*screams* Silently Cuz Yk Sitting With A Very Anti Harry Potter Family

why don’t we talk about muslim kids in hogwarts during ramadan? imagine waking up at 3 every morning and walking down for suhoor, to find the house elves have prepared a feast for them. imagine the kids having an extended curfew, so they can go and eat iftar at 10, where the house elves once again provide a ten course meal, topped with dates and traditional delicacies from around the world. imagine the kids being allowed to go into the kitchens in the middle of the night if they were still in the mood to eat. imagine the kids being allowed to leave class to do their prayers, and spending lunch times to read the quran. we need to talk more about muslim kids in hogwarts.

aww

Remus lupin- tell me a character/ship from harry and a situation I will write a short paragraph for them, and how they would react

regulus black meeting the potters for the first time properly after he ran away with sirius (lets pretend he ran away and got away from that toxic abusive household?)

Okay okay okay!

So.

Regulus was hidden behind sirius, not that sirius was trying to protect him from the potters, just that regulus was worried about how they would react. sirius rung the doorbell and Regulus jumped slightly.  miss Potter opened the door with a welcoming smile, regulus doesn’t think she noticed him yet. She brought sirius in for a hug.

Regulus stood still while they hugged, scared to move and for this reality to fall away. Miss potter looked over sirius’s shoulder at that point, and noticed him standing there.

“Who’s this sirius?”

“Regulus, my brother” he started simply, “I was hoping you may be able to help us both for a while, until we find a place of our own. I couldnt leave him behind”

“Oh sirius, of course that’s alright! More than! You, and your brother are both welcome here” she held sirius at arms length, before reaching out for younger black, and pulling him into a warm hug.

“Oh” regulus squeaked out, the first thing he had said since leaving the house. “Thank you miss potter”

Regulus felt like for once, he was home.

Sooo umm... how about a part two (before of die off of cuteness)?

"i need your help"

The question has been posed a few times by Harry to Sirius over the years, but this is the first time Sirius looks up at him and smiles in response.

Harry is standing in the doorway of Sirius' study with a scowl on his face and a piece of silk held between his fingertips like it's a bug.

"Oh?" Sirius shuts the Ministry of Magic Legal Handbook Version 26.0 that he's been frantically flipping through for the past hours out of fear he's forgotten something and stands up.

"I don't know how to tie a tie," Harry explains. He takes a few steps into the room and tosses the fabric at Sirius, who easily catches it.

Sirius smirks. "How were you planning on surviving Hogwarts next year? Part of the uniform, you know."

Harry shrugs. "I figure you'd teach me a charm or something."

Sirius lets out a bark of laughter. "Last time I tried spell to tie a tie it nearly strangled me, so unfortunately we're gonna do this the Muggle way. Come over here."

Harry stands in front of Sirius as his godfather winds the tie around his shoulders, patiently guiding him through the twining of fabric until the tie sits neatly tied around Harry's neck.

Sirius takes a step back to look at his handiwork and nods, satisfied. "There. What do you think?"

Harry looks at his reflection in the large ornate mirror hung across the back wall of the study. "Better than being strangled, I suppose."

Sirius grins and knocks his fist gently against Harry's chin. "You know, you didn't have to wear a tie. It'll only be the two of us and the Wizenmagot official"

"Remus isn't coming?"

Sirius shakes his head. "No, not allowed."

Harry frowns and opens his mouth, but then closes it without saying anything.

Sirius gives him a knowing look. "It's bullshit, but it's the laws. But like I said, you didn't have to wear a tie. The Wizenmagot official's going to perform the ceremony regardless of how fancy you look."

Harry shrugs. "It's an important day for me."

Sirius can't help but smile. "Not everyday you get adopted. You sure you're not having any last minute doubts?"

Harry shakes his head emphatically. "No, never." He makes a noise, as if he's going to add something, and then hesitates. Sirius waits patiently. "Do you think my dad would be mad? That I'm, you know, getting a new dad?"

Sirius' heart stutters as Harry voices the same question he's asked himself for the past five years. He wraps his arm around Harry's shoulder and draws him close, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Absolutely not. I think your dad would want you to be happy, no matter what. And he wouldn't have made me your godfather if he didn't want me taking care of you. Does this-" he gestures between their two bodies. "-make you happy?"

