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Dedication: I wrote this fic for MilyMB on AO3, who makes my day every time she reviews and I really have no other way to say thank you. She asked for a James and Sirius meet fic with lots of Potters and Blacks in it. I wanted to write a one-shot, but it grew (it happens a lot), and it's now a three-parter, possibly even a four or five-parter, that is to say, I have no clue how long this will be because I don't trust myself around the subject at all, and it definitely goes beyond them just meeting. So, MilyMB, I hope you like this, my version of a big thank you for your continued support!

Also also many thanks as always to Shayde123, for sharing her kids' baby pics and giving me invaluable pointers on the reality of toddlerhood!

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Bond of Blood

By DracoNunquamDormiens

One: Family Ties

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On the first of November, 1959, at three-fourteen in the afternoon, the Potters welcomed a miracle into their lives, one they had prayed for with all their might for years. They named him James, after Betty's own father and because they didn't want to curse him with Coop's own first name, and Copernillius, because Coop couldn't get away with it completely, because Betty likes the name. And they love him boundlessly and fiercely.

They look at him, and say, "He is perfect."

On the second of November, 1959, at three-fourteen in the morning, the Blacks welcomed their own son into the world, one they had done endless rituals and ceremonies to bring into being. They named him Sirius Orion Soren Pendragon, after the founder of their Most Ancient and Noble House, not because they like the name, but because of its significance. Orion Black looks at the tiny baby screaming in his wife's arms, sees the sparks of magic bursting around him and he knows, "He is perfect."

Walburga agrees.

Both couples know, deep down, that their child will change the world as they have known it.

The Potters, because he is their miracle, the culmination of years' of longing and wishing. He is special. To them, he cannot be anything else.

The Blacks, because he is the future of their ancient House, the result of careful preparation, the culmination of the best in magical engineering… the next Merlin, the future of the House of Black. He cannot be anything else.

.

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In the Potter household, life becomes hectic for the Potters and their four House Elves; James is a demanding child, but he is never fussy without a reason. Coop and Betty Potter lavish love and care on him, cherishing every instant of happiness he brings.

He is a bright child, and definitely magical— this becomes evident a few weeks after his birth, when instead of crying to be held, he summons Betty to his room. The Potters laugh and cry with joy, even if they'd have loved him every bit as fiercely if he had been a Squib.

In the House of Black, life is incredibly hectic for the elves tasked with looking after the Black Heir. Walburga is exceedingly demanding, orders for her child not to want for anything and frets about him constantly. His every moment in life is already mapped out as carefully as his birth was. Nothing is left to chance.

He is a bright child, wide-eyed and curious— Sirius never fusses, but he isn't given any reason to, either — and most importantly, he is very much magical. This was evidenced moments after his birth, when he floated out of his cot and found Walburga's arms. It was a relief for her— they would never suffer a Squib to soil their House.

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As the November frost gives way to the December festivities, both families ready themselves for a very important Yule: They will hold their sons' Naming Rites then, the ancient Baisteadh Geinntlidhe, the Rain of Protection.

Being cousins with the Blacks, the Potters are invited to the celebration. The invitation becomes impossible to decline; word has spread that the boys were born twelve hours apart, and Walburga's letter leaves them no choice but to attend the Black Heir's presentation, due to occur an hour before midnight, and followed by the Blacks' traditional Yule Feast. In response, they reluctatly invite the Blacks to James's Naming.

On the Yule, Coop and Betty Potter welcome friends and relatives in Godric's Hollow's ancient stone circle at eleven in the morning. Like thousands of Potters before him, he squalls throughout the ceremony, and when the Grand Druid showers him with the Rain of Protection and welcomes him into the Magical Community, his magic responds with a glowing burst of sparks that showers them all with light.

The entire village is invited for the lavish party in Godric's Hall, and little James is passed from arm to arm, blessed and kissed and showered with gifts and winter flowers, along with wishes for a happy life, filled with joy and wonder and good health. Despite having invited the entire family, the only Black to attend the event is Orion's younger brother, Alphard, who then accompanies the Potters to his own nephew's Naming.

The ceremony takes place at eleven at night, in the far grander stone circle of Stonehenge, and coincidentally, it is presided by the same Grand Druid who twelve hours earlier, cast the Rain of Protection on James.

