used to be his family. It had been something that James had luckily taught him before he died.
That afternoon, Andromeda and Ted stopped by the flat with Dora. Harry clung to Marlene when Sirius answered the door. His now purple-haired eight-year-old little cousin Dora jumped at him, hugging him tightly around waist.
"Uncle Sirius!" Dora chirped, pulling back and grinning up at him. "I've missed you! Where have you been? Look, I finally lost that other front tooth! See!"
Dora opened her mouth wide and showed him the gap in her mouth. Sirius pressed both hands on either side of her face and tilted it from side to side with an upside-down smile crossing his features.
"Ahh, finally, I thought your mum lied about how old you were," Sirius teased. "You have the mouth of a five-year-old."
Dora huffed, crossing her arms over her chest before she moved past him. Andromeda stepped close to him, pulling him down to her height to hug him. Sirius melted in her arms, holding her close. Andromeda was the only family member left he cared to claim, acting like his cousin, sister, and mother all rolled into one.
"Hi, I'm Dora!" Dora exclaimed behind Sirius. "What's your name?"
Sirius pulled back to turn around. Marlene was crouched next to Harry, trying to urge him to unstick himself from her side. Andromeda ran a hand down Sirius' arm as she made her way over to Dora to help with the introduction while Ted stepped up next to Sirius. Ted clapped a hand on his back in greeting.
"Dora, darling, this is Harry," Andromeda introduced. "He's only one and he's very shy. He's Uncle Sirius' godson."
Marlene managed to turn Harry to look at them, keeping a secure arm around his shoulders. "Harry, this is Dora. That's her mum Andy. Then, her dad Ted is right next to Sirius," she pointed to each person as she introduced them. "Hello, Andy. It's good to see you again."
Sirius watched Harry closely. He looked like he was on the verge of tears, his wide green eyes flickering from Andromeda and Dora to Sirius and Ted.
"You're glowing, Marlene," Andromeda commented. "How far along are you now?"
"Seventeen weeks," Marlene replied before pressing a kiss on Harry's temple.
"How are things, Sirius?" Ted asked, giving Sirius' shoulder a squeeze.
There were a million different ways Sirius could answer that question, but he decided to keep it simple. "Things are going. How about you?"
Ted sighed, a soft smile gracing his face. "Oh, you know, just dealing with the surprising amount of girl drama at school. Dora seems to think she can break the Statue of Secrecy just because these mean girls at school think she's weird. Comes home crying most days. I have never hated little kids before I've heard some of the awful stories Dora tells us."
Sirius nodded, having heard enough from both Andromeda and Dora to last him a lifetime. In fact, at the end of the previous school year, Dora had been sobbing something awful about some girl in the neighborhood making fun of her. So, Sirius offered to take her out for ice cream. Then, unbeknownst to Andromeda and Ted, the two of them egged the girl's house while under Disillusionment Charms. He had never received an earful, so he assumed Dora had kept their little secret.
"Same girls?" Sirius asked, squinting at his little cousin.
Ted nodded. "One told Dora to make an ugly face. Then, before she could make said face, the girl burst out laughing. When Dora looked confused, the girl told her that she was making fun of her because her face was ugly."
Sirius' face pulled. "Who could have thought an eight-year-old could be so terrible?"
"Yeah," Ted replied, his head shaking. "I know you have a lot going on right now, but Dora's been begging for you. Andy has been at her wits end, because Dora keeps asking to be homeschooled until Hogwarts. So, we appreciate you letting us come over."
Sirius waved him off. "Nah, you guys are welcome any time. I think it's good for Harry to be exposed to some more people who can consistently be in his life."
"If anyone can break Harry out of his shell, it'll be Dora," Ted commented.
Sirius let out a little chuckle, watching as Dora sat on her knees in front of Harry who was still cuddled tightly against Marlene's side. Dora talked animatedly to Harry, not even bothered that he wasn't saying anything back.
"Speaking of Harry, I have a favor to ask of you," Sirius said, turning towards Ted.
Ted raised his eyebrows. "Oh, what's that?"
"Dumbledore seems to think keeping Harry away from the wizarding world would be a good idea," Sirius started, his hands stuffing into his trouser pockets. "I'm inclined to believe that. I'm sure you've seen the papers lately."