Harry nods into Sirius' chest. "Yeah."

"Good. Me too. I think your dad would be happy too."

They stand in silence for a moment before Harry speaks up. "Thanks. For adopting me."

Sirius presses his face into Harry's hair and smiles. "Nothing to thank me for kiddo. It's my absolute joy to be your dad."

A few moments pass by before Sirius speaks up again. "We should probably get going though. Wizenmagot official might die of old age if we get there too late."

I am sorry for suddenly making you cry I cried about it too so should too... Sirius wanted to be the coolest godfather and just when harry was nearly old enough to get a tattoo sirius *sobs* dieeddddd!!!!!😭😭😭😭

officially submitting my first ever entry for @impishtubist ‘s Sirius & Harry Saturday: a headcanon about baby harry using his crayons to try and draw sirius’ tattoos on himself. (there’s also protective james and prongsfoot friendship and it’s all quite fluffy)

“Harry! What are you doing?” Sirius leaned forward with a laugh, trying to get a better glimpse of his toddling godson, who’d stripped down until he was clad only in his diaper.

“Lookit Siri, I’m you!” Harry squealed, finally losing the battle against gravity in his excitement and falling forward. Lucky for him, his godfather knew him enough to be prepared with outstretched arms.

Sirius dangled him mid-air in front of him, hands under his armpits. It was the best vantage point to scrutinise the new additions to his godson’s previously unmarked skin.

Because, somehow, Harry had gotten his hands on a permanent marker and had drawn all over himself. And not just anything, but very specific artwork that Sirius could recognise instantly, shaky as it was.

“You know your dad’s gonna kill me, buddy,” Sirius mused absently as he shifted Harry’s weight to one hand and ran one black-tipped nail against the runic figures on his pudgy chest and belly. Well, figures that were attempting to be runic, if he wanted to be accurate. Harry’s hand wasn’t steady enough for straight lines, yet, nor was his theoretical knowledge good enough to capture them perfectly even if they were.

“No, I you, Siri!” Harry repeated stubbornly, and by Merlin, what was the allure of Dark Magic in the face of his adorable godson?

He trailed his finger across the jagged lines on his flank, across his arms, up to his shoulders. There were some unrecognisable scribbles on his upper back, like he’d tried to reach back and color in but couldn’t. Of course, he couldn’t, Harry’s arms were tiny. But it was clear that he was trying to replicate the antlers on Sirius’ back. Unbidden, his gaze fell to Harry’s wrist and sure enough, there was a messy circle with shapes drawn inside it. It was a valiant effort to recreate his family’s crest. Sirius could feel his heart-melting out of his pores.

“Oh, Harry, you little troublemaker, you,” he cooed, bringing his godson into the circle of his arms to tuck him against his chest, biting his lip at how Harry instantly relaxed into him, head tucked under Sirius’ chin.

“You like my tattoos, huh? Couldn’t wait until you grew up a bit, had to have them right now, is that it?” He continued, slightly bouncing Harry in his arms as he walked back and forth.

“Siri pwetty, Hawwy also pwetty,” Harry babbled from his perch and Sirius’ heart melted.

“Dammit, sweetheart, I have a reputation to maintain. You can’t go around saying things like that,” he mock-scolded.

“Things like what, Padfoot?” James’ voice entered the conversation and Sirius had to suppress his laughter at what he’d say when he discovered the state his son was in.

“Oh, nothing much, Harry just wants to be pretty like me,” Sirius said, special emphasis on the ‘me’. “Guess being a carbon copy of his dad isn’t quite cutting it for him anymore.”

He turned to face James as he spoke and couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling in him at the expression on his face. Sirius’ words were already pulling a very strong deadpan from him but one look at his son, covered in black squiggles and smudges, and it immediately gave way to one of pronounced horror.

“Wha—“ James’ words were more of a strangled wheeze. “Padfoot, what did you do to my son?”

“Excuse you,” Sirius said, offended. “I didn’t do anything. This one’s all Harry. I didn’t even know what he was doing until he crawled into the room.”

That didn’t seem to help. “Oh, baby, I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone with Sirius, he’s become rather forgetful in his advanced age, hasn’t he?” With an exaggerated frown on his face, James plucked Harry out of Sirius’ arms and settled him in his own. The kid was, as always, overjoyed to be reunited with his father.

