Sirius didn't go home with them. However, to Grace's and Remus' surprise, it was agreed that Sirius could come and go to the house in Little Whinging whenever he pleased, just as Grace could come and go to Blue Cottage as she pleased, as long as she left a note saying where she was going. Since Helena worked most of the day, five days a week, she didn't have to worry about seeing Sirius much except for evenings and weekends. Grace still didn't know if her parents were going to try and get back together, but Remus told her to not get her hopes up, and to let them get used to this first.

The first week went fine, well for the most part. There was only a few little instences where Sirius and Helena started bickering over her. Like when Sirius had conjured a piano (her mother had given him his wand, as it was given to her by the Minister after he had been arrested. Why? Grace didn't know), her mother was mad, and told him he can't just be bringing things into the house that don't belong there. This started an argument, and he said it did belong there since he conjured it for Grace so she could practice and play for him. Her mother had told him that if he wanted to hear her play, then he can take her to Blue Cottage.

Then there was one night when Grace asked Sirius to stay because it was late, and her mother wasn't home yet. Sirius, not wanting to leave her home alone, but knowing that Helena didn't want her staying over night at Blue Cottage, gave in. He decided to turn into his Animagus form, and jump on her bed, curling next to her as she slept. The next morning Sirius and Helena fought.

"You weren't home! Did you expect me to leave her alone overnight?"

"She's fourteen, Sirius! She's been home alone before."

"Overnight?"

"No... but she's fourteen!"

"I'm sorry, you may feel comfortable leaving our daughter home alone overnight, but Idon't!"

"She's not a child, Sirius!"

"She's not an adult, either, Helena! Muggles can be just as dangerous as wizards can!"

"No oneis going to be breaking and entering in Little Whinging!"

"Why are you so upset that I spent the night?"

"This isn't your house!"

"She's mydaughter!"

"We agreed that we would have boundaries, Sirius! I agreed to let you come and go as you please so you could spend time with Gracia, but I draw the line at you staying the night!"

"Why are you so angry that I spent the night to watch over my daughter? I didn't go into your room! I didn't snoop around your house. I transformed into a dog, and laid in bed with her! What do you have that you don't want me knowing about?"

"That's none of your business!"

"Why were you even out all night? I know you don't work nights-"

"That's none of your business!"

"Were you on a date?" Sirius asked, and when Helena didn't answer, he scoffed, shaking his head. "You were, weren't you?"

"That's none of your business, Sirius! None! Who I see in my personal life shouldn't matter-"

"It does if it affects Grace! I have the right to know who you have coming in and out of her life!"

"Excuse me!? How dare you try to accuse me of bringing men in and out of her life! Who I see on my own time is none of your business!"

"If you would've just been honest with me, and told me you were going on a date and that you weren't sure what time you would be home, then I could've told Remus and he would've stayed! But I had no idea where you were, or when you were coming home and I didn't feel comfortable leaving Grace here alone!"

"You are not my keeper! I don't have to tell you who I'm seeing and when!"

"Is this why you dump Grace off on Remus or Molly and Arthur?" Sirius hissed angrily. "So you can go out and shag around?"

"How dare you! You don't get to talk to me like that! I can do whatever I please in my personal life, as long as it doesn't affect Gracia-"

"Doesn't affect Grace?! You dumping her on Remus, or Molly and Arthur affects her!" Sirius snapped. "Don't you think she wonders why her mother never wants to spend time with her?!"

"Get out! I'm not dealing with you right now when you're being unreasonable!"

"Fine, push me away like you do our daughter!"

That had been a particularly bad morning, and Grace had spent the entire day over at Blue Cottage. Remus tried to talk to Helena, but she wanted no part in it and told Remus to leave her alone and mind his business.

"Are you and Mum ever going to get along?" Grace asked as she walked with Sirius through the woods, watching Buckbeak try to capture the bunnies.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that," Sirius grimaced. "We thought you were asleep."

"Hard to stay asleep when you two are shouting at each other," she muttered bitterly. "Why can't she just let you stay the night sometimes?"

"It's her house, her rules," Sirius answered bitterly.

