"Nymphadora, keep your hair brown, please, don't make me tell you again."

"I don't LIKE IT BROWN!" Nymphadora whined as she was led through the gate by her mother's hand, and along the little walkway through the growing garden in front of the Potter's house. Ted Tonks closed the gate and loped after his wife and daughter, careful to place his footing on the stepping stones leading up to the door.

Andromeda paused at the door and turned, kneeling to look at Nypmhadora. "Please, listen to me. I am your mother and I am telling you this for a reason. It is not proper for little girls to have brightly colored hair. Do you know anyone else who has bright pink hair?" She stared into her daughter's eyes.

"No," Nymphadora admitted. "But I'm not everyone else. I'm me."

"Yes, but people don't just have hot pink hair. It's not natural. And people will think that I don't take good care of you if they see you're running about looking like that."

Ted stood behind them. "C'mon Andy... does it really matter here? Why don't we just, you know, let it go for tonight...?"

Andromeda looked up at Ted with a frown. "Ted - she has to learn! She never listens to me and if we let her get away with it --"

"I don't understand what the big deal is, Andy," he whispered.

"That's because you don't get the looks from every person that sees her running around with her hair like that. Things like that always go back to the mother, not the father... it's me they judge for it, not you..."

Ted shrugged, "As if other people judging you for making unique decisions has ever bothered you before?"

Andromeda frowned. "Ted, please. Why can't you just have my back on this?"

He sighed. "Dory, honey," he said looking at Nymphadora, "Brown, please? For mummy and daddy?"

Nymphadora scowled and folded her arms over her chest.

Ted looked at Andromeda helplessly.

Andromeda knelt back down. "Nymphadora. I'm going to start counting, and if you haven't changed your hair back by the time I get to three, I swear on Merlin's pearly white beard, I'll --"

The door suddenly opened. "Hey! I thought I heard somebody out here!" Lily Potter grinned at their guests as Andromeda stood up and squared her shoulders, flushing at having been caught reprimanding her daughter. Tonks promptly ran past Lily into the house the moment Andromeda's hands had released their grip on her daughter, nothing but a streak of hot pink hair. Lily laughed, "So much energy, you'd think she was related to Sirius or something." She stepped back and waved for Ted and Andromeda to enter.

Ted smiled and steered his wife inside. "There's a certain family resemblance that runs the gamut between the three Blacks on site this evening." He squeezed Andromeda's shoulders.

Dora appeared then coming 'round the kitchen island toward the front door.

"Auntie Mia!" Andromeda cried, grinning upon seeing Dora and wrapping her arms 'round about Dora's neck. It had been actual ages since Andromeda had seen Mia Black, of course, since she had snuck off with Fleamont Charlus Potter ages and ages ago, when Andromeda herself was a mere tiny child. Dora grinned and hugged her neice-or-cousin-or-some-relationship that was so convoluted and wrapped about itself (as most relationships in the Noble House of Black were) that they weren't even sure themselves the full extent and correctness of numbers of times removed or not removed they were exactly.

Dora wrapped her arms around Andromeda and squeezed her tight, then shook hands with Ted, smiling at the handsome, brown-haired man who had been the reason Andromeda was disowned at a young age. "I assume that delightful pink-haired streak of energy I saw go past me a few moments ago was little Miss. Tonks?" Dora had met Tonks before, via Remus when he'd baby sat her at the Lupin House, and even met Ted and very briefly Andromeda herself, though those previous meetings had all been Resistance or Order related and they'd not been given a time to get to reunite properly...

James suddenly came bounding down the stairs with his old Hogwarts Quidditch gear strapped on, including a beaters' helmet strapped on under his chin.

"What in Godric's name are you doing?" Lily asked, looking at him warily.

"Pick up Quidditch," James announced, tugging the strap under his neck tighter. "Hullo Tonkses!" he called, waving to them.

"Quidditch you say?" Ted said, and he patted Andromeda, "You ladies have fun gossiping. I'm going with James."

