A Paucity of Parental Authority (scarvesnhats Day 18)
Title: A Paucity of Parental Authority
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: They're not mine. I'm just borrowing them.
Wordcount: 2535
Prompt: Borrowed jumpers.
Notes: Sixth year. Sirius babysits. Apologies to anyone who dislikes shortened names. I refuse to call a three-year-old either Tonks or Nymphadora. She's Nym.
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Sirius flitted down the stairs. He wasn’t supposed to be up yet - the bell hadn’t gone and when he’d peered into the kitchens he’d seen the house elves had only just put the bacon on. On the other hand, there was no way he was staying in bed. He just hoped Remus hadn’t been even half-awake.
Blacks did not snuggle. Not even if the object of their snuggling was their over-bony, pointy-elbowed, wriggly fellow Marauder. Therefore, because they did not snuggle, they did not have to worry about what would happen when they woke up the next morning tangled around said wriggly friend with said friend’s thigh pressing in a very sensitive place. And because they didn’t have to worry about that, they didn’t have to worry that they’d enjoyed it.
He leapt over the three trick stairs, grabbed the banister and dropped over to land on the stairs below, thus avoiding the portrait of his Great-Great Aunt Cassiopeia. He was beginning to wonder whether avoiding relationships had been such a good idea, even if it had infuriated his mother. It was all very well to know who he liked to wank over (the Holyhead Harpies, Daniel Goldstein, Gideon Prewitt, Mandy Whatsit in Ravenclaw, Ludo Bagman, Sturgis Podmore, the blonde girl in Violet and the Veelettes - he wasn’t fussy) but it didn’t teach him what to say in this sort of situation. How about, “Oh, sorry, Moony, thought I was Padfoot and you were a chair leg?” or “Oooh, Lily, yeah,” because then Prongs would kill him before Remus worked it out.
He really hoped Remus had been completely asleep. That was the problem. He could have been awake and pretending, devious git that he was.
Here were the stairs down to the entrance hall. Today was a Monday and the house elves always polished that bannister on a Sunday night so it should be just right for…
Still at a run, he hurled himself onto the bannister, spread his arms out and slid. The polished wood was just right beneath his feet and he only just had time to think, There’s someone by the front door before he sailed off the end.
He landed with a satisfying thump which stung the soles of his feet and stood up to face the music.
“One of those days, is it?” his cousin Andromeda asked. She was leaning against the doors, heavy winter robes wrapped around her, with her arms full of sleeping toddler. Nym was wrapped in so many layers Sirius could only see a tuft of green hair.
“Meda!” he said. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see Narcissa,” she said and gave him a sharp look. “Didn’t anyone tell you?”
“Tell me what?” he asked, feeling uneasily.
She looked at him again. “How ill she is. They don’t know if-” She hesitated.
“But-” he began, head whirling. Cissa? Cissa was dying? “Nobody dies of flu. Why isn’t she at St Mungo’s?”
“They’re full,” Andromeda said grimly. “And no, nobody’s died at Hogwarts.”
Sirius shivered. That wasn’t- surely- “Where’s Ted?” he blurted.
“At home,” Andromeda said and he realised now how exhausted she looked. There were shadows under her eyes and her hair was coming down from its pins. “He’s got it but not badly. It’s the old and the very little ones who are in danger.”
Sirius felt unsteady. Dark wizards killed people. Hexes killed people. Escaped dragons killed people. Illness was only meant to be a nuisance. “But we’re wizards,” he said.
“That’s right,” Andromeda said, starting up the stairs. “And this influenza attacks wizards. It’s barely touched the Muggle population but we’ve almost come to a halt. The pureblood lobby are making nasty insinuations.”
“I can imagine,” Sirius said sourly. “Who’s studying it?”
“No one, at the moment. The ministry can’t spare anyone. We’re down to a skeleton staff.”
“Is it hitting purebloods worse?” Sirius asked. He’d been to see Regulus, though he wouldn’t admit it to anyone, and it had scared him. But Reggie was better now and it was Narcissa who was up there somewhere, delerious, with the breath rattling in her chest.
Andromeda shrugged and Nym yawned and said, “Mum-mum.”
“The infection rate is much higher among Muggleborns but when we do get it we’re hit much harder.”
Sirius felt himself grin, though he wasn’t amused. “Inbred.”