"Is this how it's always going to be?"

"No, Grace," Sirius shook his head as he wrapped an arm around her. "Your Mum and I just... have to find our balance with each other. I'm sorry you've been thrust in the middle of it all," he told her, and she nodded.

"I wish I could just move back here, that way she can stay in that stupid house by herself," she muttered.

"What about Harry? How will you see him?" Sirius asked lightly, with a smirk.

"Oh, bloody hell!" she groaned, her head falling back. "I forgot about Harry! He must be getting antsy being in that house, knowing that I'm with you."

"Hey, why don't you spend the afternoon with Harry, and then invite him over tomorrow."

"But Mum's home tomorrow..."

"I'll bring Remus, he's a nice buffer for your Mum and I. Maybe with him and Harry around, any arguments will be minimal," he suggested.

"Alright," she sighed.

When Grace arrived home, she called out to see if her mother was around, she grinned when only silence answered her. She made her way down the street to the familiar road of Privet Drive, and when she stood in front of number four, she took a few of the pebbles on the ground and tossed one up to the window that she knew went to Harry's room. After a few minutes of ducking behind Mrs. Dursleys hedges every time she saw the woman look out from the front window, Grace finally saw Harry appear in his bedroom. She threw one more pebble to the glass, and he frowned. She smiled up at him, waving frantically, and she watched Harry's frown spread into a grin as he opened the window.

"I'll be down in a minute!" He called to her and she nodded.

It wasn't even a full minute before Harry came rushing out of the house. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, and he wrapped his around her waist. It had been a week since he last saw her at Kings Cross, but to him it felt so much longer. He wasn't sure if it was because she was the only thing that made summer holidays bearable in Little Whinging, or because he was desperate for any news about Sirius; or it could be both. All Harry knew was that he was happy to see her. He frowned when he realized she hadn't let go yet, he didn't mind at all as he found he liked hugging her, but he heard the quietest sniffle and knew something was wrong.

"Park?" he asked quietly and she nodded as she pulled away. He noticed her grey eyes looked glossy, and she blinked a few times trying to hide tears. They didn't talk as made the five minute walk to the park, but when they both sat on the swings, he finally looked at her. "What's happened?" A small part of him was nervous that it had to do with Sirius.

"Mum knows the truth," she said, gripping onto the chains tightly as she gently started moving back and forth. "Remus told her the day after we came back."

"That's good, right?"

"All they've done for the past week is either avoid each other, or fight," she told him bitterly.

"Does she not believe-"

"She does," Grace nodded. "Remus thinks she's just trying to run away and avoid her problems instead of figuring all this out."

"Is she not wanting you to see Sirius?"

"I can see him, I can go over to Blue Cottage whenever I want and he can come here whenever he wants but... it's-"

"Not what you wanted," Harry finished and she nodded.

"I thought that if she knew the truth then..." Grace paused and took a deep breath, "Then Mum and Dad would be together, and all of us would be this happy family like we were supposed to be... how stupid was I."

"It doesn't make you stupid, Grace," Harry told her. "It makes you hopeful, it makes you normal. I thought for a whole hour that I could leave here, that all of us could be together too..."

"Really?" she asked, looking at him.

"Yeah," he nodded, smiling at her. "I thought about how great it would be to no longer come home to the Dursleys, and how nice it would be to be with Sirius, and Professor Lupin, your mum and...well you, and see the home you talked about so much," he confessed.

"Really?" she asked again and he nodded. "You really wanna go to Blue Cottage?"

"Yeah, why not?" he shrugged. "Every time you've talked about it you... you look happy."

"Well, if you want... you can come over to Blue Cottage," she offered nervously.

"Really?!" he asked and she nodded. "When?!"

"Er... I don't know," she shrugged. "But we'll figure it out, it's only a floo away anyhow."

"I can't wait," he grinned at her, and she felt her cheeks flush.

"First you've got to survive an afternoon with Mum and Dad," she told him and he rolled his eyes playfully at her. "Which, you will have the opportunity tomorrow."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Come over around noon. Dad and Remus should be there by then."

"I can't wait," Harry grinned.