Ted nodded. "Absolutely horrid. He's a child and they're treating him like he's some sort of symbol to gawk over."
"Yeah, so, I need a Healer for Harry. One that could make home visits to give him his preventative potions and such," Sirius explained. "Can you help a brother out, Teddy?"
Ted let out a small chuckle. "Anything for you, Sirius."
"Thanks," Sirius said in a sincere voice.
Sirius broke away from Ted, making his way over to Harry. He crouched down next to them, a wide smile spreading on his face as he held out a hand for Harry.
"Do you want to build a tower with Dora and me? It'll be fun," Sirius urged.
Harry stared at his hand for a few moments before he reached for it. Sirius stood up and ushered Harry towards the toy chest, calling for Dora to follow them. Settling down on the floor, Sirius pointed to the box of blocks next to the toy box. She grabbed them, spilling them out between them as Harry climbed onto Sirius' lap. Dora started on a tower, stacking the blocks neatly and alternating colors.
Sirius peered as her. "Your dad told me the girls are still being awful."
Dora huffed. "They're bullies and I hate them. I don't know why I have to go to stupid Muggle primary school anyway."
Sirius started on his own little pyramid. "Because there's no wizarding primary schools," he replied, offering Harry a block so he could help.
"You and mum were homeschooled," Dora argued with a sour face.
Sirius' face scrunched up, watching as Harry placed the block on his pyramid. "Oh, yeah, you don't want that sort of education. Boring beyond belief. They brainwash you too."
Dora rolled her eyes.
"Look, I'm not saying to do this, but…" Sirius trailed off, turning a block over in his hand. "When you get angry, your magic is a tad bit unstable, especially at your age," he explained, looking her in the eye. "If you focus that anger on a specific thing, say turning a girl's hair vomit green, you just might accomplish it. But you really have to channel that anger."
"Mum would kill me," Dora argued.
Sirius licked his bottom lip, looking casually over at Andromeda and Ted talking with Marlene. "She can't get upset if it's accidental magic," he elaborated, turning back to her. "If it doesn't work, we'll go egg the girl's house again."
Dora gave him a ghost of a smile. "Uncle Sirius, do you think I'm weird?"
"No," Sirius said automatically. "I don't. You're just different from your classmates right now. Quite frankly, kids are mean. I think once you get to Hogwarts, you'll be a lot happier."
"Promise?" Dora asked.
Sirius held out his pinky finger to her. "Promise. Until then, just know you have us, all right?" he assured her as she linked pinkies with him. "Soon enough, Harry will be running around with you too. You know Marlene's having a baby too, right? So soon there will be two little ones vying for your attention."
Dora looked over at Harry who looked shyly back at her. "Mum said he's going to be living with you from now on. Does that make him my cousin?"
Sirius shot Dora a closed-mouth smile. The lines between Sirius and Andromeda's families were blurred at best. Andromeda had insisted Dora call him Uncle Sirius, claiming that he was more like a little brother to her than a cousin. Sirius supposed she needed to be a big sister still, missing Narcissa more than she missed Bellatrix. It was the same way that Sirius had claimed Lily as his little sister, needing to be a big brother after losing Regulus. Sirius wondered if Dora even knew he was really Andromeda's cousin and not her brother.
"Yeah, he would be," Sirius settled on saying.
"Do you hear that, Harry?" Dora addressed him. "We're cousins!"
Harry only buried his face into Sirius' shirt upon being addressed. Sirius rubbed his back.
"Don't take offense," Sirius said.
Dora shook her head. "I don't. Mum told me a little bit about what happened and such. I don't think I'd want to talk either."
Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Did you mother also tell you about him being in the papers?"
Dora nodded. "Yeah, she did. I know about the Boy Who Lived stuff. I won't treat him any differently. Promise, Uncle Sirius."
Sirius shot her a smile and they went back to building towers. After a while, Harry slid off Sirius' lap and sat between him and Dora. It was small but significant as Harry slowly became more and more comfortable with someone other than Sirius or Marlene.
The day before the custody hearing, Marlene and Sirius received terrible news. Instead of sitting in front of a small panel of Wizengamot members to prove they were fit guardians for Harry, they would sit in front of the entire Wizengamot. Sirius looked ready to punch a wall, his face pulling in disgust as he scoffed. Harry looked up at them with tears brimming in his eyes. Marlene could only think of one other time when Sirius raised his voice in front of Harry.
