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Manipulations to War | ||||||
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Category: Pre-OotP Characters:Sirius Black Genres: Drama Warnings: Death Story is Complete Rating: R Reviews: 19 Summary: Sequel to Harry's second Christmas. James and Lily are dead, and Sirius, Remus and Anwen are living in the Potter keep with Harry. They want him to have a well balanced childhood, but the need to keep him safe is greater. Sirius is working to unravel where the Potter money went while Anwen wants to discover why they were in Godric's Hollow and not safely in the Potter's home. Hitcount: Story Total: 18917; Chapter Total: 588 |
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Chapter 15: Petals on a Wreath September 14, 1983 Anwen slowly made her way down the stairs, stopping to take and then release a deep breath and send a Patronus to Sirius. He was in the office preparing the financials for Dumbledore’s trial before the Wizengamot, which would take place in two months. Amelia would be stepping into the Chief Warlock's chair for the trial, so she intentionally avoided speaking with the Blacks or Longbottoms about it. Remus came into view, with five children in a line, following behind him. “Are you the mother duckling with her babies in her wake?” she asked through a restrained voice and facial construct. “Something like that,” he answered. “Are you alright?” “It’s time," she said softly, waiting for a beat for Remus to realize what she meant. Her due date wasn't for another ten days, but she'd been warned that given her diminutive stature, she might go into labour early. Remus checked his watch and then looked back at Anwen, clutching the newel post. "Right, it's a touch early, but why don't you go see if Peng has your elevenses ready?" The line broke up, and the five sounded more like five thousand as they ran to the kitchen. "What can I do?" “Nothing, we’re going to be leaving as soon as Sirius retrieves my bag from upstairs,” she said. As she said it, Sirius entered the large hallway. He was glancing at where the thundering herd was last heard. “What’s up?” Sirius asked. "My waters broke while I was upstairs; thankfully, Peng was with me, and she's already cleaned up the mess “" "You're in labour, and you're worried about the mess?" Sirius interrupted. His heart felt like it quickened into a rushed thrumming. Why wasn’t his wife more worked up? “I need you to get my bag and the hospital Portkey so we can be on our way.” Anwen continued to talk over him in a calm, relaxed voice. “Right, your bag. Be right back,” he said before taking the stairs two at a time. “You sure you’re alright?” Remus asked her in an equally measured tone. “I’m positive,” she replied. “We’ve planned for everything. If we stick to the plan, at least until we get to St. Mungo’s, then all will be well. I doubt the baby will be as easy as I hope, but I can deal with that too.” “And Padfoot?” “Yes, well, once the other children are home, perhaps Emme can come up and watch Harry so you can keep Sirius company. He’s not going to want to sit with me while I’m noticeably quiet. Will you tell Alice what’s going on, please? Hold off with Amelia and the Weasleys. Harry will want to share the news himself.” “Absolutely," Remus said, kissing her cheek as Sirius noisily descended. "Good luck, and I'll see you in a few hours." He looked between them and then shook his best friend's hand. “If I’m lucky, we’ll have a godchild for you to meet," she said sweetly before sucking in deeply. She reached out for Sirius, who immediately wrapped an arm around her. Slowly letting the air out through her nose, the men waited until she opened her eyes and looked at them. “All good.” “How far apart are they?” Sirius asked. “About eight minutes.” "How long have you been in labour?" He looked at her, surprised. “Since I woke up,” she confessed. “It’s why I ate upstairs today and took my time in showering and getting dressed.” “Let’s get you to the hospital,” he said with a head shake. “Let Harry know we’ve gone, please?” “Absolutely,” Remus said. The Portkey activated, and the couple was gone. Remus couldn’t help but laugh, wondering how long Anwen would be able to take Padfoot’s nervous energy before he was sent for a walk. Two hours later, Anwen was alone in her birthing room when Alice slipped in. Anwen opened her eyes and put her hands down, and smiled at her friend's arrival. “Thank you for coming. I wasn’t expecting it,” she said. “Well, I know I liked having my mum in with me, and you were in with Lily; so, I thought a friend might help. Where is your husband?” Alice sat down, a package in her arms. “I had Remus take him