scars || sirius black

69 - the ivy's secrets

Alice and Frank welcomed their baby boy on the 30th July 1980 and named him Neville, after Frank's late father. They sent letters with the happy news to their friends later that evening and Emmy and Sirius celebrated with Remus over a hearty glass of whisky.

The rest of the bottle was finished the next night when Harry Potter was born just before midnight. Lily and James enclosed a moving polaroid of the new baby in his mother's arms, hair as dark as his dad's with Lily's sweet smile already showing on his face.

Dumbledore had agreed Emmy and Sirius could visit the Potters at the end of August and the weeks stretched on like a millennia as they waited not-so patiently for the day to arrive.

In the meantime, Maeve had learned to crawl and they spent most of the time chasing her around the flat as she moved at a surprisingly high speed. Sirius once found her having climbed in his old Hogwarts trunk, Mac the cat curled up next to her as they slept.

They could already tell she was a witch what with the number of times they caught her levitating a milk bottle towards her outstretched hands or changing the colour of Mac's fur, much to his infuriation.

When the 31st of August arrived, their little family was ready at the front door by 8am. Sirius had the nappy bag slung over his shoulder and a huge bouquet of flowers in his arms for Lily while Emmy carried Maeve in the sling with a coffee for both of them for the journey.

They high-fived as they left the house and set off to the train station. It was the first time Maeve had been on a train and she sat babbling happily at people nearby from Sirius' lap much to their delight.

James met them off the train and practically ran along the platform to them. He launched into their arms and happy tears were shed. Emmy realised it was the longest he and Sirius had spent apart in probably the last ten years so hung back a little to let them talk as they walked the last half an hour to the remote cottage.

It was a gorgeous sunny day and Lily's red hair stood out like a flame as she waited at the front door with a tiny bundle in her arms.

Sirius cried, as did Emmy, with the relief of seeing them safe and well.

She hugged Lily fiercely and fawned over Harry. His shock of dark hair was already thick and he quickly wrapped a tiny hand around her finger. James put up the security wards behind them as they walked inside and Sirius soon had Harry in his arms and Emmy rested her chin on his shoulder as they both gazed down at the baby boy.

James sat next to them as Lily played with Maeve on the carpet. He glanced at his wife briefly who nodded back with a grin before he turned to face them and coughed awkwardly.

"We- er... We have something to ask both of you," he said, face cracking into a smile.

Emmy's heart stilled.

"We would love it if you would be Harry's godparents?"

Sirius almost burst into tears then and there.

"Of course we will!" Emmy gasped, throwing her arms around Lily. "I'd love nothing more."

James shook Sirius' shoulder in excitement, laughing as his best friend choked back sobs and nodded vigorously.

Emmy kissed his cheek softly as she ran a careful hand over Harry's head. She held back tears herself and couldn't help but think of Maeve when she was the size, it seemed like only yesterday they were bringing her home from the hospital.

The day after Emmy and Sirius visited, Lily and James moved again with Remus as their new secret keeper. They were planning on changing locations every month now that Harry was born, it was too risky to stay anywhere for longer with the risk their secret keeper could become compromised.