OOTP AU - As Harry finally makes it to Grimmauld Place, he is forced through the most awkward, enraging dinner of his life. Luckily for him, Daddy can always kiss him all better...

This is the clean version that FFN allows. Link to my Ao3 for the filthy version is on my account.

"So there I was, right? Being on the front lines, eyes to eyes with that rogue werewolf and all I could think was, well,ourRemus wouldnever!"

Tap, tap, tap.

Harry could feel his frustration rising, the longer the female auror tried to flirt with Remus. He took it out by tapping his thumb lightly along the outer ring of the table, trying not to look too surly, but from his Godfather's raised eyebrow he knew that he hadn't succeeded. Charlie, from the other side of Tonks, winced a bit and rubbed his finger along his ear as she loudly chortled. She was worse than Ginny had been, because at least Ginny had figured out how to take a fuckinghint. But Tonks just kept carrying on for all of God and creation, telling Remus something about her Auror Training and asking inane questions.

"And so, we don't really know whether itwasa ritual based on his werewolfy religion or not, can you give me some thoughts, Remus?"

Tap, tap, tap.

He and the twins shared a look that seemed to say the exact same thing: 'Werewolfy'? For fuck's sake.

Hermione's eyes were closed, clearly trying to count to ten to stop herself from a lecture on being sensitive toward Creatures. Her S.P.E.W. badge was still proudly shining on her jacket, despite Kreacher's sneers toward it whilst calling her a Mudblood.

Remus was staring right at Tonks as she kept going, not meeting Harry's eyes no matter how long he stared. He kept trying to change the subject, but the fact he wouldn't look at Harry was setting him off. After the Dursleys, being ignored was one thing that Harry couldn't do. He felt, at this point, that he could bore holes directly into the man's skull.

Sirius had grumbled before in his letters that Tonks' Muggle father had lead her to have no manners whatsoever, and now Harry could see it clearly. As the newly appointed Heir Black, he could see why Sirius hadn't asked Tonks to join their House.

"I mean, you are theexperthere," Tonks chittered, actually batting her eyes at him. She actually batted her eyes. In earnest.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Remus laughed good naturedly, and Harry wanted to flip the table. Hehatedher. Meeting his Godfather's eyes with an exasperated look, he watched the man's lips quirk. Harry could feel how unsettled he was slowly becoming a snit. Tonks let out a girlish giggle at something that Remus said in response to her query, and Sirius' eyes went skyward to stop themselves from rolling. Hermione had tried a few more times to get Tonks' focus away from the werewolf to no avail. Ron had attempted to ask her questions about being an Auror, but had been dismissed as well, as her sights were set on Remus.

Harry was sure that the scowl on Ron's face was from real feelings of rejection, and he should care about that, but it was on the back burner for him. Hermione looked across the table at Harry, worriedly. She tried again to interject.

"So, as an Auror, are courses about Creature Sensitivity part of your training?" she asked, drumming her nails on the table. She really wanted to have at Tonks for the way she was speaking about Werewolves, as though they weren'tpeople.

"Creature Sensitivity?" Sirius asked from across the table, eyebrow already quirked playfully. "How's that, then?"

"I care a lot about Creature… sensitivity…" Tonks said, biting her bottom lip whilst looking at Remus.

"I mean," Hermione rushed to say, sensing the play on words. Abort mission! "Their religions, or the days of the month where they'll be more vulnerable, ensuring nothing they're allergic to is on your person when you arrest them…"

"Oh," Tonks murmured. "I suppose that we do… but I'm still training, you see…"

She sounded so absentminded as she leaned her elbow on the table, resting her head on it to make eyes at Remus. Harry could hear Sirius' grunt of disapproval at elbows on the table. Tonks, on the other hand, did not.

Nymphadora, the bloody-

Tap, tap, tap.

Why wasn't he looking at him?Hello?!

Sirius reached over to place a hand on Harry's, but he jerked it away, quickly. He was too angry, too hurt, too ready to launch across the table and beat an Auror. He hadn't been this upset since his Third Year, and the fact that propriety allowed this conversation to continue made it worse for him. Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling merrily as he followed their conversation, Arthur seemed enthused, and Snape… well he looked just like Harry felt. But all of the Weasley children and Hermione knew what was going on, and looked so uncomfortable for Harry.

