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IT WAS A STORMY JULY NIGHT AS THE TONKS HOUSEHOLD WAS FINISHING UP WITH DINNER. "Mummy! Mummy! Pick me up!" A small pink-haired toddler squealed with her arms up in her chair. The older woman exhaled and charmed the dishes to do themselves with a mutter underneath her breath.
"Wait one moment, Dora," Andromeda ordered as she untied her apron from her waist and pulled it off of her neck.
Suddenly, a small splatter of spaghetti sauce hit her cheek as the three-year old screeched, "No! Now!"
The woman glanced to the living room for a sign of help from Ted Tonks, but found her husband at the door, answering the knocking she didn't hear. She wandered into the front room, avoiding her daughter's bratty cries. "Ted, what is it?"
Silence filled the room as the man was still conversing with the unknown visitor, leaving Andromeda to storm over to the door. "Ted, I said what is it-"
Her demand was cut short as she met eyes with someone she hadn't expected with a gift she definitely couldn't see coming. It was her cousin, Sirius Black, holding what seemed to be swaddled baby in his arms. He stood there with a pleading grin on his lips, the rain soaking the curls framing his face.
"Hi Andromeda, could I come in for a while? I need to talk."
•••
THE COUSINS SAT IN THE FRONT ROOM FOR A WHILE UNTIL TED DECIDED TO BREAK THE ICE. "So, Sirius, what's up with the, uh, the," He was pointing to the bundle of blankets in his arms as his voice trailed off.
As if he didn't even know what he was cradling, Sirius jumped up and gave a sudden expression of realization. "Oh! Of course, um, so this is my daughter."
The room went quiet as his face went red with embarrassment from his elder cousin glaring him down, her daughter playing with a stuffed toy in her small hands.
"Okay, I'll elaborate, um, so I made a mistake, and you two can forgive me for my mistake, right?" He stated shakily, his hand held out in a begging manner.
Andromeda gazed him up and down and then looked over to her husband, who was avoiding her glare. She exhaled with a disappointed face, "I guess I could."
Sirius smiled immensely and continued, "So I made an enormous mistake, and now I'm a father, but I'm still at Hogwarts, you see my issue?"
The woman sighed and placed her head in her hands. "Merlin, Sirius you're a complete idiot, you know that? You're only going into your 6th year! Where's her mother?"
He bit his lower lip and focused on his shoes as she shamefully stated, "Going into her 6th year at Hogwarts as well."
His cousin shook her head and bounced her knee anxiously, Nymphadora not complaining as she giggled. Ted looked over to her and then back to Sirius. "Well, I'll be the one to say it, but congratu-"
He is cut off as his wife smacked the back of his head. "You git! Have you not realized what he's here for?" She exclaimed, her glare harsh.
"Listen, I'm not just dropping her off and then becoming a deadbeat dad, I would never do that. I'll visit during holidays and pay you two all the money I can afford to supply, I just beg you to keep her until I leave Hogwarts. Godric, if my mother sees me bring a baby home..." Sirius's voice trailed off as he gazed down at his only child, who was dozing off softly with a peaceful expression on her face.
"What's her name? You have to have one," Ted questioned with a curious tone to his words, making Andromeda groan loudly.
Sirius beamed with pride as he presented her full name, "Her name is Auriga Carina Black."
The man nodded in approval, whereas his wife stifled a fit of laughter, "Sirius! Are you, are you joking?"
His face went blank as his cousin chuckled at his name choice. "No, why? Is there something wrong?"
Andromeda paused her sniggering and shook her head as she steadied eye contact with him. "Auriga, the constellation, is the charioteer, who was a man. You've given your own daughter a boy's name, Sirius."
His face blanched for a moment, but then he lifted his chest higher and furrowed his brows as he defended himself, "Well, it's still a pretty name, and it fits her perfectly."
As Ted scoffed and joined in on the humorous atmosphere, Andromeda thought for a moment. The poor little girl had a father who couldn't even name her the right name; how could he raise her correctly? Especially if he was living in an abusive household that would care for her for over half the year.
"Alright, we'll take her."
Her husband choked on his spit and Nymphadora quickly glanced at her mother with a concerned expression.
"Really? You will?" Sirius exclaimed with hope painting his features as he stood up from the loveseat.
The woman nodded with a harsh smile on her lips. "Anything for my favorite cousin."
His bright blue eyes teared up as he embraced her in a hug, minding the infant he was carrying. "Thank you so much, Andromeda, it means an awful lot to me."
Andromeda exhaled into his shoulder, avoiding her husband's glare as he held the clueless toddler who had just gained a non-biological sister.
