HARRY POTTER WLoF REWRITE PART 2 CHAP 25

It was so odd…looking at something so tiny and fragile, Sirius mused as he ran a finger over his tiny daughter's fist. Max made a grunting sound, squirming slightly but the promise of food from Moria silenced her as she continued to feed.

"She has your appetite." Moria commented tiredly and he chuckled.

"Well the grocery bill is going to be high then."

"I guess it will be." She replied. Sirius kissed her temple running a hand over the top of Max's head, brushing against the fringe. She shifted, but continued suckling, causing Sirius to grin. Moria chuckled.

"Definitely has your appetite."

"…She looks like you." Sirius commented. Moria glanced at him and then back down at their daughter. She thought she could see some features of hers, but she could really see Sirius's features. The same shaped nose, the hair color, the light blue eyes that she was sure was going to turn grey in a few weeks. Finally she moved Max away, who protested for a second, but stopped when Moria shushed her, Sirius running his thumb over her fringe. She looked at him with a soft smile.

"I have a feeling people are going to beg to differ when she gets older especially with the Black family hair color." Moria teased. "Maybe she'll have your eyes."

"Oh great."

"I happen to love your eyes, so it wouldn't be a bad thing." She argued. Sirius continued to stare at his now sleeping daughter who was held securely in her arms, one little hand gripping his index finger in her sleep. Moria offered a curious look.

"What makes you think she looks like me?" She asked, and he glanced at her before back at their daughter.

"She has your eye shape, that same expression when you're asleep, the wavy hair. There is a lot." He explained. She offered a soft laugh and rested her head on his shoulder, yawning, her body relaxed. He smiled.

"I'll take her off your hands if you want." He murmured. She nodded as she yawned again, and allowed him to retrieve the small parcel from her. Gently he repositioned Max in his arms, content and relieved that she remained blissfully asleep. Moria soon fell asleep next to him, exhausted. In all honesty he should have left and gone home…been asleep hours ago.

But he couldn't. He couldn't leave, and he couldn't put Max down. She was his little miracle.

It would have been a lie if Moria or he had said they hadn't been worried throughout the pregnancy. Those three weeks where Moria had been captured still haunted him to that very moment and the memories, plus what Chamberlain had informed him of intention hadn't made the worry grow dimmer. And despite Chelsea's reassurances they had been terrified that something would have been wrong with her.

Yet here she was, sleeping in his arms, completely healthy.

Max yawned and snuggled into his warmth, and he smiled. He kissed her forehead gently and she let out a soft coo. His smile widened before he looked at Moria. She slept peacefully, her breathing light and relaxed. He looked back at Max who was, like her mother, asleep.

"Hey sweetheart…" he murmured softly to her. She shifted. "I promise I'll protect you and your Mum for as long as I can." He said softly. Max, as though she had heard him, rested her head on his chest. He kissed her forehead and just continued to lay there next to Moria holding their infant daughter.

Feeling peace at last.

---

"You do realize that just because I gave birth, doesn't mean I'm invalid and can't hold our daughter, right?" Moria asked as she and Sirius walked into the flat, Sirius holding Max. The infant made a cooing sound, nuzzling Sirius's shoulder and looked at him through partially opened eyes. He offered his wife a grin.

"I know that. I just want to hold her." He explained. She rolled her eyes but smiled as she watched Sirius shift Max in his hold, cupping the back of her little head. Max squirmed slightly but made no other movement. He looked at her with a wolfish grin and she raised a tiny fist towards him. He chuckled softly, kissing her brow. Moria observed him with a soft smile.

"See? I told you."

"Told me what?" Sirius asked looking at her.

"That you would be an excellent father." She informed. He stuck his tongue out and grinned as Max shifted, babbling softly. "See? Even she agrees." She remarked.

I guess that's a good thing." He murmured, staring at his daughter, who was content in watching him, almost in observance. Her eyes were already growing lighter, nowhere near the same shade of brown that Moria sported. He was partially disappointed, as he loved the color of Moria's eyes, but grey would work for him.

"Isn't your second cousin coming to visit soon?" Moria asked. "Nymphadora?"