Andromeda nodded. “It’s a disaster, little cousin. An absolute disaster.”
“Because there’s no one to stop the attacks,” Sirius said.
She stared at him again, quick and assessing. “You know about that?”
“Yes.” He didn’t want to talk about Peter.
“Mum-mum. Out!”
“Hush, darling. Sirius, since you’re here?”
“Yes?” He was cautious - she might be his favourite cousin but she was still a Slytherin.
“Can you take Nymphadora? I’ve coated her in anti-flu charms but I don’t want to take her into the ward and I couldn’t leave her with poor Ted. He’s not well enough to keep up.”
Andromeda wasn’t meant to look upset. She was meant to solve problems, to rescue him from family fights and laugh at him when he sulked.
“Hand her over.”
Andromeda set Nym down and released her from at least three layers of blankets. “Go with Sirius, darling. And be good. You know what happens when you’re bad.”
“No yummies?”
“Bribery?” Sirius asked, mock-stern. “Shame on you, cousin dear.”
“Do I look like a Gryffindor, squirt?”
“No more than I do. C’mon, Nympho.”
“Sirius Black!”
No, Andromeda would never be as scary as Bella but she wasn’t far off sometimes. He grinned at her and said, “Shoo. And, y’know, tell Narcissa we’re going to give Slytherin the worst defeat ever if she doesn’t get back on her broom in time.”
She smiled at him and then hurried away.
Nym grabbed his knee and demanded, “Sirrus! Up!”
He picked her up and headed back to the tower. “How’s my favourite, then?”
“I’m three! And after I’m three, I’ll be four and then five and then seven and then grown up!”
Sirius grinned. “And then what?”
“Then I’ll come to school and I’ll get sorted! By the funny hat! Daddy says I’m too devi- devi-nuss for Gryffindor and Mummy says I’m too noisy for Slytherin. And…and I can’t remember what the others are.”
“Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,” Sirius said. When had she got this heavy? “You can be in Gryffindor today.”
“Good. Sirrus? Did you know I can make my hair pink?”
“Yup. I knew.” It changed colour anyway, growing into a shock of curls that tickled his chin.
“But pink isn’t in the rainbow. I know my rainbow - it’s redorangeyellowgreenblueindigoviolet!”
Sirius ignored the flicker of colour below his chin to grin at the Fat Lady. “Ziggy Stardust.”
“And who’s that?”
“I’m Nym!”
“Nymphadora Tonks. You’ll remember her dad.”
“Oooh,” the Fat Lady said. “That nice Ted. In you go then.”
Most of the House were already in the common room. Even Lily was there, looking rather wan. Her eyes widened as she saw Sirius.
“Morning, Evans,” he said. “They let you out, then?” Where was Remus?
She nodded. “Sirius - who on earth?”
“My cousin Andromeda’s brat.”
“Down!”
He put her down with a sigh of relief and tried to shake the cramps out of his arms. How could such a small girl weigh so much? Andromeda must have a Beater’s arms under her robes.
Nym walked across and held out her hand. “How d’you do?”
Lily shook it gravely, though Sirius could see she was hiding a smile. “Very well, thank you. I’m Lily.”
“Lily!” Nym said and turned her hair red.
“Oh!”
“She’s a metamorphmagus,” Sirius said.
“She’s adorable,” someone said. Sirius looked around and felt his eyes widen in dismay. Where had all these girls come from?
“Who is she?” a fifth-year asked.
“Oh, you wouldn’t remember Ted - he was Head Boy the year before you started. She’s his little girl.” That was one of the seventh-years.
“Oy, Black, is Ted here?”
“Got the flu,” Sirius said, struggling to keep Nym in view through the crowd of girls. “Nym?”
“Sirrus! Lily!”
“Can you say Yvonne, sweetie?”
“Vonne!”
“Sirius? What’s going on?”
That was Remus, blinking at him from the bottom of the stairs. Sirius reminded himself very firmly that Blacks do not blush and said, “Er.”
“Who he, Sirrus?” A small, blue-haired streak headed for Remus.
“That’s Remus, Nym.”
“Is he your friend?”
“Yes,” Sirius said, horribly aware that he was surrounded by girls. Giggling girls.
Nym looked her at Remus, who looked alarmed, and held her arms out. “Up!”
