Snapshots: Interludes

Late 1981

"Uh-oh," Harry said and giggled as the front door slammed closed. He pushed the spoonful of mushy carrots Remus was holding away and tried to struggle from his high chair. Remus sighed as he heard Sirius swearing in the hallway.

"Uh-oh, indeed," he said sitting down the spoon on the high chair's tray. He reached for the dishrag on the table and hastily wiped at the baby food that had mysteriously found its way into his hair.

"Pafoo!" Harry shouted as Sirius entered the kitchen, muttering under his breath.

The man smiled slightly and ruffled Harry's hair before digging through the cabinet above the sink for the bottle of firewhiskey stashed there. Remus watched as he fumbled with top before taking a long draught straight from the bottle.

"Better now?" Remus asked him hoarsely and scrambled for the spoon as Harry grabbed it and stuck it back in the bowl mischievously.

Sirius smiled, sat the bottle of firewhiskey on the counter, and took the bowl from Remus. He dipped the spoon into it and fed Harry a bite before sitting down at the table with a sigh. Harry made "yum" noises as he ate and swung his feet, one of which was missing a sock.

"There're toys all over the place, you know," Sirius said conversationally as Harry.

Remus stared at him for a long moment before answering. "We have a one-year-old running about and two grown men who insist on buying every last thing for him at the toy store. Toys lying about is to be expected."

Sirius chuckled. "At least he plays with them." He frowned and scraped at the bottom of the bowl with the spoon as Harry clapped his hands. "How was your day, Moony?"

Remus took the bowl from Sirius and tossed it into the sink with a resounding "clang." "I met with the headmistress at the school this morning. It seems Dumbledore has already put in a good word for me and 'forged' the necessary paperwork. The head seemed to think I'd do well teaching history." Remus shuddered. "I have no idea what she's been drinking."

Sirius chuckled and wrestled Harry from the chair, all flailing limbs and baby-babble. "It could be worse, you know. You could be teaching chemistry or whatever the hell Muggles are calling Potions these days." He frowned. "Why is Harry all sticky?"

"Mum stopped by for tea today and brought some baby things. Long story short, we left Harry alone for all of two minutes and he got into that strawberry jam you like so much. We're out now, by the way."

Sirius chuckled and ruffled Harry's hair. "Did you like it, Harry?"

Harry laughed. "No!"

Sirius laughed again and lifted the boy from the high chair. "C'mon, Harry. Let's go watch some telly."

With yawn, Remus stood and followed Sirius into the den. With a sigh, he flopped down onto the couch as Sirius sat Harry down with his brightly coloured building blocks.

Remus watched as the man flipped on the television and toed off his boots, carelessly kicking them aside. Remus watched Sirius cross the room to the couch and smiled softly as the man leaned down for a kiss. Too soon, Sirius pulled away and flopped onto the floor facing Harry and the televison.

Remus reached out a tired hand and gently stroked Sirius dark hair, half-heartedly listening to the Muggle news anchor as she talked, too jovially, about some boating accident off Cornwall. He chuckled as Harry laughed suddenly and started babbling to himself as he began to stack his blocks.

"I think someone's enjoying himself," Sirius said, sighing and leaning into Remus' touch. After a long moment, he shifted reluctantly and pulled his wand from his pocket. With a flourish, he dully said, "Accio firewhiskey."

Remus watched as the bottle floated into the room and as Sirius wrapped his long fingers around the long neck. He licked his lips as Sirius brought it to his own and watched as the man's Adam's apple bobbed as he drank the clear amber liquid. Shifting to stretch out his legs, he said, "I thought we were going to save the firewhiskey?"

Sirius sighed and leaned back, head resting against Remus' thigh. "Yeah, well, with the week I've had, I think I deserve it."

Remus chuckled and resumed stroking Sirius' hair. "Go on, then. I think that little display of yours earlier deserves an explanation. After all, your godson doesn't need to learn those words. Well, not yet, at least."

Sirius turned his head and stared up at Remus with an eyebrow raised, his grey eyes sparkling in the dim light of the room. He looked away as Harry laughed and topped his teetering tower of blocks off with a red one. Sirius threw back another swig of the firewhiskey and offered it to Remus, who took the bottle and sat it on the side table by the couch and out of Sirius' reach.

"Moony!" Sirius said, drawing out the pet name. "What'd you do that for?"

Remus smiled and started to run his fingers through Sirius' hair again. "Are you going to tell me about your day or not?"

Sirius stuck out his lower lip in a mock pout. "Dumbledore fixed the paperwork, you know. According to that and a few simple memory charms, everyone's under the impression I just got transferred from the Yard. I swear, one of the constables has it out for me--the sodding idiot tried to start a fight with me in front of the DCI this afternoon."

"Poor puppy," Remus said sarcastically as Sirius leaned into his ministrations. "And?"

"The git let 'slip' that I had been working intelligence for MI6 and that my 'transfer' was all a cover," Sirius said with a derisive snort. "All bloody afternoon I've been teased about that Bames Jond fellow--"

"James Bond."

"Whatever. Who the bloody hell is he anyway?"