Sirius blinked and then chuckled, nodding. "She wants to say hi to Max."

"She's Andromeda's daughter, right?" Moria questioned. Sirius looked at her.

"You really think A) Bellatrix has had a demon child, or B) Narcissa would let her brat…Draco, was it…near me?" he questioned and she blushed huffing.

"Well considering I have no idea how many people the Black family are related to, how should I know, Mr. From-The-Noble-and-Most-Ancient-House-of-Black?" She remarked dryly. He snorted and looked at Max.

"Mummy's being silly isn't she, Max?" He teased and Max squirmed. "That's a yes, by the way."

"Sure it is." Moria commented, rolling her eyes and he chuckled. "Anyway, I don't mind. I happened to actually like Andromeda..."

"Considering she was the only one of the three sisters that didn't try to shove you down a flight of stairs?" Sirius asked.

"Considering she married a muggle, I'm rather curious to meet their daughter." Moria continued as though she hadn't heard him. "Seeing as I'm married to the other white sheep of the Black family."

"I believe the saying is the 'black sheep of the family', Moria. Blimey, I wasn't even from a muggle family and I know that."

"Considering the Black family's heritage and personalities, you are a white sheep in my book. A wild one, mind you, but a white sheep nonetheless."

"So…I'm a sheep now?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"And somehow the conversation has slid into a sexual innuendo." Moria commented exasperated. "And in front of a newborn. How shameful of you, Sirius." She chastised, teasingly.

"Me? You're the one who used the analogy."

"And you're the one who twisted it."

Max made an exasperated whine, gaining her parents attention and Sirius grinned. "Sorry kiddo. Guess you don't like when we don't pay attention to you, do you?" Max squirmed again, suckling on her fingers and Sirius chuckled. Moria watched the pair and gave a soft smile, before walking to the kitchen to make lunch.

---

"Gloves?"

"Check."

"Goggles?"

"Check."

"Clothes pin?"

"Check."

"Tongs? Wait…tongs?"

"Yup and check."

"Why the bloody hell do you need tongs?" Moria asked as she looked over the scribbled note that Sirius had tacked over the changing table, before glancing at her husband, who was currently pulling a pair of rubber gloves on. He looked at her as though she had lost her mind.

"To hold the dirty nappy. Duh."

"Good grief, Sirius. It's a soiled nappy, not a ticking time bomb." She exclaimed, exasperated. He shrugged, pulling the goggles on. "Besides why don't you just use magic? Swish and flick." She asked.

"You've done the last few the muggle way, why can't I?"

"…why the hell do you want to change…?" She trailed off and then narrowed her eyes. "Remus and James dared you to do it without magic, didn't they?"

Sirius was silent and Moria offered a grin, before tutting.

"Alright, have it your way. Good luck." She remarked before exiting the small room they had made into the nursery, and leaving her husband with a fussing Max who was lying in her cot. Clipping the clothespin to his nose he walked over and hoisted the crying infant out and over to the changing table. Max stopped crying, though she made soft snuffling sounds, her tiny little fists waving around. She almost seemed to be looking at her father strangely, wondering what he was doing wearing the gloves, goggles, and why his nose was pinched closed. Then her little face scrunched up again, beginning to turn red with the warning of a full blown crying attack.

"Easy, easy." He remarked softly. She whimpered. "I'm just changing your nappy. No harm d-! SWEET MOTHER OF GOD!" He exclaimed as he finally managed to unclasp the nappy, revealing what now lay at the bottom. "WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN EATING?!"

Max seemed to take enjoyment out of this and giggled, gnawing on her fists as she watched her father look in horror.

"…Alright, I'm suggesting to your mother that you need to have something else to eat." Sirius grumbled as he gently pulled the soiled nappy away and, grabbing the tongs, lifted it and dropped it into the trash can nearby, gagging at the stench that managed to get through his pinched nostrils. He finished cleaning her and after a few fumbled tries, managed to clasp the side snaps closed. She cooed, kicking her tiny feet out, apparently happy at the change of nappies. He offered a slight smile, picking her up and settled her in the crook of his arm. She was satisfied now, and she looked up at him with those large, trusting eyes. His heart melted at this and he exited. Moria looked up.

