The Other One | Sirius Black

Chapter 28 - The Only Two

It was widely known in the wizarding world that Fleamont and Euphemia Potter started their family much later than normal. When other fathers were flying on their brooms teaching their children how to play quidditch, Fleamont would be sitting down in front of his cauldron teaching little James and Jo how to properly prepare a Pompion Potion. And while the more contemporary mothers would read and share with their daughters the latest wizarding gossip from Witch Weekly, Euphemia enjoyed reading and sharing with Jo (and James) A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch.

In short, what seemed to be unusual for outsiders, was deemed usual for the Potters so Jamie and Jo never put much thought into being raised by "different" and "old-fashioned" parents.

However, this time, when Jo and Sirius went to visit her parents, she realized just how... worn down they looked. It most likely stemmed from the constant worrying over their two children (not to mention, their adopted son and new daughter-in-law) being in the Order of the Phoenix.

'And with reason,' Jo thought to herself.

Their latest "stunt" as her father put it, had gotten Euphemia so worked up she baked five batches of pumpkin pasties before noon that very day.

But Jo noticed the way in which her father would lightly cough into his handkerchief every couple of minutes, and how her mother could no longer open most of the lids off the jam jars with her hands. She did not want to say it aloud, but inside Jo's mind the word "old" was bouncing around and she didn't like it one bit.

Jo felt as if a bucket of cold water had been splashed on her face. The remainder of her parent's mortality had suddenly challenged her innate view that they were always going to be there with her. Her breath hitched in her throat during dinner when her father got a hacking fit and nearly choked on his roast and peas. But what else could she do? Other than seeing them more often and making sure they had enough protection charms on the house to avoid certain people from making unwanted visits, Jo was not sure.

At the table, Euphemia looked a little more serious, "So, darling, how are you feeling?"

"I'm doing good, Effie. Why would you ask?" Sirius answered, playing the dumb card.

She continued, "Well I don't want to be intrusive, and we know how you are with your... family, but we want to give you our condolences for what happened to your father and brother."

"While I, uh, greatly appreciate the intention, those two will never deserve it," he coldly stated.

"We understand if you don't want to talk about it. We just wanted to let you know that we are always here for you, my boy," expressed Fleamont in a cautious tone as he patted the young man in the back.

Sirius merely whispered, "I know," before resuming to eating his food.

Trying to alleviate the heaviness of the air, Fleamont joked, "Good Godric, today you two are stiffer than your broomsticks!"

Jo almost choked on her food and quickly swallowed before her father could say anything more embarrassing.

Euphemia sympathetically stared at the pair trying to hold back a giggle, "Oh Fleamont, you're scaring them is what it is!"

Sirius then leaned into the table and smugly stated, "Don't worry, Monty, Jo is taken good care of at home."

Jo proceeded to elbow Sirius for his cheekiness in front of her parents, but her father was highly amused. She was hoping they could not see the faint tinge of pink on her cheeks and decided to go to the washroom to freshen up.

After splashing water on her face, Jo stared at her reflection in the mirror. The bags under her eyes did not seem to be getting any lighter the more she smoothed them out. She wished that by rolling her shoulders to relieve the soreness from the explosion, her fears and worries would also roll away. She buried the troubling thoughts that constantly raced through her head and headed out before her family could make any more jokes about her in her brief absence.

Her parents were already in the kitchen cleaning the dirty dishes when she walked in and declared, "I sure hope you two got the sauciness out of your systems now."

"Why would you ever say that?" Sirius sarcastically asked.

She responded before sitting down, "You look better with your mouth shut, Black."

Sirius leaned in to whisper in her ear, "That's not what you said the other day, Potter," and swiftly pecked her cheek right as she playfully swatted him away.

She faked irritation, "Say it louder, will you?"

"My pleasure. THAT'S NO--" was all he could manage to say before she placed her hand over his mouth and tried to hide a laugh.

Euphemia and Fleamont slyly looked at the couple trying to one-up each other instead of actually washing the plates, but neither Jo nor Sirius noticed they were being watched when it felt like they were the only two people in the world.

A/N: Just trying to get in some cute moments between Joanna and her parents (before they inevitably catch the dragon pox). Hope you lovelies liked this chapter! Xx