Sirius tried hard to hold onto his outrage—how dare James call him old?—but it was hard, nigh impossible, when he could see Harry rubbing the top of his head back and forth against James’ jaw, like an adorable little kitten.

“So, what’s with-“ James ran a hand down Harry’s arm “-all this?”

“Harry’s trying to be like his extremely cool, not-old-at-all godfather.”

James raised a skeptical eyebrow. Sirius ignored him in favour of talking to his godson.

“Don’t you worry, love, when you’re old enough, I’ll be right there to take you for your first proper tattoo,” he tapped Harry’s little button nose, making him giggle.

It wasn’t enough to mask James’ shocked exhale. “What do you mean first proper tattoo?”

“Look at him and tell me he’s not interested,” Sirius pointed at the little bundle of joy in his arms. Absently, he wondered what kind of tattoo Harry would like, if any. Would he be the sentimental kind, like his dad who never put something on his body he hadn’t considered fifty times over? Or more like Sirius, who’d only needed the thought to pop it into his head to get it inked.

“He’s three and thinks colors, and shapes, on your body look cool. That’s- that doesn’t mean anything!”

“Well, I’m just saying,” Sirius shrugged, deliberately keeping his face clear of anything that could give him away. Of course he knew the reaction his words would elicit, that was part of why he said it. “The option’s there on the table if he ever wants to. With parents like you and Lily, and me of course, the kid’s on the right track for a few pieces of his own.”

“But—“

“And of course, no one except his godfather can be trusted with something like this, right? It’s basically my magic-given duty to escort him to the tattoo parlour,” Sirius finished with a flourish. One of his hands had travelled upwards to ruffle Harry’s hair, marvelling at the soft feel of the inky strands slipping between his fingers.

“No- That’s not- you are not torturing my baby like that!” James finally found his voice, and what a loud one it was too for Harry was startled out of his lazy doze against his dad’s chest by the deep rumble that vibrated through him. His green eyes were wide open, looking at his dad who so rarely raised his voice, and James immediately shrunk—literally, Sirius could see the transformation in real-time, the way his shoulders dropped, his face relaxed, and his nose came down from its high perch.

“Oh, Daddy’s sorry, honey, he didn’t mean to shout,” he whispered in between careful kisses pressed to Harry’s face. “Daddy’s gonna be more careful, okay?”

“Otay,” Harry replied, equally quietly, still staring at him with remnants of shock in his eyes.

Sirius broke the moment with a loud snort—accidental of course but this was too much for him—and immediately attracted James’ ire again.

“You—“ he started accusingly before darting a quick look downward to see Harry was alright. He was. “You can’t be—Harry’s not gonna get tatted, Padfoot! It hurts too much. I won’t have it.”

“You won’t have it?” Sirius repeated, amused. “May I remind you when you got your first tattoo? Or mine, for that matter.” That took the wind right out of his sails.

“Er, that’s not the point here,” James replied shiftily, dropping his gaze to Harry instead of looking at him.

“Remember the runic tattoos we etched into our skin? Could’ve literally blown ourselves inside out right there in the do—“

James slapped a hand against his mouth, effectively stopping him. “Okay, I think that’s enough, I get it.”

Sirius raised his eyebrows, as if to say ‘Do you?’. Harry giggled at his father and godfather’s antics, happily oblivious to the pinched look on the former’s face as he realised the precedent his own actions had set. Sirius couldn’t wait to have this conversation all over again when he was all grown up and could add his own input. He was looking forward to tag-teaming against James, to be honest.

“You—you don’t think he’ll do something like that, do you?” James asked hesitantly, glancing between the two of them.

“He is your kid,” Sirius pointed out. “And Lily’s. And a tad bit mine.”

“He’s all yours, especially when he pulls stunts like this.”

Sirius grinned, wide and uncontrollable, at that, unable to help the warmth that spread through his entire body at those words. He knows James was trying to take a shot at him but it didn’t take away from the fact that Harry was his too, has been from the day he was born—no, since the day James flooed into his house, pale and shaking, telling him that ‘We’re having a kid, Padfoot! An actual baby! Can you believe it?!’

