Review from Sparklespazz101: "Good chapter, especially Tonks' POV, but I'm a little disappointed you didn't update sooner."

I don't want you to be disappointed in me! Therefore, in order to prevent my own untimely demise at the hands of irate fanfiction reviewers, here is the next chapter.

To be frank, Dora was a bit disillusioned. The Magical Department of Child Protection and Social Services was no fun. She had expected plump, motherly witches and flying babies, but the only person sitting behind the scratched wooden desk was a bored stiff witch who made Sirius fill out about fifty gazillion papers. Harry expressed his feelings by blowing raspberries; the only thing that kept Dora from copying him was a rueful grin and a wink from Remus.

"Hang in there," he mouthed. Dora sighed and rubbed her nose. How much longer will we be here? I'm so bored! After a long, noiseless moment, she sidled up to Remus and leaned against his leg.

"If I have to stay in this room for one more minute, my head will fly straight off! I can't stand it!" Dora grabbed both of the ly-ly-werewolf's hands and tugged. "Remy, take me somewhere interesting!"

Remus's smile faded. "Nymphadora, I'm not sure your father…" Remus threw a worried glance at Ted. Dora frowned. What…oh, you bloody idiot!

"My daddy won't care. Would you, Daddy?" Ted Tonks jumped and shook himself. As her father shook his head violently and yawned, Dora barely managed to stifle a giggle.

"What wo—What won't I care about, sweetheart?" Ted rubbed his eyes wearily.

"Remy and I were just going to go to the canteen!"

Ted sighed. "All right. Get out of my hair, you little terror!" Ack! Dora squirmed away from her father's tickles and smashed into the wall. Immediately, Remus caught her around the waist and set her upright.

"Oh, Nymphadora?"

Dora froze just inside the doorway. Her daddy tapped his nose and winked. "Try not to bring back any strays this time, all right?"

Dora grinned. "Gotcha."

"Is that everything I have to sign?" Sirius rubbed his hand where it was cramping. The witch behind the desk—"Leandra Lovegood," her badge read—smiled and sighed.

"There's just one more thing, Mr. Black." Oh, my…you have got to be kidding me! I'm to die of a paper cut at this rate! Leandra flipped through her sheaf of parchment and pulled out one last form. "Since you are now Harry's legal guardian, he will need a replacement godparent in case anything were ever to happen to you."

Sirius heaved a sighed of relief and bounced Harry on his knee. "Well, that's easy. Moony, would you come sign—" He broke off as he noticed that the lycanthrope in question was missing. "Where is Moony?"

Behind him, Ted rubbed his nose guiltily. "I sent him to the canteen with Dora," he admitted. Sirius snorted and crossed his eyes at Harry.

"You do remember what happened the last time you sent Mini-Tonks to the canteen, right?"

Ted groaned. "Don't remind me. She can't have gotten far this time." He poked his head out the door. "Lupin! Sirius wants you."

A moment later, Tonks skidded through the door with Remus two steps behind her. Harry giggled into Sirius's chest. "Pink! Pink!"

Moony's eyes clouded. "What do need, Padfoot?"

"Want to be the Mini-Prongs's second godfather?"

Just as Sirius had expected, Moony's eyes snapped wide. Why does he look so surprised? He was as close to James and Lily as I was! Then, Sirius noticed that Remus was fingering his Visitor to the Ministry badge that read "Registered Werewolf." "Padfoot, I don't know if I can…"

"Don't worry." The witch behind the desk—oh, yeah, Sirius thought, Leandra—beamed at them. "The Werewolf Registry's reach doesn't extend into here. I wouldn't let them." Though her eyes remained dreamy, Sirius got the distinct impression that Leandra Lovegood was anything but careless.

Remus grinned shakily as he signed on the dotted line. "Sirius, I—thank you!"

What are you thanking me for, Moon? Who else was I going to pick?

Harry reached up one hand and patted Moony's arm. "Unca Moon!"

Remus ruffled Harry's black locks. "Hey, bud."

After a moment, Harry leaned against Remus. "Mah Unca Moon." Every emotion seemed to rush to the surface, and Remus suddenly had to fight back tears. What I wouldn't give for your parents to be here, Harry!

Next to Remus, Dora sighed spectacularly. "Aw! Even guys can't resist cute little babies!"

Remus shot her a quizzical look. "Don't you mean 'old guys'?"

"Humph!" Dora crossed her arms. Remus started when he noticed that the tips of her hair were turning red. "I told you before, Remus! You are not old!"

"Oh, that's right." Remus bounced Harry on his hip. "As I recall, your father and Mad-Eye are old, as is Professor Dumbledore, who belongs in an ancient history museum." Dora stuck out her tongue petulantly. "Her words, Professor Dumbledore, not mine," Remus added as he turned to the elder professor.

Rather, he added as he turned to where Professor Dumbledore was supposed to be. Remus rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Where did he go?"

"NARNIA!"

"Hmm, I was thinking more along the lines of Imladris," Remus supposed. Behind the desk, Ms. Lovegood held up a packet of yellow sweets.

"He does seem to be a Gandalf type, doesn't he? The professor left you lemon drops, by the way." She smiled vaguely at Sirius's bemused glower. "Haven't you read The Lord of the Rings?"

