#brb sobbing at Minnie calling the three of them my boys

[bimoonphases]

@wolfstarmicrofic July 22 - prompt 22: Grief/Mourning [word count 625]

Despite everything, Sirius still felt a hole somewhere in his soul. Despite the constant presence of Remus by his side, despite peace settling back on the country, despite the cozy home they had learned to make together, despite Harry’s laughter, despite three hundred and sixty-five days having passed, there was still a void there, and he didn’t know if it would ever stop being there. He knew Remus felt the same, they had clung to each other throughout all the trial, coming home late without managing to fall asleep, Peter’s - their Pete’s - cold eyes planted in their heads and the baby having nightmares nestled between them. In the past year they had been surviving, not really living. Maybe that was why that morning they were putting their coats on and wrapping Harry in his favourite blanket.

“Are we sure?” Remus whispered, taking Harry in his arms.

“We are,” Sirius nodded, before taking his boyfriend’s hand in his and Disapparating.

The graveyard in Godric’s Hollow was empty save for the colourful autumn leaves gently falling on the ground. Without letting go of Remus’s hand, Sirius led the way through the tombs. The funeral was a hazy memory, and neither of them had had the courage to come back after it. Still, he didn’t hesitate once and stopped only when they reached the gravestone they were looking for.

“Hey Prongs,” Sirius’s voice was hoarse. “Hi Lils.”

“Look who’s here,” Remus said. “Look how Harry’s grown.”

“He’s a terror, you’d be proud of him,” Sirius managed to smile.

“Bambi, this stone is one of the places where we remember your mummy and daddy,” Remus moved Harry so he could better see it. “Do you want to wave at them?”

“Daw-daw,” Harry said, moving his arm.

“Down? Alright,” Remus carefully put down the little boy a few paces from the gravestone.

As soon as he was on the ground, Harry moved a few steps forward, placing both his hands on the stone, patting it with a frown creasing his tiny forehead.

“Mama,” he babbled. “Dada.”

Sirius grabbed Remus’s hand tighter, trying to swallow down his sobs. Harry patted the stone again before sitting down and starting to look at the leaves on the ground.

“He…” Sirius didn’t manage to finish his sentence.

“He did,” Remus didn’t need him to finish it.

They stayed in silence for a moment, Harry playing with the fallen leaves with little giggles. A sound right behind them made them turn around.

“Boys,” Minerva McGonagall smiled at them. “I didn’t think I would find you here today.”

“We decided it was time,” Sirius said.

“It’s been too long,” Remus added.

Professor McGonagall’s hand raised to her heart as she looked past them at the little boy now observing a blade of grass.

“He’s grown so much,” she whispered, her eyes now veiled by tears now shifting to them. “You’re doing such a great job.”

“We weren’t sure if bringing Harry was the right thing,” Sirius said, moved by his old professor’s words. “We try to teach him his parents are always with him, wherever he is.”

“And he’s so young, the concept of a place where they’re buried is a bit complex now,” Remus went on.

A bright light made them all look back at the gravestone. Harry had his hand on the ground, a golden light almost flowing out of his little fingers. Sirius’s breath caught as the light seemed to move then solidify. Some seconds later, a bunch of lilies and sunflowers were right in front of the stone, as if someone had planted them months before and given them all the time to grow.

“I think he knows,” Professor McGonagall said, reaching out to hug them both. “My boys. You’ll be alright.”