We've got this
“Lily can you read?” Sirius asked, holding a book James standing behind him. They were in the library currently, James was supposed to be doing homework.
“Yes I can. What do you have?” Lily softened her gaze as she went to look down, Sirius had come up to her.
“Nothing.”
“It doesn’t seem like nothing, come ‘ere.” She said picking him up to sit with her. “Oh my my, such a good storybook. Do you want to read one?” She asked softly.
“Remember this moment next time you’re hunting him down to kill him.” James muttered going back to his homework on the other table.
“No.”
“You can say yes, Sirius. I’m not going to raise my voice.” Sirius looked at her with a serious expression, testing to see if she was telling the truth.
“Just one.”
“Of course, which is your favorite?”
“Three brothers, when I was small mummy read it.”
“Did she? Well I might not be as good as your mummy but I can definitely read to you.” She began the story watching Sirius look at her and then the pictures, he watched her read as if he was waiting for something bad to happen. “You can take a nap if you want?” She offered watching him continuous snap open his eyes.
“Not little no more.”
“You don’t have to be little to take a nap. I bet when you’re big you nap all the time.” Lily laughed quietly as she spoke, Sirius was constantly falling asleep and she was recalling the time he face planted into his scrambled eggs.
“Mama says no.” Lily didn’t like the answer.
“Well Lily says yes.” She whispered, before continuing the story feeling his body eventually go slack with sleep. He curled into her for warmth and she wrapped him in her robe some before standing, walking over to the boys who were doing homework.
“Why are you scowling?” Remus asked as Lily sat down, adjusting Sirius.
“We need to talk. What was his upbringing like? Why is he so scared? His brother is as well, did you see how they acted at lunch? They’re babies, they’re not miniature adults.” She was frustrated to say the least.
“His mum hates him.” Peter answered.
“Did she always? He’s three. What three year old is terrified to ask for a story?”
“One whose mother didn’t love him.” James was cold when he spoke.
“What do you know? He lives with you, you must know more than us.”
“She literally hates them. Regulus thinks she loves him, but she yells a lot and hits a lot. I’m shocked he likes you, took him ages to warm up to my mum.”
“It’s because he’s small. I can’t imagine what tot doesn’t want their own mum? What has she done at this point?”
“That’s why he was screaming earlier. He was so scared of being hit, assuming him and Reg broke something.”
“Regulus didn’t cry.” Remus noted.
“Only Sirius did?”
“Yeah, he immediately blamed himself.” Lily sighed at the information holding him closer.
“Well let’s not blame you at all sweetheart.” Lily whispered to Sirius, kissing his head.
“When he’s 16 again you’ll never live this down.”
“Shut it James.” She began walking back to the dorm not waiting for the boys to follow.
“Lily! Holy Merlin the whispers were true.” Marlene stopped and stared at the small figure in her arms.
“Yeah, we got lunch so secrets out.”
“He’s so small.”
“He is.”
“No like, how old is he?”
“Three.”
“Lils, I have siblings, he looks younger than three.”
“Maybe he’s just small, goal is to keep him napping for now though.”
“I can’t believe Mcgonagall is just letting the lot keep him.”
“I think it’s because they have someone with common sense currently.”
“Sirius had common sense at three? Where did it go?”
“I mean me Marls.”
“That makes sense. Maybe I’m the one with no common sense, huh little guy?” Marlene smiled, brushing his hair back a little.
“We’re going to head up to lay him down, I’ll see you tonight right Marls?”
“Course you will. Have fun.” She walked away as Lily continued onward. She opened the door and went to Sirius’ bed.
“Will he fall off?” James asked from behind, she rolled her eyes.
“More than likely not. If he does, it’s not a small drop.”
“Are you staying with us?”
“No, if you need me you know where to find me. I don’t want to mother hen him constantly, he’ll never let me live it down, you said so yourself.”
“Just for a while Lily, he won’t let us touch him really.” Lily rolled her eyes, climbing onto James’ bed, laying down looking upward.
“Is his father worse? Is that why he won’t let you carry him James?”
“What?”
“His parents have black hair, no? How else would both brothers have it.”
“I never asked about his dad, his mum showed up to fight my mum after he ran away.”
“I’m betting he was worse. Well myself, I am also going to nap. Wake me when you need me.” She rolled into the blankets, closing her eyes before falling asleep in a matter of minutes.
“You can wake her up Sirius, she won’t be mad. Go jump on the bed.” James was trying to get him to smile or laugh or well really anything.
“No, I’m supposed to wait for grown ups to wake up.” Sirius was very matter of fact. James sighed a bit. He recalled all the times Sirius would jump on him without a second hesitation, he only did it to Lily once as she could grab his ankle far to quickly for him to run away.
“I’ll wake her. Grown ups can wake up other grown ups right?” James asked. Sirius nodded. The only reasonable solution, jumping on the bed that held Lily, despite knowing was about to take him down.
“What in Merlin’s beard! James!” Lily grabbed his leg fast, pulling him down.
“See Sirius, she isn’t mad at all.” James had a smile plastered on his face.
“What? Of course I’m bloody- oh yeah. Of course I’m not mad Sirius. Always wake me up. I won’t know when you’re up if you don’t wake me up.” She had a gentle smile on her face, her eyes screamed murder to James though.
“Where’s nanny?”
“Your grandma?” Lily asked him, watching as he walked forward to her.
“No, my nanny. She lives with us.”
“She had to go out. We’re at school technically Sirius, this is where you go to school when you’re older.”
“I like her.”
