A/N: The end is here! Sorry for the wait this time...I always hate wrapping up a story! I've gotten rather stuck on the sequel and may not begin posting right away. I have another story that I'm ready to start posting, and I may decide to post both once I get unstuck! Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, alerted, etc. on my first HP story! So glad to be a part of this fandom! I hope you enjoy this last chapter and let me know what you think!

Chapter 9

"It is done," Dumbledore remarked gravely, lowering his wand as each one of the room's occupants breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Neither Remus nor Sirius had been through this before, so neither knew what to expect. Sirius watched his friend worriedly as the spell was cast by their former Headmaster, but after a brief glow of light that quickly dimmed, it was over. Anyone who walked outside this house would no longer be able to see it. No one would know they were here. No one would know that Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, dwelled within these walls. This house, this lovely new house, would become their entire world until Voldemort could finally be defeated.

But Voldemort had not been heard from in years. Harry could be grown before the Dark Lord rose again. Harry could spend his life in this house with only his godfather, his Uncle Moony, and Professor Dumbledore to keep him company. But it was worth it to keep him safe, and it was necessary to save the world.

The object of so much protection was currently in his new bedroom playing with the books Dumbledore had brought him. Remus had beamed in delight when he saw how taken Harry was the new books, but Sirius just rolled his eyes and vowed to exert some of his own influence over the poor boy. Then again, considering his living situation for the foreseeable future, reading was probably a wise hobby to pick up on. And even Sirius had to admit, it was rather convenient for moments like these that Harry was so content to play quietly on his own in his bedroom. They hadn't heard a sound from him since they left him there in the middle of his big bed surrounded by his picture books. It was unnatural, really, the product of the Dursley's neglect, but at least for now he seemed happy and content, unconcerned about their new living arrangement.

"Now what do we do?" Remus asked uncertainly, finally breaking the silence.

"We still have many things that must be discussed," Dumbledore answered diplomatically. "I believe it would be most wise to begin Harry's training early, before he has reached the age of eleven."

"But won't he be in trouble? The Ministry…"

"Ah," Dumbledore nodded. "The Ministry has been taken care of. With a little creativity, I have found that almost any problem can be solved."

Sirius shared a look with Remus, neither certain they wanted to know exactly how Dumbledore worked his way around the restriction against underage magic.

"To the wizarding world," Dumbledore proceeded, "it must appear that Harry Potter no longer exists. Anyone who knows he is alive could be a danger to him. I have seen to it that his name was removed from the Hogwarts Registry. He will never receive a Hogwarts letter," he explained. "As you know, there are many protective enchantments around your new home, but unfortunately there is nothing I can do to eliminate the Ministry's ability to detect magic in your home. I have, however, ensured that there will be nothing suspicious about magic done here. The home is registered to two adult wizards, wizards who do not actually exist."

The intricacy of it all made Sirius's head hurt. Remus, of course, was as levelheaded as ever. "What about a wand?" he asked.

"That will be harder," Dumbledore acknowledged. "Not just any wand will do, as you both well know. I'm afraid the only option is to take Harry to Diagon Alley to purchase his wand. Ollivander may not be pleased, but it is within a parent's right to purchase a wand for his child before he has turned eleven. As long as you are both disguised, I foresee no safety concerns with a brief outing."

Sirius nodded, secretly planning to buy Harry the biggest and most exquisite ice cream sundae Fortescue's had to offer. If the poor child was going to get out so infrequently, they may as well make it worth it.

They spent another hour discussing Harry's training and education, both magical and otherwise. He could obviously read and write well, but he still had five years of muggle education that he would never complete. Remus promised to help design a course to keep Harry up to par with other children his age, and Dumbledore would see to his magical lesson plans with a heavy concentration on Defense once Harry was old enough to understand such difficult concepts. For now, it was enough to teach him to use his wand, to do simple spells around the house, and just get used to his newfound ability. Most wizards did not learn to wield their magic this young, and so it would be quite an experiment teaching a six-year old proper techniques.

"I shall take my leave then," Dumbledore announced when they had finished planning for Harry's education and made all the arrangments to obtain a wand and the necessary books. "I believe Harry could use some time to adjust to his new home, as well as his new guardian. I shall return in two weeks, if you find that acceptable."

