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Black Manor had always been a large, foreboding house to Sirius Black. When he was younger, it had been a rare occurrence that they would visit the home of Arcturus and Melania Black. His mother had preferred to hold court at Grimmauld Place. Black Manor resided in Somerset, nestled along the coast and hidden behind some of England’s highest cliffs. It was an isolated home, dark and ominous. At least, that was how Sirius used to view the manor.
After a harrowing escape from death at the hands of his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius realized just how much trouble his brazen lack of thought continued to get him into. He stood vigil over the injured when the battle was over, barely leaving the side of the little witch that had saved his life not once but twice now. He didn’t know how she had done it, but he did know that she had been cursed by Dolohov in the process. It was his turn to protect her now.
Through the rest of the war, Sirius was a constant presence in Harry and Hermione’s life. Long gone was the brash, impulsive man. He had a family, a pup to protect and he wasn’t about to leave him behind again. Being a steadfast presence in the young man’s life had the animagus spending more and more time with the witch that Harry considered a long-lost sister.
When the war was over and Voldemort defeated, Sirius was the first to notice that something inside the little witch had been irrevocably broken. The broken look in her eyes, when she learned of her parent’s demise, would haunt him until the day his soul left the earth. Sirius and Remus knew more than most the pain and grief of losing your family, Harry knew what it was like to be an orphan. They had tried their best to help her work through her grief but it was no surprise to anyone that she had vanished with nothing left behind but a note.
It was another three years before the Black heir laid eyes on the Golden Girl again. It was Harry’s birthday and they were celebrating at Grimmauld. The boy who lived had convinced Draco Malfoy to join them, making it their first official appearance together out of hiding. Sirius just knew that somehow Hermione had known that Harry needed her support and that’s why she had chosen that exact night to return to England, to return home.
“Well, well,” Sirius chuckled, a playful smirk on his face as he approached the witch who was smiling radiantly at her friends. “Look who we have here Moony.”
“Hello Sirius,” Hermione stated softly, turning her soulful brown eyes towards his. It was the first time in nearly twenty that he could remember someone’s eyes ever showing so much emotion. The last pair of eyes that had looked at him like that were now shared with the son she had bore.
“It’s good to see you, Hermione,” Remus spoke softly, hugging her tight. “Your letters were but a salve on a wound. Seeing you here again mends this old werewolf’s heart.”
“I didn’t get any letters,” Sirius pointed out.
“That’s because you are a terrible conversationalist while Remus can hold his own,” Hermione smirked, causing both Remus and Sirius to laugh joyfully.
“Welcome home kitten,” the wizard whispered in her ear as he pulled her close.
She had never left after the party, moving into Potter Cottage with Harry at his insistence. She was like the missing puzzle piece to all of their lives, the glue that held them all together. Sirius found himself craving more and more time with the witch, always finding excuses to visit. He had started to leave little gifts lying around for her. Hermione’s favorite gift was the poem that arrived at her desk every morning along with a coffee and flaky pastry of some sort, all handwritten in Sirius Black’s messy scrawl. It was no surprise to anyone when the two married less than a year later.
“But it’s your home, Sirius,” Hermione sighed, running her fingers through his raven curls as she lay tucked against his chest, his fingers dancing along her bare back. The fire was roaring, warming their naked bodies that were tangled together.
“But I don’t want it to be our home,” he confessed, his nose gently nuzzling against hers. “I have so many horrific memories at Grimmauld Place. I don’t want our lives to start there. I don’t want to raise a family with you in that place.”
“Then what do you suggest?” she asked.
“I was thinking of opening up Black Manor.”
“Black Manor?” Hermione asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Isn’t Grimmauld Place Black Manor.”
“No love,” Sirius chuckled, kissing her forehead. “Black Manor was the home of my grandfather Arcturus and Melania Black. They lived in the manor until they died. The home would have then gone to my piece of shit parents before going to their heir.,”
“Your family is very complicated,” Hermione sighed.
“My family is not complicated,” the Lord Black smiled. “My family is Harry and Moony and you. I suppose I’ll throw my cousin in there since he’s shagging my godson but the fact still stands. You’re my family.”
