Chapter Forty-Four, Toddler for a Day

Due to the memories the Dementors had brought forth and with Samhain rapidly approaching, Izzy was struggling to cope more than she let on. Which is why on the second to last weekend of October and the weekend before Samhain and the first trip into Hogsmeade, Izzy decided to stay in her parents' suite and use her Metamorphmagus abilities to turn herself back into a toddler for a day hoping it would give herself and her Dad and Papa some closure and hopefully some good memories as well.

To say Sirius and Remus were shocked when they awoke Saturday morning of the 23rd October to find Izzy back as a toddler and a letter explaining everything was an understatement.
"Oh Izzy." Sirius moaned sadly, enveloping his toddler sized daughter in a hug, running his fingers through her dark curls.

"I sowwy, Daddy." Izzy mumbled against Sirius's pyjama shirt clutching it tightly in her small fist.
"It's okay, baby." Sirius soothed, kissing her forehead in reassurance. "I'm not mad."
"We just wish you had told us so we could help, so you didn't have to suffer in silence." Remus added sadly as he entered the lounge area crouching down beside Sirius to join in on the hug. "But how about we see this as our second chance?"
"And we can make the best memories possible to replace the bad!" Sirius cried elated. "How about it, sweetheart?"

"Yeah!" Izzy cheered happily. She would give anything to experience what she had missed with her Dad and Papa. What was stolen from them. To have happy memories to look back on in years to come instead of a stolen childhood riddled with pain, suffering, neglect, and abuse was one of the main reasons why she did this as it was a dream come true. Izzy was just happy her powers didn't take away her ability to use the toilet as that would've been embarrassing no matter that she now had a toddler's body and speech pattern. Her mind was still the same, just delayed in a way.

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After a bubble bath with both her and her Dad playing with conjured bath toys and splashing each other, effectively flooding the bathroom as Sirius jumped into the bath as Padfoot causing Izzy to let out a startled screech before descending into laughter while Remus scolded Sirius (getting the man to get out and change back); however, the effect was ruined as both men's lips kept twitching upwards at the sound of Izzy's sweet melodious giggles. Once Izzy, Sirius and the bathroom were dry, Remus dressed Izzy in a transfigured yellow dress with matching yellow wooden knee-high socks, gold trainers, two black bows for the ends of her braids, a brown faux fur vest, and a black woollen bobble hat as it was rather cold out.

With everything as Remus wanted and with a few - more than a few - pictures taken, Sirius and Izzy sat on the rug before the lit fireplace as they completed the First Rite. A First Rite was an action taken by the father to gently brush their daughter's just washed or when just wet hair until it was dry with a brush woven with Family Magicks; or in Izzy's case her brush was extra special as it had both the Potter Family Magicks - as James had woven it into the brush before he died - and the Black Family Magicks. This time was both adored and treasured by both Sirius and Izzy as it strengthened their bond each time they did this.

It was their special time and it also offered reassurance for Sirius and Remus as the First Rite created a well of Family Magicks that Izzy could draw on if the worst came and she was kidnapped and relieved of her wand. Even though Remus was her Papa, the act of brushing her hair was solely for her and her Dad as he could draw on the Family Magicks as Lord to protect her whereas, Remus can't. But that didn't stop her from having her own designated time with her Papa even before she used her abilities to change into a toddler; they would read together and have discussions on certain subjects that could go on for hours while Sirius would smile tenderly at them and bring them badly made tea which they would drink anyway despite the taste.

"There we go, baby, all done." Sirius told her, tying off the two Dutch braids with the black bows and gently pulling a few strands loose to frame her face before he cleaned the brush of any loose strands and threw them into the flames as thanks and as a tribute to Mother Magic as each strand of hair holds a small portion of their Family Magicks which they give back to the woman who first gifted mankind with magic and in turn she would bless the earth with magic or gift someone else with said gift. But since people have failed to pay tribute less people are being born with magic each year and there is less magic in the earth and air around them; until this past year that is.

"I love it Daddy! Tank you!" Izzy cheered happily, smiling at Sirius and then at Remus who held the mirror in front of her while Sirius held the one behind. "Papa, Daddy, can we build a fort and have story time in there pwease." Izzy asked with large doe eyes, the emerald even seemed to be shining brighter than before. Despite wanting to to do this it gave Izzy a heartbreaking and bittersweet insight into what her life could have been like had it not been for meddlesome sadistic old fools she never would have been abused and never would have to resort to this; but she guessed the silver lining to all this was she finally got to create some wonderful memories (finally) and heal from what she has gone through in her young life, or at least start on the road to healing.

"Of course we can, cub." Remus agreed, pulling her from her thoughts as he kissed her forehead. For the next hour the three of them spent building a fort with cushions from all of the sofas and armchairs and a mound of pillows and blankets. It took so long as either Sirius or Remus would pause and take a picture of Izzy with either one of them building the fort, or when they were laughing away with bright smiles on their faces; a first since they'd heard the news of Pettigrew's escape. They were all so unbelievably happy that they didn't even feel like there were Dementors outside the grounds looming in wait.

But that didn't bother the small family right now, their only concern was capturing as many memories as they could as they spent the whole day holed up in their quarters hidden away in the fort reading to Izzy with her lying between them snuggled up to them reading to her, or telling her stories of her parents and grandparents or reading fairy tales (both wixen and mundane fairy tales) to their daughter.

And when they finally did crawl out of the fort they still did not show their faces to the rest of the castle and instead baked some cookies with a lot of laughter as Sirius burned the first patch. Therefore, they were unaware of the danger that was lying in wait for them, waiting for the perfect moment to strike; for at this very moment Peter Pettigrew was making his attempt to get closer to Hogwarts and to get past the Dementors all in order to get Izzy.

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Author's note: DO NOT ask me to update in any way shape or form. There are other ways of telling me what you thought of this. Anyone who does will get one warning before they are blocked. Happy International Women's Day.