Sirius had been feeling out of sorts for the last two days, at minimum. Very difficult to say exactly why, but he had his suspicions. Too long between adventures. The summer made it difficult to do what needed doing. His experiments were lagging, and he required physical fulfilment.
Very difficult to manage such things at a time when people were coming and going to social functions at all hours of the day and night, when everyone was at home so frequently. Difficult, too, with London warm and welcoming, people strolling out of doors, of an evening. The brothels were busy, this time of year, and a magical exit more difficult to achieve, and the universities full of bold boys aligned to the classicists and eager for life experience at the hands of a talented lover were, for the most part, empty.
So little gave Sirius joy, and this too was denied him, for now.
He stepped lightly up the stairs. Before him, the lanterns obediently lit themselves, casting pretty flickering light and shadow play over the walls. Sirius smiled, pleased, as he made his way down the hallway and towards his destination.
Sirius had desire of his sonsâ company. Arcturus and his few precious words were always a balm, and Lycoris and his pretty, heavy eyelids, and odd grimaces. Sirius looked forward to the day when they were both bigger, when they could bring them along to the occasional picnic or daytime gathering, rather than leave them with â
âMorgana,â Sirius said, startled.
âMrs. Black is with your sons,â the nanny said, nervous. âShe bade me go.â
Sirius was taken aback. âQuite,â he said. Also, âWell.â And he let her pass, and paused there by a door that led to â well, he wasnât sure. A guest room, perhaps.
Things has been very strange between Sirius and Hesper since the tense outing with Antonius. Sirius has a terrible temptation to sit his wife down, and ask her if there was some deeper cause to the tension â had they quarrelled, whilst he was in London so long? What on earth about? Was she concerned about his⊠relationship with the Boothby woman? Antonius wouldnât even bed a woman like that, not even for the temporary balm â surely, Hesper wasn;t listening to the gossip.
Sirius thought he might go, leave Hesper to her afternoon with their sons, but he found, suddenly, that he craved the company of all three of them. With the children, he and Hesper ceased being civil for the sake of civility, and were able to be parents. She would be herself, state her opinions, assure him that the boys were progressing at the right pace. She would be a mother, and his wife was never so fine in the newest London fashions and the most extraordinary jewellery as she was with a squirming boy in her lap, being, quite purely, a mother.
Sirius took the last few steps and steeled himself. He opened the door, to the shy, beaming smile on his eldest sonâs face, to Hesper seated on the ay lounge with Lycoris looking sleepy an happy, curled against his chest.
When Arcturus called âPapa!â Sirius stooped to his knee. âCome here, son,â he said, holding his arms out for an embrace. Arcturus flew to him. Every day, he looked more like Sirius. He would be a man before Sirius knew it.
âYou are so tall,â Sirius said, as he pulled his son close, and smiled at Hesper. She wished to look cold, for Siriusâs benefit, no doubt, but with Lycoris in her lap, she could not.
âYou look very well, my dear,â Sirius said. The first time he had dared use the endearment since the ill-fated Quidditch match. âWhat a pleasant surprise.â