James laughed, "C'mon Ted, we've always room for another!" He waved and Ted hustled after James out the backdoor, the same way Nymphadora had gone running.

Lily shook her head as the boys went out the door. "I swear, boys and their quidditch."

"You'll never talk it out of them no matter how old they get," Dora said, shaking her head. "Til his dying day, Charlus was on and on and on, mad about quidditch!"

"Yeah and James never stops with quidditch especially," Peter, who was sitting at the island and hanging about with Lily and Dora in the kitchen. He was enjoying himself as the taste-tester and merrily took one of Dora's butterscotch cookies fresh from the oven, grinning because usually it was James or Sirius who got the first one but this time - this time it was him!

Outside in the yard, Nymphadora had shot across the grass like a pink blur 'til she ran smack into Remus Lupin's legs and clutched her arms about his waist. He looked down in surprise at the sudden new fashion accessory. "Well, hullo," he said in surprise at the sigh of the pink haired head pressed against his side.

"Well what's that you've got there, Moony?" Sirius Black's voice carried over her from behind and Tonks doubled her grip onto Remus's side. "Catch a little pink bird, did you?"

Remus looked up and met Sirius's eyes. He shrugged. "Dunno, seems a shy little bird, doesn't it?"

"Hey Nymphadora," Sirius said gently as he touched her shoulder and she looked up at him. "Hi. It's me, your favorite cousin." He bent down and looked into her eyes.

Tonks clung to Remus, "Hi."

"Hey I like your hair," Sirius said.

Nymphadora's eyes met his.

"And hey you've got your grey eyes. Very cool. Grey eyes are the best."

She smiled.

"ALRIGHT YOU LOT!" James announced, "I found another player for us."

"You ridiculous idiot," Sirius said to James, standing up, and laughing at him with all the gear on, "What do you think we're going to do, beat the daylight out of you?"

"Actually, I'm rather hoping you might," James said.

"Oh you want it rough today, huh Potter?"

"I've never played at being keeper before and I need some practice so I can get Oliver Kent shooting quaffles at me and be a bit of a challenge to him scoring goals. Everything I'm reading is that he needs to be well rounded in skills on a pitch. I thought you lot could take it in turn throwing balls at me."

Sirius grinned wickedly. "I'll throw balls at you anytime, Prongs."

"Only on Tuesdays and Bank Holidays," James replied casually and moved on before Sirius could play the line further. He reached down and patted Nymphadora's pink hair, "Hullo, Pinky," he said.

She pressed her face back into Remus's side, flushing at the name Pinky. She kinda liked it, but she had only met James a few times and was shy. Remus smelled warm and safe.

Sirius grinned and plucked his old broom up from the ground, nearly tripping over himself to snatch up the quaffle as Ted took Lily's broomstick, Remus insisting he'd rather sit on the ground and watch anyway. James released self beating bludgers and Sirius cackled as they instantly swept up and hit James in the arse the moment they were released.

"The balls throw themselves at you, Prongs," Sirius said.

Ted laughed nervously at the joke and Sirius winked at Ted, then mounted his broom and took off from the ground.

"Sirius is extremely... what is the word?" James mused, then, "Over the top. You get used to him, but blimey if he thinks you're uncomfortable he will make sure you are so don't let him see your weakness."

Ted laughed, "Thanks for the tip."

James nodded, "He's incredibly committed anyway to that one over there so he's only taking the mickey out in all reality."

Remus was settling on the grass with Nymphadora, laughing as she rolled on the grass, making barking sounds. She pointed up at Sirius. "Ggffrruff! Ruff! Woof!!"

"Sshhh!" Remus laughed, shaking his head. Bloody Sirius, clearly didn't know the concept of children repeating everything.

But Sirius looked proud of himself, flying chaotically as the bludgers tried to strike him. He loop de looped away and took a lap about the field, sweeping over the duck pond close enough his tailwind disturbed the water's surface, and pulled up to corkscrew across the grass and chucked the quaffle at James, who had taken up position by the practice rings he'd put up in the yard.