James himself watches curiously from the depths of his blanket, safely ensconced in his father's arms, as the raven-haired baby is lifted into the old wizard's arms, giggling as the potion rains on him. There are no sparks; instead, lightning strikes all around the stone circle, and a sudden storm drenches everyone to the bone.

"That one's going to be a handful," Coop comments, laughing along with everyone else, an umbrella charm covering his wife and son. James giggles and coos his agreement.

Orion couldn't be prouder as he takes his son from the Druid's arms and holds him aloft for everyone to see.

The party, held in Blackheath, one of the Blacks' estates in nearby Somerset, lasts well into the night. Everyone wants to see the beautiful little boys, and Sirius, like James earlier that day, is passed around from arm to arm.

The blessings that reach the Potters' ears couldn't be more different from those bestowed on James earlier, however; they are blessings for strength, and might, and power for the House of Black, for a continuation of the bloodline and a wish for him to be a source of pride to his elders.

When he gets to the Potters, everyone lets out their "awwws" and "ooohs"; how couldn't they, both babies look adorable together. They could be brothers, is the public opinion. Sirius looks at them with wide, clear eyes, gurgling at them, Betty's finger grasped in his tiny fist, while she and Coop wish him a joyful life, full of happiness and laughter. They are the only ones to do so, but nobody thinks anything of it. They are all too endeared at the way James grasps onto Sirius and refuses to let go when it's time to pass him on to Alphard, and they laugh at the way both start crying when they're separated.

"They already seem to get along famously," Orion states to Coop a few hours later, watching their firstborns fast asleep in the same cot, curled up against each other.

"You ought to bring him by Godric's Hall," Coop agrees, smiling and clapping his cousin on the shoulder.

"And you can bring yours here," Orion replies genially. "Walburga doesn't want to take him to London yet, he is too young to be exposed to all that Muggle filth," he adds, and Coop's smile becomes rather fixed. Orion, of course, is too full of himself to notice. "Come, cousin, let us join the party. Alphard's elf won't let anything happen to either of them, and I don't want to wake them up."

The Potters leave a little later, after many polite assurances that they will visit the Blacks again soon.

They don't see them again for eight months.

.

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"It's just for a few hours," Coop assures Betty. It's a cold September afternoon, and he is bouncing James up and down on his knee, to the small boy's delight. "We have been avoiding them for months, and Walburga— you know how she gets when she doesn't get her way."

"Yes, honey, but…" Betty gives Coop a pleading look, lowers her voice. "They're a terrible influence for our Jamie."

"Dada! Higher!" James squeals just then, and they both laugh.

"It might do him some good to be around someone his own age," Coop offers after a thoughtful moment. "Sirius is his cousin, and we haven't seen him since the Naming."

"I'm not sure I want Jamie around him," Betty admits, now tugging a dishcloth from his chubby hands before it finds its way into his mouth. Everything seems to, lately. "I fear he'll become another Orion."

"They're not even one year old," Coop counters, but he sounds apologetic. "And they are family. I can't keep saying James is teething—" he turns to look at James, who is grinning at him, shows him his four front teeth, and they both laugh again. "Or that he's ill. I've run out of excuses, and… it's just for a couple of hours. I told Walburga we're expected at Bathilda's for a luncheon with her grandchildren."

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When they arrive at Blackheath Manor, they are greeted by a small child's loud laughter and the sounds of utter chaos from somewhere out of sight.

"Oh, oh, I'll be right down," Walburga Black calls from the top of the stairs, and she is either under the influence of a potion or overjoyed to see them.

That's a first, thinks Coop, but he hands the goblin butler their travelling cloaks regardless of his sudden misgivings. Walburga's lithe form tipetty-taps down a moment later and greets them effusively.

"Someone's happy," Betty murmurs into Coop's ear, under the pretence of taking James from him so he can hug his cousin. Coop gives Walburga a smile and a kiss on each cheek. She is usually arrogant and snobbish, not at all given to emotional displays, so he has to agree with his wife.

"Oh, and you brought James!" Walburga exclaims, as if she's just remembering what they're here for at all. "He's such a little darling," she adds, regarding him as though looking at a favourite pet. "Our Sirius will love playing with him."

