Raised by Canines {A Harry Potter fanfiction}

23. A Bittersweet Surprise

Two Weeks Later -- December 18th, 1999

It was freezing outside. Harry could have sworn he was covered in ice, even though his Papa had not been negligent about how many layers Harry was wearing. Harry counted six, including two jackets and one of his Daddy's old, shrunken coats. The boy who lived pulled the coat tighter around himself and let out a little huff behind the scarf his Papa had wrapped around his neck, nose, and mouth.

"Papa," Harry whined. "I'm cold."

"Just a couple more blocks, sweetheart." Remus looked over at his son and cringed a bit--the snow had piled up to Harry's calves and it was making it hard for him to walk. He stopped and lifted the boy into his arms, settling him on his hip. "Is this better?"

Nodding, Harry rested his head on Remus' shoulder.

*~*~*

"Why don't you go pick out a movie for us to watch?"

Remus was amazed at how patient Harry had been through their grocery shopping not only for normal days, but for Christmas as well. He'd even been excited about helping him, something he hadn't entirely been expecting. That boy was more and more like his mother every day; if he didn't know better and Harry didn't look so much like James, Remus would have assumed Lily conceived the child entirely on her own.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I'll be right here."

Harry hesitated, looking back and forth between Remus and the movies. After his little stint a fortnight ago, Remus wasn't all that surprised that Harry wasn't eager to leave his side. Harry looked back up at Remus and shook his head. "I want you to go with me."

He gave the boy a small smile. "Alright, give Papa just a minute." Remus started to move again, but was stopped again by a little tug on his pants. "Hmm?"

"Can I sit in the cart again?"

"Of course! Come here." He quickly lifted Harry into the cart and buckled him in, then pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "We're almost done, little one."

"'Kay." Harry glanced around, noticing all of the other children clinging to their parents' sides or riding in the carts and, finally, felt normal.

*~*~*

"Daddy!" Sirius was surprised by a little torpedo that had thrown itself at his legs. He looked down to grin at Harry, picking the boy up and letting him rest on his hip.

"Did you have fun with your Papa?"

Harry nodded. "I got a Chrissmass movie."

"Christmas." Sirius annunciated the word, and Harry huffed. He looked like he was constipated as he tried to say the word.

"Chrissmass."

"Christmas."

"Christmas." Harry looked up at Sirius to see a grin.

"Good job, buddy." He set the boy down and went to work on peeling some potatoes--contrary to popular belief, he could cook... When he wanted to, that is. "What are we watching?"

"Home Alone." Harry walked over to the bags that Remus had left on the floor and rummaged through them until he found his movie and held it up for Sirius to see. "See? This one."

"Oh yeah?" Sirius smiled at his son. "That movie looks awesome. Did you pick it out yourself?"

"Mmhmm." Harry put it back in the bag as if to hide from Remus the fact that he'd gotten it out. "When are we gonna see Ron? I wanna watch it with him, too."

"We'll be seeing them in just a few days." Sirius looked up just as he finished peeling his last potato, eyes widening as he catches Remus in the doorway, reading the yellowed letter that had made his world stop for a moment earlier. "Where did you get that?"

Remus froze, looking up at Sirius. He noticed the distress on the man's face and knew that he was seconds away from facing the infamous Black rage. "Harry, go to your room for a few minutes."

"But," Harry began to back away slowly. "What's wrong?"

"Close the door."

"Is he--"

"Harry James." Remus looked over at his and Sirius' son. "I do not want to ask you again." Without any more questions, the young boy ran off, and, upon hearing his door shut, Remus placed the letter on the table. "Anything you want to tell me, Padfoot?"

Sirius slowly set his knife down, reached forward, and grabbed the letter, stuffing it away in his pocket. "How much did you read?"

"Enough to know that it's an apology from your brother."

"That's not what I asked."

"I read the first paragraph." Remus leaned against the counter, arms folded. "Why?"

"There are things in there that are better left untold." Sirius began chopping the potatoes as he spoke, trying to keep his hands busy so at least he had a little control over something. "A ministry official came by today."

"And?"

"My mother passed away." He began putting the chopped up pieces in a microwaveable bowl. "She died with that in her hand. She left me everything."

Remus raised a brow. "I'm surprised you got anything."

"She had decided to leave everything to me after Regulus died and I was sent to Azkaban and she figured I had betrayed the Potters." He began to chop a second potato. "Either she hated Malfoy more than she hated me or she was too sick to care about changing the will, because I got every last penny. Every bit of property. Every bit of influence."

Remus was at a loss for words. "So what does this mean? For us?"

Sirius looked up at his partner. "It changes nothing. We still get to stay here, still get to take care of Harry. We just have a bit of extra money and I have more influence in the Ministry and the Daily Prophet than anyone else right now." He smirked halfheartedly. "Say what you want about my father, but he knew how to play. He had everyone in his pocket."

"And you plan on cashing in on all of this, I assume?"

Sirius looked up at his lover and smiled. "Are you kidding? It would be the biggest slap in the face ever. They'd roll over in their graves if they knew their gay son fell in love with a werewolf and used their empire to help break down the laws discriminating against werewolves and fight to keep everyone on the side of the light."

Remus blushed, but grinned at Sirius. "You know, we haven't been focusing on our relationship very much recently."

"After Harry goes to bed tonight, we'll fix that." Sirius walked over and kissed Remus softly, then went back to his potatoes.

"I thought one of us was sleeping with Harry?"

"After." Sirius murmured. "And I think it's high time for a date night, don't you? Maybe Molly wouldn't be opposed to letting Harry stay there on New Year's Eve."

Remus crossed his arms. "I figured...I figured maybe we'd spend that night with him."

"He'll enjoy being with his friends." Sirius insisted. "We need to focus on ourselves too, Remus, and as much as I love Harry, all of our attention has gone to him."

Remus sighed; Sirius had a point. It would be much more fun for Harry to spend that night surrounded by people his age; not his parents. "I suppose a date night doesn't sound too bad."

"Thought you might agree." Sirius smirked.

"There is one more thing I need to ask." Remus moved to the sink and began to do the dishes. "What is in that letter that you didn't want me to see?"

There was complete silence for a few minutes.

"This stays between us, Remus, because Dumbledore has already taken care of it."

"Absolutely."

They both stared at one another for a moment before Sirius spoke.

"Regulus made a very serious mistake."