The quaffle hit James square in the chest pad with a loud thump and an "UHMPH!" from James. The quaffle was a bit heavier and hit harder than James had expected - having never played keeper during his years at Hogwarts, he'd never had chasers chucking it at him and the impact of it made him suddenly realize the standard issue quidditch pads were not made thick enough to make being Keeper a very comfortable position. "Blimey," he groaned, and wondered what Lily would say when he stumbled into bed that night covered with bruises.

Ted took the quaffle next. He had actually played chaser, so his approach was a bit less aggressively show-offy than Sirius's - but his throw was more aimed and James missed blocking it, the quaffle sailing through the goal hoop. "Whoo!" Ted shouted.

Nymphadora clapped, "YEAH DAD!" she yelled.

Sirius looked down. "What, you're not rooting for me?"

She barked at him.

"Oh I see how it is," Sirius said.

Nymphadora laughed and clapped for Ted as he swooped past.

James tried to prepare himself for Sirius's next airstrike. The old broomstick wasn't the fastest, and for that James was grateful, because if Sirius could've gotten up more speed, he probably would've been knocked off his broom as he kicked to block the rings and only just caught the quaffle before it got by, sending it soaring over the roof of the house.

"Accio quaffle!" James cast, waving his wand and the quaffle came flying back and James, being an idiot, managed to get hit in the side of the head by his own summoning work, and he paused, seeing stars. "Bleeding hell!"

Sirius laughed, "Thick as porridge."

Suddenly from the edge of the trees there was a commotion and James whirled about on his broomstick to look. A group of young kids were running across the fild - the oldest maybe nine or ten and a couple of younger ones following along, all carrying broomsticks except the smallest, who was clutching a doll with flopping legs and braided hair. James, Sirius, and Ted landed on the grass as the kids approached and James said, "Oi there what're you lot up to?""We saw you playing quidditch!" the oldest, a boy with aubrurn hair and freckles over his face explained. "Can we play with you? Please?"

James looked over at Sirius, who shrugged, and Ted laughed, so James nodded and said, "Alright, but we're playing to win, alright, so don't be thinkin' we're going easy on you lot!"

"No, we wouldn't want you to!" the boy answered and he turned 'round to his siblings, who all shared the same ruddy face and hair. "Y'hear that? He says we can play!"

"YES!" screamed a boy with what was obviously a toy broom that would likely keep him within ten feet of the ground at best.

"That's Sirius over there, this is Ted, I'm James... That there sitting over there is Remus and Nymphadora." James pointed as he spoke, and even as he did, the back door opened and out came Lily, Andromeda, Dora, and Peter, who was carrying a giant tray of cookies and bottles of pumpkin juice rather proudly. "Ah and here comes my wife, Lily, my mum - you can call her Mrs. P,  Andy, and that's Peter with the snacks."

The oldest mouthed all the names after James did and waved to each, then pointed at his own chest, "I'm Theo, my brothers Roger and Alfie, and that's Nessa, she won't play, she just follows us everywhere."

"Well nice to meet you lot," Ted said jovially. "Nessa, you're about the same age as my Dory, I'll bet! Dory, look'it here, a little friend for you... and what's that you've got? A doll? What a pretty one she is, too." Nessa was holding the doll up for Ted to see.

Nymohadora was hiding behind Remus Lupin, peeking over his shoulder.

"Why don't you go see?" Remus asked.

"I don't want to play with DOLLS," Nymphadora said, rolling her eyes, "That's for babies."

Nessa didn't seem much to mind being called a baby, nor that Nymphadora was uninterested in playing with her, especially when Peter handed her one of Dora Potter's rather famous butterbeer cookies to nibble and the girl excitedly smacked on that while making her doll dance in the grass and humming. Nymphadora gave Remus a look as if to say something along the lines of 'see? what did I tell you?' and Remus shook his head.

The tray made it's way around and James was back in the air on his broomstick with a cookie clutched in his mouth in no time, though he hovered much lower than before so that Alfie's toy broom could make the same height. James's trainers nearly reached the ground from where he hung and he waved his wand to shorten the goal posts.