out for a stroll,” Anwen said with a small head shake. “He kept talking with me when I was trying to focus, wanting to help me or give me ice or straighten my pillows. It got to be a bit much, so I suggested he go find me some chocolate for after the birth.” “Wise thinking,” Alice said, taking the seat next to her. “Frank was helpful, but Mum was here to hold my hand and guide Frank on how to be helpful. She sent him out for tea and scones at one point so I wouldn’t yell at him.” “Lily yelled at everyone when she was in labour,” Anwen commented before taking another deep breath and slowly blowing it out. “Well, Lily could yell at folks if they looked at her wrong, so no real surprise there,” Alice said. “Before your next contraction, why don’t you open this.” She handed her the large box, wrapped in paper with baby dragons on it. Thankfully the lid just slid off, and Anwen found a beautiful knit baby blanket underneath. It was so soft and mostly white with just a little lavender stitching around the edge. “Did you make this?” Anwen asked. “It’s so beautiful.” "I did," Alice confessed. "Mum made me one, and when I found out you were having a baby, I wanted to make one for you. It's silk and wool. I charmed it to resist spills, and while it might not look like it, you can't see through it when you cover yourself to nurse." "Oh, Alice, what a beautiful thing for bean to come home in," Anwen said with tears. "Wait, there's something else in here." She put the blanket to the side and noticed a very frilly dress underneath. "What's this?" “That’s the dedication dress from the Parker family. Our grandmothers wore that dress, and apart from you and your siblings, so has every other baby born to the line since. It’s your turn to use it.” “Thank you so much,” Anwen said, beginning to cry except that another tightening struck her, and she became quiet and still. “How far along are you?” Alice asked when the contraction was over. “I’m fully dilated,” Anwen said. “Now I’m helping the baby to the birth canal. Sirius had better get back because I'm not sure I could stop everything if he's not here." “Wow,” Alice remarked. “Already?” “It’s good to be me. Sirius found my last exam by the obstetrics witch nauseating. For a man who knows so much about the female anatomy, he knew nothing about what happens when a woman gives birth.” “Frank was similar,” Alice said. “He’d had that talk in fifth year,” they both rolled their eyes at that, “but he didn’t know a whole lot about how the body worked.” “I had a class in my Muggle school about it,” Anwen said. “I’d say it was more plumbing than anything, but it at least gave me a working understanding. When we went to the birthing class, I thought he’d pass out.” “Good thing we’re the ones who have babies then,” Alice said with a sly smile. “I’m so glad you’re here,” Anwen said again, and Alice took her hand. “Can I do anything for you?” “No, It’s not long now.” Anwen took another sudden, deep breath and released it. “That was only about three minutes,” Alice said when she was done. Ten minutes later, Sirius returned with a sack full of dark chocolate delights and a bouquet of daffodils. Twenty minutes later, the room was packed as it was time to deliver their Black bean. Sirius was at her head, decidedly not looking at the lower half of her body. The Obstetrics healer, a woman, named Elodie Wayfar, and the obstetrics witch named Joy were ready to bring their child into the world. Alice and Remus were waiting in the hallway for the first cries. A gripping contraction hit Anwen, and she was moving her fingers again. Two surprised gasps were heard at the foot of the bed and then a small squeal. Anwen and Sirius looked, and laying between Anwen's thighs was a perfect little baby girl. “What did you do?” The healer asked. “I didn’t do anything, I don’t think,” Anwen replied. Joy picked up the baby, running her wand over the baby while Healer Wayfar tended to the umbilical cord and Anwen’s need. The baby passed Joy's spells, had all ten fingers and ten toes, and weighed just under a half stone. "I have never seen anything like this," the healer said. "Of course, I've never had someone with your skills as a patient either. You said you were talented at Transfigurations. Are you sure you didn't just transfigure your daughter out?" “As I said, I don’t think I did. I certainly didn’t cast any spells or picture her outside of me, which is usually how my magic works. Perhaps it was her? She has been,” Anwen paused to find the words, “communicating, although that’s not quite it either. I have been able to get impressions from her for a few weeks.” “What do you mean?” the healer asked, stopping her work. "If I were to