A Godfather's Job

Sirius didn't think his world could crumble even more than it did with Regulus' death, but in the end—

It did.

"Don't look. Don't look, sweet boy," Sirius muttered, scooping his godson into his arms from Harry's crib, holding the boy's face to his shoulder so that Harry wouldn't see on the way out the sight he saw on the way in.

In the back of Sirius' mind, he knew that if he knew who made his world crumble even more, who just made the Potters' world crumble, he would have quickly taken off after them, his temper getting the better of him. Instead, he found himself listening to Harry cry in protest, trying to look up upon hearing his parents.

"No. Don't look," Sirius muttered, not wanting to look at them, the Potter parents or the Auror who'd summoned him there to fetch Harry, to fetch—

"I'll get the girl," Kingsley Shaklebolt said. "You worry about Harry, Mr. Black."

Sirius swallowed, stepping out into the sun with Harry, breathing in deeply, feeling the same colorless he did upon attending Regulus' funeral, even with the sunlight, even knowing—

Sirius' eyes clamped shut as he bounced little Harry, trying to calm the child. "Mama!"

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Sirius muttered, swallowing. "The war's supposed to be over, sweet boy." And yet, there was no mistaking the Dark Mark cast over the Potter family home, a sickly green in the sky, a skull, and a serpent label. Sirius quickly returned to holding Harry's head down so he wouldn't see the gruesome thing, wondering what was taking Kingsley so long. "It was only the other day I and the other Marauders were celebrating the end of the war and grieving Alice and Frank."

"I packed some things you'll likely need right away," Kingsley Shacklebolt said.

Sirius' eyes snapped open, turning to see the man carrying a carrier with little Tuni, "Why did Lily have to name her daughter after that damn sister of hers?"

A blanket covered the carrier, even though Petunia Potter was likely too young to remember, unlike her older brother. Kingsley also carried with him a tote bag, the bag James' used for his Quidditch uniform, having taken up being Chaser for one of the major teams after Neville Longbottom became The Boy Who Lived. Everyone thought their lives could return to normal.

"I wish Reg could have been our Seeker."

"What?" Sirius muttered the other day, startled.

"Ah. You didn't know he was Seeker for the Slytherin team?"

It turned out James and Lily knew Regulus in ways he'd not, reminding Sirius just how too late he'd been, something—

"I won't tell you I told you so," James muttered. "Because I didn't want to be right," he said, having told Sirius, as an only child, that he might one day regret everything with Regulus, which he certainly did.

"I'm going with you."

"What?" Sirius stared at Kingsley.

"You're in no condition to Apparate, Black," Kinglsey said, shaking his head. "And it will be easier to get the children to your place. You may want some help childproofing your bachelor place."

"You think?"

"The Potters son will need your full attention," Kinglsey said. "And I'll field any owls once the news gets out. Until someone else comes to help."

"Is this an Auror's job?" Sirius asked, far from amused.

"We're lucky to have anyone alive, you know," Kinglsey said. "So there's not really anything really to go on with this or the Longbottom event on how to handle things." The Black wizard nodded his head. "I'd like to do right by the kids, though."

"Fine," Sirius said, soon finding himself on Muggle transportation as Kinglsey insisted he didn't want to take a brand new infant on the Knight Bus, not with how the Wizarding transportation threw its passengers around the place. They arrived at his flat and—

The sigh that came from Kinglsey made him suspect. Kinglsey felt there would be a lot of work childproofing Sirius' bachelor pad, yet the man gently set Tuni's carrier on the floor and the tote on the couch and set to work doing as he said. Sirius continued holding onto Harry, who had already called out for both parents. He looked up at the ceiling, feeling empty.

"Ah. A letter from Augusta Longbottom," Kinglsey said, doing as he said regarding the owls that arrived with letters wanting to know all about the Potter children after their parents were—

Sirius' closed his eyes. "I'll look at it later."

Kinglsey spread a play mat onto the ground. "I finished childproofing your place. Let him be a normal child."

Sirius let out a laugh. "What does that even mean?"

"Pardon?"

"I didn't have a proper childhood," Sirius said, setting Harry down so he could go and play with the toys Kinglsey fetched, watching Harry frown at his favorite toy not being there. "We'll fetch it later, Harry. Promise."

"Kay," Harry said, starting to play.

"Then give them the childhood you never had," Kinglsey said, handing him the letter from Augusta.

