"There's a diner in London called John's Eatery, it has the best chocolate cake in all of England and if your Remus is anything like mine that'll suit. It's on the bus route and if I remember correctly, Remus can't drive, so it is easier to meet him there and bring him back." He had no problem erasing the werewolf's memory of the house, him, and Harry if things went bad. However, Remus seemed to forgive Sirius easily enough last time, so he wasn't overly worried. "Besides, I want some of that cake."
Sirius barked with laughter and nodded. He then headed up the stairs to his room to write his request. Twenty minutes later he came back down dressed in some semi-formal dark blue robes. Hydrus wore plainer dark green ones. After letting Tippy know they'd be back in a few hours, the two men left.
Coming to the visitor's entrance, they dialed the number in the out of order phone booth, got their nametags, and enjoyed the trip down. They made their way to the check in, handed over their wands (Hydrus's holly phoenix wand), and got directions to the Department of Family Services.
The office was unimpressive, just a counter with cubbyholes lining the back wall behind it. A doorway that looked like it would lead to the archives. There were chairs along the front wall and a table in the far corner. You could tell this was an underfunded department of the Ministry. Then again there was very little use for the office, since magicals tended to cherish their children, and Muggle-raised were not a priority. The department was mostly used to place squibs in non-magical orphanages, and the occasional adoption.
You would think that since the war was just over the office would see more traffic, but it looked like families were tending their orphans without the help of the Ministry, such as Susan Bones. Harry should have gone through here, if for nothing else to make sure he had all the correct paperwork to live with his non-magical aunt.
A very bored clerk looked up from his book and asked, "What can I do for you gentlemen today?" Jacob Winifred liked his job, as long as he didn't have to do anything.
Sirius pulled out his copy of the will and handed to the man behind the desk. "I recently obtained custody of my godson. I need to fill out the appropriate forms," he said in a jovial voice. "I also need his documents for the Muggle World."
The rather dumpy clerk took the will and started to read. The more he read the wider his eyes got. "This is the will of James Potter! That means you're going to raise Harry Potter! The Boy Who Lived! It's a pleasure to meet you, Sirius Black," he shouted cheerfully as he reached over the counter and started pumping Sirius's hand.
The other two men groaned. They had been hoping that title wasn't well known yet. Sirius glared at the clerk, jerked his hand away and barked, "Don't call him that. His name is Harry. Just do your job and get me the forms I need."
Jacob paled at the order and started scurrying around to get the paperwork. After gathering all that was required, he handed them to Sirius and the two Blacks took themselves to the visitors' tables to fill them out. While they did that, the clerk worked on the Muggle papers. Most of it was easy enough, simply calling records from the archive and spelling them with a small charm to list a Muggle hospital as a place of birth.
Thirty minutes later, Sirius finished and went back to the desk and handed the completed forms to the employee. The pudgy man looked them over, nodded every now and then as he flipped through, and stamped where needed. After the last page was stamped, the bundle flashed white, duplicated twice, and the originals disappeared.
"Here you go, Mr. Black. This is your copy, his Muggle papers, and you are all done," the happy clerk said as he handed Sirius the papers. "Tell Mr. Potter thank you for me, would ya?"
Sirius took the bundle, folded it and put it in his robe pocket. "Harry is a one year old," he sneered, "I doubt he would understand your thanks. Besides, you should be thanking Lily." And with that he spun away and led Hydrus out of the office, satisfied that they were there before Dumbledore could convince the Wizengamot to make him magical guardian.
"How are we going to stop that name?" Sirius asked as they walked down the hall.
"Now that you're his guardian, the second someone prints the title, you go and talk to them. When those dreaded books hit the shelf you sue the pants off the authors," Hydrus answered. "We might want to see about buying up shares of the Prophet."
....
Can't wait to read ahead by more than 60 exciting premium chapters.
Then Join my p*atreon right now.
Link: p#atreon.com/InfinityWeaver (Remove the #)
Free members can unlock 2 chapters.