sing to her, or she heard our older child talking or Sirius cooing at her, she recognized it, and there was this warmth that would spread from her. I don't know how else to explain it." "Remarkable." The healer looked at Anwen and then the baby, who Joy placed into Anwen's arms, and all conversation stopped as she and Sirius gazed at their little girl. Unlike most babies, little Black bean didn’t have a cone-shaped forehead. Instead, she was all pink cheeks and brown hair. Her eyes were the familiar Black grey, although where her father’s often looked stormy or like steel, hers were soft and more like pale grey wool. Her lips were a pale pink and shaped like a little heard. Her hair was already beginning to curl, and Anwen thought about how Sirius would one day teach her how to have his perfect waves. A few minutes later, the healer and witch done, Alice and Remus, were welcomed back into the room. They were all smiles when they saw the pink blanket and little lavender cap adorning baby Black bean’s head. “A girl,” Remus said. “Harry is going to be thrilled. He didn’t want to tell you, but he wanted a sister.” “Brilliant,” Sirius said. “Glad we could oblige.” “Well, what’s her name? Or are you calling her bean?” Alice said jokingly. “We’ve switched it over to French and are calling her Haricot,” Anwen said with a mischievous smile. It took Remus a beat and Alice two to realize she was joking. “Seriously though, we are happy to introduce you to Elisabeth Lyra Black. We plan on calling her Lizzy.” “What a beautiful name,” Alice said. “It’s perfect.” She stepped closer and peered down at the sleeping girl. “She and Julie are going to be best friends. Oh, they won't be in the same year at Hogwarts, though." “Julie won’t suffer for having a friend a little younger,” Remus said. “Can I hold my goddaughter?” “You can, and then you need to share her with Alice, since she’s Lizzy’s godmother, at least if you’ll agree,” Sirius said, and Alice nodded. The friends fussed and cuddled little Lizzy until Anwen’s eyes were beginning to droop. It had been a taxing morning for the young witch. Sirius took his daughter back and bid his friends goodbye, promising to alert Anwen's grandmother, Minerva, and sending a note to Walburga Black. Later that afternoon, Remus brought an extremely excited Harry back to meet his little sister and to bring some cards Emme had the children make in their absence. Harry was given a jumper from Mrs Weasley that said "Big Brother" across the chest. It had initially been Bill's, but every other Weasley boy had worn it when they became a big brother for the first time. When Ron was born, she knitted a second which said, "Me Too" for Fred to wear. Molly had come a long way in seeing Dumbledore through the Black’s eyes, especially since it was discovered that he was stealing money from the Potters. “Wizzy, I wike dat name,” Harry said as they walked down the hall. “Does she look like Winnie Mummy?” “Hmm,” Remus said, thinking. “She looks a bit like both your Mummy and Daddy. I think she’s going to have brown hair, but all wavy like your Dad’s.” “Dat’s good,” Harry said. “My hair is always a mess.” "Well, unfortunately for you, that comes from James, and it looked like that until he grew it out in our fifth year. By the time you were born, he had kept it short to control it.” “I’d wather have it wong wike Daddy Siri dan all short.” “That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Remus said with a shake of his head. He could envision a little boy trying to emulate and impersonate his father in a few years. They arrived at the door, and Remus reminded Harry he needed to be quiet because his Winnie Mummy or Lizzy might be napping. They opened the door to find Sirius holding Lizzy and rocking her in a chair. The staff must have moved in after Anwen gave birth. She appeared to be eating her tea. “Winnie Mummy, Daddy Siri, I want to meet Wizzy,” he said. “I wove her already.” Sirius smiled proudly, and Anwen started to cry. She had been warned her hormones would be awful. "Come here, sport, and maybe Remus can put you on my other knee, and you can see your sister," Sirius said, and his mate did as requested. “She wittle.” “So were you when you were born,” Sirius said. “Lizzy will grow, just like you do.” “Oh, when can I pway with her?” “Not for a while yet,” Sirius said. “She needs to do some growing before she’ll do much more than eat and sleep, but in a few months, she’ll smile and laugh.” "Dat wong?" Harry said, exasperated. "It's not that long, Harry. Think about it, a month ago, you wore your red jacket out to play. Today we tried to put it on, and it was too small. For little folks, like you and Lizzy, growing happens