Then Molly made it much worse, as she put a hand on both Remus' and Tonks' shoulders..

"Aww, I do love seeing you two get on. You look so smart together, am I sensing a budding romance? You know, Remus really could use a woman's touch in his life!"

The loud sound of a fork clanging on a plate and the screech of wood on wood as Harry shoved roughly backward in his chair brought all eyes on him, even Remus'. Harry breathed heavily, ignoring the blushing werewolf as he snapped, "May I be excused? Thank you." and he stomped out of the room.

"Wait! Harry, dear, you haven't eveneaten anything!" Molly cried.

"Not hungry!" Harry called from the next room as he stormed up the steps to the fourth floor. Only he, Sirius, and Remus had rooms up there. It was safe from whateverthatwas.

Everyone was silent as he moved, the energy of the table finally becoming awkward for everyone, rather than half of them. When the thudding stopped and a loud door slam echoed through Grimmauld Place, everyone winced.

"Welp, we knew that was bound to happen," Ron said, shaking his head as the other Weasley brood murmured their assent.

"Teenagers," Tonks said ruefully, before reaching over and touching Remus' arm.

"Ibegyour pardon?" Hermione asked, eyes widening with anger. It was all her fault, and she was acting so blasé about it?

"I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it," Arthur said quickly, trying to prevent further discord.

"I shall go see to my Godson," Sirius said, catching his best friend's attention as he stood up, smoothing an invisible wrinkle in his clothing.

"What in Merlin's name is he acting like that for?!" Molly asked, one hand on her hip.

"He's a teenage boy, Molly. In the middle of a brewing civil war, with an entire world's expectations on his back. Tell me, how poised do you expect him to be?" Sirius snarked. He shared a meaningful look with Remus, before heading upstairs to see to Harry.

"So, Remus, are you really going to take that Wizarding Studies teaching position that just opened up, to teach Muggleborns and Muggleraised about Wizarding Society?"

"I am, yes…" the werewolf said, distractedly.

Harry's room was next to Sirius', he was given privacy when most others weren't. Molly had pitched a fit over it, but Sirius had won, stating that this washishouse, and the bedroom next to his washis dead brother's room, and so she could kindlyfuck off. She had felt it was unfair that everyone else but Harry had to share rooms with others, but she had no idea that it was actually Sirius who wasn't sharing. Harry was in Regulus' old room with Remus. He knew what they'd get up to, and held no judgement for it. He'd promised Harry that he would be a listening ear for any questions or fears, and he allowed their relationship to be normal because Harry so desperately needed that. He needed to know that he wasn't afreak.

Sirius was so tired of that harridan being in his house, overstepping at every turn and questioning his love for Harry. It was enough to make him wonder at times, darkly, if he wasn't owed just one murder, time served and all that. Especially when she'd contributed to Harry fleeing the room. It was unfair for his own Godson, his Heir, to feel uncomfortable in his ownhouse.

Unfortunately for Dumbledore, the instant he'd named Harry his Heir, absorbing the House of Potter into the House of Black, the old coot could no longer force Harry James Black to stay with the Dursleys. As he'd participated in that stupid Tournament, Lady Magic herself had declared him emancipated. It felt good to see all of Harry's things, mostly brand new ones that they'd bought, slowly filtering into their home.

Our home. I did it, James, I got him out.

He knocked on the door gently. "Hey pup, it's me. Can I come in?"

The grunted approval on the other side of the door was all he needed. He came in and shut the door, putting up a silencing charm quickly, lest Weasley ears decide to get curious with their ingenious prank items.

"So…" Sirius said, eyes trained on Harry's turned back. The boy was laying on his bed, facing the opposite wall.

"So." Harry returned, biting his inner cheek.

"That was some exit you pulled. Bravo, pup."

"Piss off."

Sirius hid his grin, shaking his head. "Oh no, I mean it. The way you made everyone go silent? Great stuff."

"Piss. Off." Harry repeated to the only adult he knew would absolutely get it, and not be in a snit over him being 'disrespectful'. He could just have easy back and forth like this.

"Careful I don't tell your Daddy about how mouthy you are," Sirius teased.

