A Season of Change

A Season of Change

Chapter 1

The flickering of the two ivory pillar candles cast long shadows on Remus´ face as he leaned down and worked a wrinkle out of the tablecloth. His brow furrowed as he glanced up at the clock on the wall, each second ticking by relentlessly like a pounding drum in his head. The dinner he had carefully planned with the assistance of one of Lily´s recipe books lay forgotten on the sideboard, the meat cold and the haricot verts limp.

Standing, Remus shoved his chair forcefully away from the table and stalked into the living room, his black silk robes swishing angrily around his ankles, brushing against the doorframe in passing. Pausing, he curled his lip and turned to pull the sliding oak doors shut. He certainly didn´t want to look upon the special feast he had lovingly prepared for his lover. Such ingratitude...

The faded rose chintz armchair beckoned him and the hissing of the embers shook him into focus. Sighing, he picked up the heavy tome he had laid aside earlier that afternoon and progressed slowly to the chair, picking up his reading glasses off the mantle. "Dust..." he muttered, dragging a long smooth finger across the wooden surface. "I ask for one simple thing and he drags the task out until it never is done."

"Moony!" Remus spun around, crashing into the solid man standing next to the fireplace. And he has the audacity to smile... and those damn blue eyes! "Aw... don´t look at me like that, Moony!" Sirius tossed a rolled-up piece of parchment onto the sofa and quickly moved to unfasten his heavy wool cloak, Remus´ eyes narrowing slightly as ash fell to the carpet.

"Listen," he breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath is great gulping bursts. "I just finished speaking with Jamison over at the Ministry. I meant to contact you but we got wrapped up and I didn´t know when you were going to be home--Jamison rambles insufferably, did you know? I mean, that guy could talk a house elf to death and--oh..." Remus raised one sleek eyebrow and pointed silently to the closed doors, his eyes impassive pools of gold. Sirius peered closely trying to ferret out any of the usual sparkle that he had grown accustomed to seeing upon arriving home to his lover. Frowning, he moved quickly to the doors and yanked them open impatiently.

"Ah... Moony, love, I really--" Sirius´s broad shoulders slumped and he fingered his collar nervously. Crossing his arms, he slowly pushed his hands into his cuffs, a habit he had never outgrown and one that Remus usually found endearing. "Okay, I was a little late--three hours late--" he amended as Remus´ eyes flashed daggers, "but I can explain. Here, sit." He pulled Remus by his shoulders to the couch and pushed him down none too gently in his agitated state. Remus gingerly pulled out the parchment he crushed and laid it in his lap.

Sirius knelt down next to the sofa and lifted bright sparkling eyes full of ill-contained excitement. "Jamison says that we can meet this weekend with the Infant Wizard Protection Agency! He said that we have clearance--I turned in the paperwork, we have our recommendations, and Moony! Oh my god, do you realize what this means?" Remus´ eyes went from being bright with anger to wide-eyed astonishment.

"Do you mean..." he whispered shakily.

"We´ve done it, Moony!" Sirius snatched the parchment from his shocked lover. Cracking the wax seal he agitatedly unrolled the decree. "Damn it all, stupid bloody--"

"Are those the clearances? Are those the papers?" Remus stood, his heart pounding furiously within his chest, threatening to break through in his anxiety. He pressed himself closely to the figure still fumbling with the parchment. "Let me see, Sirius!" The two men gripped the decree with trembling hands and with bated breath read the words printed in the Ministry´s neat official scroll.

The Infant Wizard Protection Agency

(IWPA)

Hereby decrees that one

Mr. Sirius Black

And one

Mr. Remus Lupin

Have officially been granted permission to bring into their sole custody and care

One wizard infant whose age shall not exceed five years and whose

Parental figures have relinquished all claims from here forward

To the well-being of said child.

It shall also be duly noticed that the prospective parents are to be charged with the task of

Providing all means of home, education and nurturing befitting a wizard child

And if found negligent will be brought before the Ministry to determine fitness of care.

A three month trial period shall be executed once the child is transferred to its new environment and bi-weekly visits shall be duly performed by a registered IWPA caseworker until said period is complete.

Your license number is: SBRL 3205324

Please sign this notice and bring this to your appointment on

Saturday, September 28 at 3:00 pm.

Sincerely,

Margaret Lancaster

Deputy Caseworker, IWPA

Remus spun Sirius around frantically. "Is this true? Saturday is only three days away! We were told that this could take months... years! What are we going to do about a room? We don´t have a crib, we need to infant wizard proof the house--and you!" At this he broke off and spun around staring at Sirius who was doubled over with laughter. "You wanted to name the child Eustace! I won´t have it, Padfoot. It´s an atrocious name--"

Sirius choked back his howls of laughter and raised his hand to stop Remus from completely tousling his already mussed hair. Although, he does look kind of sexy when he´s agitated... He snapped to attention and grasped Remus´ shaking hands in his own damp palms. "Moony, the crib will wait. We can check the safety of the house and erect all the necessary charms in the morning. However, the name issue needs to be decided up now." He frowned, a look of seriousness belying the twinkle in his eyes arising from a desperate need to rile his mate. "Eustace is a very solid, noble name. After all, with two fathers named Remus and Sirius, don´t you think a good old fashioned name will suit?"

