"Is he gonna be okay alone? Was that smart? Merlin, Sirius, what he got hurt?" He got that there was little other option but still. On behalf of Lily, he whacked the dolt on the arm before he slid off the bike and onto solid ground. He felt rather sick now. He snatched his wand back and gave Sirius a glare.
"Flying. Obviously. You know I hate flying."
Could barely get on his broom. It always drove James mad, he wanted to broom off everywhere and Remus was far more fond of a stroll.
"He's a very responsible little boy. I'm more likely to hurt myself than he is!" Still, now he was worried. He entered the house, made sure that the wards on it would let Remus pass as well and then he called out immediately, looking around. "Harry?! I'm back!"
He hadn't been worried until just now, but suddenly he was filled with worry. "Harry? I brought your nanny!"
Well. He was filled with worry, not with an inability to crack a joke.
Harry came rushing through the living room and out into the hallway, flying at Sirius and hugging his leg because it was scary to be alone and he wasn't sure if Sirius would come back or not so it was kind of tense. He didn't do much. Mostly just threw the ball around and explored. "I miss you."
Remus watched the boy with great interest. "He looks like James, you're right..."
Sirius bent down and picked Harry up, holding him in his arms so he would know he was safe and loved on. "I missed you too, golden boy. But I'm back now, don't worry."
He gestured to Remus, smiling so Harry would know it was all right. Not a scary stranger. "Can you guess who that is, Harry? He really wanted to see you."
And Harry had brought up Remus again a couple time since that first story time, so Sirius hoped he would have the right association.
"He knew my dad and he's a friend? ... Is he Remus?" Harry was wondering if it was, he knew that name the best out of all of dad's friends. Well. Not that he knew more than two but still. Remus was flattered that the boy even knew about him. He smiled and nodded, wishing he looked a bit less shabby for this first meeting.
"Hello, Harry. You're right. I'm Remus, it's lovely to see you."
Harry smiled and then leaned up so he could whisper in Sirius' ear as subtle as he could. Which wasn't very. "You need to invite him in for tea so he can sit down."
"Right you are. Harry's helping me with all those manners I tried to forget so hard." He smirked at Remus. "Come on in, mate. Have tea. And a house and a life and never leave again."
Maybe he was going slightly overboard, but he reached for Remus' hand and gave it a squeeze, trying to put into his expression all that he felt. A mess of emotions, really. He hadn't even properly processed it yet. That Remus really believed him. That someone believed him. "Remus said he wants to help me teach you, Harry."
"You always move so fast, Pads. Honestly." Remus was smiling through, hurrying after Sirius with a bright smile and waving at Harry as he watched him over Sirius' shoulder as they moved to the living room. Once there, Remus took a seat and looked around. "It's nice here. Could use some light though." Especially since they had a child - the grim, dark of the house had a cool gothic vibe but not a 'kids are safe here' vibe.
"It's a haunted mansion." Harry found it exciting. Except when it got to night time, then he cried sometimes because he thought ghosts and monsters were around. "Sirius, you should put the kettle on." He was very helpful.
"Look at you, ordering me around." Sirius bopped Harry's nose, but he got up, walking just far enough to get a kettle from the kitchen and hang it over the fireplace in the living room. There, he didn't feel like doing anything more. "This place is delightful compared to Grimmauld Place. I've been telling Harry."
Which maybe didn't help his fears, but hey. Made for good scary stories. "At least there's a lot less cursed stuff and I locked most of it away by now."
Dark houses with scary items all around seemed like a pretty normal childhood environment for Sirius. For obvious reasons.
"It's spooky there and full of bad people." Harry nodded wisely. He loved ghost stories with Sirius but then he had to go to sleep. So usually it ended in tears and him lingering Sirius' room, wanting to share his bed for protection. Which caused all other issues.
"Don't worry about that. This place isn't. Look how nice it is." Remus used his wand and whispered - he would have opened the curtains but it was dark so why bother? "It's a bit late for him to be up."
Did Sirius grasp the concept of bed times? Probably not. He treated everyone, even young children, like adults.