"What the fuck, Magnus?" Sirius seethed. "How can they do this? What? They think they can just fucking change the fucking laws?"
Marlene broke away from them, crouching down in front of Harry. She offered him a smile as she brushed a piece of fallen hair off his forehead. Harry trembled, his wide eyes not leaving Sirius for a moment. Marlene wrapped her fingers around his wrist, tugging him close to her so she could hug him.
"It's not just this, Sirius, they're making up a lot of laws as they go right now," Magnus explained. "Crouch has been arresting people left and right, threatening life imprisonment unless they start giving names or any information on the inner workings of the Death Eater group. I'm not saying this to be an arse, because you know I don't care who your family is, but I would be careful if I were you. Crouch has been trying to oust your grandfather from the Wizengamot because of his last name. People are rallying, more than happy to bring the Black family down a peg. You don't want to be caught up in the roundup."
Marlene pressed a hand against the back of Harry's hair, holding his head against her shoulder. Her chest constricted as she glanced up at Sirius. His fists clutched at his sides, his posture stiffening.
"Is my name being brought up?" Sirius pressed in a low voice.
Magnus shifted, his jaw tightening. "Your name has been brought up a lot in certain channels, Sirius."
Sirius sneered. "Where?"
"Don't bloody Avada the messenger, all right?" Magnus reminded him. "But there's whispers that the Ministry has concerns about you gaining custody of Harry, given your family. Crouch basically forced your grandfather's hand in stepping down for the hearing."
Sirius let out a cruel laugh. "Yeah, well, if they wanted me to lose custody than they should have let my grandfather sit the hearing. He hates my fucking guts. He'd do anything to make me miserable."
Magnus shrugged. "I also have it on good authority that… well, certain records are being destroyed or altered. Some seventeen-year-old was arrested for suspected Death Eater activity because he wasn't at Hogwarts when he was supposed to be. From what I'm told from my colleague, the kid was visiting his sick father at St. Mungo's. Conveniently, the interrogation transcripts are missing and he's sitting in Azkaban without any arraignment date on the books. The DMLE claims they're backlogged, too many arrests and too many people trying to squeal. I think they're just trying to make themselves look good and effective."
"Doesn't your wife work in the Records Department?" Sirius asked.
"Between us, Cressida is where I'm getting some of my information," Magnus explained, his eyebrows raising. "I would hope that bit of information stays in this room."
"I don't have it out for Cressida," Sirius snapped.
Magnus shoved his hands into the pockets of his dress robes. "Can't be too careful nowadays, mate. The Ministry is rounding up anyone who so much as twitches."
"So, they're completely corrupt now?" Sirius pressed, his head shaking.
"Every government in the history of the world is corrupt, Sirius," Magnus retorted. "My idiot little brother wants to apply for the Auror Training Program this summer after he gets his N.E.W.T. results. He's idealistic. Thinks he can enact real change."
Marlene had heard enough. She slid her hands under Harry's armpits and lifted him into her arms, raising to her full height. Harry clung to her, his arms in a death grip around her neck. Marlene made her way over to them, taking a spot on Sirius' left.
"What do we need to do to ensure we are granted custody, Magnus?" Marlene asked gently, rocking Harry in her arms.
Magnus appraised Harry in Marlene's arms. As soon as Harry saw him looking, he buried his face into Marlene's shoulder. She rubbed his back, attempting to soothe him.
"Is he always like this?" Magnus asked, gesturing to Harry.
Sirius nodded. "He's a shy kid. But what do you expect? He's been in hiding since the day he was brought home from the hospital."
Magnus rubbed his fingers against his chin. "And he's comfortable with both of you?"
"What are you getting at, Magnus?" Sirius asked as he wrapped an arm around Marlene's shoulders.
"I think we should show the Wizengamot just how attached Harry is to the two of you," Magnus explained.
Marlene narrowed her eyes. "And how do you suggest we do that?"
Magnus appraised Harry for a few moments. "What do you think he would do if someone gently took him away from you?"
"No!" Marlene hissed, moving her hand so that she was covering up Harry's ear. "He's traumatized enough, Magnus!"