Remus shifted his fingers so that he grasped the other´s hands firmly. "Eustace reminds me of something that would come out of someone´s nose. I will not subject our child to that. Besides, I have been thinking lately that a little girl might be nice..."

Sirius choked in disbelief. "A--a--girl? But what use would a girl be?"

Remus frowned. He had only been partially serious, but when Sirius took on that tone... "I actually thought a little girl would be lovely. We don´t often get the chance to have a bit of feminine influence--and no, Sirius! My mother´s old chintz chair certainly does not count!" He continued in a mild tone, "I would love to have a daughter. Just think, a little girl who will run and cuddle with us, who will smile adorning at her daddies and pick us daisies to make into crowns, who will turn to us for affection..." his eyes became bright with emotion. "Sirius, she would be so sweet."

"Yeah, and she will want us to play tea party and will wear those bloody hair things... and the color pink, Moony!" Sirius protested loudly. "What fun will she be? It´ll be just our luck that we´ll get one who doesn´t even like to fly much less has an aptitude for pulling pranks... What kind of example will it be for Harry when he has children if the last surviving Marauders raise a bloody girl?"

"She´ll be our little Marauderette and we can guide her to be a wonderful little witch who is not afraid to assert one--ahem--or two pranks on deserving individuals," Remus said thoughtfully. "Just because she´s a girl doesn´t mean she can´t be strong and wise, and fun. Yes, Padfoot, fun. Plus, I´ve always been partial to the name Elizabeth."

"We haven´t decided on anything, Moony," Sirius growled. He stomped to the fireplace in frustration. "We decided a year ago that we wanted to raise a child. I--I just want to do it right." Remus watched him cautiously. "I´m just afraid. Before we got the summons it just didn´t seem real and now..." He turned, his shiny black hair sticking up in all sorts of wild positions. "What if we mess up, Moony?What do two old bachelors like us know about children? I mean, look at how well we have done with Harry."

Remus smiled and moved to join him. "Hush, love.We´ve been through this. Harry needs our love and help in so many ways, but he´s already reaching adulthood--we can only help him move forward and bestow upon him all of our fondest memories. This little being will be completely impressionable to all that life offers, and you know what I see, Sirius?" Sirius shook his head numbly and Remus continued firmly, "I see two men who know what it means to love unconditionally, who would walk through fire for each other, and who will impress upon a child what it means to be part of a family. Morals, Padfoot! These children starve for affection and we shouldn´t be afraid to share a part of ourselves. I´m scared, too, but Padfoot I have waited my entire life to share my love and wisdom with someone desperate for affection. And you want this, too! I see it in your eyes." Remus shook him slightly, his eyes growing bright once again. "Padfoot, we need to share ourselves with someone... and don´t ever be afraid that you´ll have to do this on your own. I´ll always be here with you."

Sirius smiled at his lover, his own blue orbs shining brilliantly with unshed tears. "I love you. You know that, right?" Sighing, he bent to pick up the discarded parchment. "So, Elizabeth, is it?"

"Or some other appropriate non-boogey sounding name."

"What do you think of Elizabeth for a girl and Maximillian for a boy?"

"Maximillian, huh?" Remus smiled.

Sirius blushed. "I´ve always liked the nickname Max. And you can´t deny that Maximillian has a certain, um, imposing sound to it."

Remus took Sirius hands in his and ran his thumbs lightly over his palms. Raising his lover´s hands to his lip, he gently kissed each one. Laughing, he gave him a little push before wrapping him in a strong embrace. "Maximillian is a beautiful, non-boogey name. Oh, Sirius, we are going to have a child!" Sirius´ grin nearly split his face.

"Shall we celebrate properly, Moony? After all, come Saturday I hardly think we are going to be getting a lot of sleep. And perhaps we better practice our silencing charms again..." He led his mate to the stairwell.

"Celebration sounds fine to me, love. Shall I just see to starting the infant wizard proof charms--" he teased.

"Don´t you dare, you neurotic, paranoid, perfectionist," Sirius growled into his lover´s warm mouth. "There is only one thing you are going to start and finish tonight..." He slanted his lips over his mates in a search for that thrill only Remus could give him.

Remus shifted slightly and leaned over to pick up a quill. "Sirius," he broke away, escaping those delectable lips in quick pursuit of his own. "Shall we sign the decree making it official?"

Sirius sobered immediately and stepped to the side table and gently spread out the parchment. "Shall we then?" He watched in bemusement as his hands trembled slightly as the realization of what a momentous moment this truly was hit him. Remus handed him the quill and quickly a bold "Sirius Black" graced the surface. Smiling, Remus noticed that his signature easily took up the majority of the line. He retrieved the quill, and with trembling lip and hand, joined his own name to that of his lover´s, binding the two names in their joint venture. A sparkle of silver and gold light flashed as the two names were bound on the magical contract.

"Doesn´t that look perfect?" he murmured, unable to tear his eyes away from the two names still shining with amazing brilliancy. Sirius glanced up and placed his arm gently around his shoulder. "Shall we commence with the celebration?"

"All right then, old mate, lead the way."

"Old?" squawked Sirius in protest.

"Aw... do stop barking, Padfoot." Remus leaned forward and silenced him effectively before guiding him away.