Sirius once more felt his heart rate increase with fear as he realised Dumbledore was leaving, and soon Remus would follow suit. Then, for the first time, he would be alone with Harry in their new house, and he would be the lone parental figure in Harry's life. "That's…wonderful," he managed, earning a knowing look from Remus.

"One final thing I must say, Sirius. I implore you to remember that although to you Harry is just a boy, he will mean something far, far more to the wizarding world that will someday need him," Dumbledore advised gravely.

"No," Sirius shook his head. "I will never look at Harry that way."

"Sirius," Remus began mildly.

"No, Moony," he shook his head. "You both need to remember that no matter what that blasted prophecy says, he's still just a boy. He's one little boy. My little boy. It's bad enough that he has to live here away from the world. I want to make his life as normal as possible. You won't treat him like The Boy Who Lived. You'll treat him like a boy."

With that, Sirius turned on his heels and headed for the stairwell to check on Harry. When they arrived a few hours ago, Sirius had allowed his young godson to pick his own bedroom. Harry had been delighted even by that small privilege, the grin threatening to split his face as he rushed from room to room attempting to decide which he wanted. In the end, he'd chosen the room at the end of the hallway, which had sloping ceilings and a window seat which provided a picturesque view of their large garden and the forest a bit off in the distance. It was the perfect room for Harry, Sirius decided, not overwhelmingly large, but big enough for him to play in and offering a tranquil view.

"Hello, Cub," he greeted his godson as he stepped into the bedroom. Harry still sat in the middle of his big bed, surrounded by the picture books that kept him so enthralled. Thankfully the home had already been furnished by the original owners, so they hadn't had to worry about buying all new furniture. The décor, on the other hand, needed some work. Much like his own childhood home, everything was a bit dark and depressing, and the house felt and smelled old. Airing it out would help quite a bit, but the dark wallpaper would have to go as well. "How do you like your room?" he asked as he perched on the edge of Harry's bed.

"I like it!" Harry answered enthusiastically. "I've never had a room before!"

Sirius smiled sadly and reached over to muss Harry's hair. His godson smiled back at him, and it made this rotten situation feel a bit better even though he was terrified of being left alone with Harry quite soon. "What do you say we make it a bit more yours?" he suggested. "What colour do you like?"

"I don't know," Harry shrugged.

"Oh, come now. You must have a favourite colour."

Harry just blushed and shook his head. That was something they would have to work on, but he didn't want to push his godson too much just yet. Harry was terribly shy about expressing wants and desires, to the point that it was difficult to get his opinion on many things.

"I liked red when I was a boy," Sirius offered. "I was a Gryffindor, you see."

"Gryffindor?" Harry repeated.

"Do you remember when we talked about Hogwarts?" he asked, waiting for Harry to nod before he continued. "At Hogwarts there are four houses. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. I was in Gryffindor. So were your mum and dad, and Remus. And our colours were red and gold," he explained. "I liked to make all my things red and gold after I was sorted into Gryffindor." He didn't share, for now, that his parents had hated his Gryffindor décor, or that they hated him, for that matter. Someday, Harry would learn more about his background. For now, he didn't need to think on such things.

"Sirius?" Harry asked after a few moments.

"Hmm?"

"I think maybe I like red and gold, too."

Sirius felt his heart swell with affection for the little boy, and he gathered him close for an impulsive hug. Last night he had been so afraid for Harry, afraid that a broken ex-convict would be no use to a little boy. There were dark times to come, and nightmares that would return, but being near to Harry set his mind and his heart at ease, filling him with a happiness he didn't know he could feel anymore. He felt almost guilty, knowing it should be James and Lily in his place, but they had left their son behind, and their son was the only one who could make him whole again. In death, they protected both Harry and Sirius. And Remus, he realised after a moment. He had not yet forgotten what Remus was sacrificing in becoming their Secret Keeper, nor what he had lost now that he was going back to Lupin Cottage alone. Remus had been on his own far too often, unwilling and unable to trust anyone. Sirius would be there for his friend whenever he could, and he would always be welcome in this house, but Sirius had always felt a vague sense of guilt about being chosen over Remus to protect Harry. Remus loved the boy, too, but they all knew his condition made it impossible for him to be Harry's sole provider. When he went home alone tonight to his empty cottage, he would once more be reminded of everything lycanthropy had stolen from him.