"Wow. You did remarkably well." She teased.

"Why thank you I-! Hey…did you not believe in me? I'm hurt." He exclaimed, mockingly staggering backwards. Moria chuckled.

"Need I remind you what happened with James?" She asked. He thought back and chuckled at the memory.

"Touché." He agreed, bouncing Max a little. He then looked at her. "Now…what the heck do you feed her to make her poop so rancid?"

---

"Now Nymphadora-"

"Tonks. It's Tonks."

"…remember. This is a little baby, not a toy. She's only two weeks old." Andromeda continued as though she hadn't heard the little girl who was currently holding her hand with one of her own, while holding down her hat with the other as she and her 8 year old daughter walked up the stairs to the flat. "You can't be as rough on her as your dolls."

"Aw…does that mean I can't swing her around by the foot?" Tonks teased, earning a sharp glare from the brunette. The little girl offered an apologetic smile. "I was just kidding Mummy. I know, I know. Besides, I don't think Sirius will let me hold her."

That was true, Andromeda mused as she went to the door that Sirius had told her he and Moria were living in. Sirius apparently was rather protective of his newborn daughter, from what Moria had told her when she had called to schedule a visit.

Moria Prescott…an interesting woman. She remembered the girl from her days at Hogwarts. The girl at the beginning had rarely smiled, or when she did it had always been subdued. She had never imagined that that woman would have caught her cousin's eye. But in the three years that she had been in Hogwarts, she had watched that girl change and it seemed, become Sirius's equal. She still didn't know the full story on how the two had gotten together, but it hadn't really mattered to her. Whatever the case was, she was happy for Sirius. He had done what she had done years ago. Disobeyed their family and broken away from them…for the better. She knocked on the door and a few seconds later she heard someone walk up.

"Andromeda?"

"Yeah."

"What did Uncle Alphard tell us in his letter explaining what he had done in his will?"

"He told us to stick with our guts and bully to our families." Andromeda responded easily. The door opened a minute later and Sirius stood there, in his arms a small wiggling baby. Tonks made a slight gasping sound and went immediately on her tiptoes, trying desperately to see the infant. Andromeda sighed.

"You'll have to forgive her. She's been wanting to see your daughter ever since you owled us with the news."

"Nah, it's okay." Sirius replied with a dog-like grin. "Can't blame her. I mean look at this cutie." He informed, shifting the small bundle to show his cousin the small infant, who was blinking and looking at them curiously. Andromeda smiled.

"She looks like you."

"Joy to the world. Now I'll have to beat blokes off with sticks." He grumbled and Andromeda chuckled. Tonks continued to stare at the little girl, who was looking back just as calmly, as though the 8 year old was always over and she had seen her before.

"She's cute." Tonks finally declared, and Sirius observed the ends of her hair shortening and changing color at the same time. He gave Andromeda a look.

"She's a metamorphmagus." Andromeda explained.

"Ah. Well come in." He invited and the two females walked in, Tonks removing the cap that had been placed over her hair, revealing light blonde hair with pink highlights.

"Where's Moria?"

"Oh. She was dragged away by Lily. Apparently for some shopping."

"She must be excited."

"Thrilled." Sirius replied with a snort. "Anyway, it's just me and Max." He remarked lifting up the squirming infant. "So…here's my kid."

"What an eloquent introduction. Maxine, right?" Andromeda asked.

"It's Max!" Tonks corrected her mother with a huff, before looking at Sirius with a grin. "Right?"

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh and nodded. "That's what she's been called." He replied, sitting down in the living room chair and, angling Max to where it allowed Tonks to peer over his arm and stare at Max. The infant stared at her for several minutes before she started to whine a bit, looking for a familiar face. "Shh, it's okay sweety. Daddy's here..." Sirius murmured gently stroking his daughter's face. She looked at him and smiled, laughing at her father. He chuckled then turned her head over to look at Tonks. "See her?" he asked her, "This is Nymphadora Tonks, but you're going to have to call her Tonks." He informed. Tonks barely uttered a breath, fearful the little girl would be frightened by her. But she apparently had had nothing to worry about. Max giggled and stretched her tiny hands towards the older girl. Tonks's hair turned a bubblegum pink and she smiled brightly, looking at Andromeda. Sirius grinned.