"No, ma'am." Remus shook his head. "I never could convince him to finish The Hobbit, either, but he tore through Roald Dahl like Christmas presents."

Dora snorted. "That's still blasphemy. Are lemon drops any good?" After a split second of speculation, she shrugged her shouders and popped four of them in her mouth. "Izwealgoo', Rem! Ooo shoo try one!"

"No, thank you." Especially not since you've eaten them all… "It would be a bit like A.B.C. gum."

"I like A.B.C. gum!" Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius. "Why am I the only one who likes A.B.C. gum?"

Remus snorted. "Perhaps the dog's stomach dulls all your other senses," he mumbled.

"I'm sorry." Ms. Lovegood from behind the desk was neatly filing the papers away. "I'm afraid you'll all have to leave my office now. I need to go fetch my daughter from her sitter's, you see."

"Oh!" Everyone in the room hurried into the hallway and watched as Ms. Lovegood locked her office and headed down the hallway. Dora looked up at Remus hopefully.

"Remy, can we go to the canteen now?"

It was a simple question, Dora was sure, but suddenly Daddy Dearest was making excuses about how they needed to head to the green grocer's before they went home. Dora couldn't remember the last time her dad even thought about the green grocer's! If it were up to him, there would only be butterbeer, guacamole, and ice cream in the fridge.

Somewhere above Dora's head, Remus sighed. "I should probably go pay my rent," he admitted. Sirius made an agreeing sort of noise as Dad started pulling her away. Suddenly, her eyes were all watery. Dora stamped her foot at the stupid baby tears.

"Dora?" Someone knelt in front of her and caught her chin in his hand. "Dora, what's wrong?"

I—I—"I don't want you to leave!" Dora cried. "We were having s-so much fun! I don't want to go home yet!"

"It sounds like you have a few errands to run, though."

"No!" Dora sniffled as a gentle hand brushed a few tears away. "Remy, what if I never see you again? It's not fair!"

"Hang on!" Big Cuzzie Sirius scooped her up and messed her hair. "Tonks, Remus is my best mate! If you ever want to visit him, all you have to do is come over to my place. That way you can see him and me and Harry all at once." There was a whimper, and Sirius added: "Besides, Harry's exhausted. He needs his nap, kiddo. You wore him out!"

"Really? I can really visit?" Dora whirled on her dad. "Daddy, Daddy, can I visit Sirius and Remus and Harry? Can I visit them all the time?"

Her dad laughed. "Yes, Nymphadora, you can visit them all the time. It'll get you out of your mother's hair!"

"YES!" Happy dance! Happy dance! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! All the grown-ups chuckled as Dora did her Jig of Joy around them. "I'm going to visit every single day, including national holidays!"

Dad grinned. "We'll see, Dora. Say 'good-bye'. Harry looks really sleepy."

"Right!" Dora went on tiptoe and kissed Harry's cheek. "Night-night, little man! I'll see you tomorrow!"

Harry snuffled and waved slowly. "NiNi, Pink!"

He's so cute! I want one! First, I'd have to get married… Dora wrapped both arms around Sirius's legs and tugged. He barely staggered. "I'm still bigger than you, Tonks. Keep on growing!"

"Darn!" Dora stuck out her tongue. "Oh! Hang on, Remus!"

Dora could tell Remus was bracing himself as she backed all the way down the hallway. She took off at a run, leaped, and wrapped arms and legs around Remus, who slammed into the nearest wall. "Remy, I'll miss you. You have to visit Sirius all the time, promise?"

Remy laughed and squeezed her tight. "All right, I promise. All the time."

Sirius shook his head as he watched his little cousin drag her father down the hallway. In his godfather's arms, Harry Potter had finally fallen asleep. Sirius took the opportunity to slug Moony in the arm.

"Ow! Sirius!"

"My cousin loves you!"

Remus flushed and shook his head vehemently. "How could she? She's what, eight?"

"She's convinced you're not old!"

"Oh." Moony considered this as Sirius snickered. "Well, then, that explains everything."

"Remy!" A familiar high-pitched voice was squealing from down the hallway. Tonks was waving from the lift. Faintly, both men could hear Tonks call: "This was the best day of my entire life!"

Sirius considered this. He was exhausted. His friends were dead, betrayed by another friend; he had almost been arrested; he was the sole guardian of a one-year-old boy. Best day? Not by a long shot.

Then he thought of Remus's understanding gaze, Dumbledore's twinkling eyes, Harry's laughter, and Tonks's antics. Peter was in prison. Voldemort was defeated thanks to the baby slumbering in Sirius's arms. As he looked at Harry's relaxed features, Sirius thought of sunny days free of Order meetings and obituaries, of Harry's first bike, first wand, first day at school, first kiss. It hurt beyond imagining that James and Lily wouldn't see all this.

Sirius would, though. Sirius would get to watch his godson grow up in the perfect family of misfits, and presently, as he and Remus Apparated home, that meant the world to him.

Horrible? Perhaps. This is another chapter written in one sitting without much proofreading. Please leave a review!

Only one chapter left! Can you believe it?

Cheers,

The Extremely Exhausted Icey.