Written for Assignment 10 - Etiquette - Task 3 - Write about someone being given bad news.

Anything For You

Where Sirius and Remus can't say no to Teddy.

"Pops! He's dead!"

Sirius almost falls out of the bed at Teddy's scream that seems to echo throughout the whole house. In his dazed and tired state, he can't quite grasp what is happening.

He runs through the house, not caring that he's just in his boxers. "Who?" he shouts, assuming the worse. He can't hear Remus' voice, he can't seem to find Remus. "Remus?"

He finds Teddy sobbing against Remus' pyjama top in the kitchen. He looks around wildly, before his gaze moves to the fishbowl on the counter where the fish they bought three years ago is dead.

"The fish?" Sirius asks, aghast. "You're screaming because of the fish?"

Remus shoots Sirius the look that usually means that Sirius is doing something wrong. Sirius pauses and considers the situation. Teddy's fish is dead and Teddy is upset and that's what he should focus on. Not that it's just a silly little fish - Teddy is hurting.

"It's alright sweetheart," Sirius murmurs, coming closer and dropping to his knees, wrapping his arms around Teddy. "Is this the time to talk about heaven and stuff?"

Remus chuckles softly. "Maybe later," he murmurs. "We should look for a little box though."

"Whatever for?"

"So we can bury him," Remus whispers as Teddy clings harder to Sirius.

"But don't we flush…" he trails off - there's that look from Remus again. "A little box, got it. Teddy - how about we decorate it in a way that Bubbles would have liked?"

"I have stickers," Teddy comments, sniffing and wiping his nose on the tissues in his hand. "Bubbles would like them. Some of them are fish."

"I think Bubbles would have loved that," Sirius agrees. "Now, how about we let Dad continue…" Remus gestures silently to the box of coco-pops, "...making breakfast, whilst we get the box and stickers ready. After breakfast we'll say goodbye to Bubbles and tell him how he was the best fish."

"The best ever in the world," Teddy whispers.

"The king of all fish," Sirius adds.

Teddy manages a watery smile. "I'll get my stickers," he says, running from the room. "Also Pops, you have funny pants."

"How did I do?" Sirius asks, turning back to Remus.

"Pretty good," Remus replies with a smile. "If we can't find a box, I have some old Christmas cards in the drawer and can make one up."

"I think we should make one. It might cheer Teddy up if the box is a Christmas box."

Remus nods and glances down at Sirius' boxers.

"Hey hey, now isn't the time for that," Sirius murmurs with a smirk. "My eyes are up here."

~x~

Remus has outlined a corner of the garden. He's moved the decorative garden stones to form a large square, and at the corner of that square, is a small but deep hole.

Teddy clutches the small Christmas Card box that has 3d stickers attached to it, along with a yellow bow tied around it. Bubbles is scribbled across the side in wonky letters.

"Today we say goodbye to the most amazing fish in the world, Bubbles," Remus begins. "Would anyone like to say a few words?"

Sirius takes the box and kneels down, placing it into the hole. He uses the small trowel to push the dirt into place, and Remus swishes his wand to cast a spell to ensure other animals don't dig it up.

"Bubbles was super good at swimming around," Teddy says. "He also liked his castle and the treasure in the bottom of his bowl."

Remus nods. "We will miss you, King Bubbles."

The men wait with Teddy until he's ready to go inside.

~x~

"Come on, Zeus, jump through the hoop." Teddy holds the large hoop against the ground and waves a carrot on the other side.

The rabbit - or Zeus, Sirius assumes - ignores it, choosing instead to nibble grass as his nose twitches. His ears shift as Remus comes over with a little bowl of water.

Sirius stares at the scene. Remus had broached the subject of replacing Bubbles, but Sirius had been under the impression that they were getting another fish. A rabbit was hard work - not that Sirius knew that, but animals in general were effort. It had been annoying cleaning out a dirty fish bowl and now they'd have to clean out the rabbit's run and the hutch.

"Remus?"

Remus glances up at Sirius. "You're back. Come and meet the newest edition to the family, Zeus."

"Zeus is the best rabbit in the world," Teddy insists. "I'm teaching him to do tricks." He moves the hoop closer so it's almost touching Zeus, and waves the carrot again.

Zeus notices it this time and he steps over the edge of the hoop and bites into the carrot.

"He did it!" Teddy screams excitedly. "Dad, Pops, did you see? He jumped through the hoop." He let's go of the hoop in his excitement, but Remus is quick to catch it.

"I saw. Great job teaching him," Sirius says. "Remus. A word?"

Remus nods. "I think Zeus needs a nap," he says. "Teddy, I'll put him in his hutch for a while." He walks to the hutch that's by the back door and puts the rabbit in, twisting the lock. Zeus is nonplussed, nibbling on his carrot.

Teddy rushes over to the swing and Sirius looks between them.

"Getting a rabbit is a big deal," he says. "We should have agreed on this."

Remus nods. "I'm a hundred percent with you on that. Perhaps you want to be the one to tell Harry it though. He heard about Bubbles and stopped over, bloody rabbit in hand, going on about how all he ever wanted as a child was his own pet. I didn't have the heart to turn him away. Now we're stuck with the rabbit because Teddy saw it and he's so happy."

Sirius sighs. "He's already attached," he mutters. "We're stuck with it, aren't we?"

Remus nods. "Unfortunately. But Teddy hasn't smiled like this all week. He loves the little ball of fluff, so maybe it's good that Harry took the initiative?"

Sirius silently disagrees. If they were getting something that needed more care, he'd rather have a dog. But they're stuck with this rabbit. Well, at least it brings a smile to Teddy's face again.

"The things we do for Teddy."

"So, Teddy, tell me about Zeus," Sirius calls.

Teddy gets off the swing, rushing back over and Sirius marvels at the boy's energy.

"Dad said we'd have to talk to you about keeping him. Can we, Pops? Can we? Please?"

Sirius glances at Remus who just shrugs his shoulders. He clearly doesn't want the rabbit, but doesn't want Teddy to be hurt at losing a second pet. Sirius doesn't want Teddy to be hurt either.

"Anything for you, sweetheart," Sirius tells him, wrapping an arm around Remus' waist.

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