"...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."
Sirius watched Remus take care of the glasses. He had repaired them for Harry by now, of course. Also adjusted the actual glasses, because they were quite outdated. But now Harry could walk without stumbling, so he felt accomplished. "A scary story with a heroic puppy... Let's see what I can do."
He drew his wand and waved it, watching as a puppy appeared. And licked Harry's face, before running higher up. "There was a puppy, once upon a time. And the puppy had a really, really good friend, who was a wolf. They loved playing with each other."
There they were, tumbling around. All over each other happily. "But one day, the wolf got lost in the forest. That was very scary, because the forest was so big and dark and dangerous. Full of monsters." He did love to illustrate that.
![[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
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
He drew his wand and waved it, watching as a puppy appeared. And licked Harry's face, before running higher up. "There was a puppy, once upon a time. And the puppy had a really, really good friend, who was a wolf. They loved playing with each other."
There they were, tumbling around. All over each other happily. "But one day, the wolf got lost in the forest. That was very scary, because the forest was so big and dark and dangerous. Full of monsters." He did love to illustrate that.