Sorry for the delay in writing...life has been getting in the way.

Sirius slowly climbed the staircase. It had been nearly two hours since Harry had gone down for a nap. The man was nearly certain that the child was awake by now. Just as he was certain that, much like himself, Harry was unsure of how to proceed.

Sirius had never so much as harshly scolded the eight year old prior to today. The man found himself hoping that Harry was not upset with him.

Sirius did not know much when it came to being a parent. He was sure that James and Lily would have handled this all differently - better. There was one thing it was certain of though, he was going to need to play both roles. He had already been his dad and now he was going to need to be his mum.

The man knocked softly on the boy's partially open bedroom door before pushing it all the way open and stepping into the room. Despite the fact that the lights were dimmed, he could see that his godson's eyes were open.

"Hey," Sirius said softly, moving across the room and sitting on the edge of the boy's bed. "How long have you been up?"

Harry shrugged at the question. "'Bout twenty minutes maybe."

"Didn't want to come downstairs?"

The child shrugged once more as he slowly pushed himself up to a sitting position. The child pulled his legs up, his arms wrapping around them. "I didn't know if I was allowed," he admitted softly, his ears burning in shame at even mentioning what had happened earlier.

Sirius frowned at the words. Reaching a hand out he rested it gently on Harry's arm. "Of course you were allowed. What happened is all in the past okay?"

"Really?" Harry questioned in a skeptical voice.

"Really." Sirius nodded as his fingertips gently tapped the small arm. "I was actually going to see if you wanted to help me bake some chocolate cookies."

Harry's face lit up at the words, his shame long forgotten. "Really? You know how to make chocolate cookies? With magic?"

"Yes, I can make them with magic, however, your grandmother taught me how to make them the muggle way as well. Would you like to learn?"

Harry smiled widely as he nodded, moving his feet to push the blankets off of himself. "My mum liked to cook the muggle way sometimes too! She taught me how to make peanut butter fudge once!"

"I remember that." Sirius stood. He leaned down, hooking his hands under the child's arms. Sirius easily lifted Harry out of the bed and walked out of the room now carrying the eight year old. "That was one of your dad's favorites."

"Mmhmm." Harry nodded before resting his head on his godfather's shoulder. "He always said that me and mum made it best."

"I bet that he was right too." Sirius started down the staircase. "Your mum was very good in the kitchen. I always loved her cornish pasties."

"Yeah." Harry nodded happily. "And her shepherd's pie." He sighed softly, the glee leaving his face. "I miss them...a lot."

"I miss them too a lot, a lot," Sirius replied as he stepped onto the main floor of the house.

"Magic can't bring them back."

Sirius shook his head despite realizing that it was a statement and not a question. "I'm afraid not Bean." He cleared his throat softly as he walked through the parlor. "Would you like to go visit them this week? At the graveyard?"

The child was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "No, not yet." He didn't like to think about them in the ground. He liked to imagine that they were away somewhere. That they were happy on holiday and Sirius was just watching him until they returned.

"If you change your mind, when you change your mind, you let me know." The man looked down at the child.

"What if I never do?" Harry asked softly. "Is that bad?"

"No, absolutely not." Sirius stepped into the kitchen. "If you don't want to go then you never have to. That is your decision to make. There is no right or wrong."

Harry shrugged as he was placed down on the counter. "I don't want to forget them. I wish I could tell them what I miss." His voice was soft as he looked down, his right pointer finger carefully tracing a small design in the wood counter.

"Hey." Sirius reached a hand out gently tapping the underside of the boy's chin. "I've got an idea."

"Hmm?" Harry looked up curiously.

Sirius moved across the room and opened a cabinet taking out a large glass jug. "Everytime we miss something about one of them or one of your grandparents, or anytime we want to tell one of them something, we will write it down and put the piece of parchment in here."

"Then what?" Harry questioned.

"Then, once it is full, we will put a cork in it and throw it out to sea."

