The Grim ➸ R. Weasley

Blue Rose

Sirius nudged Harry with his elbow, "out there, you can practice flying on that Firebolt of yours."

"Can I now?" Harry asked immediately.

"Of course! Only if I can have a go."

"You can borrow mine." Jamie said. "You two can play one on one."

Sirius and Harry shared a look. A beat of silence passed before they both turned and sprinted inside, their footsteps echoing throughout the cottage as they raced to see who could get their broom and make it back outside first.

Harry won, just barely, though. Sirius pouted.

"We are going to need a referee." Said Harry.

Draco raised his hand. "I'll do it."

Harry gave him a sceptical look. "You won't call foul on me when I'm clear, right?"

"Potter, what do you take me for?" Asked Draco, pretending to be offended.

"I'm going to make dinner." Said Lupin quietly. "Want to help?"

Jamie nodded, following after the other man.

"So, how'd Sirius find this place?"

"Well, Harry told him he wanted he live somewhere in the countryside because he wanted to be able to see the stars. So, he searched for cottages, both muggle and magic in hopes of finding a place with no noisy neighbors nor distractions."

"Who sold him this place?"

"An elder witch who wanted to move to America. Her husband passed. . . Said she needed a fresh start." 

They reached the kitchen and Jamie watched as Lupin went about collecting the ingredients.

"What was my dad like? Back then, I mean."

Lupin stared at the direction where Sirius and Harry were playing. He could not see them, but he could hear their cheers and shouts.

"It's funny." Lupin hummed. "He was so much like Harry. Came from a broken home, found a proper family at school, became a quick favorite of everyone. He was funny and mischievous. And he was smart, too, one of the smartest wizards I ever had the pleasure of meeting; although he always did pretend he got lower marks to make Peter feel better. He really was obsessed with Quidditch. In fact, he loved Quidditch. There was only one thing he loved more than Quidditch back then."

Jamie leant forward. "What?"

"James."

"James?" Jamie asked.

Lupin finally placed the last of the ingredients on the island bar. He leaned against the bar, eyes narrowed as he thought over his answer. "Sirius and James were glued at the hip. James was the first to take in Sirius, to welcome him and give him a family; a real family. Dispite what you might hear from others, James was not so much of a trouble maker, or well he was, but he never started it. He liked fun, but never instigated it. He was a worrier. He looked after all of us, and because of this he became like a father figure to Sirius, even if they were the same age."

"Back then, during my transformations." Lupin continued. "All my friends became animagus. When James transformed he became a stag."

"Like—"

"Like your patronus." Lupin smiled. "And Harry's patronus is a large dog, much like Sirius's animagus."

"And you don't think. . . That's odd?"

Lupin shook his head with a fond smile. "I would say it is more of. . . Fate. Now, let's get to cooking."
  
   
  
It would be safe to assume Jamie knew nothing of cooking. The Malfoy Manner always had house elves that did the cleaning and cooking so he never had any need nor desire to learn how to cook. And even if Jamie was clueless and needed to reread the instructions several times, Lupin seemed to be having fun.