“Want to come up with us, or we can find something else to do?” Lily offered to get off the topic of his nanny, if they could even still find the original one Sirius was thinking of. Sirius decided on the first option and was now sitting in the bed with James and Lily.
“Want to watch something cool Siri?” James asked with a smile on his face.
“Don’t kill him.”
“Look see I can make butterflies.” With a wave of his wand he could indeed make butterflies.
“Woah.” Was a simple response from a boy who typically had so many words. Lily watched James closely, knowing this was more than likely their future.
“It’s cool isn’t it?” Sirius nodded before standing.
“Am I bad?” Sirius asked after about five minutes of chasing the butterflies on the bed. Lily, who was actually falling back asleep, opened her eyes wide at the question.
“You haven’t done anything wrong. Of course you aren’t.”
“Mama only leaves us when we’re bad.” Pain was noticeable in James and Lily’s eyes.
“Mama didn’t leave because you were naughty Sirius, she just doesn’t come to school with you is all. We can call your mama sweetheart, do you think we should?” Lily did not want to send him back there.
“Can I think ‘bout it?”
“That sounds like a brilliant idea, now how about you go wake up the others before we head to dinner. Sound good?”
“Yes.” He jumped down and gently woke up Remus and Peter.
“Only time he hasn’t jumped his entire body weight on me.” Remus muttered, watching Lily smooth out her clothes.
“He’s a bit shy at this size.”
“A bit? He’s a totally different person.”
“James, shush. Don’t make him self-conscious.” Lily instructed waiting for Peter and him to join the group gathering by the door.
“He’s ready!” Sirius seemed very proud of this, Lily smiled softly.
“Let’s go get food then, come on.”
“You’ll stay right?” Sirius barely made a sound as he asked Lily.
“Oh baby, I’m not sure.” She was carrying him back to the dorm, about half way through their meal he decided to sit with her and ignore the others.
“Please.”
“Ask the boys maybe. I don’t want to intrude.”
“Please? I don’t have nanny or my mama.” Lily’s heart broke a bit.
“Of course, you know Sirius, you’re never letting me live this down. You melt me right now. I’ll never live it down either with the boys.” She laughed a little, she was currently trying to keep him awake, swinging him slightly whine humming a soft tune.
“He’s not living this disaster down either.” Remus muttered.
“On his wedding night I’m bringing it up, at the birth of his children, his retirement party every possible chance I’m bringing up the fact he stole my damn girlfriend as a toddler.” James was laughing while Lily rolled her eyes.
“They don’t know what they’re talking about, do they? They’ll do something equally as stupid soon enough. If I placed any betting money I would say on James next.” She had a mischievous grin as she spoke.
“Oi! That’s not fair.”
“I’ve met you.” They entered the dormitory. “James, Remus, and Peter will get you ready for bed okay? I’m going to change in my room, I’ll be back super quick.” Lily set down the child before turning to the boys. “I expect you can handle that.” She stated before walking out of the room.
“‘I expect you can manage that’ Yeah we can manage that.” James smirked before turning to the boy.
“I don’t have pajamas.”
“Fuck.”
“James don’t swear.” Remus was walking towards James’ trunk, looking for pajamas to make them size appropriate.
“Oh come on we all know he swears the most.”
“Not at three. Sirius what do you want to wear tonight?” Sirius walked over to Remus to look as well.
“Between the three of us we got this.” Peter made his way to make Sirius’ bed from this afternoon, James stood wide eyed watching his friends suddenly become miniature parents. He quickly got it together before getting Sirius ready with Remus, watching how gentle Remus was, they really got this shit together quickly.
“Can I come in, are we all decent?” Lily knocked before entering.
“You didn’t let us answer.” James smirked at Lily who was wearing purple pajamas, looking softly at the group.
“James, it’s a way to be nice, I’ve seen all of you in less than ideal situations at this point.” She saw how Sirius lit up as she spoke and made her way over to him.
“You didn’t braid your hair.” James commented as she was on her knees fixing Sirius’ pajamas for him to ensure they stayed buttoned all night.
“I figured I could once he fell asleep.”
“Where are you sleeping?” James asked.
“I hope you like the floor James.” Lily smirked.
“Dammit.”
“Okay, did you brush your teeth? Go potty? Brush your hair?” Sirius shook his head no at the last one so Lily brushed his hair for him.
“He looks as if he could start purring at the physical affection.” James stated, watching his best friend latch on to her as they walked over to his bed.
“Okay, I’m going to be in that bed, I’m super close. If you wake up for any reason, just come get me okay? Don’t second guess yourself, clever boy, always wake me up.” Sirius nodded at her, hiding into her neck. “Do you want a story?” He nodded as she crawled in with him under the covers. “James is good at stories let’s listen to his tonight.” James gawked at her, before agreeing and sitting on the foot of the bed. Lily wasn’t listening, she was carding her fingers through the black hair watching him fight sleep. Sleep won in the end and she placed a one way silencing charm.
“You’re good with him.” James said to her, he laid in bed with her for a moment.
“I hope so. Can you hand me my brush, my hair will be a complete rats nest if I don’t braid it.” James did as he was told and watched her, it was always memorizing to watch her braid it down her back in quick steady motions.
“You lot ready for bed?” Remus asked, already laying down.
“One second.” Lily said finishing tying off her braid.
“See you in the morning Lily, good night.”
“Good night Remus, night Peter, good night James.”
“Night.”
“Good night Miss Evans, see you in the morning.” James took his quilt and laid on the floor next to his own bed.