"...does that matter?" Sirius blinked and looked at Harry. "Are you tired, Harry?" He wasn't sure now. Did he not sleep enough? Sitting back down at the couch, he looked the boy over with concern. Had he messed him up somehow, already? He really hoped not. "He likes sleeping next to Padfoot."
Oddly, he felt safer in his animagus form when sleeping next to Harry. Less likely to expose the child to horrifying nightmares.
"I had a nap so it's not so bad." Harry adjusted his glasses and then came over to Sirius, nuzzling him like Sirius always did. Like an eager puppy. Remus wondered, idly, if they had just been living like a pack of dogs here. Nuzzling and napping. No routine. Good lord.
"Yeah... I mean, good that you nap but a bedtime matters, Sirius." Did he not get that? Remus looked at Sirius and gave him a pointed look. "Kids need a lot of sleep and a routine so they are on the right clock. When you sleep matters to kids. Not to us."
Remus didn't often sleep but kids definitely should.
Sirius smiled at Harry, but then noticed how Remus was looking at him. Uh-oh. He was in trouble. He ducked his head and looked up at his friend, ever so innocently. "What time do kids have to sleep then?"
Apparently Remus had an idea about that. Sirius really didn't. "We can do a routine..." He was bad at routine.
"Erm... I dunno, I just know they gotta sleep. My mom always lectured me on it when I wanted to stay up and during that time of the month, she complained I never got my bed time." So he was very aware there was on... just not when it was. He looked at Harry, trying to guess. "Eight... Nine? Eight thirty. That's a good bedtime. Did you have a bedtime before, Harry?"
Harry shook his head and leaned closer to Sirius, unsure with a new person around and eager to be close to Sirius. "I usually just sleep when the lights go out but I don't have a clock so I dunno when that is."
"We'll make it nine," Sirius said decisively, before explaining his reasoning. "He's six, so nine is... When you turn a six around." He demonstrated with his hands. Might not be a conclusive reasoning, but at least he had a reasoning. "So, you should really be asleep, Harry. Wanna go get ready and then Remus can watch how I tuck you in?"
He wanted to include Remus in their routine, such as it was, as quickly as possible.
Harry nodded his head and then the kettle whistled. Turning his head, he called out as he ran. "I'll get it."
"Don't let him use the stove!" Remus insisted as he started shoving Sirius up to his feet and trying to keep his voice low. "He could get burned!"
By then, Harry had turned off the stove and was waiting for Sirius to come and handle it so he could get changed for bed time. He just wanted to help out Sirius and make his chores less stressful.
"He's less likely to get burned than me," Sirius told Remus honestly, but of course he got up and ran after Harry. He poured tea and looked at Harry. "Did you know you are not supposed to use the stove?" No one had told him stuff like that and Harry seemed very competent at it. "I'll protect you from getting burned."
He nodded his head, then ruffled Harry's hair. "Go get ready, yeah? I'll tell you a fun story before bed. Remus can be there and roll his eyes at me, it'll be grand."
"I cooked for my aunt and uncle..." Harry looked confused but he didn't like to argue so he just nodded with a smile and hurried out of the kitchen and up the stairs. As his excited footsteps disappeared, Remus got up and headed in to check on Sirius and make sire he hadn't burned himself.
"Pads... he's so tiny. Don't let him near fire or let him stay up until 1am. Losers like us can be not a tiny boy. He's too little." It was bad for him.
"I know he's tiny." Sirius shrugged and handed Remus his tea. Maybe that would please him. He looked up in the direction Harry had disappeared in and tried not to feel genuinely upset. He was terrified of this boy coming to any harm. In the end he just ran all ten fingers through his hair, releasing a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "I really did see James. Y'know? Probably just in my head. But he told me where Harry was and what they were doing to him. He told me I had to get out and go and get him. So I had to. Anything for him, right? I can't mess it up now."
"You're not messing up. I mean, it's not horrible, is it? Even great parents mess it up. Remember when James and Lily left Harry at your apartment and got all the way to the ground floor before realising?" No one was perfect. Especially not James. "James always said it didn't matter how perfect a dad was, as long as he loved Harry. He's right. I'm not telling you cause I want to upset you... I just want to help."