"Yes," Coop replies uncertainly, acutely aware that the laughing has stopped… and that it came from somewhere nearby. "Where is the little terror?"

"Terror is right," Walburga laughs good-naturedly. It's a fair indication that not everything is quite alright there. "He is with his elf, in the play room. Come with me," she adds, adjusting her hair and leading the way to what looks like anyone's dream playroom. It is a very strange sight; the Blacks are possibly the Darkest wizards in creation, and yet the room they are led to is filled with light, plush toys and building blocks and every baby toy or game the Wizarding World has created.

"He keeps turning everything different colours," Walburga explains proudly. "We let him."

In the middle of the room, an elf is giggling with the chubby scion of the Blacks. Little Sirius is only wearing a nappy, grabbing onto the armrest of a squashy sofa to hold himself up, while the elf tries to get him dressed.

"Aww," Betty goes, and Coop bites back a smile. She's already endeared, and to be fair, it's hard not to be. Sirius is a beautiful child, with the most startling clear grey eyes he's ever seen. "He is adorable, Walburga."

"He is that," his cousin agrees with undisguised pride. "I swear, I could look at him all day!"

"Come, Master Sirius," the elf says pleadingly, but she's laughing. "Let Ellie have your hand so Ellie can dress you."

"Shan't!" Sirius squeaks with delight, stomping a tiny foot on the carpet and giving the world a grin as toothy as the one James usually graces them with. "Shan't!"

James squeaks and tries to wrestle out of Betty's arms, motioning towards Sirius.

"Ellie, do get him dressed, he's got visitors!" Walburga calls gleefully. "He can't run around the place half naked!"

"Why don't we give Ellie a hand," Betty offers, barely holding on to James, who seems to think skydiving off his mother's arms is absolutely necessary now. "Maybe Sirius will be more inclined to get dressed when he sees him."

"Fine, fine, go ahead," Walburga's voice is quite musical today. It's nice. Odd, but nice. "I will see to our refreshments— you can leave your boy with Ellie, she's actually quite capable, usually." The elf gives Walburga an apologetic look. "But, it's understandable — our Sirius is quite the handful, and…"

Coop doesn't hear what else his retreating cousin has to say over the sudden shrill laughter issuing from her son's mouth: he's spotted them. And clearly, there's nothing wrong with his lungs at all.

"Atta!" Sirius squeaks, chubby legs working unsteadily to approach them, four teeth shining at them like a rabbit's when he reaches the edge of the sofa. An instant later, he's crawling towards them, his bright eyes fixed curiously on each of them as they settle on the softest plush carpet and put James down.

"Gubby gubby bubby!" squeaks James, prods Sirius's face with undisguised curiosity. Sirius flops down in front of him, regards James with wide eyes.

"Yiiiiik!" Sirius squeaks back after a moment's consideration, and they both giggle, fingers already exploring each other's mouths. A moment later, they're both sharing a plush rabbit that keeps trying to hop away from them and keeps them squeaking delightedly.

"Take some pictures, honey," Betty prompts, enthralled. "They look so cute together." Coop wishes they had brought the camera.

Ellie the elf takes her chance and deftly sticks Sirius in the tiniest dress robes in creation before her charge can wriggle away.

"Shan't!" Sirius says, giggling. "Shan't, Ellie! Shan't."

"Little Master has a new word," Ellie says, smiling fondly. "Ellie thinks he doesn't know what it means. He asking for his elevenses."

"Phhhhbbbt!" James blows a raspberry, and Sirius stops short, stares at him in amazement, and in a blinking, Ellie has him all dressed up and ready. James blows another raspberry. Sirius blows a spit bubble, and now it's James's turn to stare.

"Oh Gods, here we go," Coop chortles, as they both start spraying everything with slobber, in an attempt to mimic each other's tricks.

"Ellie can give them their elevenses," Walburga says from the doorway, in a slightly more sober tone. "Come, tea is served."

"Mama!" Sirius shrieks with delight, his chubby fist clutched around the ear of his plush rabbit. A wave of magic leaves him, and suddenly Coop feels… happy. Happier and more gleeful than he's ever felt, and he's not the only one. All around there's laughter, and he understands Walburga's strange behaviour all of a sudden.