"He'd call for us," Sirius whispered. "He'd reach out for us and call our names."
"Sirius, you can't honestly be even thinking of doing this," Marlene said in a hushed tone, her wide eyes searching his face.
"It could be a last resort tactic," Sirius argued, his jaw ticking. "He's only ever really been exposed to us and…" he trailed off, clearing his throat. "You've seen him around other people. Look at him now with Magnus in the room. It would pull on the heart strings of the parents on the Wizengamot, especially the mothers. They won't want to pull him away from us."
As much as she hated the thought of putting Harry through that, it would emphasis their point that Harry should stay in their custody. They needed to ensure that Harry stayed with them. If by some chance he didn't, Marlene knew that Sirius wouldn't rest until they were all together again. She really hoped it wouldn't come to that.
Marlene sighed. "As a last resort. I only want to do this if it seems like they're going to deny us custody."
Sirius agreed. Then, Magnus walked them through how the custody hearing would go – or how he suspected it would go. Marlene's stomach coiled the longer they talked about it, her grip tightening around her godson. Suddenly, it seemed like the odds of gaining custody were quickly stacking against them.
Sirius stood in front of the full-length mirror in the bedroom, his trembling fingers fumbling as he attempted to tie his tie for the fifth time. The damn thing looked lopsided. A low growl sounded in the back of his throat as he undid the whole damn thing. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm his nerves but he couldn't. The thought that Harry could be taken from them in a few hours made him sick to his stomach.
Movement caught his eye in the mirror. He watched as Marlene sat Harry down onto their bed with his stuffed stag and dog. He was already ready in his brand-new dress robes. Andromeda thought it best if they attended the custody hearing in dress robes and went out to buy them each a pair. There were a lot of stuffy old purebloods in the Wizengamot, so it'd likely score them some points.
"Sirius," Marlene's soothing voice called, her hand pressing against his arm. "It'll be all right."
Sirius turned around. She too was already dressed in dress robes with her hair and make-up already done.
"You don't know that," he said in a low voice so that Harry wouldn't overhear.
Marlene reached out, adjusting the lengths of the tie. "We are listed as Harry's guardians in James and Lily's will. What would their reasoning be to deny us?"
Marlene was an optimist. Sirius didn't share the same cheery outlook of the world. Especially lately. Everything had just gone from bad to worse to un-bloody-thinkable in the span of a year.
Sirius' face pulled. "This isn't a normal custody hearing. It's a hearing in front of the entire Wizengamot, which is beyond insane. Not to mention, everyone is calling him the Boy Who Lived! They've practically made him into some sort of savior. Besides, you heard Magnus. My name is cropping up and not in a good way."
Marlene worked on tying his tie, her brows tugging down. Sirius wondered if she had even tied one since Hogwarts.
"It'll be fine," Marlene stressed, adjusting the knot. "Magnus is a good lawyer. We have the will. Harry is attached to us. It'll be fine."
Sirius swallowed. "Yeah, I hope you're right."
Marlene centered the knot of his tie before she folded down the collar of his shirt. "I have to believe it will work out or else I'll fall apart in that courtroom."
Sirius nodded, a thick lump forming in the back of his throat. "Listen, if he's taken from us, I need you to pack everything up and arrange a Portkey to France," he said in a rough voice as he fastened the front of his robes. "My Uncle Alphard owned the family holiday home in Agde. It was left to me in the will. I'll grab Harry and meet you there. Then, we can disappear."
He had thought about it a lot. If Harry was taken, then Sirius would just kidnap him. He even knew a few crooks from the Order of the Phoenix who could secure him an illegal Portkey. They could disappear somewhere new if need be. Sirius hoped it didn't come down to that, but it was an option he wanted to keep open.
Marlene pressed her hands on either side of Sirius' face. "We'll be fine."
Sirius only nodded before he made his way over to Harry. The kid instantly bounced up, discarding his stuffed animals and raising his arms for Sirius to pick him up. He did so without complaint, situating the kid on his hip. The motion was more than familiar by this point. It had been over a fortnight since Harry started living with them. Fifteen days exactly. It seemed impossible, the time slipping by quickly.