Well, most of the time he could have an easy back and forth.

"I haven't got one!" Harry declared, louder than necessary.

"Oh, no?" Sirius asked in a bit of a playful tone. "Then who is that dashing werewolf that I attended school with downstairs?"

"I don't know!" Harry sniffed, shocking himself by how quickly he was devolving. He wasn't supposed to do this until it was just he and Remus, or if Sirius was about, it was fine. But he couldn't… not withDumbledoreand bloodySnapedownstairs!

The Weasley children all knew that he and Remus were mated, but it had to be asecretfrom the other adults. Because all they saw when they looked at Remus was a Dark Creature, one that would sully Harry. They wouldn't care that neither of them could help it. That werewolves mate for life, that they'd both bitten each other - so they were essentially married in the eyes of any other wolf.

It was tearing him apart.

"You don't know?" Sirius pressed. This sounded very serious indeed.

"Idon't! That wasn'tmyDaddy down there, ignoring me for some… someslag!"

"Whoa, pup. Tough words, there. You know Remus has only had eyes for you since you were born. He's a werewolf, once they touch their mate, they're forever faithful. You're all he sees."

It was true, Sirius could remember the very moment that it'd happened.

The waiting room at St. Mungo's really needed a revamp, if Sirius had anything to say about it. Where the hell was all of the money that his family contributed going to, if the loved ones of the person who was needing care were practically sitting on rocks?

Remus groaned from the chair nearest him, rubbing at the back of his neck. It had to be so much worse for his friend, this month had been a blue moon. He knew Remus was dead on his feet, but still showed up for James and Lily any time they needed.

"How long does it even take to have a baby?" Peter groused, looking at his magazine.

"I wouldn't know, the closest thing we have to a vagina around here is you, so…" Sirius snerked, making Peter roll his eyes in exasperation.

"That stopped being funny in Fourth Year, Padfoot!"

"Give him a rest," Remus joined in. "He still finds his own name to be punny."

"Excuse me? I will not stand for this abuse!" Sirius declared, just as a mediwitch called out for them.
"Potter, party of three?"

They all raised their hands, watching as she headed over.

"Is Lily all right?"
"Mother and son are both just fine."

"It's a boy?!" Sirius asked, excitedly. "James must be over the moon, he wanted a boy so badly."

"He certainly seems to be in bliss! Lady Potter is in a private room for the next few days to recuperate, and so you three have been invited back until visiting hours end at five."

They merrily followed after her, so thrilled for some good news, for once. The war had been taking it out of them, and after so many raids, and so much death, life coming from anywhere felt like a miracle. Catching eyes with a blonde Mediwizard walking down the hall, Sirius turned to see the end of him, waggling his eyebrows a bit.

Remus lightly smacked his arm, hissing that they were there for James and Lily, not his libido.

He grinned, not at all sorry.

For others, being best friends with your ex might be awkward, especially when their friendship had become so much stronger after the breakup. But he and Remus had parted ways more than amicably. They'd had fun a few times, trading blow jobs and dry-humping each other to orgasm, but when they discussed taking it further, they'd realised they were incompatible in more ways than one. Both were tops, neither vers, for starters. Sirius was a Dom, as was Remus. Shame, really. Although Remus had told him that he was interested in both of them topping someone at the same time, and Sirius' salacious smile gave him all the answers he needed for if he was interested.

Whereas Sirius was more into having a submissive that wanted to be collared, wanted rough sex, had masochistic tendencies, and hopefully be into breath play - Remus was a Daddy dom. He wanted to be a caregiver, to be a Daddy, to discipline, and to provide. He wanted it all the time, not just at night. Which, whilst Sirius found that interesting to watch, he never wanted to be anyone's little boy or baby. He'd had enough of vulnerability after living under Walburga's thumb, he wouldn't permit himself to be smaller foranybody.

They finally made it to the room, which the Mediwitch waved her hand across the wards for, and then permitted them entry in a single file.
"Hey Lils! You look exhausted!" Sirius said by way of greeting.

"Sirius!" Remus chastened, which made the man flinch.

"But pretty! Very pretty!" Sirius clarified quickly, index finger in the air.

