"Okay, Moony, be honest with me. What sounds better? Elizabeth Black or Sirius Potter?"

"Sirius, you are literally married to the woman already and have been for almost fifteen years. Why is this a discussion?" Remus asked his best friend with a sigh, looking over at Liz who just held her hands up to let him know she wasn't getting involved just yet.

"Because, my dearest Moony, I am simply curious and you are a terrible friend for questioning me," Sirius told him.

Manda rolled her eyes as she sat down in her usual seat the breakfast table. She was set to leave that afternoon for the Zabini household and while she was more than ready to see her fellow Slytherins again, she was definitely going to miss walking in to the most random conversations that she had ever heard in her life.

"He wants to know if he should change his name," Liz told Remus with a sigh. "Even though we literally had this conversation the night before our wedding and the night he proposed and when Manda was born and then again when Noah was born. So I don't know why he keeps asking everyone."

"Because I need to know from multiple people. I can't just change my name based off of one person's opinion, Lizzie. That's a terrible idea," Sirius argued.

"Okay but why do you need to change your name at all?" Manda asked with a raised eyebrow as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

It was just the Black family in the house today, the Weasleys, Hermione and Harry all having gone out for back to school shopping so they could get it out of the way and everyone else in the Order going about their lives. Noah was colouring in a random piece of parchment while he sat in his father's lap, Liz was rubbing her swollen belly, and Remus was holding his cup of coffee like his life depended on its magical powers to keep him awake. Manda was pretty sure that if everything with Voldemort hadn't happened, this is how her life could have been every single day.

Sirius thought about it for a second before he shrugged. "No clue. Don't have to. Just want to see what people think."

Manda raised an eyebrow at her father but shrugged it off. She sat down and ran a hand through her hair, watching Noah scribble all over the scrap bit of parchment. It was peaceful and perfect and everything that she had always wanted for a morning. Remus left not long after the surname discussion and Liz was so exhausted that she was falling asleep in her chair (apparently the baby had been keeping her awake with its kicking).

"You ever wonder what the quietest thing is that can set the portrait off?" Manda asked her father.

"Sometimes. I wanted to test it before the Order settled in here but they arrived sooner than I thought they would," Sirius admitted.

"I dare you to know every single thing that she says the next time she goes off."

Sirius's face lit up a bit at that. "And what do I get if I get it all right?"

Manda thought about it for a minute before she smiled innocently over at her father. "I will help you find a way to legally change your surname. But, if you lose, I get to take you on the longest dog walk ever."

"No," Liz said with a sigh, opening her eyes again. "Your father isn't allowed to take dares."

"What? Why?"

"Apparently, according to your mother and Remus, I have no regard for my own personal safety," Sirius told her with a roll of his eyes, clearly not believing this statement but everyone that ever met him knew this to be true.

Liz shook her head but had a loving smile on her face. She stood and kissed Sirius quickly and then the top of Noah and Manda's head before she went up for a nap, complaining about how she had to use the baby not kicking to her advantage. In this moment, that meant sleep.

"You're on by the way. I've know that woman my whole life. I'll get it right," Sirius told his daughter with a shrug as he finished his coffee and watched Noah again.

~~~~~

In the end Sirius did get it right, but Liz was insistent on none of them changing their names, saying that they could just make it better for the Black name to be associated with them rather than Sirius' extended family. Sirius knew better than to argue with Liz so he just took Manda's slice of cake at lunch instead.

Now, Manda was upstairs packing up the rest of the stuff that she would need not just for staying at the Zabini household, but also everything that she would need for Hogwarts in the autumn term as well. A soft sigh left her lips as she finally finished packing and zipped her suitcase closed, sitting on her bed and running a hand through her long blonde hair. She looked over when George walked in and smiled lightly.

"You all packed then?" George asked softly as he noticed the packed trunk and the suitcase sat on top of it. He sat down on the bed beside Manda, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.

"Yeah. And I leave in like five minutes so I need to hear my three favourite words," Manda softly as she leaned her chin on his shoulder and looked up at him.

"I love you."

"I love you too but those aren't the ones I meant and you know it."

George rolled his eyes but had a smile on his face nonetheless. "You have so little faith in me."

"Can you blame me?"

"No, not really. But fine, I'll say them."

"Okay, good because I was getting worried you wouldn't," Manda teased and kissed his cheek.

"I'll behave, promise."