“What am I meant to do?”
“Pick her up.”
“What if I drop her?”
Nym’s lip was trembling. Sirius, who recognised the warning signs, said urgently, “Merlin’s sake! Pick her up before she howls.”
Remus bent down and picked her up, holding her stiffly.
“Oh, for goodness sake, Remus,” Lily said. “Don’t you know anything about children? You don’t hold her like that.”
“Er, ladies?” That was Adams, the fifth-year prefect. “Do you know you’re missing breakfast?”
There was a general squeal and Sirius dodged as they all ran for the portrait hole. He, Remus and Lily ended up at the back of the crowd, with Lily still lecturing Remus.
“Can’t she walk?” Remus hissed.
“Not fast enough to get there by lunchtime,” Sirius said.
“She’s heavy.”
“Do you want to be my friend, Remus?”
Remus looked alarmed. “If you like.”
“Sirrus is my friend. I’m his favourite.”
Sirius was sure he had had an image to maintain. Once.
They met the Slytherins leaving the hall as they entered. Sirius glared at Snape, because no day was complete without a confrontation. Snape sneered and made a remark about latecomers.
“Why’s that boy staring, Sirrus? He’s got a big nose. I can have a big nose, too.”
Snape’s face as Nym transformed would warm his heart all day.
“That’s why you’re my favourite brat,” he said to her.
Lily tutted. “Honestly. What do you want for breakfast, darling?”
“Jam!”
Remus put her down with more force than Sirius thought was necessary and dropped into the next chair, massaging his wrists. Sirius sat beside him and Lily climbed in beside Nym.
“Pumpkin or raspberry?” he said, trying not to look at Remus.
“Both.”
“Sirius, you can’t,” Lily protested.
“Why not?”
Lily waved her hand vaguely and said, “Well, because.”
Sirius scooped a generous spoonful of each onto a bit of toast and passed it down. There was a blessed silence as Nym set to and he muttered to Remus, “You’re quiet?”
“Not awake yet. Where’d you go, this morning?”
“Woke up early,” he muttered uneasily. “Went for a run. Met Andromeda.”
Remus looked unhappy. “Did I- did something?”
“No!” Sirius said and grabbed for his own porridge.
“Then why won’t you meet my eye?”
“Uh-oh. Naughty Nym.”
They both turned to see pumpkin juice spreading all over the table, and all down Nym. A large piece of toast was stuck to her jumper and her cheeks were glistening with jam.
“Quick!” Lily said. “Get her jumper off before it goes through!” She tugged the offending garment off and Remus lifted Nym before the spreading orange puddle got too far.
“Nymphadora,” Sirius said, frustrated. When was Andromeda coming back?
Her lip trembled and her hair faded to brown. “I didn’t mean to.”
“Of course you didn’t,” Remus said, glaring at Sirius.
“I want my jumper!” There was a definite wail.
“You can have mine,” Sirius said hopefully.
“I don’t want yours. You’re mean.”
Sirius was aware that every girl in Gryffindor was glaring at him. He wasn’t a monster. He hadn’t even raised his voice.
“You can have mine,” Remus said, sitting her on the table and wriggling inside his robes until he produced a rather tatty jumper. “See. Nice and warm. No need to cry.”
She regarded him suspiciously and then held her arms up. Lily helped him.
“There,” she said as she rolled up the sleeves. “You look like a proper Gryffindor now. Just like Sirius. Say thank you to Remus.”
Nym giggled and stood up. Remus’ jumper came down to her knees. She jumped forward onto his lap and Remus winced.
Sirius blinked in sympathy, hoping she hadn’t landed on any recent scars.
“Thank you very much,” Nym said and kissed Remus on the cheek, her hair turning pink again.
Remus jumped and someone from the Ravenclaw table said, “Ooh, Lupin, have you finally got a girlfriend?”
Sirius turned to glare and spotted Professor McGonagall descending from the staff table in wrath.
“What is going on here? What possible excuse is there for my entire house to be late for breakfast? If someone has been resetting clocks they will regret it.”
“Oh, be quiet,” Nym said and Sirius sunk into his chair. Where, oh, where, was Andromeda?
McGonagall stopped in mid-flow and said, “Who’s this then?”
Sirius managed a sickly grin and said, “My cousin Andromeda came, professor. This is her daughter.”
