Afraid || Sirius Black [1]

106

During the summer, like the previous holidays, it seemed that the Marauders once again congregated at the Lupin household. It was obvious when Sirius and the Potter's arrived because of a loud shriek and padding of footsteps pattering on the floor as the little bundle of joy, Harley sprinted happily towards Sirius, her arms outstretched ready.

"SIRI!" Exclaimed the blonde girl who jumped at the curly-haired boy and Sirius lifted her up, wrapping his arms under her legs.

"Well hello, little one," Grinned Sirius pressing a little kiss to her head, "And how are you?"

"I'm this many!" She grinned holding up her six fingers, "Buty you saw me when I was this many!" She held up five fingers. "How is Siri now he is an adult."

"Pshhhh, adult Harley, that's stretching it a bit far!" Exclaimed James who held out his arms for her to give him a hug.

"No!" She cried, scrunching her face up, "You were mean to Siri because you are jelly that he is better than you!" Harley laid her head on Sirius' shoulder, exhaling in content and closing her eyes.

"Uh oh," Said Mrs Potter, "Did someone not go to sleep last night?"

Remus who was just coming down the stairs yawning, "No she didn't! She was in with me all night constantly asking when is Siri getting here?"

Sirius' heart melted and he looked down at Harley who was snoring on his shoulder already. "I'll go put her to bed." He said to everyone in the room, and he gently climbed the stairs rubbing Harley's back soothingly.

He nudged open her bedroom door and laid her down on the bed, raising the duvet to tuck her in but she clasped his hand. "Please stay Siri," She asked him tiredly, a yawn escaping her lips.

Sirius climbed onto the bed beside the small child and she cuddled up to him, holding onto her shirt and resting her head just above his heart, listening to it beat like a lullaby.

Smiling down at the sleeping child, Sirius ran his fingers lightly through her blonde locks and watched as a smile appeared on her lips. She looked as if the world was her oyster, that nothing bad was happening. It was a feeling Sirius wished he could feel once again. To have the dangerous and cruel world unbeknown to him.

However, at the same time, as he stared down at Harley who slept peacefully, he prayed that no harm would come her way. That none of the bad stuff would affect her because she was too young, too precious and too innocent to ever deserve to experience and bad things in her life.

After a while, Sirius carefully raised up Harley's body and slipped out from beneath her, laying her down in the comfort of the mattress and tucking her in. He pressed a kiss to her head and with a flick of his wand a small teddy appeared, a little black dog, so that he was still with her whilst she slept.

Downstairs, Remus and James were wondering how long it took to put Harley to sleep and we're about to go and see what was taking so long when Sirius entered the room.

"She wanted me to stay a while, so once she was fully asleep I left," Said Sirius, taking a seat beside Remus. "Is Wormy not coming?"

"Nah, he's touring Europe with his parents apparently."

James pushed his glasses up onto his nose glancing at Sirius who was staring down at his hands. "What's up, Pads?"

"Nothing will happen to her, right? She's too little." Sirius Asked, deferring to the sleeping six year old upstairs.

"I ask myself that every day, we've just got to hope and pray to whoever it is up there controlling the world that nothing comes her way that harms her," Stated Remus who glanced at his parents who stood in the garden with Mr and Mrs Potter talking, his mother looking paler than usual. She had been getting worse each day. "Nobody is safe, but we have to have hope."

James smiled weakly at his best friends and decided to change the dampened subject, "So Padfoot, you spend a few nights with Leo a couple of weeks ago, care to enlighten us on the juicy deets? Or are you gonna stay silent like you have been since you got home from there?"

"It's none of your business," Sirius told him, his ears reddening but thankfully was covered by his hair.

James and Remus smirked at each other resulting in Sirius leaving the room. And the house.

"They so did it again!" Exclaimed James, "dirty, dirty, dirty, menaces!"

* * *

Sirius knocked on Madison's door after leaving the Lupin residence out of embarrassment of his best friends teasing him. It didn't take long for the girl to answer, rather confused as to why her boyfriend had turned up out of the blue.

"Hello gorgeous," Grinned Sirius winking as he leaned on the doorframe.

Madison looked Sirius up and down, taking in his beautiful looks despite her seeing him in that outfit or his signature leather jacket, ripped jeans and loose white tee, she couldn't help but stare.

"W-How? What? Why are you here?" She asked him trying to pry her eyes from his devilishly good looks.

Sirius scoffed, "it's nice to see you too, love."

"Sorry," Madison apologised, letting the boy in to the empty house, her parents both at work. "It's just a surprise."

Sirius grinned taking her by the waist as she shut the door, "I was at Moony's but the boys decided to be nosey gits so I came to see you. Are your parents home?"

Madison shook her head, "nope, just me. Why?"

"Because if your parents were here I couldn't give you a kiss but seeing as they aren't. Come here, Maddie." He kissed Madison gently on the lips, his hands still resting on her waist.

Pulling away Madison leaned her head on his chest, "the boys will be missing you."

"I know, but a little while won't hurt," Said Sirius nuzzling his head on hers.

"Only if you're sure," replied Madison, closing her eyes, "I have a book we can read? If you'd like?"

"Whatever you want, Maddie."