Owls and Musings - The Sequel

Chapter 3 - And Toddler Makes Five

After talking with his wife, Remus Lupin decided to beard the lion in his den. Esme was not going to be the problem - it was Snape, and Remus was still too new in his improved relations with the man to take anything for granted. But this was important. He and Tonks had been planning and working with the authorities for so many months; it was hard to believe that the day they had been longing for was this Saturday. They had been so elated at the news, and now he had to ask of Severus this one very important request. Really, there was no one else he would ask - not after all they had been through together. So, after classes were over for the day, he headed towards the dungeons where he knew Severus would be holding his afternoon office hours.

Opening the classroom door, Lupin's heightened sense of hearing picked up the clinking sounds of glass as Severus filed bottles away in his private store cupboard. He walked across the classroom and knocked gently on the doorpost of the storeroom to get the other teacher's attention.

"Severus, can I have a moment of your time?"

"If you don't mind me working while we talk? It's Esme's turn to sit at the High Table tonight so I have baby duty in half an hour," he explained.

"Not at all, this won't take long. Need any help?" he asked.

"No," was the curt reply, but Remus did not take it personally; this was standard Snape in working mode, so he stayed just within the doorway.

"Well, I'll come straight to the point. Tonks and I have been going through the process to adopt a baby boy from the orphanage in Diagon Alley."

Severus raised his eyebrows. "Congratulations, Lupin," he said, not unkindly.

"Thank you. We've been working on this since the fall when we visited the orphanage and first saw Roger. It was love at first sight, Severus. It has been so hard to get the paperwork through, what with my 'condition' and all, but with Arthur at the head of the Ministry now and with Minerva's and Harry's backing we got the final approval last night. The thing is we need two witnesses at the final signing on Saturday - of our choosing. We would be honoured if you and Esme would act as our witnesses. That is all you need to do," he hastened to point out.

Severus paused in his filing. "Are you sure about this?"

"Very sure. Dora and I both want this." Remus nodded.

Severus placed the last bottle in its assigned location and turned back to face Remus, hands crossed in front of him. "Well, I am sure I can speak for Esmerelda when I say we'd be honoured. What time do we need to be there?" Severus enquired.

Remus felt his whole demeanour relax; releasing tension he was unaware that he had been holding.

"I appreciate this, Severus. We need to be there at ten in the morning."

"We'll see you there." He nodded dismissively at the werewolf, and Remus let a small grin show on his face as he let himself out of the classroom.

The two couples Apparated to the steps in front of the Cornelius Fudge Wizarding Orphanage. Severus thought the name was apt considering the number of orphans that were created due to the man's refusal to acknowledge Voldemort's return to power until it was almost too late. When he had heard where they were going, he had done some quick research on the facility. A fairly new orphanage, it had been founded by a charity that Fudge had sent money to on a regular basis. One of the few good deeds he had done in his life. When he had been killed during the last days of the war, it had been discovered that he had left the bulk of his personal fortune to the institution; hence the name.

Tonks was beside herself in her excitement, and Remus had to keep a close watch on her to make sure no inadvertent disaster struck. Severus noted, however, that the man was nearly bouncing in excitement himself.

Severus and Esme had left the twins in the care of Wizby and Minerva who had been practically chomping at the bit for her first chance to baby-sit. Severus had not been too keen on the idea at first; this was the first time in five months that neither one of the parents had been within hailing distance of the twins. But he trusted Minerva, and Wizby had proven herself a fair hand at watching them when Severus and Esme had to be in classes at the same time, so he had reluctantly acquiesced to his wife's request that they leave the children at home.

The air was very mild for mid-June. Sounds of shoppers drifted on the air as well as tantalising smells from several eateries gearing up for the lunch crowds, which would soon be appearing. Children's voices also carried on the wind from the play yards attached to the Orphanage.

Remus led the group up the steps, held the door as the other three entered and then led them to the Matron's office.

A cheery secretary met them and let them into the inner sanctum of the Matron, showing them to a small conference table where the paperwork awaited them.

"Ms Dewitt will be with you shortly, she's just getting some things together for you to take with Roger. Would anyone like some tea?" Before anyone could answer yay or nay, she had conjured a tray with a steaming teapot, cups and a plate with an assortment of biscuits and wafted it over to the table.

"If you can just look over the paperwork and make sure all is in order please," she said to Remus and Tonks as they pushed their chairs closer together to peruse the legal parchments together.