Sirius thought that both he and Marlene had slipped into parenthood surprisingly well as they established a routine. Harry grew more comfortable in the flat every passing day. Marlene had gone above and beyond to decorate the flat with pictures and other personal effects. Archibald stopped hiding under the sofa a few days prior. James' owl Chase took to sleeping in Harry's bedroom. Life had seemed to move on without James and Lily. That seemed wrong on so many levels.
Within the hour, the three of them Apparated to London. Harry screamed again, his arms squeezing around Sirius' neck in response. All Sirius could do was rub his back and tell him it was all right. They arrived in an alleyway near the Ministry of Magic. Sirius and Marlene walked side by side, keeping close to one another as they made their way towards the phone booth. It seemed scary to be so exposed with Harry. Sirius couldn't help but be on high alert, his head constantly moving as he looked for possible threats.
All hell broke loose once they entered the atrium of the Ministry. People stopped and stared, fingers pointing and people trying to take pictures. Sirius pressed his hand on the back of Harry's head, pushing the kid's face into the crook of his neck to hide as much of him as humanly as possible. Reporters shouted questions at them, people asked to see Harry, some even tried to block them from continuing down the corridor. Someone must have alerted the Auror Department because they arrived to break up the crowd and escort them down to the courtrooms.
While Sirius should have expected such a crowd, somehow he didn't think it would be so anxiety inducing. Anyone could have attacked them and grabbed Harry. It would have been so easy to escape in the crowd. Even entering the courtroom didn't ease his worries. Not when he saw Walburga sitting next to Bellatrix in the gallery. His heart skipped a beat as he locked eyes with Walburga.
Sirius bent down to whisper in Marlene's ear. "Do you see her? What the fuck is she doing here?"
Marlene glanced over to the gallery as well, a frown working its way on her face. "Just ignore her."
They made their way to the table in the center of the room where Magnus was already seated. Sirius took a seat next to him, letting Harry sit on his lap. He made sure that Harry put his back towards Walburga and Bellatrix, keeping a tight hold of the kid. Marlene sat on the other side of him.
"Why are they allowed in the courtroom?" Sirius hissed.
"Family is allowed in the room," Magnus replied, shuffling through his parchment on the table.
Sirius scowled. "They're no family of mine."
Soon, it became a Black family reunion in the bloody courtroom. Andromeda and Ted appeared next, sitting as far away from Walburga and Bellatrix as they could. Sirius stared at his cousin. Andromeda shot him an encouraging smile. Next, both sets of grandparents entered the room and sat near Walburga. His Aunt Druella, Narcissa, and his great-grandmother Violetta were last to arrive. Sirius wanted to scream.
Sirius started making plans on how to get out of the Ministry without talking to anyone in his family. He had no doubt that Bellatrix had ulterior motives for being there. Most likely Narcissa as well. Walburga sure as hell did. But the others were probably secretly hoping that a half-blood wouldn't be adopted into their awful family. Sirius couldn't help but clench his jaw, his hand rubbing soothing circles on Harry's arm.
As the entire Wizengamot entered the courtroom, Marlene reached down to dig through her handbag and pulled out the stuffed stag. She handed it to Harry who instantly clutched it close to his chest. Marlene brushed his hair back on his forehead, offering him a caring smile. Sirius could only stare at the various members of the Wizengamot, trying to decide which ones would rule in their favor. Sirius' eyes locked with Dumbledore's, who nodded reassuringly in his direction. Perhaps, Dumbledore would actually be on their side.
A strict-looking woman stepped up to the front podium. She shuffled through her parchment in front of her, allowing the rest of the Wizengamot to take their seats. Sirius tried to regulate his breathing. In through his nose, out of his mouth.
The woman at the front podium raised her wand to her throat. "Good morning, everyone. My name is Diana Fawley and I will be presiding over the matter of custody for Harry Potter. Arcturus Black, our Chief Warlock, has recused himself due to a conflict of interest," she explained, picking up a piece of parchment. "Today we have Sirius Black and Marlene McKinnon filing for custody of Harry Potter. Documentation reveals that Mr Black was close friends with both James and Lily Potter as well as named godfather to the child. Ms McKinnon was James Potter's second cousin and close friends with Lily Potter as well as named godmother to the child. It says here Mr Black and Ms McKinnon are currently living together and they have had Mr Potter in their custody since Halloween night. Is all of that correct?"
