we are fire

Sirius laughed and nodded. “Oh you know I’m going to spoil him, get him hopped up on sugar then hand him back so he’s their problem.” He swung his hands by his sides, the fact that their friends were brave having kids in the middle of this meant they were either brave, or complete idiots for it. “What about you then Mary? Any plans for kids?” He continued to walk through the halls.

Mary laughed, shaking her head. “That sounds like something you’d do. I’m sure Lily will be ecstatic.” She imagined him bouncing around the small house, probably saying words and phrases Sirius taught him too. She face fell into more of just an average smile when he asked her about if she planned on having kids. She looked around them at nothing in particular before she shrugged. “I’ve always wanted them. Possibly two. But right now I can’t imagine it really.” The war certainly wasn’t a time to think about having kids, nor was she seeing anyone.

“Yeah, I am actually. It could be a lot of fun and Lily asked me to be Godfather, so there’s extra to do there.” He chuckled then stepped out once they came to the level they wanted. 

Mary laughed a bit as she stepped out after him. “It seems as though you might have a lot of spoiling to do.” And she was sure he’d be up for it too. Honestly both Lily and James’s and Alice and Frank’s children would be the most spoiled children yet since it seemed like no one else was having children just yet. “He’s going to be lucky.”

“Now that sounds like there’s a story behind that.”

“No I just happen to know a lot of people that talk like that.”

“Because that’s where I’m supposed to be.”

“This shockingly makes a lot of sense to me.”

“So, I’ll pay you ten galleons to show me any place but the head aurors office.”

“Why not the head auror’s office?”

Sirius shook his head. “No, it’s too big and we’re all pretty busy. James with his job and the baby soon, then Remus with his missions and I don’t know where Peter is currently hiding and I can’t do it by myself, too much work and it’s a lot of magic.” He moved further to the back when more people got on.

“I’d offer to help, but I’m too busy myself. And I wasn’t there for the last one’s creation. It probably wouldn’t be right.” She paused for a moment, looking forward than looking back at him. “Speaking of the baby, are you excited to become an uncle. Figuratively, I mean.”

“Oh that was way too easy, it’s easy to misdirect Muggles, no offence.” He shrugged his shoulders and jolted a bit when the lift got moving. “Merlin, yes, we worked on that for years, exploring every inch of that castle and its hidden hallways and secret passages, there’s loads.” 

“No offense taken, seeing as it is true in this case,” she said with a laugh. Honestly, muggles really didn’t stand too much of a chance when it came to people with magic. Not that she really wanted that to be taken advantage of by any means like it was sometimes. She moved her standing position when the lift started moving. “It’s really a shame it’s missing. I would have loved to know about all the secret places. Did you think about making one for here?”

“Doesn’t mean I haven’t been caught though.” He gave her a sheepish look then headed over to the lifts, trying to find an empty one before slipping into one. He let her hand go to find the button they needed and hit it. “We used to do all that back at school, explore the entire thing and even put together a map.” Sirius explained and held onto the handles above. “I don’t know where the map went eventually.” He muttered that more to himself than anything else.

“I imagine not. Though we’ve gotten away with all the concerts.” She smirked a little at the thought. Getting Sirius more involved in muggle music had been the best thing she could’ve ever done. She hadn’t paid for a concert ticket since. She followed him into the lift. “It’s unfortunate you’ve misplaced it.” She took hold of the handles. “Must have been useful.”

“Come on then, while everyone’s out or working, it’s quiet there.” He offered her his hand. “I’ve spent too much time wandering and exploring this place.” 

Mary nodded before she took his hand. “Then you must be the expert.” She laughed a little. Honestly, she’d been wanting to do the same herself but kept finding herself caught up in paperwork.

“I honestly don’t know how we’re going to resolve arguments at home once the baby’s out. Imagine the chaos if the three of us fought.” James laughed, before asking, “and why is that so?”

“I’m sure anything I imagine won’t be able to do that justice.” She laughed a bit before she shook her head. “None of you will let anyone push you around.”

“Oh! Of course, not at all,” he said quickly. “Nearly forgot that it was midday. Can you tell I’m not one for sleeping in?” Grinning, he skirted around the towering, shabby bookcases to a spiral staircase, leading to a small alcove where sat a rather cozy little coffee shop. The counter was small, but sat next to an impressive display case packed with freshly baked goods. “Good decision? he asked, scanning her face for a reaction.

Mary laughed a bit and shrugged. “Everyone needs it once in a while.” She herself wasn’t one for sleeping in, but she could deny that in the recent times, she’d been sleeping in once or twice a week. She looked around the store and her expression fell into a one of amazement and wonder. She knew muggles were capable of all of this and sometimes it was interesting to her how they could all be so similar in their ideas of what looked comfortable. They were all humans, for the most part, in the end after all. She turned her smile to Remus when he asked her if it was a good decision. “Oh, it was a wonderful decision.”

“It’s keeping me from thinking about stuff, so that’s a plus.” Sirius pushed himself up now and looked around the Ministry at everyone bustling to get to their departments then back at Mary. “Ever wanted to see the department of mysteries?” 

“That is always helpful.” Mary watched him push himself up before she looked around as well. It was unsurprisingly normal for the day. Her eyes landed back on him when he asked her the question and her lips turned into a smile. “Yes I have.”

Almost instantaneously, their frames were impossibly squeezed through layers upon layers of dimensions, emerging in a shadowy, dank alleyway. “Cosy,” he commented bleakly before leading her out onto the street which was littered with a few people running errands. “Muggle London, so..” he explained, slipping his wand into his coat’s inner pocket. It was a quieter neighborhood, with street fronts packed tightly together along the cobblestone. Gesturing to a stout, yellow-paneled shop shrouded in a white awning, he opened the door. “Would you like to browse or eat first?”

Mary could admit she was surprised she’d ever gotten used the feeling of being pulled across dimensions from one point to another, but she had. Apparation was a necessity anyway. She looked around the alley Remus had taken them too, committing it to memory in case she wished to use it again. Though it wasn’t the most tasteful of places, if not creepy. But this wasn’t their destination, nor was it the worst thing she’d seen in her life. She followed him out to the street and it wasn’t hard for her eyes to spot the shop. “Would you mind too terribly if we ate first?” she questioned in answer to his question before she entered the shop. “I haven’t eaten since early this morning.”