The Brighter Years of Black (3)

1979 (3)

"Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dearest Erica,
Happy Birthday to you"
The little girl giggles as she blows out all four candles atop the small, roughly iced cake, Remus cheers softly as he cuts a slice for his Goddaughter. The two of them sat at their kitchen table, chatting about the day ahead of them as she carefully opened a small pile of gifts: one from her father, one from Lily and James and one from her Uncle.
Suddenly, Remus freezes, caught slightly off guard by a question he knew deep down he should've been expecting.
"Mooney, where's Daddy? You said he'd be here.." the small girl asks nonchalantly, barely glancing up from her plate.
If Remus Lupin didn't know his Goddaughter better he probably would've thought she didn't care or was just asking out of curiosity. Unfortunately, he did know her better. He had practically raised this little girl single handedly whilst her father, his best and oldest friend galavanted about risking his life and drinking himself to death.
He sighed...
"Eri, pup, I said he'd try to be here.. you know what your dad's like.."
"Forgetful?"
"Ye-no... no! No of course not! He hasn't forgotten pup, he would never forget your birthday. He's just... a very busy man.."
Her ebony curls bob gently as she nods her head slowly.
"Hey, cheer up Pup, why don't you open your present?"
She perks up noticeably at that.
"Okay!" She giggles, her legs swinging and her father momentarily forgotten.

She reaches out, her tiny little fingers grazing the smooth brown paper, taking a moment to appreciate each fold and line...

She already knew what it was, the shape, feel all gave it away...  regardless, her Godfather gave her the same thing every year.
She peeled away the paper to reveal a hardback copy of  'Magical Herbs and Fungi'.

Silently, she jumps down from her seat with a grin on her lips, walks around the kitchen table and embraces her Godfather tightly.
"Thank you Mooney" she mumbles into his chest.
He can't help but smile down at her,
"Not a problem Pup"
——————————————————
"Smile!" Remus calls as a camera flashes brightly, Erica Black and her father were waltzing around the dance floor of the latest order event, her blue dress swaying as she stands on his feet, she giggles hysterically as her daddy dances her about like she weighed less than air. For a moment she redirects her grin to her Godfather and the camera.
Remus takes note of the tight smile her father flashes at the camera, the little girl misses it, as usual.
The older the girl got, the more she resembled her mother, the more Sirius pushed her away...
It broke the man's heart to see it.
When the next song started he stepped forward and bowed low causing the child to laugh
"May I have this dance, malady?" He asks, extending a hand to the three year old. Giggling still, she nods and takes his hand, he hands her father the camera and takes the girls hand, twirling her around playfully before setting her on his dress shoes and beginning to dance with her, waltzing sloppily around the room together.

Sirius Black doesn't take a photo, neither of them notice, too enthralled in their fun. Instead, he drops the camera on a table nearby and heads towards the door, pulling a cigarette from his jacket's inner pocket along with a folded photograph of him, a bike and a blonde haired woman...