Sirius sighed, knowing he'd need to read the letter sooner than later, but then paused upon opening the letter. "If you need any help, dear, I'm an owl away, but don't forget my Neville, who is the same age as Harry. Playdates between the two would do us all some good."

Sirius sighed. "She's a good one."

"I figured as much," Kinglsey said, sitting in another chair.

A knock came at the door. Sirius felt a smile cross his face. "That must be some of our mates, meaning you don't have to stay much longer."

However, when he opened the door, neither Remus nor Peter was there.

"What are you doing here?" Sirius asked, confusion setting in.

"I came to help," Orion Black said, hobbling in, no longer using a wheelchair.

"Lord Black," Kingsley acknowledged Orion's presence.

"That is my father, young man," Orion said, using his cane to get to a chair.

Sirius closed the door. "Why do you," and then, "Wait? How do you even know where I live?"

"You don't think your grandfather hasn't kept an eye on you, Sirius?"

"Since when?" Sirius snapped.

"Since you ran away," Orion said, nodding his head. I see someone adequately ensured there was nothing to hurt the children."

"Why?" Sirius asked, feeling as if the older man's words were some kind of condemnation, as if Orion knew he'd not have the talent for child-proofing his place as Kinglsey did.

"Euphemia and Fleamont Potter helped raise you," Orion said. "So I'll help spoil their grandchildren since they can't," he said, looking at Sirius. "A pity Dragon Pox took them." He then looked at Harry. "A pity the whole thing."

"You think I need your help?"

Orion let out a snort. "Well, certainly don't ask Walburga for help, particularly with any girl." He nodded his head at the still-covered carrier. "Get your Aunt Lucrettia to help."

"The Longbottom matriarch," Sirius said, grumbling as he glared at his old man.

"Oh. Good. The more help, the better," Orion said, "A pity regarding the McKinnon girl."

"What?" Sirius' voice tightens. "You knew about it," only to shake his head. "How do you even know about Marlene?"

"Regulus," Orion said. "He liked her." A cry came from the covered carrier, and he hobbled over.

"Hey!" Sirius said. "Do you know how to take care of an infant?"

"Do you?" Orion asked, gently lifting Tuni out of the carrier, frowning, then saying. "I did well with Regulus."

"And not me?"

"You were the center of attention as heir," Orion said. "Regulus, on the other hand..."

"What about Regulus?"

"Contrary to what you think," Orion said, then paused, closing his eyes, holding Tuni the way Lily and James did as if it were the easiest thing in the world. "We planned for you. Not Regulus."

"And?"

"She's making eye contact like you did," Orion said, smiling.

Sirius sighed, walking over and sitting next to his father, even though the man being in the same room as him was the last thing he wanted. "What of it?"

"Regulus didn't. Barely anything from him," Orion said, letting Tuni take his finger with her tiny hand. "And having Walburga's nieces and seeing other infant children, I know it wasn't normal. But I didn't care, unlike your mother."

"She's not..."

"She was more of a mother to you than she was to Regulus," Orion said. "But I guess you should know."

"What?"

"She felt we should let St. Mungos handle him," Orion said, his eyes narrowing. "But not for my child."

Sirius stared while Kingsley cleared his throat. "I've paperwork to fill out."

Sirius looked at him, wishing Kinglsey wouldn't leave, yet understood. "Things just got personal. But what's this about St. Mungos?"

"Anyways," Orion said as Kinglsey left through the front door. "When is the children's birthday? So I can be sure to spoil them those days?"

Sirius stiffened. "July." He swallowed. "Harry's birthday is the last day of..."

"Regulus' birthday?" Orion said, a twinkle suddenly appearing in his eyes. He smiled at Harry. "Then this is meant to be, I think."

Sirius looked up at his father, wanting to ask, to pry into—

He shook his head.

"Regulus might have been a permanent resident of St. Mungos if the old hag had her way?"

He wasn't ready for that, for his world to have crumbled even more than it had. Yet, a part of him decided begrudging his father's time with Harry and Tuni wasn't the answer either. Not when there were so many unanswered questions. He took a deep breath. "I do need help with this."

"You'll do well," Orion said. "Being a father was certainly something I expected for you one day, just not this way."

Sirius stiffened, then turned. "But not Regulus?"

"Regulus," Orion said, smiling. "Was oblivious to anything romance-related. We'll leave it at that for now."