the_debt_of_time

"When you find her," Tonks finished. "You better go." She stood up on her toes,
kissing Remus on the cheek. "Good luck. I'm so excited for you both. Sirius, breathe."
Taking a slow, deep breath, Sirius brushed off her concerns and gently shoved at
Remus's arm. "Get out, Moony. I need to... Oh fuck. I need to tell Harry."
"It'll be fine." Remus patted him on the shoulder. "I better hurry."
With a final nod to Sirius and Tonks, Remus kissed the top of Teddy's head and
rushed back up the stairs. Sirius could hear it when the front door closed, followed by the
sound of Disapparition. Remus had long since been able to Apparate quietly, so the
resounding crack that echoed from outside told Sirius just how nervous his friend really
was. Merlin, he hoped he didn't splinch himself.
"Go on. I'm just a Patronus away if you need me," Tonks reminded him with a
bright smile before moving toward the fireplace in the library and vanishing in a swirl of
green flames.
Sirius stood in the hallway for several minutes, letting the silence of the house wash
over him. He tugged at the silver chain around his neck nervously before finally growling
at his own cowardice and walking up the stairs toward the drawing room.
When he found Harry lying on the sofa, finishing off a plate of birthday cake, Sirius
grinned. A grown man, Auror even, but still just a boy at the same time. His boy. Sirius
swallowed hard as he tried to imagine every possible scenario that could come from this
kind of confession. There was a strong chance that Harry would be furious. He never was
one that took well to information being kept from him, and for good reason, but Sirius
was hoping that he would look at all the facts and decide for himself that the fewer people
knew the better.
It was already bad enough, in Sirius's opinion, that Narcissa and Andromeda had
found out. The two sisters had been badgering Sirius all summer for information regarding
Mia's eventual return, as though they were already scheduling luncheons and tea with their
long lost Black cousin.
"Harry, come have a drink with me." Sirius jerked his head toward the other room
where he had already set out a bottle of firewhisky.
Harry looked up at him and nodded, setting his empty plate down on the nearby
table before standing up and following Sirius into the next room. They sat down beside
one another, and Sirius poured them each a drink.