Lily laughed tiredly, in and out of sleep after a 34 hour labour and delivery. "I hope you're happy with your son, because I'm not doing this again," she joked, good naturedly.

James laughed, kissing her forehead. "Sure, the next one will simply apparate out."

Lily grinned, and nodded at her husband, who stood with a small bundle in his arms. "Hey Pads, we have a little man here for you to meet."
"Oooh, me first?" Sirius was thrilled by that, and walked over, slowly. "How shall I..?"

"Just like this, here," James positioned his hands, before setting his son in his best friend's arms. "I'd like you to meet your Godson, Harry James Potter."

Sirius cooed over the name before the weight of the words hit him. "Godson?"

"Who else would I ask, but the brother of my heart?"

Sirius sniffled, trying to maintain composure as he looked down at the baby. "I am…honoured, James. Look at how perfect he is. I solemnly swear, James. I'll always take care of him, I'd lay down my life for him in a moment."

He meant every word.

James clapped him on the shoulder, whispering, "I know you will."

There wasn't a dry eye in the house, save for Peter's. The rat himself was pouting over the fact that he hadn't been chosen, feeling like he was always the spare. So he stammered an excuse for not being able to stay, leaving his gift with the two new parents with well wishes. Everyone tried to cajole him into staying, but he insisted that he had somewhere he needed to go to for an emergency.

Remus had asked if he'd needed any help - as if hecared. He'd show them all, one day, who the truly powerful one was.

As soon as he took his exit, Sirius grinned at Remus. "As I am hogging the little Prongslet," and he paused as James laughed, "I think its time for Moony to meet him."

Remus flushed a bit, unused to holding babies. He simply hadn't been around many, but he followed James' directions as well, taking the wee thing into his arms. The blanket was soft, and the baby's weight was just right. It activated some sort of warmth within him - this was his best friend'sson, a precious bundle of life in such a dark situation. He laughed softly as baby Harry hiccoughed, gently rocking him back and forth.

The baby opened his beautiful, forest green eyes, and Remus had to suppress the urge to squeeze his little cheeks. "He's the most precious thing, James. Lily. Congratulations," he couldn't keep the smile off his face if he tried.

"Okay, you've had him enough. Pass my little God puppy over here!" Sirius said, dancing over to grab him.

Lily made a joke about the baby having three fathers, at this rate, when the baby's hand reached up, wrapping around Remus' finger. Suddenly his world bottomed out, face going ashen as he felt his wolf howling in the back of his mind.

Mate. Our mate.

His entire universe changed - Harry was the Sun. He was everything golden, warm, bright in Remus' world. He couldn't live without the boy's shine, he would, as Padfoot had put it, lay down his life for him. Immediately, without prompt. He felt a golden thread of connection forming between the two of them as his soul was evermore connected to the boy in his arms'. Remus blinked a bit as he could hear his name called, but it sounded far away, in a tunnel.

As soon as someone tried to take Harry from his arms he snarled, spinning away with the bundle in his arms.

Protect. Must protect our mate. He is small and fragile!

"Whoa, Moony, are you okay?" James asked, worriedly.

"Come back to us, Remus, this isn't you!" Sirius said quickly.

It took him a moment to fully come back to himself, but he knew the moment that his best friends noted it, as their shoulders slumped in relief.

"Hey Remus, why don't you pass Harry over here?" James asked, trying to be casual.

"I… I can't…"
"What do you mean you can't?" Lily asked, concerned. She was worried for her baby and her friend at the same time.

"I… I can't give him to someone else right now. He's so fragile…"

"I'm his father, Remus. I won't hurt him. Tell your wolf that. Let Moony know." James pleaded.

"He… he knows. But we can't give him up just yet. He… Oh Merlin, James, I'm so sorry…"

James looked confused for a moment, and Sirius could see him trying to figure out what about a werewolf would cause this, and lead to an apology.

"It's all right, you recognise him as pack, that's all, right? So you're struggling to be the protector?" Sirius offered, gently rubbing Remus' upper arm to calm him.

"Must be it," James said cheerfully, but then frowned at Remus' headshake. "Then…?"