“Is this little Miss Tonks?” McGonagall said and scooped Nym off Remus who looked relieved. “Ted’s little girl? Oh, goodness, let’s get you get cleaned up, dear.”
Sirius looked at Lily. Lily looked back.
“I never see any of the next generation until they’re Sorted,” McGonagall murmured. “And as for the rest of you, hurry up, please! You’re all going to be late.” She turned back towards the staff table.
Sirius set off in pursuit. “Professor! Give my cousin back!”
By the time McGonagall had dealt with him, everyone else had finished breakfast. He got back in time to hear Lily say to Remus, “If I ever have a baby, I’m bringing him in to show off.”
“Be thankful Prongs isn’t here,” Sirius growled, shovelling jam onto cold toast. “Or you’d be getting all sorts of offers.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “As if I’d procreate with Potter.”
“I won’t tell him you said that,” Remus said. “He’d lose the will to live. No luck getting her back, then?”
“Abducted!” Sirius muttered.
“Why is your cousin here, anyway?” Lily asked.
Sirius put his toast down. He suddenly wasn’t feeling hungry. “She came to see Narcissa. She’s bad.”
“Oh,” Lily said, wide-eyed.
Remus looked at him thoughtfully and said, “Eat your toast. Oh, your letter of the day came.”
“Where is it?” Sirius growled.
Lily smirked and pointed to a heap of ash in the middle of the table. Sirius blinked and grinned at them both. That was one less thing to worry about.
~◊~
Some hours later, after he had placated an anxious Andromeda and found out that Narcissa’s fever had eased slightly, he remembered and asked, “Meda?”
She turned back. “Yes?”
“Have you been getting letters? From the family?”
She frowned a little. “You too?”
“Yeah. What have you done with them?”
“Burnt them unopened. I always do. I wonder what they want?”
“Well, I’m not opening one,” Sirius said, crossing his arms.
She grinned at him. “Have Reggie and Cissa been getting them?”
“Not that I’ve noticed. Must just be us black sheep.”
She tapped her fingers against the wall. “Interesting. I might floo old Alphie. See if he’s included. Now, have you any idea where the old cat is teaching? I want my baby back before she turns tartan.”
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: They're not mine. I'm just borrowing them.
Wordcount: 2535
Prompt: Borrowed jumpers.
Notes: Sixth year. Sirius babysits. Apologies to anyone who dislikes shortened names. I refuse to call a three-year-old either Tonks or Nymphadora. She's Nym.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Sirius flitted down the stairs. He wasn’t supposed to be up yet - the bell hadn’t gone and when he’d peered into the kitchens he’d seen the house elves had only just put the bacon on. On the other hand, there was no way he was staying in bed. He just hoped Remus hadn’t been even half-awake.
Blacks did not snuggle. Not even if the object of their snuggling was their over-bony, pointy-elbowed, wriggly fellow Marauder. Therefore, because they did not snuggle, they did not have to worry about what would happen when they woke up the next morning tangled around said wriggly friend with said friend’s thigh pressing in a very sensitive place. And because they didn’t have to worry about that, they didn’t have to worry that they’d enjoyed it.
He leapt over the three trick stairs, grabbed the banister and dropped over to land on the stairs below, thus avoiding the portrait of his Great-Great Aunt Cassiopeia. He was beginning to wonder whether avoiding relationships had been such a good idea, even if it had infuriated his mother. It was all very well to know who he liked to wank over (the Holyhead Harpies, Daniel Goldstein, Gideon Prewitt, Mandy Whatsit in Ravenclaw, Ludo Bagman, Sturgis Podmore, the blonde girl in Violet and the Veelettes - he wasn’t fussy) but it didn’t teach him what to say in this sort of situation. How about, “Oh, sorry, Moony, thought I was Padfoot and you were a chair leg?” or “Oooh, Lily, yeah,” because then Prongs would kill him before Remus worked it out.
He really hoped Remus had been completely asleep. That was the problem. He could have been awake and pretending, devious git that he was.
Here were the stairs down to the entrance hall. Today was a Monday and the house elves always polished that bannister on a Sunday night so it should be just right for…
Still at a run, he hurled himself onto the bannister, spread his arms out and slid. The polished wood was just right beneath his feet and he only just had time to think, There’s someone by the front door before he sailed off the end.
