Fic: Happy (Comfortember)

[csi_sanders1129]

Title: Happy
Chapters: 1/1
Author:csi_sanders1129
Genre: Family.
Ratings: K+
Word Count: 447
Pairings/Characters: Remus Lupin/Sirius Black, Harry Potter.
Synopsis: In which Remus and Sirius take Harry on a simple outing to the park.Comments: Written for Comfortember 2020, Prompt: Park. First try at Harry Potter fic. AU where Remus and escaped Sirius raise Harry instead of the Dursley's. Comments and kudos would be awesome. Enjoy!

Remus stares down at the squirmy three year old desperately trying to escape his arms. He can't blame the boy, he's been cooped up inside for weeks now with a stubborn, but thankfully mild, case of dragonpox, and he's clearly eager to let off some energy. Narrowly avoiding getting smacked in the face by a wayward limb, he sets the boy down on the lush grass.

"Stay close," Remus warns, though the warning is, perhaps, unnecessary. The big, black dog that had accompanied them on this outing to the park doesn't take his eyes off of Harry as he runs wildly around the open field; when Harry moves too far away for the dog's comfort, the dog gets up, runs to cut the boy off and herds him back toward Remus before once more lying down at Remus' side.

"He's getting so big," he says, very definitely not talking to the dog. "I still can't believe they actually let us have him."

The dog looks up at him and Remus knows exactly what the pointed stare means. Harry was not given to them, Harry was given to Remus. The wizarding world would take him away again if they knew a prisoner escaped from Azkaban and living as an illegal animagus was, by default, included in giving him to Remus.

"He looks just like James," Remus continues, "more and more every day."

The dog rests his head on Remus' knee, gives a little whine of agreement. They both miss James and Lily so terribly much.

"Padfoot!" Harry calls from nearby, giggling as he urges the big, black dog to join him in his adventuring.

"Go," Remus assures the dog, sneaking a little scratch behind the ears before Sirius can get out of range. The dog offers a mildly offended huff, but goes to chase after their boy. He watches as Sirius gently tackles Harry into the grass, bouncing around him while the boy shrieks with happy laughter. He smiles fondly at the two of them – times like these are his favorite.

Of course, he would prefer it if the boy's parents were still alive and happy and healthy, here watching their son grow, but in lieu of that… it could certainly be worse. Sirius could still be locked away in Azkaban, facing a lifetime of torment for a crime Remus knows he did not commit. Harry could be dead, or stuck with those horrible muggle relatives Dumbledore had tried to insist he go with. Voldemort could still be out there.

Instead, they have this careful little family thing. He and Sirius (who returns to human form when they're safe in their very warded home) and Harry – they're… happy.