For all the jokes and potshots and snippy back-and-forths they had, Sirius knew he would never be able to thank Jamie for allowing him into his life—into Harry’s life—like this. James had always been free with his affections, sharing heart and home without a second thought but Sirius knew that there were many who’d have put their foot down at the level of involvement he assumed in his godson’s life, and that James and Lily didn’t, wouldn’t, do that. He didn’t know where he’d be without the Potters today, and imagining such a world—it was chilling, to say the very least.

“Pads?” James’ soft voice interrupted his morose thoughts and he snapped his eyes up to meet concerned hazel ones. There was a silent question in them.

Sirius shrugged wryly. Silently raised his hands for Harry, needing to hold him close, and after another searching glance, James passed the now peacefully sleeping child over. Something loosened in his chest when he felt the familiar weight resting against him. He immediately buried his nose in Harry’s hair, taking a deep breath, letting the scent of baby powder and blueberry shampoo fill his lungs, ground him.

“I’ll be the coolest godfather there ever was,” he whispered, feeling a knot in his throat where more words should be. He wanted to say that he loved Harry more than life itself, that he’d always be there for him. The world could tilt off its axis but Sirius’ love for the Potters wouldn’t wane. It couldn’t, really, not with how deeply they were entrenched in his life—in his very being.

“Of course, you will. No one would ever doubt that.” James placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “But you’re still not allowed to take my baby to a tattoo parlour, no matter how old he gets.”

if you liked this, i have an entire thing on my ao3 about tattoos and harry and sirius bonding over them postwar >.<

dude do tag me!

I just saw this on pintrest and everyone should know about this

(Not mine btw)

if i cry you cry with me too

The brothers Black

It's late. He should go to sleep. He has Harry to look after now, he should set a better example.

The said teen is sitting on the floor beside him, and for a moment Sirius is caught in the nostalgia of just how much Harry reminds him of himself.

It's a bad thing, really. He wasn't the best guy around. Hell, Sirius thinks he was probably a menace to even think about. Harry, Harry is better. Sirius remembers picking up the newborn Harry Potter in his hands and hugging him. Sirius remembers closing his eyes and apologising to the ghost of a dead Regulus because Sirius had never hugged his baby brother as much as he deserved.

Sirius puts off his cigarette and runs a hand down his face. Fuck.

Reggie.

Beside him, Harry looks at him with worried eyes. "We don't have to continue, Sirius," he says, perceptive boy. "I can leave—"

"Not necessary, kid," he says, pulling out the last of photos from the shoe box. Harry shuffles closer, almost cuddling him. Sirius quietly points out the people he never got to see grow older. Marlene, her puns and her affinity for everything yellow. Pandora, her heart and her necessity to constantly have chocolates on her person. Dorcas, her loud army boots and bright sundresses.

The last photo in his hand doesn't belong in the shoebox.

It's Reggie and him, Sirius has his brother in his arms and his lips pressed to Reggie's head, eyes closed tight. But it's Sirius, he knows this moment.

Three weeks before Sirius started Hogwarts, Reggie was sure that Hogwarts would steal his brother from him.

(Didn't it?)

Poor boy had been promising to be the best brother in the world, begging Sirius to keep loving him.

Sirius doesn't know when tears blurred his eyes but the ache in his chest comes back full force at his brother's innocent face, still red because of crying and eyes scrunched up close behind Sirius' hand. Sirius was supposed to protect him. Keep his eyes closed, never show him the blood and death that was carved into their fate.

"Regulus." Harry breathes beside Sirius and even the boy sounds pained. He leans further into Sirius and Sirius. Sirius is a greedy man. He takes the opportunity with desperation and puts his arm around Harry's shoulder, pulls him in.

(Everyone he touches will turn out dead. But Harry can't be dead, no, that's his boy, that's his child, he can't, no, not his boy—)

As they've done with every other picture, Sirius turned the photo behind to read who clicked it and when, even if he remembers the dates like they're tattooed on his spine.

But the back of the photo isn't only that. It reads,

Dearest Siri,

I don't know how to tell you how sorry I am. For the first time in my life, words fail me. I've failed everything you've ever tried to teach me— all in for a blind wish that was always impossible.

I've heard your silence, I've heard your screams and it seems that it's all I can remember. I am your shadow, no matter how much mother and father try to force the fact to be false. I want your presence, brother. I do not know how to exist without you. It is the only demand I can still make from fate— for even fate will have to pry you from my dead hands.

