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Babysitting [Harry Potter]
Title: Babysitting
Fandom: Harry Potter
Summary: Sirius babysits Teddy. AU where Sirius is alive.
Characters/Pairings: Sirius, Harry, Remus/Tonks implied
Rating/Warnings: PG-13
Word Count: 747
Babysitting
Maximilien cocked his tawny head to examine Teddy with an intelligent black eye. Teddy examined the owl right back, face wriggling into a mask of concentration until his smooth head of peach hair reformed into a spiky, feathery brown, complete with feathered horns.
"You," arms scooped him up from behind, "are too young for horns. Your dad'll think I'm a bad influence." Sirius threw Teddy over one shoulder and the unnaturally quiet child continued in his unnatural silence as he was carried, baggage-like, into Sirius's garden. They sat on the patio in the pale spring sunlight.
Sirius tore his way into an orange, splitting it with Teddy, who smiled up at him and let his hair lengthen and darken into what was clearly a reflection of Sirius, including his need of a haircut.
"You trying to tell me something?" Sirius muttered to Teddy just as a knock resounded on his back gate. Harry Potter didn't wait for a response before starting into the garden. His green eyes were hidden by the glare of sunlight on small, round lenses.
"'Arry!" Teddy squealed.
"Teddy!" Harry grinned, "You look like someone. Can't think who, off the top of my head."
"Wanker," Sirius groaned, standing to welcome his godson to his small country home.
"There's children present," Harry raised an eyebrow.
"'S right. Teddy! Can you say 'wanker'?"
"'Anker!"
"You really oughtn't be let near children."
"Aww, I dunno, you turned out alright."
It was one of those things they didn't say. Whatever influence Sirius was to Teddy now, he had been the same influence on Harry. There was no reason they never spoke of it except that losing that Sirius, that jaunty uncle figure, seemed to have left a raw spot with Harry. Sirius guessed that Harry was, at times, rather jealous that Sirius's newest godson got more of his attention at this age than he'd ever been allowed his first godson. It could not be easy for Harry, but that was neither here nor there. They didn't tread that ground. It was best left alone.
Sirius solved the problem the way he solved most problems. He turned into Padfoot. Teddy squealed in delight and immediately tried to get his two-year-old self squished by a giant black dog. Padfoot jumped up and danced through the grass. Teddy Lupin gave chase, and Harry called over the noise to say, "I am to invite you to the Weasleys. It's Mr. Weasley's birthday and they're having a big dinner. I'm coming, but you don't have to."
Sirius didn't give any indication that he'd heard; Teddy, hair its normal soft length again though still black, had his full attention.
"I know you and Mrs. Weasley don't always get along," Harry answered the silence, sounding exasperated.
Sirius spared a thought for how unfair it was of Harry to wait until he was a dog to start this conversation. Sort of meant it was one-sided. Sirius might have changed back to argue, but Harry had also waited for Teddy to become engrossed in Padfoot. Sirius didn't want to argue in front of the tyke anyway, though he knew he wouldn't be able to hold back if Harry pressed the issue.
Harry, though, did not press, and once Teddy began to get fussy, Sirius carried him inside for a nap, emerging with two bottles of butterbeer and his verdict. "I'll go."
He could only hope that Harry's answering smile would be enough to offset anything else.
***
They arrived by floo into the Weasley's warm kitchen, which was already more than packed with people. They were greeted by too many hellos to answer properly, and no one was waiting for a reply anyway, save Remus who had floo'd straight there and was watching the way Sirius clung to his son's ankles with a strange expression on his face. "What are you doing to him, Pads?"
Sirius swung Teddy a bit and the small boy giggled delightedly. "Seems he prefers to travel upside-down a bit. Better question is what you did to him to make such an oddly child." Teddy began making faces at his father, hair brushing the Weasley's floor.
"You floo'd with him like that?"
"Wouldn't come another way," Sirius smiled, effortlessly swinging Teddy upright and settling the little boy on a hip. "You want to tell Daddy what I taught you today, Theodore?"
Teddy giggled. "'Arry's a 'anker!"