"He is certainly contagious," says Betty, smiling widely. By Sirius's side, James is the only one who hasn't shown any change— but he was already excited to begin with. And suddenly they've both forgotten all about the adults and are making their way towards the sofa and a pile of magical plush toys that caught their interest.

"Oh, you have no idea," Walburga giggles. "The happiest little lad you've ever seen, driving everyone to distraction with a smile on his face. I told you they'd get on," she adds to Coop and Betty when they reluctantly get up and follow her out of the brightly-lit parlour. "I do hope we'll get him to stop it with the Cheering Charms, my face is hurting from smiling all day," she adds, leading them to another parlour, which, while elegantly-furnished and sunlit, feels almost oppressing in comparison to the one they just left.

"So, how is motherhood treating you, dear Walburga?" asks Betty, once they are comfortably settled, waited on by a handful of goblins in the traditional Black liveries.

"We are exceedingly happy, of course," she answers primly, lapsing back to her usual haughty self and delicately taking a sip from her cup. "Sirius is exactly what we wished for; smart as paint, and all but exuding magic. He is a little difficult at times, as you have seen, but we have procured the best elves to look after him." She regards them both curiously. "I noticed you did not bring any of your own."

"Oh, no," Coop says. "We usually look after him ourselves. The elves help, certainly, but…"

"Maybe you haven't found the right ones," Walburga interrupts primly. "I swear to you, I would go quite doolally if I had to look after Sirius all day. I'll recommend our trader, he has elves for every occasion, Euphemia," she adds confidently. "I must say, you do look a bit tired, and at your age, it must be exhausting to have to look after a small child."

"I don't—" Betty starts, clearly stung, but she doesn't get to finish.

"It's all right," Walburga reassures her, "I had to snatch Ellie from Alphard, can you imagine? Well, her name was something else, I forget— Sirius calls her Ellie, so we all do. Turned out to be the perfect nursery elf, she's completely wasted on that old bachelor! But Sirius loves her, and most of the time she even gets him to behave."

"He's rather too young to behave, don't you think?" Betty asks, still affronted but not letting it show. Walburga doesn't even notice. "At this age?"

"Well, yes, of course," is the answer, "but we have so many social obligations, and everyone wants to see him, so we keep having to bring him along. He has everyone besotted, even Great-Aunt Elladora."

"That's a feat," Coop comments delicately. He and Betty have avoided Great-Aunt Elladora successfully for years now, and along with her, they have been avoiding all Blacks as a collective. Alphard is the only one they both can bear to be around for any extended period of time.

"He doesn't like her much," Walburga replies, scrunching up her nose with distaste. "Just the other day, he spat up on her."

"Give it time, Walburga," Betty says encouragingly. "He'll grow out of it soon, and then you'll miss his antic—"

Loud wailing cuts her short, and the next moment, Coop and Betty are racing each other towards its source, while Walburga's, "Just let the elves handle it!" follows them across the house.

When he skids to a halt, Coop takes in the scene: Ellie is climbing up a ladder, James is on the carpet, half out of his robes and bawling his eyes out, screaming, "UP! UP!" and gesturing for Sirius… who is sitting on top of a dresser, staring at him and looking quite perplexed.

"You want to go join him?" Coop asks, and the wailing stops abruptly.

"Dada! Up!" James hiccoughs, already pulling himself up on Coop's robes. "Up! Dada!"

"And you're quite the little climber, aren't you?" Betty asks Sirius fondly, picking him up from the dresser, but Sirius's expression changes at once, suddenly anxious. He stiffens, tries to push her away, whining. "Shh, shh, it's alright," she says reassuringly, bouncing him up and down gently. Coop doesn't miss the surprised look Sirius is giving her, and he feels a pang. For all her gushing, he hasn't seen Walburga even approach, never mind hold her son— Blacks don't commonly do that sort of thing, do they.

Sirius seems to quite like it in Betty's arms, though, because he gets comfortable incredibly quickly.

"Taffy!" he exclaims excitedly, then blows a raspberry. Betty smiles at him, and he smiles back, his tiny fingers clutching her robes.

"Ellie was trying to get him," the elf assures them nervously. The ladder has been put away, and she is wringing her ears. "Little Master likes to climb. And fly. Ellie needs a bigger ladder."

