Harry Potter and the Big World

Once

Sirius didn't look up from the piece of parchment in front of him until Remus cleared his throat and then he glanced up. His heart stopped at the boy in Remus's arms, breath catching in his throat. "Is that Harry?"

"Yeah... He was at the Cup with the Weasleys when all the Death Eater stuff went down. I couldn't bear to leave him at the Burrow." Remus gently set the sleepy boy into Sirius's lap and watched how Sirius seemed to come alive at being able to hold Harry.

"Sirius?" Harry's sleepy voice is heard, peering up at the dark-haired man and his whole face lit up in excitement. "Sirius!" He sat up and hugged onto his godfather.

"Hey there, Bambi." Sirius kissed the side of Harry's face, holding him tightly and feeling so pleased to have his godson in his arms. "I missed you so much, Harry."

"Missed you too." Harry cuddled into his Sirius, taking comfort in the man's arms. "Stay with you?"

"We'll have to see. We're doing something to hopefully get Sirius free." Remus answered instead, carding his fingers through Sirius's hair and smiling at Harry from over Sirius's shoulder. He wanted desperately to have this work, to be able to keep Harry and be able to have Sirius free.

"Please? I don't wanna go back." Harry was very emotional, pressing into Sirius more and clinging harder.

"I know, Honey. We're trying so hard. And it was so nice of Gideon to let me take you." Remus murmured, moving around to kneel in front of his lover and their boy. He cupped Harry's cheek, rubbing gently with his thumb and wiping tears away. "Shh, Baby. Don't cry, okay?"

"I'm sorry!" Harry couldn't help but lean into the gentle caress, pressing his cheek into the werewolf's hand. The two men slowly got Harry to go back to sleep with promises of him still being there in the morning and that they would spend time with him.

"He's so touch-starved..." Sirius knew how that felt. "How could he be left with the Dursleys?! Lily said so many times that he wasn't to be left there and it was in her will! And James' will! They clearly neglected our boy and who knows what else they've done to him!"

"I know, I know. Don't think about it. Let me handle it." Remus sighed and kissed Sirius softly, soothing his boyfriend. "You just focus on getting better and giving Harry affection."

Sirius just nodded, knowing Remus was right and that he needed to be calm. He tightened his hold on Harry, watching how he slept curled into him and clung to him. The boy sighed, snuffling in his sleep and turning his face into the clothing under his cheek.

"Such a good boy." Sirius mumbled, standing and taking Harry with him to his bedroom with Remus close behind. He held Harry until Remus was undressed and gave him to the werewolf before undressing himself and laying down. The three were cuddled together, the adults watching over their Pup and joining him in dreamland.

~HPHPHPHPHPHP~

Sirius looked at the little boy between him and his partner, once the size of an eight year old but now the size of a three year old. "Well hello there." He sat up, moving the toddler sized Harry into his lap. It was late the next morning and the trio were all tired.

"Tired." Harry whined, rubbing his face on Sirius's chest and closing his eyes. "Sleep, Daddy."

'Daddy?' Remus mouthed as he looked at Sirius who was just as surprised, sitting up next to the two. His strong fingers stroked through Harry's curls, smiling at how they felt similar to the texture of Lily's hair but followed the genetic quirk of messiness of James' hair.

"You need some lunch, Bambi. Then we need to talk." Sirius chose not to address the issue for now, standing up and taking Harry to the kitchen with Remus following close behind. He settled into a chair while Remus made them some soup, cradling Harry to him and kissing his forehead. "I love you, Harry."

"I love Daddy too." Harry frowned at the sad look in Sirius's eyes, touching his face. "Why Daddy sad?"

"We need to talk to Big Harry. Can you do that for me?" Remus spoke now, standing by Sirius and looking at the toddler sized human who frowned but scrunched his face and soon a more concerned expression formed.

"What's the matter?" Big Harry asked, looking at the two caregivers. He automatically assumed they were mad at him.

"You keep calling me Daddy. Harry, you shouldn't trap yourself with an ex-convict as a caregiver. Even if my plan works, they'll still hate me and want to take you from me and Remus." Sirius burst out.

"I don't want anyone but you guys. This is another chance for you! Don't you see?! If Dumbledore hadn't had Hagrid take me in the first place, you wouldn't have even been to jail because you wouldn't have been able to go after that rat!" Harry shouted, burrowing his way into Sirius's shirt and hiding in the dark warmth. His cheek pressed to the sparsely haired chest, small hands pressed against Sirius's skin that was almost overly warm. "I don't want to lose you again. Please. Be my caregivers."

"Harry..." Sirius clutched the little boy tighter, burying his face in the messy hair and taking a deep breath. "I want to."

"So do I..." Remus nodded, hugging them both tightly and looking fiercely protective. This was HIS family and no one would get in his way to protect them. "Sirius. Let's do this. So we can keep our boy."

"I, Sirius Orion Black, accept the honor and responsibility to be the Caregiver to Harry James Potter." Sirius vowed, magic flaring and then settling while establishing an even deeper bond between them.

"I, Remus John Lupin, accept the Honor and Responsibility to be the Caregiver to Harry James Potter." Remus vowed next, shuddering at the feeling of being connected to Harry like that.