"Now you have to promise us something, too, you little spites," Sirius said, half walking and half flying, his broom hovering so low his knees were bent to stay off the ground. "You can't go easy on us, either, if we're not going easy on you. No letting us win or something, trying to make us enjoy playing with you."

Rodger answered, "Theo's the best at making goals! You'll see, he'll get it in there every time!"

Theo flushed.

"Well let's see it, kid," Sirius grabbed the quaffle from the ground and threw it gently to Theo, then pointed at James. "Him? He's the best Keeper that ever kept a ring. Been doing it for absolute eons. Almost went pro as a keeper, he's that kind of good." He leaned closer, "Aim for his legs, he's a weak kicker." He winked and Theo laughed, then shot up into the air.

They were kids, so of course the boys went easy on them. Even Peter grabbed one of the extra brooms laying around and joined in for awhile, switching off with Sirius, who went and lay in the grass next to Remus. Nymphadora lay on top of Sirius, hugging his neck.

Andromeda said, "Don't be too cling hanging all over everyone, it can be annoying... please be mindful..."

Sirius looked at Andy, then to Tonks. "Yeah, speak right up, Tonks, if I'm hanging all over you too much, I can really be a pain in the rumpus when I want to be!"

Tonks giggled, "Mummy was talking at me, Sirius!"

"Oh well I didn't see anyone doing anything annoying so I though it must be me who was being annoying." He gave Andromeda a Look and Tonks went right back to clinging onto Sirius like a tiny spider monkey.

Remus raised an eyebrow and Sirius lay back, using Remus as a pillow as Tonks used Sirius as one, too. "What are you looking like that for?" Sirius asked.

"Nothing, I just find it interesting how defensive you just got over a -- what was it that you called children? snot mongers?"

Sirius shrugged, and turned his head, looking over at the game as Theo was about to shoot on James with the quaffle. James exaggerated throwing himself off his broom in an attempt to catch the ball and rolled across the grass when he landed as though it was a huge miss and Theo pumped his fist as the quaffle landed on the other side of the rings.

"NOT ANOTHER ONE!" cried Ted, "Blimey we're down about a hundred points aren't we?"

"At least!" said Peter, shaking his head.

Alfie and Roger high-fived.

Lily was braiding Nessa's hair and Tonks was watching with interest and slid down from Sirius's stomach and wandered over, watching Lily's hands work through Nessa's auburn locks, weaving them into an intricate pattern. "That's really neat," Tonks said. "Can you make mine, too?"

"Sure," Lily said. She finished up with Nessa's and magicked some flowers in between the folds of hair, then patted the spot before her for Tonks to sit as Nessa got up and ran through the grass with her doll.

By the time the sun was setting, the kids up about twelve gazillion pionts, according to Sirius's score-keeping, that is, and Nymphadora's hair was braided in a crown around her forehead with loads of flowers stuck through. Theo, Roger, Alfie, and Nessa waved goodbye and Theo promised to come by for a rematch sometime as they took off across the grass.

James laughed when they were out of ear shot. "Good game, you lot."

Ted shook his head, "It was nearly as hard playing poorly as it was playing well," he laughed.

"It takes a certain skill to suck," Sirius chimed in. Remus choked on pumpkin juice and Sirius grinned up at him, "What's so funny, Moony?" Remus shook his head, wiping the sprayed juice from his chin as Sirius's eyes twinkled and he caught Lily's gaze and let out a barking laugh.

That night, James took a hot shower trying to release the tension in his muscles. He'd indeed gotten several bruises from Sirius's attempts at sending the quaffle through him (literally through him, James reckoned, not just past him) and his right shoulder was nearly purple from that first hit. "I'm war torn, Evans," he said as he came into the bedroom and crawled onto the bed.

Lily smiled slyly, "But James, watching you with those kids today... I want a whole brood of them, just like that. Like Weasley level overpopulation."

James laughed. "Oi, I'll never sleep again."

She shook her head and descended on him in a shower of kisses.