There was little Sirius could do to ease the loneliness and the hurt of always being left behind. But he had seen the way Remus was living, the sparse contents of his kitchen, the threadbare clothes. And he could do something about that. It wouldn't be easy to convince his friend, but Remus saved his life and he would not let his bravery and loyalty go unrewarded. "Hungry, Cub?" he asked his godson. "I need to go talk to Moony, and then we can make some dinner, yeah?"

Harry just nodded and returned to his books. Sirius watched him for another minute, then rose and returned downstairs to find Remus already in the kitchen. "How's Harry?" Remus asked.

"He's decided he wants to be a Gryffindor."

"Due in no part to his godfather's influence, I'm sure."

"None at all," he grinned. "I suppose I'll be painting the room red soon."

"The house is a bit dark," Remus admitted.

"I suppose I'll be redecorating," he sighed. "Wouldn't James love to see this? Lily would never have let me live it down."

"They're probably having a good laugh wherever they are," Remus agreed, smiling fondly at memories of their fallen friends. "Sirius Black…Marauder turned housewife."

"There will be no lace or pink frilly things, Moony. I just can't let Harry grow up in a house that rivals Grimmauld, can I?"

"Of course not. You know I'm teasing you, Padfoot. I think James and Lily would be very proud of the effort you're making to give Harry a better life. Harry will be grateful, too. You've come a long way in a very short time."

"Oh, I have no intentions of fully growing up," he assured his friend. "What fun would I be for Harry if I acted like an adult? That's what he has you for."

Remus's smile faltered a little, but Sirius chose to ignore it, for now. Remus had never thought himself deserving of good things, and his guilt over leaving Sirius in prison had done little to improve his countenance. But they had time for these things now, time to mend their friendship, time to show Remus that he was good and wanted and cared for. In time, Remus would come to see that he was important to Harry, that Harry would need that steadying influence in his life.

"I ought to be going," Remus said awkwardly after a moment. "I'll let you and Harry settle in."

"Nonsense, Moony. You'll stay for dinner," he answered decisively. "You've certainly provided me with enough recently. And besides, there's something I want to discuss with you."

"Why do I get the feeling I won't like this?"

"Because you know me well," he grinned, gesturing to the table. Remus stubbornly refused, leaning instead against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest defensively. It was a familiar posture from the werewolf, who desperately needed someone to take care of him but who was so reluctant to allow it. Unfortunately, it was rarely Sirius who was good at talking him out of the moods, and now there was only him to do the job. Tact and grace were not two of his stronger personality traits, and so he took a deep breath and thought carefully how best to approach the conversation. "I'm Harry's guardian," he began slowly.

"Yes, Sirius. We've established that."

"And as his guardian," Sirius continued, blatantly ignoring Remus, "it is my responsibility to provide for him. Food, clothing, education…it's my duty to give him those things."

"I agree, Padfoot, but-"

"As long as you will be tutoring Harry, I expect to pay you for your services."

"No," Remus instantly refused. "Absolutely not."

"Be sensible, Remus. Teaching Harry will take a great deal of your time."

Remus shook his head in something that seemed like disgust, but Sirius also registered a sudden hurt in his expression. He had expected some anger and reluctance, maybe a little shame for being in the sorry state that he was, but hurt? That was unexpected, and Sirius frantically tried to think back on what he said and where he went wrong. "I have been understanding, Sirius," Remus spat bitterly. "I never complained or felt slighted when you were chosen as godfather. I've missed the boy as much as you, but I allowed you to go there and see him on your own. I've accepted that you will be the one to raise Harry. I never thought you would cheapen what little I have left with him."

"Moony, I-"

"Would you allow anyone to pay you for taking Harry?"

"No, of course not."

"Then why would I take your money? I may not have been as close to James and Lily as you, but I did love them, very much. I lost everything the night they died, and their son is all I have left of them, the same as you."

Sirius could see now how he had insulted his friend, but he still needed to make Remus listen. "I know you love him," he acknowledged quietly. "I would never suggest that he means less to you just because I'm his godfather."

"Then don't insult me," Remus shot back.

"I meant no insult, Moony," he insisted. "Please think about this. I know it's difficult for you to find work, and it will be made more difficult when you tutor Harry. It wouldn't be paying you just to spend time with him. It would be paying you to teach him. I would expect to pay any private tutor. Why should you be different?"

"Because he's James's son!"

"And James would want us all to look after each other," Sirius responded firmly. "You looked after me and expected nothing in return. Let me look after you," he implored. "And if you won't do it for me, do it for Harry. You can spend more time teaching him if you aren't looking for other work."

