Author's note: Here's

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the canon, world, and characters portrayed below and you can tell I'm not J.K. Rowling because #transrights

Content Warnings: NA

It Takes A Village

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you," Bill said when Remus opened the front door.

Remus couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Hello Bill," he said. "And hello, Victoire."

"Hi Rema," she beamed when she first saw him. It was as fine a nickname for him on a two-year-old's behalf as "Moomoo," which was what Harry had gone with once upon a time. Plus, this one made Dora laugh because it sounded so much like 'mama' and revealed his inner grandma. It had stuck, even if at age four Victoire was more than able of saying his name.

"Hi Victoire," Remus said, dropping to his knees and offering her a hand. She smiled and put all her tiny body's strength into giving him a high-five. Then she giggled and went in for a hug, as she usually did. "Good morning, good morning. I like your backpack, it's very pink."

"She's got some toys, some snacks in case she gets picky, a set of pajamas, her toothbrush and brush, and some other stuff that I can't remember right now but that she definitely has," Bill said. The poor man looked absolutely exhausted, his red hair a mess, his face sloppily shaven, and Remus could tell that baby vomit had recently been wiped from a wet spot on his shoulder. Victoire, meanwhile, had still been dressed with as much care in a little blue apron dress, but Remus might have to ask her if he could braid her hair for her a little bit later. He had a sneaking suspicion she'd slept on yesterday's braids and her parents had been too busy this morning to redo her hair, what with all the babies at Shell Cottage.

"Well, it sounds like you're all set, Victoire," Remus said. "Teddy is just in the kitchen eating some apple slices for breakfast, would you like some as well?"

"Yes!" Victoire said. Then, shyly, she asked, "Is there peanut butter?"

"There is peanut butter involved," Remus nodded. "Should we get you some?"

"Yes," Victoire said with a big smile slapped across her face.

"Yes please," Bill said halfheartedly.

"Yes please Remus," Victoire repeated.

"Alright, let's get you set up at the table," Remus said as Victoire took his hand, ready to be led inside. She really was unbelievably precious. "Do you want to say goodbye to your dad first?"

"Bye bye papa," Victoire said, slipping away from him to go hug Bill's legs. He crouched down to pick her up and kiss her cheek.

"Be good, je t'aime," he said in the clumsy French Fleur had made him learn and practise. "Have a good night, we'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Then I can see Dodo and the baby," Victoire said. She was quite the mother hen of an older sibling, but unfortunately she was four years old so her ability to be as helpful as she wanted to be was… well, limited.

"Yes, then you can see Dodo and the baby," Bill agreed.

"Teddy," Remus called into the flat. "Guess who's here!"

His son's footsteps pitter-pattered against the floor as he came running to the front door. Victoire squealed when she saw him and Bull put her down, so that the four- and five-year-olds could crash into each other in a hug. Teddy made his pink hair blue to match Victoire's dress, which made her giggle. She fluffed up his hair, making Remus think of two baby monkeys playing around on a nature documentary.

"Teddy, do you want to show Victoire where she can put her backpack and maybe share your apple slices?" Remus said.

"Yup," he said in an intonation not unlike his mother's. "Hi Bill."

"Hi Teddy," Bill said. The two children ran off into the apartment immediately. "Alright, bye Teddy."

"There they go," Remus said.

"Thank you so much for taking care of her," Bill said with a sigh once the kids were out of earshot and shouting at each other about peanut butter in silly voices.

"Of course," Remus said. "Always happy to have her around."

"If you were a godsend for doing that when Dominique was born, you're a saint now that Louis is here too," Bill said.

"How is he doing?" Remus asked, leaning against the doorframe. The latest Delacour-Weasley children had been born a few weeks prematurely, surprising the lot of them and requiring a lot of tender love and care from both the Healers at St-Mungo's and his parents, who were now officially outnumbered by children. He had officially been home from the hospital for a week now, and it showed on his father's fond but exhausted face.

"He's doing good," Bill said. "Eating now, which hopefully means he'll sleep better too. Then he'll stop waking up Do and the rest of us can sleep too."

"That's good," Remus said. "You can drop Dominique off as well if you need to."

Bill's eyes widened.

"I… I might take you up on that," he said. "Can you handle three of them?"

"Can you?" Remus asked with a smile.

Bill burst out in slightly-hysterical and definitely exhausted laughter.

"Good point," he said, running both hands through his hair. "Well, maybe another day. We'll see if only having two helps."

"Good luck," Remus said.

"Thanks," Bill said. He stifled a yawn. "I better Apparate home before I fall asleep at your door—again, thank you…"

"Of course," Remus said. "It takes a village, so they say."

"I feel like the village idiot," Bill grumbled before he turned away. "Three kids… why did Mum go and have six of us? What was that for? How the hell did she manage that one? She must be insane."

"Maybe," Remus said.

"I must be insane."

"You must be insane," Remus echoed.

"Must run in the family," Bill mumbled.

Remus managed not to burst out laughing until Bill disappeared into the elevator.

WC: 1016