He landed with a satisfying thump which stung the soles of his feet and stood up to face the music.
“One of those days, is it?” his cousin Andromeda asked. She was leaning against the doors, heavy winter robes wrapped around her, with her arms full of sleeping toddler. Nym was wrapped in so many layers Sirius could only see a tuft of green hair.
“Meda!” he said. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see Narcissa,” she said and gave him a sharp look. “Didn’t anyone tell you?”
“Tell me what?” he asked, feeling uneasily.
She looked at him again. “How ill she is. They don’t know if-” She hesitated.
“But-” he began, head whirling. Cissa? Cissa was dying? “Nobody dies of flu. Why isn’t she at St Mungo’s?”
“They’re full,” Andromeda said grimly. “And no, nobody’s died at Hogwarts.”
Sirius shivered. That wasn’t- surely- “Where’s Ted?” he blurted.
“At home,” Andromeda said and he realised now how exhausted she looked. There were shadows under her eyes and her hair was coming down from its pins. “He’s got it but not badly. It’s the old and the very little ones who are in danger.”
Sirius felt unsteady. Dark wizards killed people. Hexes killed people. Escaped dragons killed people. Illness was only meant to be a nuisance. “But we’re wizards,” he said.
“That’s right,” Andromeda said, starting up the stairs. “And this influenza attacks wizards. It’s barely touched the Muggle population but we’ve almost come to a halt. The pureblood lobby are making nasty insinuations.”
“I can imagine,” Sirius said sourly. “Who’s studying it?”
“No one, at the moment. The ministry can’t spare anyone. We’re down to a skeleton staff.”
“Is it hitting purebloods worse?” Sirius asked. He’d been to see Regulus, though he wouldn’t admit it to anyone, and it had scared him. But Reggie was better now and it was Narcissa who was up there somewhere, delerious, with the breath rattling in her chest.
Andromeda shrugged and Nym yawned and said, “Mum-mum.”
“The infection rate is much higher among Muggleborns but when we do get it we’re hit much harder.”
Sirius felt himself grin, though he wasn’t amused. “Inbred.”
Andromeda nodded. “It’s a disaster, little cousin. An absolute disaster.”
“Because there’s no one to stop the attacks,” Sirius said.
She stared at him again, quick and assessing. “You know about that?”
“Yes.” He didn’t want to talk about Peter.
“Mum-mum. Out!”
“Hush, darling. Sirius, since you’re here?”
“Yes?” He was cautious - she might be his favourite cousin but she was still a Slytherin.
“Can you take Nymphadora? I’ve coated her in anti-flu charms but I don’t want to take her into the ward and I couldn’t leave her with poor Ted. He’s not well enough to keep up.”
Andromeda wasn’t meant to look upset. She was meant to solve problems, to rescue him from family fights and laugh at him when he sulked.
“Hand her over.”
Andromeda set Nym down and released her from at least three layers of blankets. “Go with Sirius, darling. And be good. You know what happens when you’re bad.”
“No yummies?”
“Bribery?” Sirius asked, mock-stern. “Shame on you, cousin dear.”
“Do I look like a Gryffindor, squirt?”
“No more than I do. C’mon, Nympho.”
“Sirius Black!”
No, Andromeda would never be as scary as Bella but she wasn’t far off sometimes. He grinned at her and said, “Shoo. And, y’know, tell Narcissa we’re going to give Slytherin the worst defeat ever if she doesn’t get back on her broom in time.”
She smiled at him and then hurried away.
Nym grabbed his knee and demanded, “Sirrus! Up!”
He picked her up and headed back to the tower. “How’s my favourite, then?”
“I’m three! And after I’m three, I’ll be four and then five and then seven and then grown up!”
Sirius grinned. “And then what?”
“Then I’ll come to school and I’ll get sorted! By the funny hat! Daddy says I’m too devi- devi-nuss for Gryffindor and Mummy says I’m too noisy for Slytherin. And…and I can’t remember what the others are.”
“Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,” Sirius said. When had she got this heavy? “You can be in Gryffindor today.”
“Good. Sirrus? Did you know I can make my hair pink?”
“Yup. I knew.” It changed colour anyway, growing into a shock of curls that tickled his chin.
