Lovely (a Scorbus story)

Part 20

"So how's the baby?" Albus asked.

Hermione grinned, glancing at Ron. "She's so loud. I swear she takes after Ron."

Ron snorted. "Oh, right. If you'll recall our first year—"

"What's her name again?" Lily asked.

"Ruby," Rose chimed in. "I picked it."

"Yeah, that's only because of that song by twenty six broomsticks," Albus said scathingly.

"It is not."

"Is too," James said. "You told me yourself."

Rose glared.

"Where's Sirius?" Albus asked.

"Sleeping," Harry said. "In his mind, he's just fought a long battle. He needs a rest. He'll meet you in a while."

Albus surveyed the picture of the laughing man with the dark hair that had been in their house as long as he could remember.

He remembered once in the middle of the night, when he had gone downstairs for a glass of water, only to find Harry sitting at the kitchen table, head in his hands, the picture of Sirius next to him, smiling obliviously up. A tear fell on the photo, and Albus had hastily backed away.

But it seemed like his father was different...like he had a piece of him back that had been missing.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on with Scorpius?" Albus said quietly to Rose. It was eating away at him whenever he wasn't thinking about Sirius.

Sirius. Scorpius. Sirius. Scorpius.

"Later," Rose whispered.

"Promise?"

Rose nodded, not meeting his eyes.

The door flew open and Ginny burst in. "Did I read that right?" she exclaimed without preamble.

"Shhh. He's asleep," Harry said. "He's alive, Gin. He's alive."

Ginny shook her head. "Only you, Harry Potter, would find a way to bring back the dead."

Lily whispered something to Hugo. Hugo glanced over at Rose and shook his head.

"What are you two whispering about?" Rose asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," Lily and Hugo chimed.

At that moment, the spare room door creaked open. Eight pairs of eyes swung towards it.

Sirius emerged, holding a photo. Albus could just barely see a couple dancing in the spinning leaves, thinking vaguely that it must be his own parents.

But of course it wasn't, he realized. It was James and Lily, his grandparents, and his siblings' namesakes.

"Sirius." Harry stood up quickly, taking a step towards him. "Sirius, this is James—and that's Lily, and Albus. And that's Rose and Hugo."

Sirius shot a grin at James. "You look remarkably like your father," he said. "And your grandfather."

James stared at him, not sure what to make of the comment.

"And Lily...she's got your hair," Sirius said to Ginny. "And Albus..."

Albus waited, knowing perfectly well he didn't carry Harry's hair or Ginny's, that he didn't resemble either of his parents.

"You're a perfect mix," Sirius said. "And you've got your father's eyes."

Albus smiled.

"I can't tell you how much I missed you," Harry said, pulling Sirius into a hug.