On December 17th, 1979, Sirius Black shattered and came back together in one fell swoop.
The Ministry official standing at his front door had the decency to look away and give him a moment to gather himself before clearing their throat.
"Heir Black, I do need to be getting some signatures from you if you wish to make this official," they told him in a brisk tone. "Unless, of course, you are refusing in which ca—"
"Give me a bloody second," Sirius snapped. He stood straighter and wiped at his face roughly with one hand. "You've just told me my brother is dead." Merlin, what had Reggie been doing? He shook his head. "I didn't… he never said…" A heavy sigh. He held out his hands. "Of course I accept."
"Very well," said the Ministry worker. Sirius had forgotten their name — Abernathy maybe?
The bundle of blankets in Abernathy's arms was transferred to Sirius' and he looked down to see a wispy tuft of black hair and grey eyes staring up at him. His knees threatened to buckle again.
"Uh," he coughed and looked up at Abernathy. "I'm sorry. What's… you said a daughter, right?"
"Yes, Heir Black," Abernathy answered and pulled out a piece of parchment. "A Miss Achilles Adhara Black, born on October 7th of this year, to one Regulus Black and Cecily Sayre. Ms. Sayre has renounced her parental rights as of October 15th, and Mr. Black named you, Heir Black, as the next of kin in the will he filed with Gringotts and the Ministry on October 17th."
"Achilles," Sirius murmured and the baby gave a gummy smile. He felt his broken heart start to come back together. "Where do I sign?"
25 minutes and several signatures later, Sirius stood alone in his flat, baby Achilles gurgling from his arms.
"Well, it's just you and me, kid," Sirius sighed, then blanched. "I don't know how to take care of a baby!"
He set the child down and floo-called James and Lily.