A/N: That's better! Thanks very much, all of you. I love y'all so much, have some more choc ices.
Here's a nice, long chapter for you all to savour. It's the moment you've all been waiting for...
July 4th
12: 30 am (Sirius' POV)
I asked Andromeda about Tonks' proposition, and she pretty much said it was OK. So…who to invite? They're going to have to share my room, which is OK as I am pretty much used to having no personal space. Although Tonks REALLY doesn't know what she's getting into, if she finds me annoying, having me and James around is going to be a nightmare for the poor girl.
Now, entertaining as that does sound, it brings up a question…should I really invite James? I mean, he does cause a bit of trouble, but then so do I. And he's my best friend. However, judging by Tonks' reaction when one, single Marauder annoyed her over the span of just an afternoon, maybe having two at once will be too much for the Tonkses. But it'd be so much FUN! Argh! Grumble grumble sulk sulk…I suppose I ought to stay my welcome here, because there is no way in the name of MERLIN I am going back to Grimmauld Place. NO. No way. I'll go to Azkaban before I go there again!
I'm not inviting PETER, though. I'm quite enjoying my time without him, thanks. Sure, he's a great mate, but only in small doses. The whole hero-worshipthing gets a bit much after a while, and though I am fantastic and all that, it gets a bit embarrassing to be the superior one all the time.
Which leaves one option. Remus.
Remus would be PERFECT. His mum's having a baby, and, remembering what Mother was like all those years ago, pregnant women need space. Although I doubt Remus plays Pretend at the loudest and most comically violent volume possible, like I did. I also doubt he attempts to play a nice tune on the tambourine for the baby while his mum is trying to sleep, like I did.
And he would get on allright with Tonks and her folks, seeing as he's so nice and polite and all that pointless sort of stuff. What IS the point of being polite? Most people don't care if you are or not, and it's kind of sad if they do. And all the girls LOVE Moony. They fancy me and James, but Remus is the one they cry on and share their chocolate with. He RELATES to them (and he tells them whether James and I are single or not).The number of times he's tried to tell Prongs that Lily does NOT like dates involving Quidditch and Snivellus attacking like he does, but he doesn't listen. The poor lad has a lot to learn about girls. I, on the other hand, know it all….
I'm going to write an owl to Remus now:
Dear darling Remmykins,
Hope you are having fun, and your mum isn't getting too stressed, etc. Has her boyfriend turned up yet? It's about time he did…still, at least she's got you, eh?
Hang on. That's a thought. If Moony's mum's boyfriend doesn't turn up (he hasn't for a while, I think he scarpered when he found she had not just one kid, but another one in the oven, too) and Moony comes here…she'll be all on her own! Who will hold her hand when she gives birth and stuff? But then Moony could just go home when she's got about a week to go, and then he'd be there for her. Lovely jubbly.
I'm here with dear Tonksy, who, despite being fun and all that, is a girl. And girls aren't much fun when you don't fancy them. Which I do not for Tonks, by the way, you sick-minded werewolf, you! Actually, I'm the sick-minded one, not you. Sorry. So, do you want to come over? I thought your mum could ring you when she's about to pop and you could just dash over and be there like the diamond geezer you are. You're a girl's best friend. Diamonds are a girl's best friend, geddit? I'm so funny. Please reply in good time, or whenever is convenient for your personage.
Regards,
Sirius Black, Esquire
I went to sleep after that, and I was woken up a few hours later by the arrival of a dark-looking owl. I fed it an Owl Treat and hastily opened its message.
Dear Padfoot,
Hope this wake you up like your letter did me. I would like to come and stay with you and Nymphadora, although I'll have to ask my mum about whether she feels comfortable with me leaving. She's not very comfortable with anything at the moment, so I'm not so sure. Is it OK for me to just turn up, or should there be an arranged time? I have to go to a class with Mum tomorrow, I mean today! I hate those classes because all the women think I'm really sweet for helping Mum and stuff. Also, I have to do daft things like encourage Mum to breathe, as if she forgot or something!. I don't get this whole labour thing, maybe I will when I get pregnant. Ha. I can still be funny at three o'clock in the morning! And last week…we had to watch a video of…well, you know. Yeeuch! But since I've got to be there for the real thing as well, better get used to it, I suppose. What if it's on a full moon! Oh my God…
Anyway, apart from worrying about my so-far-fatherless baby brother or sister (He still hasn't turned up yet. I've never met him, but I still feel like I want to hex him into oblivion), I am fine. I've finished my homework and am reading War and Peace again. Good book.
Irritably and awakely yours,
Remus Lupin, Brother-to-be
The next day (Letters)
Moony,
Please tell me you can come. Nymphadora is threatening me with nail polish!
Padfoot, the boy who does not have a feminine side to get in touch with
Padfoot,
Mum says I can come as long as I'm there to hold to her hand on The Big Day. Jerry from next door is going to go to her ante-natal classes with her, but he says he's not a close enough to her (or something like that) to be there when the Prince or Princess of Darkness commences to ruin my life. But I still want to see you with polish on, I think it'd look gorgeous on those dirt filled nails of yours. And by the way, hand cream is great for recovering your cuticles.
Moony, the boy who never wants to be a father
Moony,
Saturday, please…..Andromeda is making us clean
Padfoot, the desperate housewife
Padfoot,
As soon as I'm done fixing the banana and Marmite sandwiches, I'll be there with my stuff.
Moony, the boy with pregnancy cravings
Saturday (the diary)
09: 21am
Sirius's buddy is coming over today. I've decided to stay away from him for a while in case he slaps my bum or something dreadful like that. Although why any boy would want to slap it is questionable. His name is…Remus Lupin. So not James, thank Merlin. I totally dig James, but…it's like the way you like a pop star, you think they're cool but you wouldn't want them to come and live in your house or anything. From what I've heard, it's best not to have James in a house with girls in, particularly girls who do not like having their derrieres abused. I do NOT want my bum slapped, there was a seventh year Slytherin who did that to me once in third year and I wanted to run away and cry.
09:22am
Have realised that I do not have a very good attitude to males.
09:23am
This summer has the power to change my opinion in the male species! I will go to school an amorous, flirtatious, irresistible woman!
09:24am
Judging by a certain someone, I am likely to have more excitement being a nun.
09:25 am
Have realised that a certain "untouchable" part of me is actually very squishy.
11: 30am (not the diary, but still Tonks's POV)
There I was, in my brown tracksuit, working out to Clamynda Borealis. Merlin, that woman has a figure to die for, how can people complain about being Old when Old people can look like THAT? They're just useless, that's all. Unlike me, I am MOTIVATED. I have the gem deep in my soul that gives me success in losing those pounds.
Anyway, I was working up a good sweat and planning to go downstairs for a packet of crisps as soon as I finished, when I heard a knock at the door. I opened it, expecting Mum, Dad or possibly Sirius.
There I was, with my hair in a sad sporty hair band and my mum's tracksuit on, with huge sweat patches and greasy hair.
There he was, his dry, brown hair lurking in front of his amber eyes and his plaid shirt hanging gorgeously on his body.
It was the Gryffindor Prefect. Smiling at me, with a suitcase by his side.
And then I fainted.