Disclaimer: Not Mine

The stars shone brightly in the night sky, and one light blazed in the windows of a little seaside cottage. Inside, the boy giggled as his godfather held him aloft, pretending to fly him through the air as he walked to the boy to his bed. Soon, the boy was under the covers, tucked in tightly, and kissed thoroughly. He snuggled down, closing his eyes.

"Tell me a story."

"Which story would you like to hear?"

"Tell me about the way you became Marauders."

"I met your dad on the Hogwarts Express our very first day of school. I was in a compartment all alone, feeling very sad because I didn't want to leave my brother, and your dad came in and asked if he could sit with me. I liked him right away. He was wearing his pants on his head."

A giggle. "He's silly!"

"Yes, very. And the Snivellus came in."

"Boo!"

"That's right, boo! But he had your mother with him."

"Yay!"

"She was the most beautiful girl I ever saw, and when she left, your dad said he was going to marry her someday. And I said if he ever married her, I'd eat an entire venemous tentacula."

"And then he did! He did marry her! And you had to eat a venomous tentacula!"

"You're getting ahead of the story."

"Tell me how he married her!"

"Well, it got time to leave Hogwarts, and someone told him he should get married. So he sent a patronus to Susan that said, 'Susan, will you marry me?' But Susan sent one back that said she had to wash her hair. So then he sent a patronus to Elaine that said, 'Elaine, will you marry me?' But Elaine sent one back that said she had to be at her mother's. So he sent a patronus to Lily that said, 'Lily, will you marry me?' and she sent one back that said, 'I'd love to! Who is this?'"

Another giggle. "That's not true!"

"It is! On my honor as a Marauder!"

The boy gave his godfather a wry look. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"And if I ask Daddy, he'll say so, too?"

"He certainly will."

"Tell me another story."

"I just told you two! Aren't you tired yet?"

A shake of the head.

"Which story do you want to hear now?"

"Tell me Babbity Rabbity."

"Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away, there lived a wicked king, who wanted to keep all the magic in the world for himself..."

He finished the tale in a whisper, not wanting to wake his godson, who was finally sleeping. He kissed the scar atop the boy's head and flipped off the light.

"Goodnight, Sirius," came the tiny voice of his godson.

Sirius smiled and pulled the door until it was open just a crack. He'd leave the bathroom light on. "Good night, Harry. Sweet dreams."