"It's quite alright, we've got him," Betty assures her, Sirius in her arms while Coop sits James on the dresser, much to his delight, and sticks him back in his clothes.

"Now you're up," Coop tells his son, who is all laughs again, "is it everything you expected?"

"Up," Sirius points out, and James squeaks happily.

Five minutes later, the excitement reaches an abrupt end. James is nestled against Coop, and Sirius lets out a tiny yawn and curls up against Betty's neck.

"We should have another," Betty tells him, and Coop laughs.

"I was thinking the same thing," he says. "Wouldn't it be grand?"

"Here you are," Walburga says from the doorway. "Don't you look precious? You could just leave Ellie to it— Ellie, get Dilly and Nilly, and put the boys down for their naps. Come, you two, the tea is getting cold."

Coop exchanges a look with Betty, and they both reluctantly surrender the boys to a pair of elves, who carefully settle them in an over-sized cot, after carefully prying a clinging Sirius from Betty. She doesn't even bother hiding the fact that she doesn't want to let go of him at all.

"Here," Walburga tells them, handing Betty a gilded card. "Schonemeyer's Elf Service, they're the best suppliers of nursery elves in the country. I don't know what I would do without them," she sniffles, and it's evident that the Cheering Charm has worn off completely by now. "That way, you won't have to keep scouring your robes," she adds to them both, gesturing elegantly at them. Coop and Betty look at each other, in a silent agreement to cut this visit short, after all.

Then they scour their robes from the baby drool all over both their fronts, nibble on their biscuits, and make polite smalltalk with Walburga for over an hour.

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"Can you believe the nerve of her?" Betty asks furiously, the instant they step out onto the Blacks' manicured garden path to apparate back home. "I'm sure she—"

Pop-Pop

Suddenly they're standing in their own front drive.

"— never even holds her own child, and she dares to tell us how to raise ours?!" Betty tosses the crumpled-up card into the bushes, James fast asleep in her arms, still covered in dirt from when he and Sirius discovered how much fun could be had with house plants earlier. "Gah, I sometimes want to throttle her with her precious pearls."

"That makes two of us," Coop agrees with her, but rather than angry, he's feeling sorry for the little boy they both had the hardest time leaving behind. Sirius had screamed and wailed for them, straining towards Betty from his elf's arms, and James had joined in, straining for Sirius every bit as adamantly.

"And telling us to move out so Jamie won't be exposed to those dirty Muggles!" Betty hisses disapprovingly, as she gently coaxes James awake and gets him ready for his bath, while Coop makes sure the temperature is just right and takes him from her.

"It's unfair," she mutters a little later, while they're watching James happily splashing around in the tub amid multi-coloured bubbles. "I feel terribly sorry for that lovely little boy. Some people just shouldn't be parents, honey."

The following week, Walburga's owl drops off a scroll inviting them over for a visit. They stare at the letter for hours, before Betty throws it into the fire with a heavy heart.

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The next time they see Sirius is in November, for James's first birthday.

"Walburga excuses herself," Alphard says, a bright-eyed Sirius curiously peeking out of a pram, Ellie the elf in tow. "She has been suffering from these terrible headaches… But Orion threatened to come by later."

"Let's hope he forgets," Betty states, smiling widely as she looks at Sirius. "Hello, Sirius! My, how you've grown!"

"Atta!" Sirius exclaims, both arms out and groping the air for her.

"He remembers you," Alphard chuckles. "I swear, he's the brightest child I've seen."

"That's because you haven't seen our Jamie," Coop states proudly. "Come on in, and don't mind our jungle— he's been obsessed with plants this past week."

They lead a laughing Alphard through their house and to the family room, which is still sprouting flowers from the banisters, acorns from the staircase, and has a vine curled around the chandelier.

"EEEEK!" James squeals when he sees Sirius, and an answering squeal tells Coop that Sirius remembers James, too.

The party is a whirlwind of children's laughter — the Potters have invited everyone they know, no matter how old their children, and they enjoy the chaos that only a troupe of excited little wizards and witches can bring to a home (especially if their last name is Prewett, and all five of them are here). All day, it's pure insanity, but what they enjoy best is watching James playing with the other toddlers.