"I… he is pack, of course he is. You all are. But… I couldn't control it, James, I swear, I'd never hurt him. As soon as he touched me I knew…"

In the middle of everyone in the room reassuring him that they knew he'd never hurt Harry, understanding dawned on the two men. Lily looked lost, hardly able to handle the stress of this moment with grace.

"I… Remus are you saying that you imprinted on him? He's your mate?"

Lily suddenly looked thunderous. "Excuse me? He's an hour and a half old!"

Remus winced, but Sirius took up for him instantly.

"He knows that, he'd never… wolves mate for life. Once they touch their mate, they know in an instant. He will never be able to betray Harry, never even feel attraction for any other. Harry is his world now."

Lily's ire lessened a bit, but she still had questions.

"Lils," James said softly. "We read about it when trying to help Remus. He'll be anything that Harry needs - a friend, a protector, when he is much, much, much, much older, a lover. If I'm right, that imprint hit him like a tonne of bricks, and his wolf realised how tiny and vulnerable Harry is. So he wants to protect him."

Remus nodded quickly, tears in his eyes. "I would never look at him like that, Lily. He's ababy. But I want to defend him. He's so small, and so fragile. Anything could hurt him. The world is so sharp, and he is so soft."

Lily smiled warmly, and would blame it later on how many pain potions she was on for her easy acceptance.

"Well, at least we know that he won't be with someone who will hurt him. He will always be protected."

From that point on, Remus was a common person in the Potter household - and much to the chagrin of his parents, every time Harry would have a tantrum or a fit, Remus would be the only one who could calm him. Remus was the only one who could put him down for a nap with hardly any effort, and "Moomoo!" was Harry's first word as he reached for his Moony with grabby hands. His first steps were in desperate attempt to go after Remus, who was leaving for the day to go to work.

The inability to see Harry after the death of his parents must have been the hardest thing that Remus had ever done. But Dumbledore had the legality on his side, whilst Sirius was in prison, the fucking rotter. But Sirius knew that the moment Harry had seen him on the train, Harry had felt safe for the first time in his own memory. He'd known, without having to be told, that his Moony and his Padfoot were out there.

"If I'm all he sees, why does he let heractlike that?" Harry asked, his tears making his voice crack.

Sirius went to him to give a hug, when they heard a knock on the door.

"What?!" Sirius snapped, throwing open the door to see Remus. He ushered the wolf inside, and then looked around the hallway, suspiciously. "What the hell took you so long, Moony? You make it right, you hear me?"

Remus nodded, squeezing Sirius' shoulder as the other man took his leave to give them privacy.

"What was all that about, little one?" Remus asked, walking toward the bed.

Harry instantly turned away from him, arms crossed over his chest with an angry "Hmph!" for emphasis.

"Are we going to have one of those nights, baby boy?" Remus raised an eyebrow, removing his cardigan and gently laying it on the chair they'd bought at a wizarding baby store, a fluffy glider style rocking chair, for when Harry needed it.

"Don't call me that." Harry sniffed, his anger coming through his voice.

That hurt, the pain lanced through Remus' chest, his wolf in the back of his mind snarling, demanding that he make it right, now, whatever it was.

"Whyever not?"

"Because only my Daddy calls me that, andyou're not him."

Remus took a breath, then sat on the edge of the bed behind his sullen mate. "And how do you figure that I'm not your Daddy?"

Harry was silent for a moment, and all Remus could hear was sniffling. It made him ache to comfort his little mate, but he knew that Harry needed to get the feelings out first. He'd never had the safety to do so, and so too much comforting physically before he could communicate would overwhelm him into a full blown wobbly.

"I… my…" Sniff, whimper. "M… My Daddy wouldn't flirt with someone e… else," he hiccoughed a bit, as the tears just wouldn't stop flowing.

"I wouldnever, ever do that to you. There is no one else." Remus stated, firmly.

"But youdid!"

"I haven't. I would never disrespect you that way, even if Icouldfeel attraction for anyone else."

"Then what do you call that show downstairs?!" Harry accused, spinning around to glare at Remus.