With a smile, he sipped his tea and looked at Sirius. "He's a lovely boy and he looks so happy. He clearly loves you."
"I know. They should have left him there, he was such a cute baby." Perfect angel. At least in his selective memories, which was all that really mattered. Clearly. "I just don't want to... I don't want to mess up worse."
He'd already caused enough bad fortune for Harry, however indirectly. Sirius shook his head, then smiled a little. "One time, James hit me up through the mirrors because he had put the cloak over a sleeping Harry and then he couldn't find him any more. Lily never knew."
"... How did he even-- You know, I don't wanna know." Rolling his eyes. He shook his head and moved away. "See what I mean? Don't worry so much. You're doing brill." As well as a man who'd never taken care of a kid could. "Now, come on, show me how you tuck the boy in. I'm sure you're excelling at that."
Sirius was gentle, fun and had a way of making people smile. He assumed Harry was getting a lot of love and care lately. "And, just gotta say, Lily probably knew. Lily always knew."
"I just tell him stories. Like we used to." Sirius frowned. "So far it's getting less out of hand." Things had gotten wild. Especially in their later years. He laughed a little and threw an arm around Remus' shoulder, mostly just to know that he was really here. He was really and truly right there. He wanted to talk more. Wanted to ask him if he really believed in him.
But it could wait. He didn't want to break down in front of Harry. He wanted to be stable for him.
"Harry? You in your room already?" He led the way there, walking inside. There was quite the collection of whatever they had seen that looked remotely fun in the few stores the village had. Definitely more fun than Harry had ever had before.
"Sirius said I could have anything that looked fun. There's a lot of stuff that looks fun." Harry was sitting in bed, in his red and yellow jammies, hugging close a black stuffed dog plushie. It was all floppy limbed and snuggly. He loved it a lot. It was like a Padfoot he could always have. "This one is my fav."
"Good choice, he looks cute." He smiled at Harry and then reached out to pet Sirius's head. "You're also cute."
Sirius grinned widely, then changed form, becoming the dog being referenced here. He put his front paws up against Remus' chest and seemed to be wanting to lick his face, tail wagging, but then he moved away again, jumping right up on the bed and curling up around Harry, nuzzling him. So, yes, that was essentially the life they had been leading as of late.
His tail wagged and then he changed again, his arms around Harry instead. "What kinda story are you feeling, golden boy?"
Harry was giggling with delight and Remus had to grin because he was so soft and sweet for the boy. What a good puppy. If he ever needed proof that Sirius hadn't done it, this was it. No one who did that could be this tender with Harry. He came over and sat on the edge of the bed, taking off Harry's glasses for him and folding them up, placing them aside.
"Can I have a scary story? Where the hero is a puppy!"
"Challenging." Remus teased as he looked playfully at Sirius. "Come on then, Pads. Woah us with a tale."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
"Flying. Obviously. You know I hate flying."
Could barely get on his broom. It always drove James mad, he wanted to broom off everywhere and Remus was far more fond of a stroll.
no subject
He hadn't been worried until just now, but suddenly he was filled with worry. "Harry? I brought your nanny!"
Well. He was filled with worry, not with an inability to crack a joke.
no subject
Harry came rushing through the living room and out into the hallway, flying at Sirius and hugging his leg because it was scary to be alone and he wasn't sure if Sirius would come back or not so it was kind of tense. He didn't do much. Mostly just threw the ball around and explored. "I miss you."
Remus watched the boy with great interest. "He looks like James, you're right..."
no subject
He gestured to Remus, smiling so Harry would know it was all right. Not a scary stranger. "Can you guess who that is, Harry? He really wanted to see you."
And Harry had brought up Remus again a couple time since that first story time, so Sirius hoped he would have the right association.
no subject
"Hello, Harry. You're right. I'm Remus, it's lovely to see you."