"Yams!" Sirius squeaks, walking unsteadily towards one of the bay windows, and James stumbles after him, to watch the older children playing in the garden. They're full of an innocent sort of wonder — and mischief, Coop realises, when the window vanishes and suddenly the babies are all trying to pile out into the frost-bitten lawn.

"Is it bad if I want to keep him?" Betty asks Coop a little later, a sleeping Sirius clinging to her. All day, she has refused to let his elf look after him, and nobody missed how her heart melted when he called her "Etty."

"He's not a puppy," Coop chortles, a sleeping James ("Yams", according to Sirius) in his arms. "But no— it's not bad. I'd love to keep him, too."

"You'd have to queue for him," Alphard cuts in, making them laugh. "I'm afraid I have a better claim than either of you greedy monkeys."

"Better you th—"

"I am sorry I am late," a deep voice says from the door, before Coop can finish the sentence. He turns to look at Orion, whom Dinky and Hinky have just bowed in.

"You missed the cake," Betty tells him, all politeness, but the cheerful mood has evaporated. "The children had so much fun."

"Yes, I was held up. Let me take him off you," Orion replies and unceremoniously lifts a startled Sirius off Betty's arms. "Come now, son, we're going home," he adds, shaking his head when Sirius just clings to Betty's robes in confusion, which morphs into a sort of alarm when he realises who is there.

"No, Papa," Sirius wails, gripping Betty. "No, Papa, no! Etty! Etty!"

"You'll see her in the morning," Orion mutters, "Have you forgotten? We're having your party, and you'll see them all tomorrow."

"Etty!" Sirius is bawling now, and of course his cries have woken James up, who doesn't quite know what's going on, but adds his own tears and voice to the mix.

"Come now, stop that," Orion gives Sirius a small shake and a stern glare, effectively scaring both boys into a shocked sort of silence before anyone can calm either down. "Sorry about him, he's insufferable sometimes."

He's not the one who is insufferable, Coop thinks, but bites his tongue.

"He's been very good," Coop assures Orion instead, his arms wrapped protectively around James, who is hiding his tear-stained face in his neck. "He's a good little lad."

"Are you certain it's my boy you're talking about? He's a little rascal," Orion says, but a small smirk escapes him regardless. "I should have known he'd be a handful, all great wizards are. No matter. Walburga sends her excuses, but she looks forward to seeing you tomorrow."

"We'll be there," Betty replies, but it's not Orion she's speaking to, but Sirius, who blinks at her through silently falling tears. She even goes as far as to give him a kiss, but then she has to gently pry him off her again.

"Say goodbye now, Sirius," Orion instructs, but even he has lost the harsh tone and sounds almost gentle. "You'll see them all tomorrow."

"Baba," Sirius mumbles miserably, then turns and buries his face in Orion's shoulder.

.

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"I don't want to see them ever again," Betty mutters the following evening, as they're putting an exhausted James to bed, still tangled in the shining green streamers he had been playing with upon leaving Sirius's birthday party.

Coop cannot bring himself to argue; unlike James, who had the time of his life riding the Shetland pony and taking part in the many entertainments at Sirius's party, they didn't have a good day of it at all, but he knows it's not the mind-numbing smalltalk, the offending comments, or even the dull protocol surrounding the Blacks what makes Betty so frustrated.

It's that the Black kids— all of them, older than Sirius by at least three years — kept trying to teach him to say Mudblood, and everyone thought it amusing. It's that they applauded him when he managed to say it for the first time. It's that one of the games was Pin the Stake on the Muggle, that Sirius wasn't allowed to play with his new toys, but had to sit quietly on his high chair and say "thank you" to every guest instead. It's that she can't bear to see them ruin the little boy who clung to her again and wept and cried with real anguish when they pried him from her, yet again. It's that she can't bear to watch the Blacks turn him into another heartless, mindless petty tyrant like themselves.

Coop, in all honesty, cannot bear it either.

So they vanish the tangle of streamers around James, kiss him goodnight, and decide to forget about Sirius Black as best they can.

.

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TBC, please tell me what you think of it so far. Personally, I found writing baby Sirius and James incredibly hard. Originally, I was going to attempt the "terrible twos", but I couldn't, because I just want to cuddle them instead (and possibly abscond with Sirius as well). So, feedback greatly appreciated!