"See? She likes you already." He commented with a grin and Tonks laughed happily, changing her hair color again and earning a slight squeal from Max.

---

It had been a few days since Tonks and Andromeda had visited Max, and currently Moria and Sirius were having a rare moment of peace when the door was knocked upon. Standing up from the couch, Moria went and opened the door greeted by James, Lily and Harry.

"Tii Momo!" Harry cheered waving his hands around. Moria grinned.

"Hello Harry." She cooed, ruffling his hair causing him to giggle.

"So where's Padfoot? He hasn't gone insane taking care of a baby has he?" James joked. Suddenly there was a something that sounding like gagging and then-

"Merlin's testicles what the bloody hell have you been eating?!" was heard and Moria sighed, rubbing her head.

"He's perfectly sane James…he's just teaching our daughter every colorful word he knows. Which he does every time he changes her nappies." Moria remarked as Sirius walked out, holding Max who looked around in confusion.

"Nappy change is complete." Sirius reported. "What did you feed her before this?"

"Milk, Sirius. And no I'm not changing her diet because her nappies stink." Moria infromed cutting him off before he even got the next question out. He glared at her but made no comment before looking over at the trio in the doorway and grinned.

"Hello you three." He said.

"Honestly Sirius, you need to stop using curse words around Max. It probably won't end well if her first words are some curse word." James chastised with a grin. Sirius glared.

"She's too young to learn yet." Sirius defended and Moria rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah." James said. "So can we come in?" he asked and with that the family walked in. It had been at least four weeks since Max's birth. In comparison to Harry, Max wasn't a big crier. Granted when she did cry it sounded like she would shatter glass at how loud her crying was, but the amount of crying wasn't that much.

"So how many nights of full on sleep have you guys gotten?" James asked as Sirius, glancing at Moria, Lily, Harry, and Max; Harry looking at the infant girl that was in Moria's lap as he sat on Lily's lap.

"I think about 1 or 2." Sirius said. "But she's pretty lenient on letting us catch a few hours of sleep before she begins crying." He joked and James laughed.

"Boy she has you wrapped around her finger."

"I don't mind being wrapped." Sirius said watching as Max began to babble, looking around at her Mother and Godmother. He now had a new reason to keep on fighting Voldemort's army…not only to save and protect Harry, Lily, James and the wizarding world.

But now to protect his own little miracle and family.

---

"I can't believe you found one."

"It wasn't that hard." Lily stated an obvious smirk on her face. "Besides you found a baby blue onesie with a deer on it. Makes sense that I find one for you." Lily added as she watched Moria dress Max in a light pink onesie, changing from the original outfit Max had been wearing. On the chest was a black puppy. Max kicked her tiny feet obviously enjoying the new attention she was getting from Lily and Moria while Harry was staring at her.

"Why baby no talk?" he asked in broken English. Lily laughed.

"Because she's really little sweetheart. She's still learning." She told him and Harry looked at her again and then reached out his hand, patting Max's head.

"Baby soft." He concluded and Moria noticed Lily was close to tears at how adorable the scene was. An eyebrow rose and a smirk appeared.

"You and James should consider having another kid. Have a baby girl of your own." Moria stated and Lily's face flushed.

"Can we not discuss…you know…with two children in the room?" Lily hissed out. Moria laughed.

---

Sirius yawned waking up for some reason. Moria was next to him, completely out, apparently exhausted from the day's events. She didn't even move when he kissed her gently. Which led to a new question. Why did he wake up? He had work the next day and didn't really need to wake up in the middle of the night.

He heard a tiny whimper and then got up, walking over to the cot and glancing in. Max was wide awake and staring at him. She whimpered softly looking at him with glassy eyes, her threat incredibly clear. Not wanting to wake Moria up, he bent down and picked her up, supporting her head. She shook her little fists at him, scrunching her face.

