The Lion and the Unicorn

And finally: There's a sequel in the making, but I'm warning you, it has more romance than plot. Sound familiar? J At first I was just going to write it to drive Hallie mad. Poor Hallie. But my poor characters just won't leave me alone sometimes… this is one of those times. Look for No Such Place, coming soon to a fanfiction archive near you!

Worship Charlie. Visit SPARC .

*

"Sit down, Sirius," Remus finally commanded. "You're making Leon nervous."

"Can't," Sirius said, sounding strained. "If I don't move, I'll explode."

"You are in danger of wearing a hole through the floor," Remus informed him, following his friend's progress with his eyes. Though he was also laughing inwardly, the pacing motion combined with the pure adrenaline, confusion, and excitement of the moment was making him slightly nauseous. He shifted Leon to the other arm. "Ready to practice that full-body bind, Harry?"

Harry, sitting nervously on the other side of the room, either didn't hear him or chose not to answer. Finally he reached out his arms for Leon and Remus deposited him in Harry's arms without hesitation.

For three of the room's occupants, this proved incredibly therapeutic. Leon stopped making a ruckus and demanding to know what was going on- as his adoptive brother, Harry had that instant maturation effect on him. Harry had something to take his mind off of- well, everything. And Remus no longer had to deal with a squirming three-year-old.

Ginny sat, oddly quiet, beside Harry and Leon, appearing as calm as Remus knew he did. He wondered if, similarly, this was an illusion.

Sirius broke through his musings. "Where the bloody devil are Charlie and Kate?"

Remus was fairly sure he saw a smile flicker at the corner of Ginny's mouth, but as soon as he'd noticed it, it was gone again and he was made to wonder if that, too, was illusionary. He doubted it. If there was one thing he had learned about Harry's girlfriend, it was that she could read her brothers like children's books.

Bill and Anne chose this moment to burst through the doorway. "Are we too late?"

"Nope," Remus answered, ironically exactly in time with a piercing shriek from the direction of the room beyond. Bill went white. "Oh, for goodness sakes. You'd think it was your wife having the baby." He pretended that he didn't see the glance that passed between the eldest Weasley son and his wife.

"Oh, shut up," Sirius said, not really sounding like he meant it. "I'd like to see how you'd act if it was you in my shoes."

"Aren't we lucky that Remus has such large feet, then?" Hallie quipped from Remus' right, successfully diverting a repeat of the same argument that had been going on between the two best friends for, well, the nine months since Remus and Hallie's marriage.

Remus looked at her gratefully. Sirius pretended not to notice. He probably wasn't actually pretending, Remus corrected himself. He was just a little too preoccupied to notice. Which was perfectly understandable. After all, how often did ex-convicts get married and decide to have children?

He didn't ponder the answer to his question for very long. The door to the next room swung open and admitted Sirius, Harry and Leon. Bill and Anne exchanged another glance, then decided to sit and wait.

*

She was lying on the bed looking a little deflated and more than a little exhausted when Sirius entered. More than that, however, she seemed to have even more mysterious and exhilarating aura than usual; it was as if the entire room was charged with some sort of ancient magic. "Hi," he managed quietly, taking a seat beside the bed. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I just single-handedly took on Voldemort's army- and won." Anya smiled and leaned her head on his arm. "We're very lucky, you know."

Sirius managed only a nod at this point, for his attention was captured by something very new and somewhat intimidating. He heard Harry's slow intake of breath behind him.

"It's a girl," Anya whispered, apparently noting his awed stare. She astounded him. How could she be so used to her new role after only a few moments? Everything was so new…

"She's amazing," Sirius said. She had miniature versions of fingers and toes and cute little ears that pointed a bit and a button nose. Her perfect eyes were closed to the world, but her tiny mouth was slightly open. Without realizing he had moved, he soon found himself holding her ever so carefully. She was soft, and fragile, and very warm, and already he was beginning to feel as if she were attached to his arm. We created this. It was incredible. "What is her name?"

Anya smiled mysteriously. "What is her name, Harry?"

Behind Sirius, Harry shifted Leon up higher on his hip. He paused for a moment before stating a bit sheepishly, "Well, I was thinking about-" he bit his lip. "I mean, I was so sure it was going to be a boy. But I suppose," he continued, thinking aloud, "that it is a very good name, nonetheless." He took a step forward and peered into Sirius' arms. "Her name is James," Harry stated with finality.