You are my brother. You are an ache in my chest and nowadays, I only ever breathe to feel this ache. The letters you've written to me are in my room, you will know where. The letters I've never sent you will be there. Burn them, Siri. I am going down a path of betrayal— towards you, towards our name, towards James, towards the Dark Lord as well. Of all the betrayals I've committed, my biggest regret will be not seeing you before I walk towards death.

Remember me, Siri. Let me stay alive with you. Let me take a part of you as I die.

Yours,

RA Reggie.

Clicked by Andromeda, 18/8/71

Panic burns through Sirius and he's heaving— choking on his tears and sobs and gasps.

His brother. His baby brother. He clutches the photo tighter and cradles it to his heart and wails. Regulus.

The ache in his chest blooms anew and Sirius wants to claw at his chest and find that piece of Regulus that's always lived beside Sirius' heart. Brother. My brother. My only brother. My little brother.

Regulus. Regulus. Reggie. Reggie. Reggie. Baby. Reg. Ree. Reg. Reggie.

Sirius slams his fist on the floor and he welcomes the pain that comes with it, his sobs almost cover the thuds his fist is making and he doesn't want to live. His brother. An open wound in his chest, his brother. Sirius wants to burn himself alive, like Reggie wanted to burn those letters.

"My brother." He wails, not sure if anyone will understand what he's saying but he doesn't expect them to, no one will ever understand just what his brother is, was.

There's a hand on his shoulder and Sirius heaves again. He has failed everyone he cared for, and he failed his blood the most. His boy, his brave Reggie.

Harry doesn't speak but keeps his hold on Sirius' elbow and Sirius wishes he would choke him or plunge his hand in Sirius' chest and drag his heart out— Reggie died with a wish to see Sirius, his poor brother, his baby, his Reggie— he doesn't want to live knowing how Reggie suffered and sobbed.

Because even if his brother is dead, Sirius is alive and thus, so is Reggie. Sirius can feel the sobs that must have wrecked Reggie, he can hear all the whimpers Reggie had to subside because he couldn't wake Mother and he can feel all the bile in his throat that his brother must have thrown up during one of his panic episodes.

And now, Harry rises up on his knees and holds Sirius— as Sirius was holding Reggie in that photo. As Harry's hand covers his eyes, Sirius feels the darkness that must have been the last thing Reggie saw.

i am gonna die if this fic doesnt end up being posted

not-six-sentence it's-not-sunday

seeing this on my dash and i haven’t been tagged but i like it, so here, have a snippet from a fic where Sirius finds out about Harry’s abuse at the Dursleys post-PoA.....

“Look, Harry... are you uncomfortable with me asking questions?”

“No, it’s - okay.”

“You don’t seem so, love.” The endearment slips out of Sirius casually, without a second thought, and it takes him a moment to realize why Harry’s looking at Sirius with slightly widened eyes. He tilts his head. “Are you okay with that?”

“With what...?” Harry’s voice is a little high.

“Endearments.”

Harry swallows, shrugs. “Yeah, I guess... I’ve never had it before.”

Sirius’ chest knots. “Never?”

“Yeah. But, I like it.”

He exhales a tight coil of breath. “Alright, love.”

can someone tag me the name of this fic pls?

picturing harry and sirius bonding moments right now because i’m having a terrible time and i need to distract myself from real life bullshit

- cooking together. sirius learnt some from effie yeaaaaaaars ago but time + azkaban has effectively taken him back to square one. harry, who grew up having to cook for the dursleys and act as sous chef for petunia all the time, is very proficient. he’s got all the basics down pat (bc efficiency was—necessary when cooking for vernon and dudley) and now that he can, he’s not afraid of experimenting and trying things out. harry teaching sirius little tips and tricks, both of them spending hours in the kitchen just getting to know each other in a way they hadn’t been able to so far.

- sirius and harry going out into the muggle world. it’s an act of rediscovery for both of them. harry, who’d never been allowed to go out, and sirius, who’s last excursion was with james before azkaban the potters had gone into hiding. they do all the cringy tourist shit like going on the london eye, taking a photo in front of the buckingham palace, wearing trashy ‘l<3nd<3n’ t-shirts, the whole deal. eating greasy fish and chips, and waffles on a stick, and everything in between.