Magnus rose from his chair. "Yes, all of that is correct. I would like to add that Mr Black and Ms McKinnon are engaged. They have a very solid relationship and could provide Mr Potter with a normal upbringing. In the Potter's will, both Mr Black and Ms McKinnon are listed as guardians to young Mr Potter in case of their deaths."
Fawley nodded. "Documents state that Ms McKinnon is a Curse-Breaker for the Ministry of Magic and Mr Black is listed as unemployed."
"While Ms McKinnon has filed for a leave of absence from work since Halloween, she does plan to go back to work in a few weeks," Magnus explained. "Mr Black lives comfortably off an inheritance he received from his uncle, Alphard Black."
"Is Mr Black thinking of entering the workforce to help provide for this child?" Fawley asked.
"Ms McKinnon makes enough for them to live off," Magnus replied. "Mr Black has committed to devote all of his time to raising his godson."
Murmurs erupted amongst the Wizengamot members rooted in misogynistic beliefs. Some of the older members simply couldn't comprehend the woman working while the man stayed at home. Sirius wanted to punch them in their ruddy noses.
Harry shifted in Sirius' lap, his head turning to look at the Wizengamot. His foot kicked against Marlene's leg, drawing her attention. She smiled at Harry, her fingers wrapping around his ankle as she allowed him to kick his feet up onto her lap.
A slew of questions were shot at Magnus from various members of the Wizengamot. Ridiculous questions about how many N.E.W.T.s each of them received. Questions about every place they had lived since Hogwarts, who they had ever lived with, and how long they have lived at each place. Questions about their relationship, how long they were together and when they got engaged. Questions about who their friends were. So many personal and invasive questions, most of which Sirius thought didn't even matter with the reason they were even there to begin with.
"I do have some concerns of Mr Black's and Ms McKinnon's ages," Abraxas Malfoy said, his eyes locking with Sirius'. "They are extremely young to be granted custody of a child. Not to mention a child in Mr Potter's position."
"Age is merely a number," Magnus replied. "Both Mr Black and Ms McKinnon have been highly involved in Mr Potter's life since the day he was born," he explained, gesturing to Harry snuggled against Sirius' chest. "Mr Potter obviously feels very safe and secure with his godparents. I would like to submit into evidence pictures of the past fifteen and a half months that show just how close Mr Potter has been to his godparents."
With a flick of Magnus' wand, a picture of Sirius holding Harry appeared on the wall. The image lingered for ten seconds before it was replaced with another photo of Harry as a baby being rocked by Marlene. It was a nice touch, the photos shuffling to show all three of them at various points in Harry's life.
Harry pointed to the wall, his head tiling back to look up at Sirius. "See-See!"
Sirius smiled down at Harry. "Yeah, that's us," he whispered before pressing a kiss onto the kid's forehead.
Questions started up once more. The next line of questioning had Sirius holding his breath as they started asking about their families. Marlene's family had been well-respected and beloved in the wizarding world. Sirius' family had been intimating and corrupt, most of the wizarding world fearing to anger one of the Black family members. Honestly, even the perception of Harry having contact with the Black family would be damaging to their case. There had been rumors for years about members of the family joining Voldemort's asinine crusade as well as the Black family funneling money to the cause.
"Can I speak?" Sirius interrupted.
All eyes drew on Sirius.
"My last name may be Black, but I haven't seen most of them in years," Sirius explained, his gaze focusing on the members of the Wizengamot. "I moved out when I was sixteen and stayed with Fleamont and Euphemia Potter until I was eighteen. They bought all my school supplies for my final two years at Hogwarts. They allowed me to come to their house every single holiday. They essentially adopted me into their family. When I moved out and lived with James the year following Hogwarts, Fleamont and Euphemia footed the bill for us. It was their gift to both of us after we did so well on out N.E.W.T.s. So, if you want to talk about my family, then ask questions about the Potters. Because they were my true family."
More whispers erupted amongst the members of the Wizengamot. Sirius dared a glance over at the Black family. Arcturus and Pollux looked ready to hex him while the females in his family all shot him nasty sneers. Only Andromeda and Ted beamed at him.
