A/N: Written with prompt 28 "action: playing games" for Moresome May. Word count: 928

On the day of Victoire's birthday, Tonks found herself as excited for Victoire to open her presents as the young girl herself was. If Bill's behavior was anything to go by, he felt the same way. Their sense of competition over their presents had not died down in the days since they'd bought them.

Fleur rolled her eyes over the children's heads as Tonks and Bill rushed them through breakfast to get to the fun part of the morning.

For once, they'd all managed to get the day off work despite it being a Thursday, and Victoire was thrilled with the attention everyone was giving her. Her eyes grew wide as they laid their three gifts in front of her on the kitchen table.

"These are from us," Fleur explained. "You'll get your other gifts at the party this afternoon."

Victoire's eyes grew wider at the thought of more presents. Tonks wondered if she was old enough to even remember what her previous birthday had been like.

The wrapping paper was gone in record time, strewn on the floor and then gone with a flick of Tonks' wand. Victoire made gasping noises as she inspected the items: the Hogwarts costumes, the toy cauldron, and the board game.

Tonks couldn't disguise her bias towards the game.

"It's Auror training," she explained, leaning forward as Victoire inspected the box. "Remember how Mum's an Auror? This is what I do every day at work."

Victoire's mouth was a perfect 'O'. Though her reading wasn't yet good enough to make sense of what the box said, her eyes roved over it as if she could comprehend every word.

"Want to play?" Tonks asked, half rising out of her seat in anticipation.

She saw Fleur stifle a giggle out of the corner of her eye, but she chose to ignore it.

Victoire nodded eagerly, moving to take the lid off the box.

"Wait," Bill cut in, reaching across the table. "Don't you want to put on your new robes first?"

XXX

"See this here?"

Tonks pointed at the card she'd drawn, encouraging the kids to lean in and inspect the colourful picture that adorned it.

"Cloaking and disguise," Tonks said. "It's one of the trickiest parts of becoming an Auror, but I sailed through with flying colours thanks to this."

She morphed through several appearances in quick succession, earning giggles from both children. Teddy mimicked her, doing his best to match the faces Tonks had shown them. When he was finished, his hair was a mixture of green, black, and pink, but he didn't seem bothered by the look.

"You know," Bill cut in, "there's a similar part to Curse Breaker training."

Tonks glared at him as the kids gave him just as much attention as they'd been giving her moments before.

"You have to know how to disguise yourself from the nasty traps that might have been set, you see?" Bill said. "And you have to be able to identify any cloaking spells others have set."

"Same in the Auror Department," Tonks said. "You never know when you could be walking into a trap."

"Yes, well, it's not quite as likely for an Auror as it is a Curse Breaker. Obviously you want to be careful, but most days, we're guaranteed to encounter a cloaking spell or two."

"You might be surprised how many cloaking spells an Auror comes up against."

The kids' eyes flickered back and forth between their parents as Tonks and Bill leaned closer and closer together. Fleur sighed and reached out to take the set of die from the middle of the board.

"Five," she announced loudly, pulling everyone's attention back to the game.

She moved her bright yellow piece across the spaces, landing on a space that read, "You failed a progress check. Go back ten spaces."

Tonks sniggered loudly.

"As if that never happened to you in your training," Fleur muttered just loud enough for Tonks to hear.

She fell silent for the first time since the game had begun.

XXX

"What do you think?" Tonks asked the kids as they gathered the pieces of the game and stored them back in the box. "Does being an Auror sound fun?"

Teddy frowned thoughtfully as he considered the question. When he shrugged, Tonks felt her spirits sink along with his shoulders.

"I guess," he said with the weight of one making a real decision. "But I have to work with Uncle George and Uncle Ron when I'm big."

"What?" Tonks and Bill asked in unison.

"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!" Victoire proclaimed, throwing her arms in the air. "We're training."

"Since when?"

Teddy looked at Bill as if he truly pitied him for needing to ask that question.

"Since Uncle George said so."

Teddy threw the pieces he was holding into the box before running off without another word. Victoire followed suit, some of her pieces missing the box entirely.

"Teddy," she called. "Teddy, wait for me!"

Fleur finished cleaning up the game as both her partners sat quietly steaming.

She came up behind them once she had finished, setting gentle hands on both of their backs.

"They're too young to choose careers," she pointed out.

Both of them leaned into her touch, letting her trail her fingers over their backs. She felt Tonks shiver at the touch, and she knew she'd succeeded in at least making some difference.

"'S fine," Tonks said, turning towards her with a smile.

Fleur leaned in to give her a kiss, hoping it wouldn't take too long for the statement to be true.