- harry taking padfoot out for a walk (bc sometimes sirius needs to just,,,unwind), playing fetch and jumping into fountains. padfoot chasing pigeons and harry laughing his head off. laying down, exhausted, on the grass, harry fully draped over padfoot’s back.

- stargazing. sirius pointing to different stars, connecting it to people, and telling harry about funny, mildly concerning, black family history that operated as nighttime stories for anyone who grew up in that household. it’s all gruesome tales about murder and betrayal and illegal magic usage and dark magics. harry is so concerned for his godfather like ‘wtf how did u turn out ok??’ and sirius is just like ‘are u absolutely sure about that 🤭’

anyway. i just want slice-of-life bonding to make up for 12 years of separation. sirius getting to know his godson as a teen/young adult instead of the babbling toddler he was used to. harry basically getting to know him for the first time. not having to worry about shit like the war and voldy and dementors, just having fun and living their best lives.

Harry Potter the Casanova of Gryffindor Tower.... Sounds great to me! What do u think?

GGSB Fest 2024 - A Changed Ball

@goodgodfathersiriusblack

After the first task, Sirius reaches out to Harry to offer dating advice for the Yule Ball, which changes things.

AO3

***

Given that the first task is finally over, and Harry survived, Sirius can breathe a little sigh of relief.  At least one task down, and the fact that he did so well makes Sirius incredibly proud.  Next on the order of business for Harry is probably the Yule Ball.  Since he’s a champion he’s probably going to have to open it, and it may be a bit presumptuous, but Sirius couldn’t resist offering dating advice to his godson.  He figures he’s young and he doubts the Dursleys would bother to offer much guidance.  

Hopefully, Harry doesn’t really need too much, but Sirius had to offer just in case.

Sirius smiles when he gets another owl so quickly, Harry writing to him will always make his day.

Sirius,

What do you mean there’s a ball for Yule?  What do you mean that I have to open the ball?  

No, no – they can’t really expect that from me, right?

You’re pulling my leg, right?  Please tell me you’re pulling my leg.

If not, I need help.

Say hi to Buckbeak.

Harry

Sirius is stunned for half a second.  How had Harry not known about this?  Then, again, no one appears to tell the kid anything.  

Alright, well, at least Sirius was right to offer.  He’ll just have to meet with his kid on his own and give some concrete advice.  

Everything will be okay.  He’s sure of it.

***

“I still don’t get how they could expect this of me,” Harry groans as he sits on the floor of the cave beside Sirius.  “I mean – dragons are one thing, but girls?”

Sirius laughs.  “They’re not as scary as you think.”

“They travel in packs, and they giggle like … like my mere presence is hilarious.”

“They’re giggling because one or more of them have a fancy of you – hard not to given everything, and they travel together because … well, I never really understood that.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Harry questions, seeming quite freaked out.  “You were right, McGonagall says I have to open the ball with a date, and it’s only been like a day and a half, and every girl has gone nutty and I don’t know how to dance and I don’t want to go on a date… this is – this is unfair.”

“And the whole dragon thing wasn’t unfair?”

“The dragon thing was actually kind of fun.”

Sirius snorts and rolls his eyes.  “Alright, let’s start with the basics.  First, you have to select who you’re thinking of asking.  I would suggest someone you either fancy and want to get to know – but know there will be awkwardness and you’ll have to push passed that or a friend that you could potentially enjoy an evening with.  You could perhaps go with a friend that is someone you may possibly fancy or go with a friend that is someone who would only be a friend, but you’d have to be clear about that.  Do you have any ideas?”

He watches as Harry digests this information and says, “Well, I could go with Hermione if I wanted just a friend, but I think that would upset Ron and frankly, be unfair to her.  I’d really like to go with Cho Chang – I kind of, maybe, have a fancy of her, but all I know about her is that we’re both seekers.  I suppose another friend could be like Parvati Patil or maybe Katie Bell.  I’ve talked to both enough that maybe it could be… a friend date.”

Sirius nods.  “Okay, let’s leave Hermione out of it.  We wouldn’t want to disrupt your friendship with Ron again so soon.”

“Agreed.”

“That leaves Cho, Parvati, and Katie.  Now, this is where you have to make a decision – do you want someone that you barely know, but fancy or you know, but don’t fancy?”

Harry shrugs.  “I mean – it would be nice to get to know Cho better.”

