𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒-ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣❥

𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐀 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐄 𝐋𝐔𝐏𝐈𝐍-𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊

The fire had long since burned down to embers, but its dull glow flickered weakly across the cottage walls. A man sat hunched on the sofa, bouncing his leg up and down with nervous energy, the air thick with waiting. His thumb was raw where he'd been biting the skin, his gaze fixed on nothing, lost in the swirl of anticipation and dread that always came before a storm.

A baby cried from the next room — soft at first, then louder — followed by the quick, uneven patter of tiny feet.

"Daddy?"

The voice was small and tremulous, a boy's voice. Remus lifted his eyes from the worn carpet. The sight before him never failed to steady his heart.

The boy — wild-haired, bright-eyed — was standing in the doorway, clutching a stuffed wolf by one paw.

Remus stopped biting his thumb and opened his arms. "Come here, darling."

Ethan ran forward and launched himself into his father's lap, legs and arms tangling around him.

"Daddy, what's wrong? You look wo-worried."

"Oh, Ethan, I'm not worried!" Remus said quickly, forcing cheer into his voice. He smiled — soft, gentle, the kind of smile meant to hold back the fear. "I'm just excited for your baby sibling to come."

"I hope it's a boy," Ethan muttered grumpily, crossing his little arms. "Boys are more fun."

Remus chuckled, brushing a lock of hair off his son's forehead. "You already have one brother. Wouldn't you like a sister?"

He tried to sound casual, though there was a quiet hope beneath the question. Two sons already — beautiful, chaotic, perfect in their own ways — but something inside him longed for a daughter, someone who might soften the edges of their wild family.

"Eric's boring!" Ethan exclaimed with a little stomp of his foot.

Remus threw his head back and laughed — a sound that eased the tightness in his chest for the briefest moment. "Where's your father?"

"He keeps scratching his ears!"

The words made Remus freeze. His laughter vanished. In a heartbeat, he was on his feet, Ethan still half-clinging to him. Then he set the boy down gently and hurried up the stairs two at a time.

He burst into the bedroom to find Sirius sitting on the edge of their bed, one hand pressed to his ear, scratching at it hard enough to draw a mark. His other hand was trembling.

"Padfoot..." Remus said softly, using the name that belonged only to the past — to the Marauders, to friendship, to a world that had once been bright. "What is it?"

Sirius looked up, the shadows under his eyes deep, his expression unraveling. "Are we doing the right thing?"

Remus crossed the room slowly, the floor creaking under his bare feet. He sat beside him, close enough for their shoulders to touch.

"Sirius Black," he said quietly, his tone firm but full of tenderness, "I am sure we are doing the right thing. Do you know how lucky we are? We get to have three kids that have us in them."

Sirius's fingers curled weakly into the blanket. His voice trembled. "What if the baby's scared of us?"

Remus's heart broke at the question. He wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close until Sirius's head rested against his shoulder. "I know we're not exactly the normal family," he said, voice low and steady. "You can turn into a dog and I'm a monster. But we love our kids — and our children love us. Having another child will just mean more love to give and receive."