Growing Up

Part 3.

There was a knock at the door that startled not only Harry, but spooked Remus too. Sirius had come out with a terrified look on his face, glaring at the door.

"Who is that?"

"No idea, I'll grab it." Remus could feel him tense up behind him. Before he got two steps forward, Sirius seized his arm to stop him. Taking a gasping breath in, he turned to see Sirius shaking his head.

"Are you sure? What if-"

"It's fine. Maybe it's Minnie." Sirius' quiet fear terrified him, would it be that awful to not answer? Nobody's home, they'll move on and solve their problem or find someone else to bother.

The second knock oddly comforted him, bringing him back to reality. An intruder would've barged in long before then. Whoever was at the door wasn't going away.

Walking up with a careful stride, he opened the door to see Albus Dumbledore's wrinkled face. His expression was calm and radiated soft joy, something that always comforted Remus.

"Remus, may I come in?" He asked, folding his hands together against his white and gold robe.

He nodded quickly and opened the door wider to invite him in. There would be no reason not to, Albus only visited with important news. The sight of him somehow made Remus miserable, he was a secondary reminder of what he had lost not even a week before. The dull pain in the middle of his chest began to glow brighter.

Dumbledore walked slowly into the house, checking out what he could see. He nodded to Sirius who had now stood up defensively. His stance would've felt no different if he stuck his hands out to the side like a roadblock, ready to pummel anyone who walked too close. Harry, of course, was not phased by this behavior. He sat in his playpen chewing his fingers, kicking his feet happily when someone spoke. After about thirty seconds of silence, Sirius finally did.

"I'm not leaving him at the Dursleys," Sirius' eyes flickered around the floor as if he was filling a hyper-agile kitten.
"I won't let you take him-"

"I know," Albus held a hand out politely. "You're his Godfather. I might know a way for you to be able to keep him. I will send a letter to the Ministry. I think I can pull some strings, but they won't be happy about this. You're aware that-"

" 'He'll be safer at the Dursley's' " Sirius spat.
"Why, exactly, do they believe this?" He picked up Harry and walked over to the island counter behind Albus. He grabbed his mug and pulled it away from Harry's grabbing hands. Hot, he whispered playfully.

"Petunia hated Lily, and she hated James even more. She would turn him into a monster." Sirius walked back over and adjusted the arm that held Harry, putting his mug down to hold it around the base instead of the side grip. Albus watched this and stretched his hands out slightly, reaching for the bumbling infant moving energetically in his arms. Sirius passed him over and smiled as Harry mumbled and settled into the bed sheet fabric of his robe.

"I understand. I think you have made the right choice." He fixed Harry's hair and sat back down in the chair as if the weight was too much for him to bear. The old bearded man hardly lifted his eyes from the baby is his arms, only smiled softly entertained.

"How are you two doing? This must be quite the lifestyle change."

"That's an understatement." Sirius scoffed.

"We're doing fine, thank you." Remus' automatic response rang through the room, only the sound of Harry's small voice covering the tension that stood like dead air.

What were they to do? What were they to speak about? Remus' life had just crumbled, fallen apart right in front of him. He had watched part of his family die like the inanimate collateral of a war, and Albus Dumbledore wanted to chitchat. Sirius was stiff near him, the only moving part of him his barely flailing chest as he breathed. 

"Some good parents you have here, Harry." Dumbledore stood again, looking to Sirius and taking a step forward, his arms adjusted to hand the infant back.

Not parents.

"I'll walk you out," Remus' footsteps echoed towards the door piercing the silence against the calming hum of the wind outside. Albus followed, but stopped as Remus' hand caught the cold doorknob. He folded his hands once more, a symbol, Remus had taken to notice through years of observation; for deep authority.

"Be cautious, you two." Dumbledore whispered.

He nodded and shut the door.

Remus heard Harry crying from the other room so he decided to walk over to him.

Remus walked in and saw Sirius rocking Harry.

"He won't stop?" Said Remus, frantic and confused. He held Harry out in front of him, arms extended.

"Here. Give him to me." Sirius held out his hands and cradled him.

"Shhhh..." He hushed Harry and stared rocking side to side.

Harry slowly stoped crying and looked at Sirius with glossy eyes.

"Ma, ma" he cooed.

"Remus, grab his bottle." He whispered.

Remus grabbed the lukewarm bottle off of the table and handed it to Sirius and watched as he slowly helped Harry fall asleep.

"God, I really do suck at this. I bet James and Lily are laughing at me from heaven right now" Remus laughed.

"Oh stop, Moony. You'll get better." he whispered.

Remus and Sirius walked Harry back to his room and put him down for a nap.

As they walked out of the room, Sirius looked at remus.

"Did you never take care of kids?" Sirius asked

"I did at St. Edmunds. Although i was an only child before my mum had died, I was the only one they trusted to take care of the other kids-" Remus stopped abruptly.

"-when it wasn't a moon."

They stood silent for a moment.

"That reminds me" Remus pondered. "When is the next full moon?"

Word count: 644