Harry's face scrunched up slightly at the words. "Why?"

"The sea is powerful and quite mysterious." Sirius gave the child a small smile as he walked back across the kitchen, setting the jar down on the kitchen table. "There are many enchanting creatures in the sea, some, like the merpeople, that can do amazing things."

"Like get the letters to mum and dad?" Harry grinned widely. "And granny and grandad?"

"Possibly." Sirius forced a smile at the child wishing that it was all that easy. "It's worth a try isn't it?"

Harry nodded as the first genuine smile that Sirius had seen in days spread across the boy's lips. "I'm gonna write to them tonight and every night before bed."

"I am sure that they would love that." Sirius' hand rested on his godson's knee, gently squeezing it. "Now, should we make these chocolate cookies?"

"Mmhmm!" Harry smiled brightly watching as Sirius leaned down and retrieved a large bowl from a cabinet. "What do you gotta put in first?"

"First we need sugar and butter." The man tapped the counter causing both to appear.

"I thought we were gonna do it the muggle way?"

"We are." Sirius nodded. "But Ebby likes to help too. We don't want to leave her out, do we?"

Harry quickly shook his head. He had always liked Sirius' house elf. She even played hide and seek with him a few times when he was smaller.

"She will just get us the ingredients," Sirius explained as he held out the cup of sugar. "We will do the rest."

"Okay." Harry carefully took the cup of sugar. "Dump this in?"

Sirius nodded as he silently summoned a wooden mixing spoon. "And the butter as well."

"Can you teach me how to do that?"

"Of course." The man nodded. "The moment that you turn eleven."

"That's still a long time." Harry dumped the sugar into the bowl before putting the cup down and carefully picking up the smaller cup that contained the softened butter. "Three more years."

"A little less than three," Sirius pointed out. "It is November now."

Harry made a face as he added the butter. "Barely less than three."

"Still a bit less," Sirius chuckled softly. "I am sure that it will be here before you know it." The man cleared his throat softly. "Now would you like to stir or add more ingredients?"

Harry was silent for a moment as he thought over the options. "Add more ingredients," he answered a moment later.

Sirius nodded, tapping the counter and causing three large eggs to appear. "Do you know how to crack eggs?"

"'Course I do. Mum showed me how." Harry picked up the first egg carefully, cracking it against the side of the bowl and allowing the contents to fall into the mixture.

"That's very impressive Bean!" Sirius praised the boy. "You did that like a pro."

Harry beamed at the man's words as he continued the same process with the next two eggs. "It's easy. I could teach you."

"You may need to do just that one day." Sirius began stirring the mixture, his free hand tapping the counter and causing a cup of cocoa to appear. "Let me stir this up a bit and then you can add that."

Harry nodded as he peered into the bowl. "Sirius?" he said softly a moment later.

"Hmm?" The man continued to stir as he raised his head to look at his godson.

"I really am sorry about earlier." Harry could feel his ears burning slightly at his own words.

"Hey." Sirius' tone was soft as he reached out and gently tapped the underside of the boy's chin. "What did I say? It's all in the past, okay?"

"I know," Harry nodded at the words. "But I didn't want you to think that I wasn't really sorry, 'cause I am. I won't do nothing like that again. Ever."

Sirius smiled kindly at the child. "Listen, you are a kid. You are allowed to mess up and get in trouble sometimes okay? And when you do we'll figure it out."

Harry thought the words over for a moment as he felt the heat spreading down his cheeks. "Does that mean that you'll do that again?"

"It means that we, you and I, will figure it out. I know you well, Harry. I know that you know when that has been earned and when it hasn't. If it hasn't we will figure something else out."

"The corner?" Harry questioned softly. He hated standing in the corner. It was just so boring.

"Maybe," Sirius answered honestly, hardly believing his own words. He could have sworn that less than a month ago he had voiced his opinion to James on how horrible he felt making Harry stand in the corner was. "Or maybe we'll just talk a bit."