fast," Remus reminded him, and Harry nodded. “Can I have one of my children, please?” Anwen asked from the bed. As lovely as it was to see them both in Sirius’ arms, she needed to hold one, if not both. She felt empty without having Lizzy inside her now. "Sure, Winnie Mummy," Harry said. "I have presents and cards!" Remus picked him up before he attempted to wiggle off Sirius' lap and awaken the sleeping Lizzy. She'd been changed and fed less than an hour ago, so she should sleep for a while yet. Remus deposited Harry in Anwen's bed, and she hugged him tightly. “Mummy, why are you crying? Do you not wike Wizzy?” "Oh, no, darling, I love Lizzy, and I'm so happy she's here," Anwen said. "I just have so much love it's leaking out my eyes." "Okay?" he said, confused. Remus had pulled a sack from his pocket and returned it to its standard size. He then handed a small box to Harry, who thrust it into his mother's hands. Anwen unwrapped the pretty floral paper and lifted the lid. Inside was a mother's pin, similar in shape to the one her grandmama always wore. It was shaped like a floral wreath; small rosebuds were spaced around the circle. At the top were hers and Sirius's birthstones on larger golden leaves; next to them were Harry's and Lizzy's on smaller ones. There were spaces for plenty more stones." “Oh, Harry, this is beautiful. Did Uncle Remus help you pick it out?” "Actually, it was Claire Nighman who suggested it, as she has one too," Remus explained. "She took us to the shop where hers was purchased and helped Harry place the order. It was an adorable trip." “I’ll need to thank her.” "Dis one is for Wizzy, but you can open it," Harry said, thrusting a box at her. Anwen lifted the lid and found a small caterpillar toy, a copy of the book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," and some finger puppets of the foods the titular caterpillar eats. Anwen knew it was one of Harry's favourite books and could recite it from memory now. It was a book her siblings had loved as well. Harry had a Muggle and magical library. “Is this Lizzy’s own copy of your favourite book?” Harry asked. “Yup, dat way we can both read while you or Uncle Remus does de puppets.” "That was ingenious thinking on your part," Anwen said. "Do you have some cards there?" “Oh, yeah, dey from my frwiends. Dey happy de baby here. Dey don’t know her name.” “Well, you only learned her name when you got here, Sport,” Sirius reminded him. “Yup. Now I know it Wizzy. Can I Floo Ginny and tell her?” “When we get home, you can call all your friends, although I suspect Neville and Julie already know, since Auntie Alice was here with your Mummy when Lizzy was born.” "Okay." Harry was such an easy-going child. Anwen hoped it lasted when Lizzy cried or took their attention away. It was normal child behaviour if he did, Anwen reminded herself. The cards were sweet, with Emme's writing to identify the drawings, which she never would have figured out otherwise. “Do you have the gift for Daddy Siri?” Harry asked Remus. "I do. Should I give it to him?" “Yes,” Harry cheered and shook the bed, which made Anwen hurt where she was sore. Remus handed Sirius the package, which he put on his thigh, and then Remus reached for his goddaughter. Sirius lifted the lid on the long jeweller's box and was surprised to find inside a pair of dog bone charms, one said Harry, the other one saying, Lizzy. They were on a long silver chain. He immediately took it out and put it over his head. “How did you get her name on there so quick?” "We bought the charms and chain when we were out with Claire. I engraved it when I went home to get Harry." Sirius admired the box lettering of Harry's name and then the delicate script of Lizzy's. "I've got my pups right next to my heart." Sirius stood and went to hug Harry and then hugged Remus, sort of sideways as to not squish Lizzy. Harry stayed and talked with Winnie, sneaking some of the sliced strawberries and one of the little sandwiches off her tea plate. When the medi-witch came in and saw that he was there, she disappeared for a minute but then came back with a little carton of milk and a cheese sandwich for him along with a colouring book and crayons all about being a big brother or sister. After eating all the sandwich and drinking all his milk, Harry asked to get down, and he laid down on the floor to colour quietly. Remus stayed until it was apparent Anwen was nearly asleep again. He and Harry both kissed her, and they went home to see what Hindsa had made them for supper. After dinner, he called his friends. His first call was to Neville, who didn't know he had a sister or her name. |
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