Sirius shook his head, an exaggerated look of disappointment on his face.

"I still can't believe you weren't up at the crack of dawn, waiting for your Hogwarts Letter like every other child in the world-"

"Magical Britain," Remus interrupted.

"Huh?"

"Magical Britain," Remus repeated, "though, more like Magical UK because children from Scotland and Northern Ireland go to Hogwarts."

"That's what I said," Sirius whined.

"No, you said 'the whole world'. Hogwarts doesn't cater to children that don't have British citizenship. "

"Same thing." Sirius was pouting now.

"Not at all," Remus replied, rolling his eyes.

"Anyway," Sirius continued. "Like every other child in the United Kingdom," he gave Remus a pointed look and I couldn't help but let out a snort, "You weren't awake hours before your letter. I consider that an absolute travesty."

"Travesty?" Remus mouthed at me and a giggle escaped.

"I can't help that I like my bed!" I argued.

"But it was your Hogwarts Letter."

"And?" I said with a shrug of my shoulders. "I knew it was going to come."

"But-"

Remus elbowed him to stop him arguing, I shot the werewolf a grateful look. He smiled his adorable smile of his and I had to look away so he didn't see me blush. I could just about control my hair so he definitely didn't see any reaction. Hopefully. He was busy scolding Sirius anyway.

"You can't argue with her on something that happened more than a decade ago. It won't change the answer."

Sirius' pout got bigger.

"You weren't even hyper or anything during the shopping trip!" he pouted.

"I was!"

"At least tell me that you were appropriately excited about going to Hogwarts."

"Well, sort of," I said slowly.

2nd July 1984

"And, that's the last of them," Ted announced as he dumped a bulging bag in the hallway, closing the front door behind him.

"And that's the last time we're getting a Muggle taxi back from London," Andromeda complained, rubbing her temples and looking more than a little bit pale.

"It wasn't from London and you were the one who wanted to ride in one home from the cafe. 'It will be fun' you said. 'Have to keep up appearances' you said," Ted pointed out.

Andromeda shot him a dark look that promised pain if she wasn't so indisposed.

"It's not my fault Dora wanted to carry something," she insisted.

They had shrunk her cauldron, textbooks and trunk like any normal person would do (it normally wasn't advised to shrink your cauldron but because this one was pewter it was fine). Why anyone would want to lug around those all day without some sort magical help was beyond her. Dora felt a bit sorry for the Muggleborns. Though, Dora had wanted to carry something from her supplies list, to properly show that she was a Hogwarts student now, not just some child tagging along with her parents to do the shopping. So, she carried the bags full of Potion's ingredients and stationery and just one of the textbooks - the Transfiguration one, it looked awesome. Her mother didn't trust her with any part of her uniform so she carefully carried that. Her parents also picked up a few odds and ends from the Alley. Neither of them had intended to but no one ever left Diagon Alley with their hands empty. They ended up with about five bags between them. Should have really been four but Andromeda refused to put her Quidditch paraphilia in with Ted's broom racing magazine. Apparently, it would be traitorous.

They had collectively decided to drop off for more food in a little cafe in the nearest town to them, which was about five or so miles away. It was their favourite cafe; it did these amazing toasted sandwiches. Of course, they apparated into a nearby Alley to get there and we're soon gorging on their sandwiches. Shopping was hungry work!

It was when they'd finished what led to the current problem. Andromeda had this fascination with taxis and had insisted that they take one home, saying that people with no magic and this many bags would definitely to that by way of excuse. Completely forgetting that she got travel sick. Thankfully, the journey wasn't long so she wasn't physically sick

Andromeda noisily gulped down a glass of water in a manner that would get Dora told off.

"Better?" Ted checked.

Andromeda closed her eyes but nodded.

"Good, I'll bring all Dora's things up to her room and expand them. Get them all ready for Hogwarts."

"Thank you," Andromeda called after him and turned her attention to Dora. "I bought the cleaning solution in the Pet Store for you."

"Thank you! Hokey's cage definitely needs a good cleaning," Dora told her.

"You gave it a good cleaning last week," Andromeda replied. "You really don't need to use that solution every time you clean. Once a month is what's recommended. Water with a bit of soap is fine the rest of the time."

"Hokey is a very hygienic moke," Dora said importantly, grabbing the appropriate bag from the hall and returning to the kitchen counter where she had left his cage.

"That he is," Andromeda said with a fond shake of her head.

"Are you sure I can't bring him with me?" Dora asked, cuddling the creature close when she removed him from his cage. He'd become quite affectionate towards her even if he still didn't realise how sharp his bite was.

"What did that letter say?" Andromeda asked her in a tone that heavily implies the question had been asked many times before.

"Only cats, owls are toads," Dora said with a long-suffering sigh.

"There you go then."

"But Hokey is so much better than any of those silly animals," Dora squeezed said moke a little too hard and he gave her finger a warning nip, see? See how intelligent he is?

She set him back in his cage.

"Still not allowed, Nymphadora."

The small girl pouted and crossed her arms, her mother bustling around her taking no notice. As she wasn't getting the response she was looking for, Dora sighed loudly in discontent and flounced around to go moan with her father.

Maybe he would sympathise with her. Or help her smuggle him in. Big, sad eyes might help.

"I've already warned you father, Nymphadora."

This sigh was one of frustration, how did mother always know what she was thinking?

"It's a skill we mothers acquire when their child is in babyhood," her mother answered.

"Argh!"

Ted poked his head through the door, one of his eyebrows raised.

"What have I been warned about and why is Dora shrieking?"

Dora rushed over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her head in his stomach.

"Daddyyyyy..."

Ted gave his wife a helpless look.

Andromeda just met his eyes with a raised eyebrow of her own.

"You've been warned about how your daughter has you wrapped around her little finger and you aren't to help her smuggle a moke, of all things, to Hogwarts."

"Ah." Ted looked down at his daughter, who had shifted her eyes a large grey-blue to help with her pleading look as she looked up him, still wrapped around his body and bottom lip poked out. "Um."

"Ted."

"You wanted to bring a Moke with you to Hogwarts?" Remus asked incredulously.

"Not just any Moke. Hokey!" I explained as if that was anything different. Which it was! Hokey was the most awesome Moke.

Remus just shook his head at me. He did that a lot.

"People bring stuff that's not on the list all the time," I complained in a mumble. "Percy Weasley brought a rat of all things, if I remember right-"

Remus' eyes flashed dangerous as that as Sirius made a strangled noise. I looked at them wide eyed and clapped my hand over my mouth. Stupid Tonks! How on earth did I forget about Pettigrew?

"And loads of Ravenclaws brought ravens or eagles or crows," I added quickly. "There were also so many reptiles and someone in my year had stick insects of all things."

Thankfully, they both cracked a smile at that. Phew.

"How did the stick insects work out?" Remus asked curiously.

I frowned, trying to remember. What happened to those?

"I'll tell you when we get to them," I told them. "Don't want to tell you anything out of order."

"You don't remember, do you?" Sirius asked, grinning.

I threw a pillow at him