"If I may add something," Dumbledore said loudly, rising from his seat. "While I have listened to all of your questions and concerns, I realize that none of you know anything about Mr Black or Ms McKinnon. I know the two of them quite well. They were both extremely close to the Potter family. They both have doted on Harry ever since he was born. The two of them brought Harry to Hogwarts after the attack on Halloween. Harry clung to Mr Black. I don't think I saw Harry leave Mr Black's arms the entire time they were at Hogwarts. Ms McKinnon was able to make Harry smile and laugh in the midst of tragedy. While I admit I had reservations about the two of them raising Harry, like a lot of you seem to have as well, I have come to realize how foolish that was. I have never seen two people care more about a child that wasn't their own before. There is no doubt in my mind that Harry would grow up healthy, happy, and protected with Mr Black and Ms McKinnon. I vote in favor of granting custody to them. I implore all of you to do the same as well."
All of the anger that Sirius had felt towards Dumbledore for even entertaining the notion that Harry should go to the Dursleys faded instantly. Having the endorsement of a man as respected and liked as Dumbledore would go far to tip the scale in their favor.
And it worked. A vast majority of the Wizengamot agreed to grant them custody of Harry. Sirius let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as Marlene let out a strangled sob next to him, happy tears pouring down her face. The biggest hurdle in front of them was now far behind them. Sirius could only hug Harry close to his chest, relief flooding every single one of his pores. All that was left was to sign a bunch of adoption papers and find a way to sneak out of the Ministry undetected.
Marlene woke up first, the sun shining in through the window. She rolled on her side to see Harry pressed tightly against Sirius' side with his thumb in his mouth. A small amount of drool had run down Sirius' side. Marlene felt torn between loving and hating seeing the two of them cuddling nearly nightly together. Sirius had been so tender with Harry, far softer with him than with anyone else she had ever seen him interact with. He had been the perfect godfather to him, so attentive and understanding. Yet, it pained her to remember Lily and James were dead. Gone. Never coming back. Marlene wanted to sob whenever she thought about it.
Easing herself out of bed, she padded across the room and out of the door. She started the tea and coffee, like she always did before she started making breakfast. The Daily Prophet owl arrived, looking irritated and grumpy. She offered him a piece of bacon to cheer him up before he went on his way to deliver more papers. Unrolling the newspaper, she froze at the headline.
The Boy Who Lived Custody Hearing
Sirius Black and Marlene McKinnon Granted Custody Despite Concerns
Below the headline was a picture of Sirius looking irritated and grumpy with Harry in his arms. He held the back of Harry's head tightly against his body, the kid's face buried into the crook of Sirius' neck. Marlene saw herself walking next to Sirius, her head bowed and her hand trying to shield her face.
Sirius would be irate when he saw it, despite knowing it was coming. She was in half her mind to pitch it before he could see, but she tossed it on the counter instead. The Boy Who Lived. Merlin, it was such an awful moniker to put on a child, especially considering his parents died. It seemed unnaturally cruel in a way, a terrible reminder of what he lost. What they all lost.
The kitchen door opened. Sirius held the door open for Harry who walked in with his stag plush squished against his chest. He dashed across the kitchen, his wild hair bouncing on his head and stopped short of her.
Marlene glanced down at him with a smile. "Do you need something, love?"
"Help," Harry chirped, or at least that's what Marlene thought he said.
Marlene glanced up at Sirius to see him just as baffled as she was. Crouching down to his level, she wiped her hands on her apron and smiled at him.
"What did you say, darling?" Marlene asked, reaching out a clean hand to brush back his hair.
"Help," he repeated.
Marlene nodded. "What do you need help with? Do you… do you need your dragon cup?"
"Help!" Harry whined, his little body twisting in frustration. "Help! Help! Help!"
Marlene glanced over at Sirius for help. He was already on his way over to them, making it across the kitchen in just a couple strides due to his ridiculously long legs. He crouched down next to them, his hand reaching out to rub Harry's back.
"I'll help you, kid," Sirius said. "Can you point to what you want?" he added, showing Harry how to point.
Harry pointed at the stove. "Help!"
Then, it clicked in Marlene's mind. How many times had she seen Harry sitting on the floor mixing some random ingredients while Lily cooked? How many times had he sat on the island and peered into Lily's cauldron, eagerly waiting for his mother's permission to drop an ingredient in?
