Chapter 2

A baby. On Remus J. Lupin's desk. In the middle of the Ministry of Magic's main headquarters. A baby. Hermione wasn't quite sure how to react to that. After all, there are several different ways.

The Molly Weasley Reaction:

"Oh my goodness!"

"She's so adorable!"

"What's her name!"

"Where ever did you find her!"

"Is she warm enough?"

"Isn't that just the cutest nose you've ever seen?"

"Why, I remember when my (insert a Weasley's name HERE) was this age. He/She was always…(insert embarrassing habit of child's infancy HERE)

Or perhaps you fancy the Severus Snape Approach:

Lip curled

Sneer on face

Back turned

Proceeds to walk away

Hermione's Reaction?

"whuh…"

"whuh…"

"whuh…"

And of course Ol' Moony just stood by quite amused. He was about to begin an explanation when they heard another Marauder approaching. They knew it was him because he didn't wait until he was in the room to begin talking to them. He'd start up a conversation while down the hallway, still approaching the office.

"You know Moony, if they insist on not allowing us to apparate, can't they at least swallow their pride and install some of them muggle ex-alaters? It'd be much easier than…" he also stopped when he saw the center of attention on the desk. "Whoa." he stated. His eyes moved from Hermione to Lupin to Hermione and back to Lupin and a mischievous smile grew on his face. "Somethin' you guys wanna tell me?"

"NO!" they both answered. Sirius walked up to the bundle of joy confusion. "Well, she's got your eyes Lupin. But I can tell by the look of absolute disgust at the site of my face that she's got Hermione's intelligence. Why Hermione, What would Ron say?"

"Very funny, Sirius," she said.

"She's not mine or Hermione's," Lupin finally began to explain. "She was rescued from the wreckage of what looks like another death-eater attack." Sirius' sarcasm halted when he heard that.

"Where?" he asked.

"Small town out in the countryside. She was the only being found, dead or alive. We don't know who she is or if she has any family."

Sirius picked up the baby and held her out in front of him. "The infant survives. No one else. How curious. Where's her lightning bolt scar?" he examined her forehead and discovered it was not there. "Well, that should make Harry happy to know he's still got the only one with one of those." He lifted the baby in the air and she started to laugh.

"Are we sure it was death-eaters this time?" Hermione asked Lupin leaving Sirius to his play date.

"Positive. They left a small attempt at the dark mark over the house. Not a clear one, so we know it couldn't have been Voldemort himself. Just his ever surviving, sore-losing followers."

"Didya hear that, kid?" Sirius said to the baby in a voice of exaggerated excitement. "Voldeemort's still dead! Yay!!" He stopped and looked seriously at the baby for a moment. "She needs a name."

"She doesn't have one." said Remus irritably.

"Weeeelll, we'll just have to fix that, won't we." Sirius spoke to the baby again. He looked around the room for ideas. Unfortunately, Remus hadn't ever put up a big framed list of baby names so, looking around the office wasn't a great approach. "What do you think baby?" The baby wasn't searching for ideas. She was reaching her little arms toward a small teddy bear that was lying on the desk. Sirius held her out forward toward the desk and her attention turned from the teddy bear to Remus' desk lamp. She picked it up and held it out to Sirius. "Aaawwwww, see that? She likes the desk lamp. She's obviously made to sit in an office all day filling out paperwork just like Unckie Remus."

"Sirius, can you just be serious for a few moments? We have to figure out what to do here!" Hermione said. Sirius turned the baby to face her. He lowered his eyebrows at the cranky Hermione.

"Oooooh, baby desk lamp doesn't like your tone. You scaaawwy when your angry." Hermione ignored him and turned back to Remus.

"What are we to do?"

"Well, we've got people already investigating the house looking for clues so, we just have to figure out where to send the baby."

"Well can't we send her to Social Services or something?" she suggested.

"Their run by muggles. We can't give the only found victim to a death-eater attack to muggles."

"Well there must be somebody in this building who would make an appropriate parent until this whole thing's cleared up."

"Hermione, this building is filled with the busiest people in the whole wizard community. Those who have family's don't have room in their lives to take in an orphan and those without them don't know rattle from diaper."

"Well than what do you suggest?" she asked.

"Well, I can't take her. The full moon's not far away and nobody was ever serious when they mentioned the notion 'raised by wolves'. I'm not about to leave her with Sirius. He can't even remember to feed his fish. Plus he just named her after office equipment. Soooo…"

"Soooo…?"

"Soooooooooooo…"

"Oh no."

"Come on, Hermione. I know you're supposed to have a few days off but I don't know anyone else who I can ask." Remus pleaded.

"How about ANYONE else? I don't know how to take care of an infant!"

"You're the cleverest witch I know. It can't be that hard for you."

"I don't have any bottles or diapers or anything like that." she mentioned desperately.

"Don't worry. Some of the Moms in the ministry sent up some extra things for her."

"They sent up baby paraphernalia but no one volunteered to take her?" she asked.

"Nope. Infact they pretty much just knocked on the door, dropped the stuff and ran." He took the baby from Sirius and handed her to a reluctant Hermione. "You'll do fine with baby…" he glanced at Sirius and rolled his eyes, "…baby Desklamp."

Hermione looked at the baby and the baby looked up at Hermione. Desklamp clutched a bundle of Hermione's shirt in her little fist, snuggled into her and cooed. Remus smiled triumphantly. Hermione couldn't say no.

A/N: That's it for that chapter. Please let me know what you think. Should I keep going or chuck it out the window for the birdies to peck at?