Harry was silent for a moment before he nodded. "And you're really not still mad?"

"I was never mad Pup," Sirius answered honestly as he shook his head. "I was just a bit disappointed and unfortunately it is now my job to correct and deal with bad behavior."

"Enforce sequences," Harry nodded.

Sirius smiled softly at the words as he continued stirring. "I think that you meant consequences, but yes. Now are you going to add that cocoa? I think that this is plenty stirred."

Harry picked up the cup of cocoa, carefully dumping it into the bowl.

"Just a few more ingredients and we will be done." Sirius continued to stir, his free hand once more tapping the counter and causing the last of the ingredients to appear. "Go on and add the vanilla."

Harry grinned as he carefully picked up the cup containing the vanilla and dumped it in. "I like being here with you."

"I like having you here Pup. I truly do."

"I think that will be your last cookie." Sirius watched as the child picked up his fourth. "You'll never sleep otherwise."

"They're really good." Harry dunked the cookie into his glass of milk before taking a bite of it.

"I'm glad that you think so. Maybe we will make more later this week."

Harry nodded at the idea as he ate another bite. "Maybe we could go to the park tomorrow?"

"If it does not rain we absolutely can." The man glanced up at the clock. "What would you like to do before bed?" Sirius had seen to it that the child had taken his bath right after dinner. Now clad in his plaid pajamas, he was enjoying dessert.

Harry was silent as he thought the question over. He had already written letters to his parents and grandparents and they had been carefully placed in the jug. "Can I draw?"

"Of course you can." Sirius watched as the child finished off his cookie. "You know where I keep the parchment and other drawing things for you."

Harry grinned as he stood from the table, pushing in his chair. "Wait, what are you gonna do?" He didn't want the man to be bored without him.

"I think I may actually sit in the parlor and do some reading. I have a new Astronomy book that I have been anxious to start."

"Can I draw in the parlor?"

"I would enjoy that," Sirius smiled. "Go and fetch what you need. You only have thirty minutes until bedtime."

Harry rushed out of the kitchen and down the hall to his godfather's study. He went around behind the desk to the drawer that had been his for as long as he could remember. He quickly pulled out a few pieces of parchment and his pack of muggle colored pencils before racing out of the room and down the hall to the parlor.

A small smile graced his lips as he saw his godfather already sitting on the couch, his book in his hands.

"What is it that you are going to draw?" Sirius looked up from his reading as his godson sat on the floor by his feet, his art supplies now on the coffee table.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe Hogwarts or an owl?"

"Both are nice choices." Sirius gave the boy a small smile before his eyes drifted back down to his book.

"Oh! Maybe Hogwarts with an owl flying over it." Harry grinned widely as he selected a green pencil to start on the grass.

Hogwarts had been his favorite place to visit for as long as he could remember. He had only been there a few times but every time had been wonderful. His dad had taken him a few times to Quidditch matches and twice Sirius, Remus, and Peter had even joined them. His dad had always been adamant that a trip to Hogwarts was a special reward and a huge privilege. Harry loved watching the Quidditch games and hearing stories from his dad about his days playing. The boy had already decided that he would be playing Quidditch when he finally got to Hogwarts one day.

Harry set down the green pencil once he had finished the grass and picked up the grey one, carefully outlining the castle. "Sirius?"

"Hmmm?" The man's eyes remained on his book.

"If I'm really good, can we still go to Quidditch games at Hogwarts sometimes?" He asked as he carefully drew the clock tower.

Sirius grinned softly at the question. He could remember clearly what a big deal James had made out of taking Harry to Quidditch games at Hogwarts. If his memory was correct, the man had even used it at a rewards system of sorts during the school year. If Harry kept himself out of any major trouble for a set amount of time before the game, James would take him and make an entire day out of it.

"I think that we could continue going just as you did with your dad," Sirius replied after a moment.

"So if I'm really good?" Harry asked as he colored in the roof of the castle with the grey pencil.