"I'm your friend, Sirius. Not your staff," Remus refused once more.

"Bloody hell, Moony. Of course you're not staff!" he cried in exasperation, beginning to lose his patience. "But expecting you to come here and give up your own well-being is taking advantage, and I won't do it. So you'll accept pay or you won't do it at all."

"Sirius."

"Remus."

"I can't. I can't let you pay me just because I-"

"Don't start with the werewolf nonsense, Moony. I'm well shut of it, to be honest. I want to help you because you're my friend. You saved my life, now you're saving Harry's, and I want you to come here and teach him without worrying if doing so means you go hungry."

Remus seemed to think long and hard about this, obviously not wanting to do it but hopefully seeing the logic behind Sirius's argument. Sirius, of course, would have gladly given a portion of his considerable inheritance to Remus without the tutoring, but the self-sacrificing prat would never accept that kind of kindness. "You're certain you won't allow me to teach Harry unless you pay me for it?" Remus finally asked.

"Quite," he nodded.

"Reasonable compensation only, Padfoot," his friend advised. "I'll accept it as a job. Not charity."

"Then we have a deal."

"Wonderful, Harry!" Remus praised as a faint light began to glow at the end of Harry's wand. For the first few weeks of his training, they had mostly been getting Harry used to the idea of magic at all, explaining about the wand, the traditions, and, at Remus's insistance, a bit of wizarding history. Sirius had thought to eliminate that entirely from the boy's curriculum, but Remus was able to play the trump card and remind Sirius that he was being paid to give Harry the finest training he could, and in his books, that included history. This week, precisely one month after Harry and Sirius moved into their new home, Remus was working with the young boy on his very first charm. It was simple enough, often taught to first years in the beginning of their lessons, and it had the side effect of being very exciting to a six-year old boy. Harry, of course, had caught on more quickly than anyone anticipated, and within a few hours he was successfully casting the charm, weak though it may be. It was remarkable that a six-year old could control his magic at all, and it heartened Remus to know that Harry would indeed possess formidable powers. The thought of dear, innocent little Harry someday facing Voldemort haunted him at night; knowing that Harry would have the strength, cunning, and ability to defeat him provided some small measure of comfort. "Now Harry," he addressed his pupil. "Do you recall the counter-spell?"

Harry's face wrinkled up in confusion as he concentrated awfully hard. "What's a counter-spell?" he finally asked, looking up guiltily at his teacher.

Sirius snorted from his position on the sofa, and Remus shot him an irritated look. For all of his talent and quick-learning, paying close attention was unfortunately not one of his strengths – something he had no doubt inherited from his father and godfather. "What does Lumos do?" he asked Harry patiently.

"Makes my wand light up."

"So what would the opposite be?"

"The light going off?"

"Exactly, Harry," he nodded. "So we use the counter-spell to do the opposite. Do you remember which spell I taught you to undo it?"

Harry thought very hard once more, then lit up in excitement as he remembered. "Nox!" he exclaimed, the light instantly fading.

"Wonderful!" Remus declared, his chest inflating with pride at another small success. His very first day with spells, and the boy had already accomplished two. For a boy five full years younger than any first year at Hogwarts, it was quite a feat.

"Sirius, did you see that?" Harry turned excitedly to his godfather. Sirius also seemed to be beaming with pride, a wide grin spread across his face as he watched his godson. Remus had come to expect this little exchange; it seemed Harry was always seeking out his godfather for approval, and Sirius freely gave it. Over the last month, Harry had made huge strides forward in trusting them and becoming more open, though they still had a long way to go to reverse what the Dursleys had done to him. It was clear now that he felt safe with them, certain he would never be harmed in their presence, but he was still a little too quiet and a little too reserved about his feelings. More than once, Sirius reported checking in on the boy at night and finding him curled up in the closet instead of his big warm bed. Each time, Sirius would scoop him up, place him back in the bed, and sit with him until he was sound asleep once more.

"I did see," Sirius confirmed proudly. "Well done, Harry."

"Can I do it again?" Harry asked hopefully, once more turning back to Remus. Remus glanced over to Sirius, but Harry's godfather frowned a little and shook his head. One of the reasons children didn't learn to use magic until they were eleven was the risk of exhausting them too soon. It took quite a bit of energy, and the magical abilities of a child still needed a few more years to develop. By eleven, it did not require nearly so much concentration or strength to control inherent magical abilities. At six, it was quite another story. Since Harry was still small for his age and recovering from five years of neglect, Dumbledore advised spending a good deal of time on theory and non-magical education.