"Oh, you want to help cook?" Marlene asked.
Harry nodded as crocodile tears welled in his eyes. Marlene placed her hands under Harry's armpits and hoisted him up, setting him on the counter. She made sure to put some space between Harry and the stove. Sirius lingered nearby, his palm pressing against the counter behind Harry. Marlene left him once she knew he was safe with Sirius, grabbing him a bowl and then dumping a few random dry ingredients into it.
"Here, love, can you mix this for me?" Marlene asked, setting the bowl in front of him and then grabbing a spatula for him.
Harry happily began to mix the ingredients. The tears were long gone. She turned back to the stove to flip the bacon that had already started to burn.
"You amaze me," Sirius said in an oddly fond tone, one that Marlene had trouble recalling ever hearing.
Marlene turned to look at him, her brows furrowing. "Oh? Is it my impressive bacon skills? Because, Sirius, love, I know you like it extra crispy but I bloody well botched it this morning."
"The way you are with Harry," Sirius elaborated. "It's what made me propose to you in the first place. Seeing you with him. I never thought, well, let's be honest, nobody ever thought I was going to settle down and do the whole kid thing. I never wanted it until I saw how happy James was. You were the only person I wanted to have a family with. The way you are with kids… it made me want kids with you."
Marlene smiled up at him. "I know you've had your doubts about being a father ever since I told you I was pregnant. I never did. Not once. Not with the way you are with Harry."
"What if I don't have the capacity to love Harry and another child?" Sirius whispered, his face pulling. "That sounds stupid, I know."
"It's not," Marlene assured him. "You don't have to worry about that either. You'll love Harry and this baby equally. You'd be surprised just how much love your heart can hold."
Sirius swallowed, his head nodding absentmindedly. "I just don't want to muck this all up," he added, his gray eyes searching her face. "I have a long track record of mucking things up."
Marlene reached out, her fingers wrapping around his wrist. "Sirius, you're doing great already."
Sirius glanced down at his feet, his brow furrowing. "I was going to leave that night. On Halloween when Hagrid said we couldn't have Harry. I thought if I couldn't have Harry, because I bloody well wasn't going to attack Hagrid for him, then I'd go after Peter," he admitted, his head snapping up to look at her. "I would have left him if you weren't there."
Marlene's heart cinched in her chest, her thumb brushing against the inside of Sirius' wrist. If there was one thing she had learned about Sirius over the years, it was that he had trouble tackling his guilt. Any small thing sent him into a spiral, causing him to obsess over it and eat away at him. Marlene didn't know if that was a product of his upbringing or not. Sirius clammed up whenever his childhood was brought up. From what little she knew, she wouldn't be surprised if the treatment he received from his parents had exasperated his guilt complex.
"But you didn't leave that night, Sirius," Marlene insisted, her head cocking to the side. "You can't worry about what ifs or things you didn't actually do. So what? You had a fleeting thought? You can't beat yourself up for that."
Sirius turned his attention to Harry mixing his ingredients in his bowl. The counter was covered with flour amongst other things. Marlene wished she knew how to get through to Sirius, to make him see reason. Because she wasn't completely sure that he believed her.
"We're in this together," Marlene added, giving his wrist a squeeze. "We will always have each other to lean on and to knock sense into one another occasionally."
Sirius looked at her, his eyes softening as he stared at her. Slowly, he bent down. His lips brushed against hers. Marlene's body pressed forward, aching to feel him close once more. They had deprived themselves of any sort of intimacy since Halloween, both too depressed and worried about Harry to even think of spending some alone time together. Merlin, did she miss it. Missed him. But they had just barely kept their heads above water the past couple of weeks.
For the first time since stumbling into Godric's Hollow on that dreadful Halloween night, Marlene believed that they'd be all right. She had to believe everything would work out, craving normalcy more than anything. A new normal. They could manage. Marlene was sure of it. They just had to take it day by day, moment by moment. Before long, life would become normal again.
Hope you enjoyed the newest chapter! Now, the main plot of the story really begins. Don't forget to drop a review. They motivate me to keep writing. They inspire new ideas. They just make my day.
Special thanks to prewettpotter as always!