I basically wrote this to inform everyone that I still exist, and a multi-chapter story should be coming soon. I'm going to be on holiday for two weeks, so I won't have any internet, but I should write loads in the time that I'm gone…
But enjoy this!
"Padfoot?"
"Yes?"
"Is there a particular reason as to why there's a hedgehog on my bed?"
The dog animagus turned to study his friend's bed with an air of bemusement. "No, actually, Moony. I have no idea why there's a hedgehog on your bed."
Remus turned to eye his friend distrustfully. "You're generally the reason why odd things like that happen."
"Well, it's not my fault this time!" Sirius said defensively. "He could have just crawled or magically appeared there. Or Prongs could have put him there."
The two watched the hedgehog wander around on the bed for a while, considering how it could have possibly arrived there.
"…It's quite cute, actually," Remus concluded after a while, watching it scramble underneath his pillow.
"What are you going to call it?" Sirius asked.
This caught Remus off-guard. "What?"
"Well, it's got to have a name! And since it happens to be on your bed, you should be the one to name it!"
"But is it male or female?" Remus asked anxiously. "I wouldn't want to make it confused!"
Sirius shrugged. "Call it a name that can be used for both – like Bob or something."
"Bob isn't a name for girls!" Remus protested.
"It is. It's short for Roberta."
"I'm not calling a hedgehog Roberta! The poor thing would be teased."
"By what? Other hedgehogs?"
"Shut up."
"So what are you going to call it?" Sirius pressed. "We can't let it go unnamed and be forever in turmoil!"
"I don't know – Frankie?"
Sirius sat down on his bed with a thump. "Frankie?"
"Can you think of a better name that can be used for a boy and a girl?" Remus challenged, his eyebrows raised.
There was silence. "We need to get a baby names book," Sirius said finally.
Two days later…
"Alex?"
"Sirius, did you really get a baby names book?"
"Yeah. What's wrong with it?"
Remus sighed. "Never mind. Continue."
"Avery?"
"Isn't that someone in Slytherin? And no, by the way."
"Charlie?"
"It doesn't look like a Charlie to me."
Sirius was undaunted. "Okay, I'll just read out some names and tell me to stop once you get to one you like."
Remus groaned. "Fine. I suppose we really ought to give it a name after two days. Then we can stop calling it 'it'."
"Evan – like Lily's surname, so no…"
"Padfoot, I thought I was naming it. Keep on going."
"Jordan, Jules, Justice, Kendall, Kyle, London, Paxton, Phoenix – who wrote this book? – Quinn, River, Rowan, True, Valentine…"
"Okay, stop!"
Sirius regarded Remus disbelievingly. "You want to call your hedgehog Valentine?"
"No! I just don't think I can put up with all those names any longer," Remus replied, glancing over at the book. "I mean, Phoenix? Really?"
"So what are we going to call it then?" Sirius whined.
Remus leant back – he could feel a headache coming on. "Let's just call it Prongs Junior and be done with it."
Sirius snorted. "Let's."
Please review this! And please don't take offence if your name is Roberta or any other names mentioned – the opinions on the names are the characters, not my own…