The young woman turned to the Snapes. "You won't be needed for the signing until later Professor; would you and Madam Snape like to take a tour of our facility? We are the finest wizarding orphanage in Britain," she said proudly. Severus motioned with his hand to lead on and offered his arm to his wife.

As they walked through the clean and cheery common areas, he listened as the young woman gave the standard tour spiel. He remembered her from several years ago. A Hufflepuff...what was her name...Morris? That wasn't right...Morse, that was it - Maura Morse.

"...we also have tutors who come in twice a week to teach the children their basics until they are old enough to attend Hogwarts."

"Tell me, Miss Morse," he enquired, "what the statistics are concerning the adoptability of older children."

"Unfortunately, sir, the older a child is the less likely they are to be adopted. From the time they are old enough to toddle around their 'cuteness' factor goes down. However, our children are able to go to Hogwarts when they turn eleven under the Merlin Scholarships."

"Can we see a playroom for the younger children?" Esme asked.

"Of course, follow me." She led them along the main hallway to a half door that led to a room full of toddlers. About fifteen children were playing in small groups around the room. Colourful drawings could be seen tacked to the walls, and one wall had a mural showing a forest scene with several animals walking around in it. The ceiling above was charmed to show the weather outside, much as the Great Hall ceiling was at Hogwarts. A young woman was acting as the monitor for the room, and she was moving from group to group, helping children with their activities.

"Merlin, Severus, I never knew so many had lost their parents!" Esme whispered.

"I did..." he murmured. Just the sight of these children brought home how much evil Voldemort had propagated. These children should be with their parents, not living out their childhoods in an orphanage - no matter how well appointed and staffed.

He reached over to unlatch the door and let themselves into the room. He wandered around looking at the childish drawings proudly displayed on the walls, toys scattered around the floor, and the groups of children playing at various different games and activities.

While they had been fairly raucous before the adults had entered, the presence of the dark man gliding around the room like an overgrown bat subdued the children for a moment until they realised he wasn't there to threaten them.

Severus and Esme soon alighted on a sofa to watch the children for a few moments more until they were needed in the Matron's office again, and Maura headed over to talk with the young witch in charge of the room.

Esme watched as a little raven-tressed girl, no more than three years of age, slowly walked across the room towards them. The child's bright blue eyes were glued to her husband. She held a battered teddy bear by one tattered ear and had a thumb positioned in her mouth absently stroking her nose with her forefinger as she puzzled out this stranger. Finally coming to her own conclusion, she firmly marched over to Severus and without a by-your-leave clambered into his shocked lap and presented him with her bear to be kissed. Stunned, Severus looked to his wife for help, a pleading look in his eyes.

"What do I do?" he whispered in abject terror.

"Well, dear, you'd better kiss the bear!" she snickered.

He shot her a look of exasperation but gingerly took the proffered teddy and bestowed a quick kiss on top of its moist head before quickly handing it back to its owner. He resisted the urge to wipe his mouth; it would not do to offend the small creature. The toddler hugged the bear to her chest and popping her thumb back into her mouth, curled up in Severus' lap, closed her eyes, and promptly fell fast asleep. Severus found himself curling one arm around her protectively while his other hand brushed lightly over her raven curls in a soothing motion.

He had cradled and fed the twins enough times over the last five months to know what a joy it was to sit with them, hugging them to his chest, comforting them when they cried. But this was different somehow. This child had chosen to come to him on her own volition. She wasn't afraid of him. He was finding himself smitten with the little creature. He looked over at Esme and found her smiling fondly at him and the child. She nodded her head slowly at the unspoken plea in his eyes and reached out her hand to cover his as it rested alongside the girl's face.

He closed his eyes in contentment and bestowed a feather light kiss on top of the toddler's head as he hugged her closer to his chest.

Too soon the room monitor came over to gently take the child to her nap cot and Severus reluctantly let her go.

"Maura, who is that child?" he asked the secretary as they got up to leave.

"Her name is Alisha, Professor," she responded, a slight grin on her face. She knew what was coming - it always happened this way. The Lupins had been the same when they had seen little Roger in his playpen last autumn. They had picked him up to play a bit and were starting the paperwork for adoption three hours later.

"Maura," Esme cut in, "we would like to adopt her."

After they had been led back to the Matron's office to sign as witnesses to the Lupin's adoption of little Roger, they began their own process to adopt Alisha and add her to their rapidly growing family.