James, Sirius thought. Of course Harry would think of that. It was perfect- the name had a special meaning for everyone in the family. Although it did seem like some sort of bad omen, a reference to a dark past. Perhaps this particular James would bring new meaning and happiness to the name. "James it is, then." He bent over and kissed her forehead. The infant stirred a bit in her sleep, but did not wake.

Not right away, anyway. At that particular moment, Charlie and his constant companion burst through the door, followed by Remus, who was traveling at a more reasonable pace. "Where is she?"

Harry cocked his head at him. "You knew," he accused. "How did you know? You knew, and Remus knew, and nobody bothered to tell the one who actually had to name the baby."

Charlie grinned. "I have a knack. You'll understand one day."

"And we don't need to guess how Remus knew." Sirius shook his head. "Moony can smell what color knickers you're wearing."

Kate raised an eyebrow. Remus met her stare evenly. "They're purple."

Her mouth dropped open. "How did you know?"

Sirius laughed. "He can smell it, I told you. He's got a nose for other people's business, haven't you, Remus?"

Remus looked affronted. "What's wrong with my nose?"

"You know Richard Starkey?"

Apparently Hallie did. "Remus does not look like Ringo Starr!" she insisted from the room outside. At least someone had enough sense to see that there was precious little space left inside. Sirius shook his head. As long as there were wizards, the room would just keep expanding, but really- little James was sleeping, for crying out loud. (Which, he noted thankfully, she wasn't yet.)

"All right!" Sirius hushed them finally. "You've seen the new arrival. Now can we have a minute with the godfathers? And Kate," he added with a grin to himself, noticing the glance that passed between Charlie and Kate even if they didn’t. She probably would have left if he had asked her to, but it was getting to the point where it was almost unnatural to see one of them without the other. They weren't joined at the hip- Charlie was at work, wherever that was, far too often for one to get that impression- but you got the feeling that if one wasn't there, something was wrong with the other.

"Sure," Harry said agreeably, and, with Leon squirming in his arms to get another look at James, left the room.

The other three moved in closer, though it was apparent to Sirius that Remus was hanging back a bit farther than he should. He shot his friend a warning look, but Remus chose to ignore it and let Kate and Charlie exclaim over the baby.

"She's so tiny," Kate remarked, face aglow with the sort of look women generally got when dealing with 'cute' things like babies and unicorns and such.

Anya snorted softly from the bed and Sirius turned merry eyes upon her. "Try saying that after carrying her for nine months." Sirius had to bite his lip to keep himself from laughing at the expression on Kate's face. Of course, he also felt a small stab of guilt: they hadn't planned on having children while the war was still on, but now that it had happened anyway they looked upon it as a sort of happy accident.

Charlie leaned over the newborn, smiling, and then up at Sirius. "Can I?" he asked, for once seeming almost timid.

Reluctant to give up his daughter so soon but not knowing how, exactly, to refuse, Sirius allowed Charlie to take her from his arms. He missed her warmth and the feeling that he had some power to protect her immediately and began to realize how difficult it was going to be for him when she grew up. No need to worry about that just yet, thank goodness.

To stop himself from fidgeting unnecessarily, Sirius retreated a few steps and sat on the edge of the bed. Anya worked her hand into his and squeezed gently; he realized that letting go of James was easily ten times more difficult for her as it was for him. Something about post-pregnancy would do that to a woman.

Kate was regarding Charlie with a very odd expression on her face. Apparently Charlie had noticed, too. "What?"

She shook her head at him, smiling slightly. "Just memorizing the picture and wishing I had a camera. Do you know how rich I would be if I sold copies of it?" Evidently Charlie needed a longer explanation. "Oh, come on. Strong man with baby? Every woman's fantasy."

Charlie laughed softly. Behind him, Sirius could feel Anya smiling. Sirius said, "Okay, you can give her back now." The other man laughed harder; the women rolled their eyes.

The laughter was interrupted by a low buzzing sound. Charlie, looking as if he wanted to curse, passed James to Kate; Sirius noticed that the practice with Leon had done him at least some good. He was no longer so awkward with small children. Charlie examined something on his wrist and bit his lip. "I have to go," he said, glancing up apologetically. Sirius noted offhand that he seemed to be talking to Kate rather than Anya. He remembered himself, though, and turned to his hosts. "I am sorry- I promise I'll take the entire day off for the christening. No more of this calling off-duty people for backup…" And he dashed out of the room without so much as a backward glance.

Sirius didn't know it at the time, but this was something of a prelude of what was to come.

To be continued in No Such Place. (As in, this fic has now ended .)

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