When the couple had returned from their honeymoon adventures around the world, the first stop they made once leaving the Ministry was Black Manor. The gothic structures made the manor look more like a castle than a home but Hermione could see the beauty in it. The inside was still in pristine condition thanks to the handful of elves that resided in the home, waiting for their next Master and Mistress. Hermione was immediately enamored with a small elf named Gussy. The little elf showed them around the home, and Sirius was immediately overcome with memories of the horrific family he had barely escaped.
“Gussy you will have to help me,” Hermione admitted as she squeezed her love’s hand, his heart aching for him to be closer to her. “I’m pretty good at charm work and transfiguration but this place is large and you’ve done so well keeping it in such good condition.”
“Gussy will help nice Mistress, yes she will,” the elf squeaked, her overly large ears quivering with excitement as her big lavender eyes looked at Hermione adoringly.
“It will be a lot of work,” Hermione pointed out. “Everything will be changed. No more snakes, no more silver and green.”
“Yes, yes Mistress!”
“Thinking red and gold?” Sirius smirked, his eyebrow cocked in amusement.
“This isn’t the Gryffindor common room,” she scoffed, flipping her curls over her shoulder. “But if you would like your office to look like that, I think it can be arranged.”
Sirius chuckled thinking back to his tiny wife in that first month of residing at Black Manor. The muggleborn witch had little torn down an entire history of pureblood bigotry and darkness and brightened the manor. Beautiful chandeliers lit up the cream-colored halls, rooms were cozy and welcoming, a warm fire in every hearth. Narcissa had lent a hand in the garden the little witch was determined to grow by hand while Remus and Harry helped turn an abandoned stable into a workshop for Sirius and his bike. Hermione Black had turned the manor into a home, his home. It was the home he was proud to bring his first child, his heir home to.
A tiny, ferocious growl sounded around the corner pulling him from his memories, causing a smirk across the animagus’s face. Before he could count to three, a teeny ball of dark curls pounced on him, clinging to his leg.
“I’VE BEEN ATTACKED BY A WILD KNEAZLE LOVE!” Sirius shouted dramatically.
“It’s just me Daddy!” the little girl squealed, hanging onto his leg as tight as the Giant Squid in the Black Lake. Looking down, grey eyes bore into the beautiful hazel ones staring up at him, her eyes so much like her mother’s.
“Just you huh tiny kitten?” he chuckled. “It’s never just you.”
“It’s meeeee!”
Before Sirius could say another word, peeling laughter rang out as another tiny body jumped on his back, causing the little girl attached to him to squeal in delight.
“It’s an ambush!” Sirius cried, twisting and turning while his little girls giggled and squealed.
“I’ve got you daddy!”
“You can’t get away!”
“We want Padfoot!”
“Padfoot daddy!”
“Oh, you want Padfoot huh?” Sirius laughed heartily. “Where’s my other little kitten hmmm?”
A soft giggle rang out as a little girl poked her head around the corner, her tiny hands clutching a stuffed stag and doe. Her innocent grey eyes pierced into his soul as her honey-colored curls bounced around her beautiful heart-shaped face.
“What on earth is going on up here hmm?” Hermione smiled, appearing at the top of the staircase with a smile on her face. Delicate hands were placed on her hips, accentuating the small swell of her stomach.
“I was attacked,” Sirius pointed out. “Tiny kittens have attacked me.”
“I see that,” she chuckled, eyes warm and bright causing Sirius’s heart to skip a beat. It was the same look that had made him fall in love with her over and over every single day. “Well, breakfast is ready. We have guests.”
“TEDDY!” Persephone yelled, climbing down from her father’s back and running down the stairs, her sister scrambling down behind her.
“UNCLE MOONY!” Athena screeched.
“I see where I stand,” Sirius chuckled, approaching his wife and kissing her softly. Wrapping her arms around him, the witch leaned into his chest.
“Daddy! Up please!” Hera requested softly, her little hand tugging at his trousers.
With a bright smile, the animagus scooped his teeny tiny kitten into his arms, nuzzling her cheek sweetly, causing a peal of giggles to fall from her lips.
“At least I have my teeny tiny kitten,” Sirius winked.
“Baby brother too,” Hera nodded seriously, narrowing her eyes as she kept a tight grip on her beloved stuffed animals.
“That’s right kitten,” he chuckled, looking at Hermione, her swollen stomach pressed against him. “I do have your baby brother.”
“Can I name him daddy?” Hera asked, causing Hermione to giggle.