"Which I do not have a doubt in my mind that you will be." Sirius turned a page of his book. "I believe the first game of the season is in about two weeks or so. Why don't we work towards that one?"

Harry gave a small nod at the words. "And then we can go to Hogsmeade too?"

"I suppose we could go to The Hog's Head for lunch and then make a stop at Honeydukes for a treat or two." Sirius gave up on his reading altogether, his eyes drifting to the child.

"And Zonko's?" Harry questioned as he put down the grey pencil and picked up a brown one, suddenly deciding that his picture needed a few trees.

"Of course. We cannot go to Hogsmeade without going to Zonko's," Sirius smiled. His eyes moved to the clock on the mantel. "You have five minutes." The man had learned that bedtime went much more smoothly if the child was given a small warning that the time was approaching.

"My picture won't be done yet," Harry complained in a soft voice as he turned his head to look at his godfather.

"Your picture and pencils aren't going anywhere." Sirius gave the child a warm smile as he lightly poked his side with his foot. "You can finish it tomorrow."

Harry frowned but nodded as he turned his attention back to his drawing. "Can I finish the trees first?"

"If you can finish them in the next three minutes," Sirius replied in a gentle tone. "Otherwise the trees will need to wait until tomorrow too."

Harry's shoulders slouched slightly as he continued to draw. Part of him wanted to argue that he should be allowed to stay up just a few more minutes to finish but he didn't want to make Sirius cross. Not when he had already been punished that morning and not when they had just been discussing going to a Quidditch game.

"You can even leave your picture and pencils out here on the table so that they are ready for you in the morning." Sirius closed his book, setting it on the couch beside him before he stood, stretching slightly. "However, right now it is time for bed young Sir."

A small whine escaped the eight year old as he set down his pencil and stood. "I'm not even tired. I'm really not Siri."

"I am sure that once you lie down in your warm bed that will change." Sirius leaned down, hooking his hands under the boy's armpits and picking him up.

"I'm too big to be carried," Harry complained softly. Yet despite that complaint, the boy's head rested down on the man's shoulder.

Sirius hummed softly choosing not to comment on the boys words as he adjusted him in his arms and then began moving towards the staircase. He knew Harry well enough to know that all his little complaints and whines only proved how tired the child really was.

"It's not even that late," Harry pointed out as Sirius started up the staircase. "And I took a long nap today."

"How about you lie down and try to fall asleep and if you don't do so within thirty minutes we'll talk about it then?" Sirius looked down at the child in his arms, noting that he appeared to be struggling to keep his eyes open. The man stepped onto the second floor, his hand moving to rub the small back.

Harry nodded into the man's chest but otherwise remained silent as he attempted to fight off a yawn and failed miserably.

Sirius found himself swallowing a chuckle as he stepped into the boy's bedroom. Waving a hand, he caused the lights to come to a soft dim. "Do you need the loo?" Sirius questioned silently scolding himself for not asking the question while they were still in the hall.

"No," Harry yawned out softly. "I don't."

Sirius gave a soft hum as he leaned down, pulling back Harry's blankets and then carefully placing him in bed.

The child gave whine as he was placed down before rolling onto his stomach and tucking his hands under his pillow.

Sirius pulled the blankets up over Harry's shoulders, tucking them under his chin, before he sat down on the edge of his bed. His right hand rested on the small of the boy's back for a moment before he began gently brushing his fingertips against it.

"'M not tired," Harry whined softly despite his eyes already being closed.

"Hush," Sirius replied in a gentle tone. "Just calm down and relax." It suddenly dawned on him that he had never made the boy brush his teeth. He nearly forced Harry out of bed to do so but quickly decided against it. One night wouldn't hurt and the child was nearly asleep.

A long breath escaped the boy before he snuggled his face closer against his pillow. "Love you Siri."

"I love you very much," Sirius whispered, waving a hand and causing the room to darken completely. "Sleep well."

TBC...