"Erm, he's a Muggle Auror of sorts. Started out in books before they made a few movies about him. We went to see one, remember? That time James and Peter tagged along and we all got thrown out for being too loud?"

"The Spy Who Loved Me, wasn't it called? I'll never get why Muggles like those silly movies, enjoyable though they may be sometimes...." He paused and stared at a spot just beyond above and to the right of the television. "Honestly, I don't see why they have to be such big smart arses about me being new and make up those stupid stories."

Remus sighed and watched as Harry climbed to his feet and made a mad, wobbly dash towards them. Sirius caught the toddler before he could tumble and kissed his cheek. Harry laughed and grabbed at Sirius' hair before settling on sucking his own thumb and staring at the television.

"There's something you're not telling me," Remus said after a moment, yawning. "What is it?"

Sirius tensed and stared blankly at the television. "Nothing."

Remus frowned. "It's not 'nothing,' Sirius. You don't come home in a flurry of curses like that and grab the last bottle of firewhiskey for no bloody reason. And being ribbed about being new isn't it either--I know you better than that."

Sirius sighed and shifted Harry as the news segued into a documentary about Goodall and her chimps. "I just don't like being called a poof at work, that's all. Why Dumbledore thought I'd make a good bobby is beyond me...."

Remus took a deep breath to steady himself. "It's not like you could have avoided it anywhere else. How'd they find out anyway?"

"Small town, word travels fast, all the rubbish I suppose," Sirius said with a snort. "Two men with a baby are hardly inconspicuous, you know."

"Besides," Remus said dryly, "it's not like the Aurors you worked with were particularly supportive of us either."

Sirius started to say something but let it go as Harry interrupted him by pointing at the television and shouting "Impananzee!"

Remus and Sirius laughed as the boy tried to imitate one of the apes on the programme. Harry started bouncing up and down and making monkey noises as he tried to squirm from Sirius' grip.

"Alright, lad," Sirius said, setting the toddler down.

Harry scrambled to the telly and promptly overbalanced, falling squarely on his behind. Sirius tensed, waiting for the boy to start crying. He leaned back and let out the breath he had been holding as Harry started clapping his hands and babbling a mantra of "impananzee."

With a sigh, he pulled himself up off the floor. Groaning, Remus made room for him, and Sirius sat down, pulling Remus into a chaste kiss. Remus smiled as they pulled away and wrapped his arms around Sirius, resting his head on the black-haired man's shoulder. Sirius kissed the top of his head.

"You smell like baby powder," he said softly.

Remus chuckled. "You would to if you spent all bloody day chasing after Harry."

"I wish I could," Sirius said softly. "When did the headmistress say you could start?"

"Next term, which is pretty soon by the way. The history teacher's going on maternity leave, it seems." He sighed. "What are we going to do about Harry? He can't go to school with me and he certainly can't go with you."

"You never know," Sirius said. "He might help me solve my first big case."

"What? A traffic violation?" Remus said sarcastically. "This town doesn't seem like it has many murders."

Sirius tickled Remus, who laughed and scooted closer to him. "You'd be surprised what happens in quaint little English towns, behind closed doors, what scorned housewives put in their husbands' tea instead of sugar. A good cop knows it all, Moony."

"You've been reading too many of those cheap Muggle novels again," Remus said and kissed him. "Seriously, he can't tag along with you in any case."

Sirius rubbed the man's back, thinking and watching Harry as he tried to touch the chimpanzees on the television screen. "What about the Weasleys? They seem to like Harry, and they've got a boy about his age too, haven't they?"

"And a five-month-old baby," Remus said, nuzzling Sirius' neck. "They're already watching him on the full moon when Mum can't."

"Speaking of your mum..." Sirius said conversationally. "She seems to like Harry."

"She also works during the day too, remember?"

"She doesn't need to though, does she?" Sirius said. "I thought she was going to retire to Cornwall after you dad died?"

Remus sighed. "The bakery keeps her mind off of him and she decided she didn't want to start over in St Ives after all. She does like Harry, though."

Sirius thought for a moment before saying, "Do you think she'd mind it? Hiring a childminder is too dangerous, what with Voldemort's supporters still at large, and I really don't think having a nanny about is going to do use all any good. I suppose he'll be old enough to go to one of those awful Muggle nurseries soon, but the thought of him being alone and unprotected all that time--" Sirius shuddered.

"It's not that simple, Sirius," Remus said sleepily. "Mum just can't drop everything for us because we asked nicely."

"But she obviously did a good job raising you," Sirius said, and stared down at Remus. He smiled at the colour rising on Remus' cheeks. "And she'd do anything for you, you know, unlike that woman who just happens to claim she gave birth to me."

Remus sighed. "She said she'd be back with some of my old baby things on Sunday. Don't ask why she kept them either because I don't know," he added when Sirius started to interrupt him. "We can ask her then if you like."

Sirius smiled and kissed the top of Remus' head. He felt the man sigh contentedly against him as he wrapped his arms tighter around Sirius. Sirius relaxed against the couch, stroking Remus' back and watching Harry. As the toddler laughed at the chimpanzees again and as Remus started snoring softly, Sirius, finally content, knew that whatever happened, everything was going to turn out all right.