"Remember what we talked about, Cub," Sirius reminded his godson.

Harry looked disappointed, and Remus could tell Sirius was on the verge of relenting. So far he'd done a remarkable job with his godson, but discipline was certainly not his forte. Harry didn't require much of it, but Sirius was loath to deny the boy anything, even when it was clearly in his own interests. Seeing the resolve on his friend's face faltering, Remus decided to intervene. "I think perhaps we need a chocolate break. Harry, what do you think?"

The spell forgotten, Harry nodded eagerly and followed Remus into the kitchen for a mid-afternoon snack. With his new salary, courtesy of Sirius, Remus could actually afford to bring Harry small gifts. It seemed they shared an affinity for chocolate, so more often than not, gifts came in the form of sweets. Harry was slowly but certainly looking more nourished, a healthy glow emerging in place of the previously sallow skin. Sirius was rubbish at kitchen spells, but Remus managed to teach him a few things and Harry was indeed gaining some much-needed weight. Sirius, too, was looking more healthy as the weeks passed, though Remus caught him looking off into the distance from time-to-time, the old haunted expression returning to his features. More often than not, it was Harry who lifted him from his dark moods with some new excitement he wanted desperately to share with his godfather. For Harry, Sirius would shake away the nightmares, push aside the memories, and continue to live. Remus wondered, as he watched Sirius teasing Harry with a chocolate frog, if James and Lily would ever know what a gift their child was. Harry gave Sirius a reason to live again, a reason to move past the horrors of Azkaban, and to Remus, he gave hope and purpose for the first time in five years. Oh, it was lonely returning back to his cottage alone, but he was a frequent visitor here, and when he retired each night to his own bedroom, he fell asleep with the comforting peace of mind that he was doing something good once more, that he was helping, that James and Lily's boy would grow up to know what wonderful people they were. Watching Harry succeed, watching him grow, watching him learn to love and trust his new guardian…it was far more than Remus expected from his life, and so he could not feel disappointed.

When Harry finished his sweets and drank a bit of pumpkin juice, he looked longlingly towards the door that led to the garden. Against Remus's advice, Sirius insisted on buying the boy a toy broom, much like the one he'd given him as an infant. This one was a bit bigger and capable of flying a bit higher while still keeping him a safe distance from the ground. A fall may not feel pleasant, but it would leave nothing other than minor bruises and hurt pride. It wasn't the broom itself Remus worried about, for it would do no harm. But Harry was truly his father's son, and as soon as Sirius taught him to fly a broom, those little green eyes darted outside at every opportunity. Someday Sirius might regret that, when Harry was big enough for a full-size broom and began insisting on pushing his boundaries more than was strictly safe. For now it was mostly harmless, and Remus chuckled at how easily Sirius relented and allow the boy to take his broom outside with careful instructions to stay close to the house where they could see him from the window.

"Perhaps we should go out," he said after a moment as he glanced nervously out the window. Harry was happily playing, zipping back in forth in front of the window, but he was minding his godfather and staying well within acceptable boundaries.

"He's all right, Padfoot. If he goes far, we'll bring him back."

Sirius nodded, but Remus watched sadly as his friend's face grew dark with shadows and his pale grey eyes turned stormy. The episodes worried him, especially since they frightened Harry, but at least Sirius was coming around much faster than a month ago, and at least Harry seemed to forget and move past each incident rather quickly. This was simply the risk they took in allowing Sirius to become Harry's guardian, but it was clear the little boy was far happier and healthier than he had been since his parents' deaths. "Forgive me, Moony," Sirius sighed and leaned back in his seat.

"There's nothing to forgive. You know that."

Sirius nodded and looked out the window again.

"What are you thinking about?" Remus prodded gently.

"It gets harder every day," his friend confessed.

"What does?"

"Looking at Harry and seeing anything other than…other than my boy. My little Harry."

"That's exactly what he is, Padfoot. Just as James and Lily intended."

"But for how long?" Sirius asked softly. "How long will he be this innocent? Someday I have to tell him, Remus. About the Prophecy and what he has to do. Soon we won't be teaching him to light his wand, but to use his wand to kill."