“But pink isn’t in the rainbow. I know my rainbow - it’s redorangeyellowgreenblueindigoviolet!”
Sirius ignored the flicker of colour below his chin to grin at the Fat Lady. “Ziggy Stardust.”
“And who’s that?”
“I’m Nym!”
“Nymphadora Tonks. You’ll remember her dad.”
“Oooh,” the Fat Lady said. “That nice Ted. In you go then.”
Most of the House were already in the common room. Even Lily was there, looking rather wan. Her eyes widened as she saw Sirius.
“Morning, Evans,” he said. “They let you out, then?” Where was Remus?
She nodded. “Sirius - who on earth?”
“My cousin Andromeda’s brat.”
“Down!”
He put her down with a sigh of relief and tried to shake the cramps out of his arms. How could such a small girl weigh so much? Andromeda must have a Beater’s arms under her robes.
Nym walked across and held out her hand. “How d’you do?”
Lily shook it gravely, though Sirius could see she was hiding a smile. “Very well, thank you. I’m Lily.”
“Lily!” Nym said and turned her hair red.
“Oh!”
“She’s a metamorphmagus,” Sirius said.
“She’s adorable,” someone said. Sirius looked around and felt his eyes widen in dismay. Where had all these girls come from?
“Who is she?” a fifth-year asked.
“Oh, you wouldn’t remember Ted - he was Head Boy the year before you started. She’s his little girl.” That was one of the seventh-years.
“Oy, Black, is Ted here?”
“Got the flu,” Sirius said, struggling to keep Nym in view through the crowd of girls. “Nym?”
“Sirrus! Lily!”
“Can you say Yvonne, sweetie?”
“Vonne!”
“Sirius? What’s going on?”
That was Remus, blinking at him from the bottom of the stairs. Sirius reminded himself very firmly that Blacks do not blush and said, “Er.”
“Who he, Sirrus?” A small, blue-haired streak headed for Remus.
“That’s Remus, Nym.”
“Is he your friend?”
“Yes,” Sirius said, horribly aware that he was surrounded by girls. Giggling girls.
Nym looked her at Remus, who looked alarmed, and held her arms out. “Up!”
“What am I meant to do?”
“Pick her up.”
“What if I drop her?”
Nym’s lip was trembling. Sirius, who recognised the warning signs, said urgently, “Merlin’s sake! Pick her up before she howls.”
Remus bent down and picked her up, holding her stiffly.
“Oh, for goodness sake, Remus,” Lily said. “Don’t you know anything about children? You don’t hold her like that.”
“Er, ladies?” That was Adams, the fifth-year prefect. “Do you know you’re missing breakfast?”
There was a general squeal and Sirius dodged as they all ran for the portrait hole. He, Remus and Lily ended up at the back of the crowd, with Lily still lecturing Remus.
“Can’t she walk?” Remus hissed.
“Not fast enough to get there by lunchtime,” Sirius said.
“She’s heavy.”
“Do you want to be my friend, Remus?”
Remus looked alarmed. “If you like.”
“Sirrus is my friend. I’m his favourite.”
Sirius was sure he had had an image to maintain. Once.
They met the Slytherins leaving the hall as they entered. Sirius glared at Snape, because no day was complete without a confrontation. Snape sneered and made a remark about latecomers.
“Why’s that boy staring, Sirrus? He’s got a big nose. I can have a big nose, too.”
Snape’s face as Nym transformed would warm his heart all day.
“That’s why you’re my favourite brat,” he said to her.
Lily tutted. “Honestly. What do you want for breakfast, darling?”
“Jam!”
Remus put her down with more force than Sirius thought was necessary and dropped into the next chair, massaging his wrists. Sirius sat beside him and Lily climbed in beside Nym.
“Pumpkin or raspberry?” he said, trying not to look at Remus.
“Both.”
“Sirius, you can’t,” Lily protested.
“Why not?”
Lily waved her hand vaguely and said, “Well, because.”
Sirius scooped a generous spoonful of each onto a bit of toast and passed it down. There was a blessed silence as Nym set to and he muttered to Remus, “You’re quiet?”
“Not awake yet. Where’d you go, this morning?”
“Woke up early,” he muttered uneasily. “Went for a run. Met Andromeda.”
Remus looked unhappy. “Did I- did something?”
“No!” Sirius said and grabbed for his own porridge.