Harry smiled and then leaned up so he could whisper in Sirius' ear as subtle as he could. Which wasn't very. "You need to invite him in for tea so he can sit down."
no subject
Maybe he was going slightly overboard, but he reached for Remus' hand and gave it a squeeze, trying to put into his expression all that he felt. A mess of emotions, really. He hadn't even properly processed it yet. That Remus really believed him. That someone believed him. "Remus said he wants to help me teach you, Harry."
no subject
"It's a haunted mansion." Harry found it exciting. Except when it got to night time, then he cried sometimes because he thought ghosts and monsters were around. "Sirius, you should put the kettle on." He was very helpful.
no subject
Which maybe didn't help his fears, but hey. Made for good scary stories. "At least there's a lot less cursed stuff and I locked most of it away by now."
Dark houses with scary items all around seemed like a pretty normal childhood environment for Sirius. For obvious reasons.
no subject
"Don't worry about that. This place isn't. Look how nice it is." Remus used his wand and whispered - he would have opened the curtains but it was dark so why bother? "It's a bit late for him to be up."
Did Sirius grasp the concept of bed times? Probably not. He treated everyone, even young children, like adults.
no subject
Oddly, he felt safer in his animagus form when sleeping next to Harry. Less likely to expose the child to horrifying nightmares.
no subject
"Yeah... I mean, good that you nap but a bedtime matters, Sirius." Did he not get that? Remus looked at Sirius and gave him a pointed look. "Kids need a lot of sleep and a routine so they are on the right clock. When you sleep matters to kids. Not to us."
Remus didn't often sleep but kids definitely should.
no subject
Apparently Remus had an idea about that. Sirius really didn't. "We can do a routine..." He was bad at routine.
no subject
Harry shook his head and leaned closer to Sirius, unsure with a new person around and eager to be close to Sirius. "I usually just sleep when the lights go out but I don't have a clock so I dunno when that is."
no subject
He wanted to include Remus in their routine, such as it was, as quickly as possible.
no subject
"Don't let him use the stove!" Remus insisted as he started shoving Sirius up to his feet and trying to keep his voice low. "He could get burned!"
By then, Harry had turned off the stove and was waiting for Sirius to come and handle it so he could get changed for bed time. He just wanted to help out Sirius and make his chores less stressful.
no subject
He nodded his head, then ruffled Harry's hair. "Go get ready, yeah? I'll tell you a fun story before bed. Remus can be there and roll his eyes at me, it'll be grand."
no subject
"Pads... he's so tiny. Don't let him near fire or let him stay up until 1am. Losers like us can be not a tiny boy. He's too little." It was bad for him.
no subject
no subject
With a smile, he sipped his tea and looked at Sirius. "He's a lovely boy and he looks so happy. He clearly loves you."
no subject
He'd already caused enough bad fortune for Harry, however indirectly. Sirius shook his head, then smiled a little. "One time, James hit me up through the mirrors because he had put the cloak over a sleeping Harry and then he couldn't find him any more. Lily never knew."
no subject
Sirius was gentle, fun and had a way of making people smile. He assumed Harry was getting a lot of love and care lately. "And, just gotta say, Lily probably knew. Lily always knew."
no subject
But it could wait. He didn't want to break down in front of Harry. He wanted to be stable for him.
"Harry? You in your room already?" He led the way there, walking inside. There was quite the collection of whatever they had seen that looked remotely fun in the few stores the village had. Definitely more fun than Harry had ever had before.
no subject
"Sirius said I could have anything that looked fun. There's a lot of stuff that looks fun." Harry was sitting in bed, in his red and yellow jammies, hugging close a black stuffed dog plushie. It was all floppy limbed and snuggly. He loved it a lot. It was like a Padfoot he could always have. "This one is my fav."
"Good choice, he looks cute." He smiled at Harry and then reached out to pet Sirius's head. "You're also cute."
no subject
His tail wagged and then he changed again, his arms around Harry instead. "What kinda story are you feeling, golden boy?"
no subject
"Can I have a scary story? Where the hero is a puppy!"
"Challenging." Remus teased as he looked playfully at Sirius. "Come on then, Pads. Woah us with a tale."
(no subject)