“I’ll think about it kitten,” Sirius winked, nuzzling her curls.
Sirius continued down the stairs with Hera in his arm, his free hand steadily on the small of his wife’s back. He could hear the constant stream of chatter coming from his oldest and the never-ending litany of questions that Athena was asking Moony. As he walked into the kitchen and took in the sight in front of him, he still couldn’t help but think it must all be a dream. He just knew one day he would wake up and still be lying on the cold stone floor of Azkaban.
The dining room of Black Manor was full of love and laughter. Remus was chatting animately with little Athena and Scorpius. Teddy, James, and Persephone were running around chasing the stag patronus while Harry held a squirming Lily. Draco was hovering nearby, of course, speaking with Tonks, a sleeping Hope Lupin in his arms.
Family . If only Lily and James were here to see them all now.
“Sirius!” Harry smiled brightly, causing Lily to stop and look at the man, her beautiful emerald eyes lighting up just like her father’s. “There you are.”
“He was under attack,” Hermione pointed out, smiling softly at Gussy as the little elf handed her the cup of tea she had every morning.
“Under attack?” Draco chuckled, adjusting the babe in his arms and kissing Hermione’s cheek as she passed him. Sirius smirked, bouncing Hera in his arms as she rested her head on his shoulder, nuzzling into the crook of his neck.
“I’m raising a litter of kneazles didn’t you know?” Sirius winked. “All of them just like their mother.”
“I heard that.”
“You were meant to.”
“And you’re sure you want to have another baby with him?” Tonks asked, a smirk of her own crossing her face as she crossed her arms. “Seems a bit more trouble than it’s worth.”
“It’s a bit too late now,” Hermione laughed, a hand resting on the swell of her stomach, her son growing safely inside of her. “I suppose I’ll keep the old dog.”
“I heard that,” Sirius pouted.
“You were meant to,” she repeated, causing Remus and Sirius to both laugh. Corralling their brood to the table, everyone sat down to eat. Meals at Black Manor when he was a child had always been cold and stuffy. Any conversations that were had required deciphering. Now though, meals were loud, full of laughter and smiles. Sirius couldn’t but smile as he kissed his wife’s hand before looking around the room. He truly had a perfect life.
Later that night as Hermione rested against the chest of her husband as she read, Sirius couldn’t help but smile as his fingers trailed the soft skin of her stomach, pouring love into every stroke as if it would find it’s way to his son. The peaceful quiet was his favorite time of the day. Just Sirius and his wife, the man adored pouring all his attention and devotion into the small witch that had him wrapped around her fingers. She was the sun, warm and everlasting, lighting a fire inside of him, bringing warmth to the darkest, coldest parts of his soul.
“You’re the most beautiful creature in the universe,” Sirius whispered causing a blush to spread across her cheeks. “I’d watch the world burn for you, happily.”
“I love you Sirius Black,” she murmured kissing him gently before returning to her book.
His animagus senses heard the sound of soft giggles outside the door and he chuckled, kissing the top of his wife’s head. “We have visitors love.”
“Oh?” she asked, looking up just in time to see their bedroom door slowly creep open and three little girls peek into the room. “Well hello, little loves.”
“Mummy, will you read us a story?” Athena asked, inching towards the bed, quickly scrambling up as she grasped the blankets. Persephone wasn’t far behind her, helping little Hera onto her parent's bed.
“No, I want daddy to tell us a story,” the oldest Black daughter stated, snuggling against her father’s side as Athena curled into Hermione, Hera settling herself practically on top of Hermione and Sirius. He couldn’t help but chuckle, breathing in his family all piled into the bed together.”
“Which story should I tell tonight hmm?” Sirius asked, kissing the top of his wife’s head as his daughters looked at him adoringly. There were no lengths he wouldn’t go to if it meant keeping his family whole and happy just like this.
“When mummy saved you!” Athena giggled.
“No! Mawders!” Hera screeched causing Sirius to laugh.
“Tell us about Uncle Regulus again?” Persephone asked, looking up at him with pleading eyes. “Please?”
“Ok tiny kitten,” Sirius nodded, taking a deep breath. He had made sure to tell his girls all about the man his brother was. He made sure they knew he was a good man and a hero. Lips brushed again his jaw, the smell of his wife’s shampoo filling his senses, grounding him once more. “Once upon a time, there were two little boys who lived in a castle…”