The Intentional Accident

In his haste, Ron tripped over his own feet as he stepped out of the fireplace. He found himself on the floor of the Quidditch stadium lobby. He could hear the roar of the crowd as well as the ringing in his ears. Scrambling to his feet, he saw the reception desk where a bored looking wizard sat. Ron ran to him.

"I need to speak to Michael Potter-Wood. Where is he?" he blurted out. The receptionist, though startled by Ron's sudden and dramatic entrance, retained a sense of total indifference.

"The match is over now do he'll be up in the Top Box," he stated tonelessly.

"It's over? Who won?" asked Ron curiously, forgetting for a split second why he was there. "No, I don't have time. How do I get up to the Top Box?"

"Over there ..." said the receptionist, gesturing towards a flight of stairs to Ron's left. Ron took off towards it. "You'll never get past security though!" the wizard called after him. Too late, Ron was gone.

~|~

The receptionist had been right; Ron met strong opposition when he got to the entrance to the Top Box. From where he was, he could see Michael standing in line with the rest of his team. The captain was holding up the Quidditch League Cup for all to see. They had obviously won. The security guards were not about to let Ron through, no matter how urgently he insisted he needed to talk to Michael.

If it hadn't been for the cheering crowd, Ron would have been able to call to Michael and be heard by him. He suddenly noticed his brother, Percy, standing behind the team. As Minister for Magic, he had presented the cup to the winning team. As he was nearer, Ron tried calling to him instead.

"Percy! Percy! PERCY YOU GREAT TWIT! OVER HERE!" This certainly got his attention. When Percy saw his youngest brother, he ran to see what he wanted. "Get Michael!" Obligingly, Percy quickly turned on his heel and tapped the young Keeper on the shoulder. Within seconds, Michael had left the line and joined Ron at the entrance, waving the guards aside.

"Ron, what is it? Is it ..."

"Yes," interrupted Ron. "Sirius has gone into labour. He asked me to come get you." Alarm bells rang in Michael's head. What a time for the baby to come. He felt torn between his obligation to the team and his love for Sirius.

"Yes ...yes of course ...but ...they need me to stay for the ceremony ..."

"Like hell we do," stated a friendly voice from behind him. It was Patrick, the team's Seeker. "Mate, the Quidditch League Cup happens every year but this you can't afford to miss. Now go on, get out of here! You're having a baby, man!" Needing no further encouragement, Michael and Ron ran down the stairs, into the lobby and straight to the fireplace.

"So you got through security then?" asked the receptionist as they disappeared.

~|~

Hermione had sent a message to Harry at Hogwarts. Upon receiving it, he quickly went home to get Ginny and then took the Floo Network to Sirius and Michael's cottage. The two of them were sitting in the living room with Hermione when Michael and Ron arrived.

"Where is he?" Michael asked the room in general.

"He's in the bedroom, but ..." Ignoring what his father in law was trying to say, Michael darted past them all and straight into the bedroom.

Sirius was on the bed, drenched in his own sweat, with his legs wide apart. Agatha and another Healer were making preparations for the long haul ahead. Michael darted to Sirius' side and took hold of his hand.

"Mike ...you're here," breathed Sirius.

"Yes ...yes, I'm here," said Michael through a happy smile.

"How was the game?"

"We won."

"Oh, that's go ...argh!" screamed Sirius suddenly. Michael felt Sirius' grip his hand even tighter, but he didn't mind. He would have gladly let Sirius crush his hand if it made him feel better.

"Michael, a word please," whispered Agatha. Michael rose reluctantly and let go of Sirius' hand. He hoped Agatha had a good reason for this intrusion. Taking him aside, Agatha spoke very quietly.

"I think it would be best if you waited out in the living room with everyone else."

"I want to stay with Sirius," stated Michael firmly.

"We're going to be here for a long time ..."

"I DON'T CARE! HE NEEDS ME!"

"Michael, this is going to be dangerous, for Sirius and the baby," explained Agatha calmly. "Things will go a lot smoother if you stay in the other room." Staring directly into his eyes, she fixed him with a solemn look. "Trust me." There was a pause, heavy with tension. Michael wanted to stay, but he also wanted to trust Agatha's advice.

"Mike ...do what she says. I'll be OK," said Sirius, his laboured voice penetrating the silence. Persuaded, Michael gave his husband one final, passionate kiss.

"I'll be right outside," he assured him.

"I know you will." With that, Michael left the room, closing the door behind him.

Two hours passed with no word from within the bedroom. Agatha had soundproofed the room, knowing that the ear shattering cries of pain coming from Sirius would end up causing Michael to forget her advice and barge in. Such an interruption in a procedure of this nature could have terrible consequences. After Michael came out of the room, Harry had offered to go and fetch Oliver. He returned later with both Oliver and Minsky. Michael sat sunken on the sofa with Minsky resting a comforting hand on his knee.

Two more hours passed. Very little was said by anyone in the room. Cups of tea were made, general words of comfort were offered, but little was really said. Even Minsky remained mostly silent. Time seemed to openly mock young Michael. He would glance up at the clock, wait for what felt like an age, and then glance again to see barely a minute had passed.

Another two hours. It was now dark outside. Several times Michael had to mentally restrain himself from jumping up from his seat and running into the bedroom. Ron had fallen asleep in the armchair. When Agatha finally emerged from the bedroom, a sharp prod from Hermione soon woke him up.

"You can go on through now, Michael, we're all done here." She looked tired but for the smile on her face. Michael rose as if in a dream. The other Healer, who later properly introduced himself as Simon, held the door open for the dizzy young man. Once in the room, he saw an exhausted yet at the same time elated Sirius sitting with the bed cover over his legs. There, cradled in his arms and wrapped in a white blanket, was a tiny baby, their tiny baby.

Michael perched himself next to Sirius and the newly arrived little one. It had very fine brown hair. Michael ran the back of his forefinger down the baby's cheek. It stirred and then smiled up at him.

"Isn't he beautiful?" asked Sirius quietly. A single tear of pure joy slid down from Michael's eye. All the anxiety, all the hesitation he felt all those months ago when Sirius first brought up the subject of children, all those feelings felt so alien now.

"He's gorgeous," he whispered. Very gently, Sirius handed the bundled baby boy to Michael. Looking down on the little face and holding him in his arms, the stark reality of it all dawned on him. This was his son, his little one, he was a daddy. It overwhelmed him completely, overpowering any words he had planned for this moment.

Everyone from the other room soon joined them. Oliver was at a loss for words as he held his first grandchild. Minsky climbed up onto the bed so that she could see properly.

"He is very much looking like master Michael when he was a tiny baby," she commented.

"He'll grow up to look all right then," added Sirius as his husband put a loving arm around him. Harry was holding the baby when he asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"Have you guys given any thought to a name?" Michael and Sirius looked to each other. They had indeed given it a great deal of thought and discussion.

"We were thinking of Oliver as his middle name," explained Sirius. The new grandfather beamed from ear to ear, but the experienced grandmother was becoming impatient.

"Yes but what about a first name?"

"David," said Michael out of the blue.

"It means 'beloved' ...and with so many people around that love and support us, it ...seemed fitting," explained Sirius, blushing slightly at what some would have called a 'corny' sentimentality. After going around the room, the tiny infant was back in Sirius' arms. "David Oliver Potter-Wood," he sighed into the baby's ear. For Michael and Sirius, this was a whole new beginning. They had shared their lives for so long, now they had someone to share their love with. They were happier than they had ever been.

Which made what happened a few months later even more tragic.