Purple Bubbles

Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to, I don't own anything.

A/N: The prompt given to me was 'Purple Bubbles.' The story takes place during the Marauder's school years. Sirius has some family issues and seeks help from a friend. AU.

Remus Lupin's POV:

Female laughter filled my ears as I approached the house. It was followed by a man grunting in pain. That man had to be Sirius. He had called me to his house asking for help in a little family issue he had. The noises I heard led me to believe it was more along the lines of babysitting issues…

The door flung open just as I was about to knock. Sirius stood there, his hair curling in every direction. He looked relieved to see me.

"Remus!" he greeted happily. "You've arrived just in time for Dora's bath!"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Care to explain to me what's going on?"

He grabbed my arm and dragged me into the house, kicking the door behind him. He led me to his living room and looked around. "Oh, bloody hell, where is the little brat?"

"Who?"

"My little cousin," Sirius explained. "You see, 'Dromeda thought it would be a good experience for me to babysit her darling daughter while she went Christmas shopping."

I laughed. "Is that it? You called me over here because you're having trouble dealing with a child?"

Sirius whipped around and glared at me with a grim face. "You have no idea what dealing with this four year old is like."

I opened my mouth to make a witty remark, but I shut it quickly when I noticed Sirius' serious stare. I sighed. "Alright, I'll help you." I looked around. "Where is she, anyway?"

Sirius ran a hand through his mangy hair. "I don't know. She ran off moping when I told her I didn't like her new hairdo." His face suddenly brightened up and he smiled mischievously. "I know how to find her…" He cleared his throat. "Oh, Nymphadora!"

A little girl appeared from behind the couch. She had flaming red hair and was giving Sirius a death glare. "I towd you never to caw me Nymphadora! I hate that name!"

Sirius cackled. I, however, knelt down so I was eye level with the little girl. "You shouldn't say that. Nymphadora is a beautiful name."

She turned her glare on me. "Shut up."

Sirius cackled once more. "Oh, Remus, this is too good." He looked at his little cousin. "Alright, Dora, it's time for your bath."

"No!" she yelled at him.

"Oh, yes," he grimaced, picking her up and flinging her over his shoulder.

Dora started screaming and pounding on his back with her fists. Her head was shaking, causing her orange hair to fling around wildly. Wait a minute… wasn't her hair red just a second ago?

I watched as Sirius brought her into what was presumably the bathroom, and the screaming ceased when I heard a large splash. When I got to the door, I was greeted with the glorious sight of both Dora and Sirius in the already filled bathtub with their clothes still on and soaking wet. Sirius turned to glare at me as I started to laugh.

Dora found the situation amusing as well. She was smiling at Sirius and throwing bubbles at him. He turned to her. "You think this is funny, too?"

She giggled and nodded. "Siri wet!" She splashed him, causing him to be even more wet.

"Alright, kid, you've had your fun," he said seriously. "Are you ready to be a big girl and take a bath now?" He turned to me. "Would you mind getting the basket of toys in the living room? There's a couple of plastic ones that she can play with in the tub."

I nodded and went to go find the basket. I located it behind the couch and brought it into the bathroom. Sirius was out of the tub and was sitting on a stool, his clothes dripping onto the tile of the bathroom. Dora was… not seen. The bathtub was empty, except for the water and bubbles. One section of the bubbles was purple, which was most curious. The purple spot became darker before it burst out of the tub and splashed water everywhere.

"Dora, stop splashing the water!" Sirius scolded. I looked into the tub to see Dora sitting there with a smirk on her face. Her hair was the same shade of purple that I had seen in the bubbles earlier.

What was up with her hair? First it was red… then it was orange… and now… purple?

"Uh… Sirius… why does her hair keep changing?" I asked.

He gave a short laugh. "Oh, you didn't know?" He turned to Dora. "Show him what you can do, Dora."

She smiled gleefully and screwed up her face. Her hair started changing rapidly into all sorts of different colors, from blues to pinks, and from greens to browns. She stopped on bright bubblegum pink and smiled up at me.

"She's a metamorphagus," Sirius explained. "It was quite a surprise to 'Dromeda and Ted when she was born. Whenever she hiccuped, her hair would switch to a different color. They thought something was wrong with her until they found out she's just a special kid."

"I special!" she shouted, slapping her hands onto the water.

"That you are," Sirius said, ruffling her wet hair with his hand. She giggled and splashed him again.

About half an hour later, Dora's bath was finally done. I had made some hot chocolate while she was getting into her pajamas and now we were all enjoying it as Dora got settled into her bed to go to sleep.

The slurping sounds coming from Dora's cups signaled that she was done with it. Sirius took it from her, despite her protest, and set it out of her reach.

"Bedtime, kid," he said, reaching towards the blankets to tuck her in.

"No!" she shouted. "I want a bedtime story!"

Sirius groaned. "I don't want to tell you a story."

"I don't want you to," she said. She smiled up at me. "I want Remee to tell me a story."

My eyes widened in surprise. I looked over at Sirius. He was looking way too amused. "You heard the girl, Remus. Story time." He chuckled, grabbing our empty glasses and heading for the kitchen.

I grabbed a stool and set it beside Dora's bed. "What story would you like to hear?"

"Cinderelly!" she said. "Cinderelly is my favorite."

I was surprised that she even knew who Cinderella was. "Cinderella it is," I said. And so I began the well known Muggle story of a girl tortured by her stepmother and stepsisters who finds true love with a simple glass slipper. By the time I was done recounting the story, Dora's eyes were drooping.

"G'Night, Dora," Sirius said from the doorway. I wonder how long he had been standing there…

"Night, Siri," she said sleepily. "Love you."

Sirius smiled. "I love you, too, Dora."

"Goodnight, Nymphadora," I said softly, tucking her in.

She tried to glare at me, but her tired eyes wouldn't let her. "Goodnight, Remee…" she yawned as I turned out the light. "Love you, Remee."

I smiled at her as she started to fall asleep. "Love you, too."

Little did I know, that night full of purple bubbles was the start of an extraordinary relationship.

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