Remus turned to focus on Harry and felt a smile sneak over his face as he watched the boy. But the warmth that spread through him was bittersweet, as he realised with a pang precisely what Sirius meant. Harry should be this happy and carefree forever, but he was already bright and clever and it would be difficult to stop the questions a few short years from now. Soon enough, Harry's innocence would be stolen, along with any chance for a normal life. "You do have to tell him," he agreed sadly. "But he'll have you, Sirius, and I will be here as well. For both of you," he said, hoping his words might instill some confidence and comfort in Sirius. He knew how difficult a task it had been for Sirius to take on a little boy, especially after Azkaban. And Harry was not just any child; he had the weight of the wizarding world on those tiny little shoulders, and he had been abused and neglected much as Sirius had been as a child. The two grew closer every day, but the shadows on Sirius's face reminded Remus that the transition was not as seamless as it might appear.

At just that moment, Harry buzzed past the window again and turned and raised a tiny hand to wave at them, his smile bright and wide on the little face that reminded Remus so much of James. Sirius immediately smiled back and waved his hand enthusiastically. Not seamless, Remus decided, but bloody wonderful for both of them.

"He's amazing, Moony," Sirius sighed. "Only I hope I don't ruin him."

"Sirius, can you earnestly tell me he ever smiled that way with the Dursleys?"

"No, but…it's incredible, Moony," he shook his head. "A few months ago I was in Azkaban with no hope. Now I have this little boy who looks to me for everything. If he's frightened, he comes to me. He trusts me to feed him and care for him. He wants to talk to me and hear me talk…he likes me to be there, all the time."

Remus smiled a little to himself and bit back the urge to remind Sirius that was how it was meant to be between a parent and a child. He understood because he had two wonderful parents who could give him little but loved him with all they had. His parents had never once begrudged the sacrifices they made to give him as rich and full a life as a werewolf could have, and he had loved them both dearly. When he was a child, he could follow his dad around for hours, just watching him quietly work, listening to his soft but confident voice. Sirius did not know of such things, did not understand how a child could love a guardian so purely and so simply. Sirius learned early and often that his mother would not come when he cried, so he stopped crying. Sirius learned from the time he was old enough to speak that his mother would not indulge childish prattle or sit with him and read him a story when he was lonely and wanted her company. The love Harry had for Sirius was natural and expected, and yet to Sirius, it was a revelation.

"That's as it should be, Sirius," he said gently. "For all intents and purposes, you are Harry's father now."

"I don't want to replace James," Sirius shook his head.

"I know," Remus nodded. "But you love Harry as your son, and he loves you as his father. Don't be afraid of it, Sirius. Let everything happen as it should."

Before Sirius could respond, Harry jumped off his broom and abruptly ran back inside. "Sirius!" he cried. "There's something in the garden!"

"What kind of something?" Sirius frowned.

"I dunno! It looked like a potato, but it was moving and tearing things up!"

Remus laughed aloud in delight as Sirius's face relaxed into a grin. "What do you think, Moony? Should we teach Harry how to de-gnome the garden?"

"Absolutely," he nodded.

"Lead the way, Cub," Sirius said as he stood and took Harry's hand.

Remus followed the two out to the garden, Harry practically pulling Sirius along behind him. The sun was beating down on the garden, warming them up a bit despite the otherwise cold weather, and Harry excitedly pointed out to Sirius where he had seen the little creature. Sirius managed to spot it, then instructed his godson on the fine art of dizzying up the poor little pest and tossing him out of the garden. The commotion, of course, stirred all the ugly little things from their burrows, and Harry threw himself whole-heartedly into the activity like any little boy with an excess of energy and a healthy dose of curiosity.

"Uncle Moony! You need to help us!" Harry insisted after a few minutes.

"Yes, Uncle Moony," Sirius teased.

"Well, if I must," he agreed bemusedly, crouching down in the dirt beside them and joining the little game. Harry was quick to spot the creatures, and he was even faster at catching them.

"Sure sign of a Seeker," Sirius beamed proudly.

"Indeed," Remus agreed. Yes, these two were going to be just fine. Thank you, he thought silently, hoping that somewhere James could see them here healing one another with the help of his little boy. Thank you for leaving us your son. Thank you for giving them both back to me.

A gust of wind suddenly blew, but it was pleasant and comforting, ruffling their hair and stirring the leaves around them. Remus smiled and turned back to Sirius and Harry, certain that James was here with them.

The End