“Okay, that’s fair.  You’ll have the dinner and dancing to get to know her, if you ask her,” Sirius states.  “Now, before asking, you should make it clear that you’re not that into dancing, but if you ask any of them to go, you should expect to dance more than just the opening dance.”

He groans.  “It’s bad enough having to do it once.”

Sirius nods.  “Yes, but you’re going to a ball.  It’s expected that you dance.  If you don’t want to dance too much, you should make that clear so that they don’t expect to be dancing all night and are disappointed.”

“Okay, but what if I tell them and they say no?”

“Then you have to accept no for an answer and find someone else who would be willing to support you.”

Harry nods.  “I suppose that I should try and learn dancing then?”

“That would be a good endeavor.  I’d suggest asking someone you’re comfortable with to practice or your date would be better, but it could be embarrassing admitting that, so you could always Hermione or one of the quidditch girls who would no doubt love to help you.”

“That sounds like a good plan,” Harry states.  “What about the actual asking?  If they’re traveling in packs…”

Sirius laughs.  “They may giggle, but simply ask for a moment alone and once you’re alone, tell them either – that you’d like a romantic date to the ball or a friend date to the ball – depending on who you ask.  Explain about the dancing to help them make a decision, and once they do – if it’s yes, ask them to meet up to practice dancing or if it’s no, accept their answers and move on.  Just be sweet and polite and you’ll be okay.”

“That sounds easier than it’s probably going to be.”

“It’s usually not that bad, I promise.  Maybe a little embarrassing, but the sooner you do it, the better,” Sirius assures him.  “Then you can focus on the actual date.”

Harry grimaces.  “Besides dancing, what would be expected?”

“Well, you should meet her at her common room probably with a nice flower – try asking her favorite or finding one that matches her dress robes.”  

Harry nods.  “Sounds easy.”

“You should offer your arm, and smile as you lead the way into the ball and take out her seat first before you sit.  At dinner, make sure you talk to her about her interests.  Start with something you have in common and let the conversation flow.  If it stalls, try to ask about things that are around you – the food, the music, the dancing, the people… anything that can spark something.  Remind her about being uncomfortable with too much dancing, but that you’ll make an effort.”

“Okay, okay.  Seems like genuinely good advice so far,” Harry says.  “Then, of course, the dancing.  I suppose if we practice before it might not be so bad.”

“I’m sure it won’t be as bad as you’re imagining,” Sirius assures him.  “Make sure to still pay attention to her as you dance, and if need be, make light conversation.  If you’re done dancing or taking a break, try finding a quiet area to continue chatting from dinner.  Don’t ignore her and even if it ends up being Parvati or Katie rather than who you fancy, remember that you can’t just glare at your fancy’s date – just focus on your own date.”

“Yeah, that – that wouldn’t be fair to her if I was staring at some other girl.”

“Exactly.  The focus should be on making sure that you’re both having a good time.”

“Okay.  Okay.  What about at the end?”

“Walk her back to her dorm, tell her you had a great time – if you fancy her (and this could go for if the date started as a friend, but you find you do like her) – then ask her to have another date.  This could be something simple and we can talk about that when the time comes in a letter.  Just maybe vaguely ask if she’d like to go out again.  If she says yes, tell her that you’ll let her know a time and place, if she says no – respect it and thank her for being your date and that you hope she enjoyed it.”

“And… then leave?”

Sirius tries not to laugh.  “Well, she might expect a kiss on the hand, the cheek or even the lips.  It all depends on the vibe, just go with your instincts on that one.”

Harry swallows, but nods.  “I guess.”

“It’s not as bad as it sounds,” Sirius attempts to assure him.  “Just take it one step at a time.  You’ll be fine.”

“If you’re sure…”

“I am, I promise.”

***

A few weeks later, Sirius knows that Harry’s managed to ask Cho to the ball.  He’s nervous, but he’s been preparing for the ball, and Sirius has assured him that it should be just fine.  He just needs to relax and not worry so much.  

He also told him to write to him afterwards no matter the outcome.  He wants to know how well his advice went over.

He grins when the owl arrives.

Sirius,

Thank you – thank you – thank you!  Your advice was perfect.  

Cho and I had a great date.  We practically danced the night away!  Okay, maybe not.  She was okay with only dancing half the time, but we went for a walk and – and it went so great that she kissed me before the end of the night!  