"Me tolerating the Tonks chit's thinly veiled sexual harassment in order to protect what we have-"

"I hate it! I hate all of it! I hate Dumbledore for not letting me have you, because you're a 'Dark Creature', I hate her, and I hate having to watch other people talk about what a great couple you'd be! I can't handle it!" Harry wasn't shouting yet, but it was a close thing. He grabbed the book that was on their bed,Ten Minutes to Bed: Little Wolf, and threw it against the wall in his frustration. He stomped his foot in all of his little anger, but it was shortlived, leading to him collapsing to the floor, on his knees.

"It's tearing me apart. You're breaking my heart."

Instantly he was in Remus' arms, being held so tightly as the older man's body trembled. He struggled a bit, but the wolf was so much stronger than him. Remus carried him like he'd had a featherlight charm placed on him; all the way to the gliding rocking chair. Harry tried to wiggle his way out of the other man's hold; but once Remus began rocking them, it only took moments for him to go slack.

It was one of his many weaknesses when it came to that man.

Remus didn't speak again until Harry had completely calmed, the to and fro of the chair lulling him into a sense of security.

"Harry, I'm so sorry. You must know that I would never intentionally hurt you, baby."
"I know that you have to protect me, but can't there be a way where I don't have to see someone else coming onto you right in front of me? Where you don't ignore me?" His voice sounded so broken, a sob muffled by Remus' oxford.

Remus ran his fingers through his beloved boy's hair, gently rocking him back and forth. He made the shushing sounds that always calmed him, making him rub his head against his Daddy's chest. "I'll ask Sirius what he thinks I should do about that. You know how he greatly enjoys causing mischief."

His response was a snort, his shirt becoming wet from tears.

Remus sighed, mentally beating himself up. "I was so uncomfortable that all I could do was to try to steer the conversation a bit more. I didn't think about what it was doing to you until you left the room."

Harry sniffled a bit, still unable to answer, all worked up - but Remus gently thumbed away his tears, looking him in the eyes.

"Daddy should have known. Its my job to take care of you, it's what I love to do. It will never happen again, my heart, never. Can you ever forgive me, little one?"

Harry sat up a bit, astride the other man's lap to look him in the eyes. He took Remus' face in his hands, pressing their foreheads together. "Pinkie swear, Daddy…?"

Remus lifted his hand, wrapping pinkies with his mate. "Pinkie swear, baby. Pinkie swear."

Harry yawned a bit, making Remus smile.

"I think its been a very busy day, so let's feed you, have you take a bath, and then Daddy can check to make sure you're all clean before he puts you to bed."

Harry's eyes sparkled, and he nodded, slowly. Remus called for Kreacher, and had him bring Harry some chicken fingers and chips, which he did eat, but they had to negotiate how many bites before he was done. His boy then brushed his teeth and got undressed as Remus ran the bath, ensuring that it was the right temperature. He put some bubble bath in, helping Harry inside.

His boy squealed with joy as he played a bit in the tub, all of his favourite toys in there. Remus allowed it for a few minutes before getting down to business. He washed Harry's hair with the tenderest of care, with sulphate-free products made for his wavy hair type. His strong hands kept the water from getting in his eyes as he rinsed it with a cup, doing the same when he conditioned it. He used a washcloth to carefully clean Harry's skin with a sensitive body wash that Harry loved the scent of, getting his neck, behind his ears, arms, chest.

"Stand up, baby boy. Let's get you clean," Remus rumbled, making his boy giggle a bit.

((Want the filthy stuff? It's on my Ao3, where I can post that sort of thing. If you don't want it, keep reading the clean version.))

He carefully slid down the bed, wrapping his boy in his arms to go to sleep, dreaming of all the ways they'd make love now that he would be joining him at Hogwarts.

How often could he give him detention without it being suspicious?

The next morning, Remus caught up with Sirius on their way down the stairs, Harry rushing down to see the twins. He was clearly in a much better mood.

"So, looks like everything is better between the two of you," Sirius said, cheerfully. Remus nodded his affirmative. "Why not informherthat you're gay?"

"... I was going to, but I worried about it calling attention to…things."

"Want me to pretend to be your jealous boyfriend? I can slap you across the face and shout 'You bitch!' I've always been a great actor."

Remus stared at Sirius, then shook his head. "I don't want to make a scene," he insisted as they made it to the bottom step, headed for the kitchen.

"I do!" Sirius complained.