“Then why won’t you meet my eye?”
“Uh-oh. Naughty Nym.”
They both turned to see pumpkin juice spreading all over the table, and all down Nym. A large piece of toast was stuck to her jumper and her cheeks were glistening with jam.
“Quick!” Lily said. “Get her jumper off before it goes through!” She tugged the offending garment off and Remus lifted Nym before the spreading orange puddle got too far.
“Nymphadora,” Sirius said, frustrated. When was Andromeda coming back?
Her lip trembled and her hair faded to brown. “I didn’t mean to.”
“Of course you didn’t,” Remus said, glaring at Sirius.
“I want my jumper!” There was a definite wail.
“You can have mine,” Sirius said hopefully.
“I don’t want yours. You’re mean.”
Sirius was aware that every girl in Gryffindor was glaring at him. He wasn’t a monster. He hadn’t even raised his voice.
“You can have mine,” Remus said, sitting her on the table and wriggling inside his robes until he produced a rather tatty jumper. “See. Nice and warm. No need to cry.”
She regarded him suspiciously and then held her arms up. Lily helped him.
“There,” she said as she rolled up the sleeves. “You look like a proper Gryffindor now. Just like Sirius. Say thank you to Remus.”
Nym giggled and stood up. Remus’ jumper came down to her knees. She jumped forward onto his lap and Remus winced.
Sirius blinked in sympathy, hoping she hadn’t landed on any recent scars.
“Thank you very much,” Nym said and kissed Remus on the cheek, her hair turning pink again.
Remus jumped and someone from the Ravenclaw table said, “Ooh, Lupin, have you finally got a girlfriend?”
Sirius turned to glare and spotted Professor McGonagall descending from the staff table in wrath.
“What is going on here? What possible excuse is there for my entire house to be late for breakfast? If someone has been resetting clocks they will regret it.”
“Oh, be quiet,” Nym said and Sirius sunk into his chair. Where, oh, where, was Andromeda?
McGonagall stopped in mid-flow and said, “Who’s this then?”
Sirius managed a sickly grin and said, “My cousin Andromeda came, professor. This is her daughter.”
“Is this little Miss Tonks?” McGonagall said and scooped Nym off Remus who looked relieved. “Ted’s little girl? Oh, goodness, let’s get you get cleaned up, dear.”
Sirius looked at Lily. Lily looked back.
“I never see any of the next generation until they’re Sorted,” McGonagall murmured. “And as for the rest of you, hurry up, please! You’re all going to be late.” She turned back towards the staff table.
Sirius set off in pursuit. “Professor! Give my cousin back!”
By the time McGonagall had dealt with him, everyone else had finished breakfast. He got back in time to hear Lily say to Remus, “If I ever have a baby, I’m bringing him in to show off.”
“Be thankful Prongs isn’t here,” Sirius growled, shovelling jam onto cold toast. “Or you’d be getting all sorts of offers.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “As if I’d procreate with Potter.”
“I won’t tell him you said that,” Remus said. “He’d lose the will to live. No luck getting her back, then?”
“Abducted!” Sirius muttered.
“Why is your cousin here, anyway?” Lily asked.
Sirius put his toast down. He suddenly wasn’t feeling hungry. “She came to see Narcissa. She’s bad.”
“Oh,” Lily said, wide-eyed.
Remus looked at him thoughtfully and said, “Eat your toast. Oh, your letter of the day came.”
“Where is it?” Sirius growled.
Lily smirked and pointed to a heap of ash in the middle of the table. Sirius blinked and grinned at them both. That was one less thing to worry about.
~◊~
Some hours later, after he had placated an anxious Andromeda and found out that Narcissa’s fever had eased slightly, he remembered and asked, “Meda?”
She turned back. “Yes?”
“Have you been getting letters? From the family?”
She frowned a little. “You too?”
“Yeah. What have you done with them?”
“Burnt them unopened. I always do. I wonder what they want?”
“Well, I’m not opening one,” Sirius said, crossing his arms.
She grinned at him. “Have Reggie and Cissa been getting them?”
“Not that I’ve noticed. Must just be us black sheep.”
She tapped her fingers against the wall. “Interesting. I might floo old Alphie. See if he’s included. Now, have you any idea where the old cat is teaching? I want my baby back before she turns tartan.”