There was plenty of kissing before a final dance and walking her back to the dorm.  It went so well she said yes to a second date.  

So, now, I need advice on that.  Got any ideas?

Thanks again,

Harry

Sirius grins, happy for his kid.  He’s happy to offer more dating advice as long as his kid needs it.  

He’ll certainly be a ladies’ man after this.

Just like his father and godfather and it’s great.  

i can never figure out Tumblr i mean how do u even open a task box

I m thirteen but dumb!!

We are so sammmmeee except for the zodiac I am an Aries😈

And welll I am also a part fish in a landlocked city !

I speak 4 languages🙈

I recently read "Home is wherever you are" its so cute u should write more harry and sirius

i hit a couple milestones on tumblr and ao3 in the last few days and it’s very,,,,,overwhelming lol so instead of losing my shit over that, i’ll do a lil introduction (that i’ve never done, i think 🤔)

hello! welcome to my page <3

i’m padfootastic everywhere, but i go by penny online!

i’m an adult and though i’ve not posted anything too risqué yet, there’s always the possibility i might so uh, keep that in mind pls?

this is a no terf zone. we don’t support that kind of hateful rhetoric here.

ask box + inbox are always open! i love talking, even if im a bit terrible at the actual communication bit itself, so drop by whenever u like. prompts are always welcome too 💜

my favorite characters are—no surprise, i’m sure—sirius, james, and harry! the sirius & harry dynamic is my favorite thing to write about. prongsfoot in any capacity, but especially qpp, is the love of my life <3

i’m a scorpio (so uh, heavy projection on sirius sometimes. beware)

i love oceans and beaches and lakes and swimming pools. i think i’m part-fish, actually. which makes it even more sad that i’m in a land locked city :(

i’m trilingual! english is teeeeeechnically my third language, so that often bleeds into my writing as well. ignore any weird issues & metaphors & SPaG errors pls n thx 🙈

my posts are always tag-heavy because i love adding commentary to everything!!! it’s so much fun!! adds flavor and spice!!

My Works

foundations of decay - gen. ongoing wip! set post-gof, ft. independent, smart harry taking charge of his life. sirius & harry bonding.

glimpses of us - collection of all my tumblr drabbles/oneshots. featuring harry, sirius, james, next gen kids, random OCs.

(everything on tumblr’s under ‘pen’s writing’ and ‘tumblr works’)

since a list of everything would be tedious and take too long—i deal mainly in oneshots 🙃—i’ll just link my favourites!!

a home for you (for me) - 6.2k. Gen. A nebulous universe where qpp James & Sirius coparent Harry who wants to become Harry Potter-Black.

shovel talk - 2.4k. Background Jily. Sirius gives Lily Evans a shovel talk : )

i fall to pieces (when i’m with you) - 6.5k. Prongsfoot. James makes Sirius’ blush, that’s it. The whole fic is just that.

go easy on me (i was still a child) - Gen, 13.8k. Postwar, Sirius-returns-from-the-veil and discovers already Harry has a tattoo when he tries to take him for what he believes is his godson’s first- cue feels and emotions and tears.

i won’t ever let go of you - Gen. 8.4k. Set in OoTP. Molly says the wrong thing to Sirius and protective!harry erupts. Lots of bonding and affection.

home is wherever you are - Gen. 3.5k. Set in OoTP. Sirius’ scent—cigarettes; clove and tobacco and smoke—has always reminded Harry of safety & home.

it’s always been you - Gen. Set in OoTP. Sirius finally stands up for himself when Molly accuses him of treating Harry like James.

where you go, i’m going - Gen/QPP. 3.2k. Prongsfoot!!! and tattoos!! Outsider Remus POV into the close knit bond between James & Sirius.

Sirius Black: The Godfather - Gen. 7.7k. Mostly pre-canon/canon compliant. Background Jily but mainly focusing on s&h. a series of one shots highlighting the godson-godfather bond. (the first time i delved deep into my fav duo!)

okay, i’ll stop here 😭 but! i have a lot of assorted one shots on my ao3 so check it out if any of this sounds interesting. my motto for writing is ‘read what u wanna see in the world’ hence why everything is so…self-indulgent.

thank u for being here!! i appreciate everyone who reads/interacts so much i can not put it in words :”)