Sirius's Son Harry Black

7

Happy Birthday

Sirius finally started to fall asleep after spending all night getting everything ready for Harry's eleventh birthday when light from the corridor spilled into his opening door.

"Dad! Get up!" Harry was practically jumping as he shook his father's bed. "You said we could leave early."

Sirius glanced at the clock. "Pup, it's barely seven. None of the shops open this early."

"But the earlier we eat breakfast the earlier we can leave once they do open."

"James and Lily aren't meeting us until ten. Do you want to tell your aunt why she missed your school shopping?"

Harry sighed and looked to the floor. "No." Glancing back up, he said, "But we don't have to shop until they get there."

"Let me get a couple more hours of sleep and I'll take you to the Leaky Cauldron for breakfast," Sirius promised. He smiled when he saw Harry's face brighten.

"Thanks, Dad!"

"Harry, wait," Sirius said, as Harry turned to leave the room. He beckoned his son over.

"What?"

Sirius grinned and grabbed Harry, then began tickling him in his sensitive underarm. "You think you're getting out of here that easily after waking me up?"

Harry tried with all his strength to get away while laughing so hard he began to turn red. "Dad! Hahaha! Sto-haha-stop! Let-hahahaha-go!"

"Are you going to try waking me up again?"

"Hahaha! No!"

"Good." Sirius stopped tickling and pulled Harry close for a hug while the boy, still giggling, tried to even his breathing. "Happy birthday, son."

Harry put his arms around his father's back and squeezed tightly.

"Alright, let's get up," Sirius said.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Sirius swung his legs out of bed and stretched. Lily was right, he did spoil Harry silly, but as long as the kid wasn't turning into the bratty bugger Sirius had once been, as a father who wanted his son to have everything he'd ever need or want, Sirius couldn't deny Harry anything that wasn't dangerous. "Get dressed, we'll leave in 15 minutes or so."

Harry dashed out the door, causing Sirius to chuckle.

Really, Sirius hadn't been half as spoiled as Harry, but it still took him most of his life so far to learn to be grateful for the little things and appreciate what might not be there tomorrow. He had learned that from watching friends get blown to bits. Harry, although he had never been the most obedient kid, was almost always well-mannered, kind, and thankful for what those who cared about him did for him. Even though he would never admit it to her, Sirius thanked Lily for that; he easily would have gotten carried away and turned his wonderful son into Europe's biggest brat if it hadn't been for her.

"I'm ready!" Harry came back into his father's bedroom.

Sirius looked down at himself. He only had one pantleg on, his robes needed to be fastened, and his toothbrush hung out of his mouth. He gave Harry a sheepish grin and quickly finished dressing, then ran into his bathroom to rinse out his mouth.

"Okay, let's go."

Harry eagerly followed Sirius down the stairs, taking them two at a time.

"After you, birthday boy," Sirius said, holding out a pot of Floo Powder for Harry.

Harry took a pinch, threw it to the fireplace, and stepped in emerald green flames. "Leaky cauldron!"

After taking a bit of powder for himself and setting the pot back on the mantle, Sirius followed.