"Right, I didn't mean that bit, but that's all right then," Sirius grinned sheepishly back at Moony, whose mouth was hanging open.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Summary: Sirius babysits Teddy. AU where Sirius is alive.
Characters/Pairings: Sirius, Harry, Remus/Tonks implied
Rating/Warnings: PG-13
Word Count: 747
Babysitting
Maximilien cocked his tawny head to examine Teddy with an intelligent black eye. Teddy examined the owl right back, face wriggling into a mask of concentration until his smooth head of peach hair reformed into a spiky, feathery brown, complete with feathered horns.
"You," arms scooped him up from behind, "are too young for horns. Your dad'll think I'm a bad influence." Sirius threw Teddy over one shoulder and the unnaturally quiet child continued in his unnatural silence as he was carried, baggage-like, into Sirius's garden. They sat on the patio in the pale spring sunlight.
Sirius tore his way into an orange, splitting it with Teddy, who smiled up at him and let his hair lengthen and darken into what was clearly a reflection of Sirius, including his need of a haircut.
"You trying to tell me something?" Sirius muttered to Teddy just as a knock resounded on his back gate. Harry Potter didn't wait for a response before starting into the garden. His green eyes were hidden by the glare of sunlight on small, round lenses.
"'Arry!" Teddy squealed.
"Teddy!" Harry grinned, "You look like someone. Can't think who, off the top of my head."
"Wanker," Sirius groaned, standing to welcome his godson to his small country home.
"There's children present," Harry raised an eyebrow.
"'S right. Teddy! Can you say 'wanker'?"
"'Anker!"
"You really oughtn't be let near children."
"Aww, I dunno, you turned out alright."
It was one of those things they didn't say. Whatever influence Sirius was to Teddy now, he had been the same influence on Harry. There was no reason they never spoke of it except that losing that Sirius, that jaunty uncle figure, seemed to have left a raw spot with Harry. Sirius guessed that Harry was, at times, rather jealous that Sirius's newest godson got more of his attention at this age than he'd ever been allowed his first godson. It could not be easy for Harry, but that was neither here nor there. They didn't tread that ground. It was best left alone.
Sirius solved the problem the way he solved most problems. He turned into Padfoot. Teddy squealed in delight and immediately tried to get his two-year-old self squished by a giant black dog. Padfoot jumped up and danced through the grass. Teddy Lupin gave chase, and Harry called over the noise to say, "I am to invite you to the Weasleys. It's Mr. Weasley's birthday and they're having a big dinner. I'm coming, but you don't have to."
Sirius didn't give any indication that he'd heard; Teddy, hair its normal soft length again though still black, had his full attention.
"I know you and Mrs. Weasley don't always get along," Harry answered the silence, sounding exasperated.
Sirius spared a thought for how unfair it was of Harry to wait until he was a dog to start this conversation. Sort of meant it was one-sided. Sirius might have changed back to argue, but Harry had also waited for Teddy to become engrossed in Padfoot. Sirius didn't want to argue in front of the tyke anyway, though he knew he wouldn't be able to hold back if Harry pressed the issue.
Harry, though, did not press, and once Teddy began to get fussy, Sirius carried him inside for a nap, emerging with two bottles of butterbeer and his verdict. "I'll go."
He could only hope that Harry's answering smile would be enough to offset anything else.
***
They arrived by floo into the Weasley's warm kitchen, which was already more than packed with people. They were greeted by too many hellos to answer properly, and no one was waiting for a reply anyway, save Remus who had floo'd straight there and was watching the way Sirius clung to his son's ankles with a strange expression on his face. "What are you doing to him, Pads?"
Sirius swung Teddy a bit and the small boy giggled delightedly. "Seems he prefers to travel upside-down a bit. Better question is what you did to him to make such an oddly child." Teddy began making faces at his father, hair brushing the Weasley's floor.
"You floo'd with him like that?"
"Wouldn't come another way," Sirius smiled, effortlessly swinging Teddy upright and settling the little boy on a hip. "You want to tell Daddy what I taught you today, Theodore?"
Teddy giggled. "'Arry's a 'anker!"
"Right, I didn't mean that bit, but that's all right then," Sirius grinned sheepishly back at Moony, whose mouth was hanging open.