"Easy…easy…sweetie." He hushed quickly moving out of the room. He knew that Moria breastfed Max…but he had been told that feeding a bottle wouldn't hurt her. He rocked her slightly as he warmed some of the milk, yawning. Max was looking at him fussing ever so often but he shushed her softly. After the milk had warmed he walked over to the sofa and sat down. Max immediately began to feed and he smiled tiredly.

"Well you've got my appetite." He stated and she looked at him staring at him with the same pools of grey that he had. He yawned again completely exhausted. Minutes later she had finished eating but was apparently not ready to sleep. He sighed and then placed her lying stomach down onto his chest.

"Come on love, you need to get some sleep." He told her but she wiggled again making no attempt to relax. He began to hum softly, hoping to relax her. To him, his voice sounded rough and gravely compared to what he would listen to when he was half asleep and Moria would be humming to Max a lullaby in the middle of the night. However it seemed to work as he felt Max's body begin to relax, the combination of a full stomach, his humming, his body heat, and heartbeat lulling her to sleep. It had the same effect for Sirius as well as he felt his eyes droop and slowly he fell asleep as well.

---

Moria shifted in her sleep, slowly waking up. There was something off. It took her a few seconds to realize what it was. Sirius's snoring wasn't heard nor was any sounds of Max coming from the cot. She slid slightly and felt that Sirius's side of the bed was empty. Cold. She turned and saw that no one was there. She sat up, getting out of bed quietly covering her mouth to yawn. She noted that the cot was also empty. Before she could wonder what he was doing, she turned around the corner and stopped, startled before smiling sweetly at the scene in front of her.

Both Sirius and Max were dead asleep in the armchair. Max was nestled against her father's chest, one tiny hand gripping his shirt, covered by her little pink blanket. Sirius's head was leaned slightly forward, one arm pressed against Max's back to insure she stayed there. The other was draped over the side, holding a bottle of baby formula; the apparent reason that the pair was now resting in the living room.

Moria smiled staring at the scene. Quietly she returned to her room and retrieved a camera. No way was she going to miss capturing that moment. She returned and very quietly and quickly took a photo. As she suspected neither woke up apparently too worn out to wake up to the noise of the camera. She then quietly placed the camera down and then went over to Sirius. As asleep as he was, he would be in pain the next day if he slept like that all night.

"Sirius…" she murmured out softly and he awoke with a slight start and blinked at her sleepily, confused and dazed, to which she offered a soft smile. "Love, you're going to hurt your neck like that if you keep sleeping here." She added and he stretched, clutching Max tightly. Max remained asleep on his chest.

"Okay…" he mumbled tiredly, slowly standing up as to not wake Max. He kissed Moria sleepily before heading back to bedroom. She followed and watched as he gently placed Max back into her cot before tiredly returning to the bed, flopping onto it. She came over to him and laid down next to him. She kneaded his hair softly causing his body to relax further before he fell into the depths of sleep. She smiled to herself.

These days…life was so, simplistic. Quiet. And in all honesty that idea of life wasn't a bad idea in her mind. She just hoped that such a quiet life would stay.

---

Sirius slowly woke up, blinking sleepily, and nearly blinding himself at the sunlight that had poured in. Why was it so bright? It took him a few moments to realize that he had slept through his alarm. He sat up quickly. He was so screwed-!

"Relax Sirius. I called the Ministry and they gave you a sick day." A voice interjected. He looked up and saw Moria staring at him almost in amusement, Max resting in her arms.

"Wha-?" He asked, his mind still waking up. Moria sat down next to him.

"They gave you a day off. I flooed them a few hours ago…they're pretty understanding about the fact that you're a new dad. Well the person I talked to at least was. I think the majority of them know full well what a dad of a four week old baby has to go through at night. Apparently James had the same issues with Harry too." Moria stated with a shrug. "I don't think they want an Auror to be tired and miss a clue or you know, get hexed." She said. He grinned slightly kissing her cheek.

"I have a bloody awesome wife." He commented and she laughed wrapping her arms around his neck, grinning at him.

"Thank you for noticing." She commented, hearing him laugh before he drew her into a deep kiss. At that moment the whole world vanished.

She simply enjoyed being with the man she loved.