A/N: One shot for Arithmancy class. Prompts used: number two & difficult choice. I don't own Harry Potter. Blessed be J.K. Rowling.
"You have to make a difficult choice Mr Lupin, I don't envy you" The plump wizard, Mr Heatherton said with a grin. Remus Lupin's Lawyer looked between the two men sitting in front of him, while he waited for an answer. Remus turned to his best friend.
"There will be an inquiry" Sirius Black shrugged. Remus looked back at his lawyer for confirmation.
"Yes the Ministry for Education and Care of Magical Children will want to make a full inspection of your home and personal suitability to adopt these children" he informed the younger men.
"I don't know if I can do this Padfoot" Remus said in a whispered panic, grabbing hold of his best friend's thigh.
"Well..." Sirius started then glanced at the lawyer, "can we have a minute?" he asked him.
"Ah…I'm just gonna get a cup of tea…I'll be back in a few" The plump man stood, straightened his robes and exited the small office. It wasn't just that the room was small, but it felt very crowded because of the tall bookshelves and filing cabinets that lined the walls and an over-large dark wooden desk, piled with papers. The two young men were seated in chairs that were jammed in front of the desk, barely out of the swing of the door. When the man was gone Sirius continued.
"You know how you said you would help me raise Harry, after his parents…" he paused because it their close friends had very recently been murdered by a horrible dark wizard, likely the same man that caused the untimely deaths of Remus' cousin and her husband, leaving him with the very difficult decision as to whether or not to accept the responsibility that was being asked of the twenty-two year old, as the last remaining relative of Matilda Anne Lupin, three years old and Wilbert John Lupin sixteen months old.
"Anne and John didn't know we well enough to know my…" Remus interrupted, so that Sirius wouldn't have to say the words they could not quite yet believe, but he faltered in his own sentence. The men had been friends so long that they didn't really need to finish them.
"They will come anyway, because of Harry; we can handle two more kids?" Sirius picked up where Remus had paused. Remus put his finger to his lips and looked his friend straight in the eyes. Sirius gave him a quirky grin as he watched the cogs move in his friends mind.
"True. Well we have the supply of potions from St Mungo's" he was coming around.
"Ha-hmm" The lawyer made a noise to announce that he was entering the room. The two men turned back to face the desk as he took his seat, "have you come to a decision?" he asked.
"I think I have…" Remus nodded and Sirius reached out to pat his friend's knee, "I will take the children." He agreed "We will raise them together" he glanced at Sirius as he nodded in agreement.
"Alright, Mr Black…was it?" he looked at Sirius and he nodded "we can have you sign the adoption papers as second parent." He started pulling papers out of a cabinet next to his desk.
"Oh wonderful" Remus grinned.
"Us two…parents?" Sirius asked his friend in disbelief.
"I know, you could have at least brought me a drink first" Remus joked and Sirius gave him a cheeky wink.
End.
A/N: Please Review!