Raised by Canines {A Harry Potter fanfiction}

25. Solutions

July 31st, 2004

"Hello, my little fawn."

A full minute passed as Harry examined his father. He studied the face that looked so much like his own, the ever-present smile and the soft tone of his voice. Harry wanted to commit the man's face and the warmth of his hands cupping Harry's own cheeks to memory. Timidly he glanced behind the man to look at his mother, who had, at some point, crouched down behind James and put a calming hand on her husband's back before reaching out and running a hand through Harry's messy mop of hair.

"Dad?" Harry asked hesitantly. "Mum?"

James let out a small chuckle. "Y-yeah, baby. It's really us."

And without anymore hesitation Harry threw himself into his father's arms, latching onto the man as if his life depended on it. He wrapped his legs around James' waist as the man stood, holding his son tightly to himself and burying his face in his neck. For a few moments the only sound in the room was Harry's shallow breathing as he cried, but Sirius broke the near silence by coming forward and pulling his sister-in-law into a hug.

"Lily, I am so, so sorry." The woman wrapped her arms around him and squeezed lightly, letting her chin rest on his shoulder so she could give Remus a small smile as she reached out for him, beckoning him over as well.

"You have nothing to apologize for." She tried to soothe. "You couldn't have known."

Remus had come over to join them, rubbing his husband's back as the man pulled away and let Lily at Remus. They embraced for a long moment before pulling away and watching with tear filled eyes as James set Harry down. Immediately Lily took a seat on the floor next to Harry, pulling him into her lap to comfort him as she didn't have the strength to hold him as James had.

Wordlessly James threw his arms around his brother in all but blood. Sirius did too, trying to ignore the pain that was like a knife in his throat as he gulped. After 8 years, James Potter was exactly as Sirius remembered him; the smell, the mannerisms, the warmth that radiated from his very soul. Sirius never wanted to let go, deathly afraid that this was all some crazy dream.

The tightness of the hug was starting to become painful for both of them, but neither complained. "Don't you ever leave me like that again, Prongs."

There was no argument, no nothing. Just a simple, "Okay, Pads."

Not entirely ready to let go but not wanting to leave Remus out, Sirius reluctantly let go and James immediately wrapped his other best friend in a bone crushing hug. "Remus, I am so sorry that I ever suspected you..."

Remus, having a little trouble speaking himself, only shook his head. "Already forgiven, mate." He pulled away, and, glancing to make sure that Dumbledore had gone to the kitchen and was and out of earshot, frowned at his friend. "The four of us need to speak. Alone."

James jerked his head once, getting the message. "When Harry goes to bed."

At the mention of the boy's name, all three men turned to look at the nine year old who had removed himself from his mother's lap at this point, furiously swiping the tears from his cheeks as he calmed down. Harry looked straight at Sirius as he struggled to find the words that he wanted to say; he was so glad that his mother and father were alive, but Remus and Sirius were still his daddies.

"W-what happens now, Daddy?" He asked, causing Sirius' face to burn in shame and his stomach to do somersaults; James would probably be infuriated. Harry seemed to not notice his godfather's predicament and kept talking. "D-do I have to leave?"