Once Eleanor had collected the things she wanted from her old home, the Weasley family made it known that they weren't going to be staying at the Grimmauld Place, and would be returning to the Burrow. While Sirius and Nixie informed them that they didn't mind the company, the family figured it would be best to return home. After all they had been gone for too long. The Grimmauld place would remain headquarters for the time being. But before leaving, Eleanor decided that she had some news for Remus.
She asked her father to sit down at the table in the kitchen, which quickly rattled the man's nerves as he listened. Nixie and Tonks were standing beside one another, leaning against the counter as Eleanor dropped the bomb.
Fred had invited her to move in with him and George in the flat above their shop, and she had already said yes. Nixie clapped her hand over her mouth in desperation to keep from laughing out at Remus' face, and Tonks seemed to be struggling with a similar reaction.
"So...living together..." Remus said, pushing his hair back before rubbing his face. "That's a rather big step."
He looked up at his daughter that kept her bright smile on her face. "Yeah." She answered casually, not picking up on her father's nerves.
Remus dropped his forehead into his hand, as his elbow on the table. "Merlin, help me."
"Oh come on Dad," Eleanor said before walking over and sitting with him. "I mean, this is a good thing isn't it? You'll always know where I'll be if you need me."
Nixie and Tonks looked at each other before nodding in agreement with Eleanor's statement, the girl had a point. Remus was always concerned with his daughter's whereabouts, so now he would always know where she was, even while working.
"I know but Ellie, you're talking about living with your boyfriend...Fred.' The way Remus said the young man's name caused Nixie to bury her face in her hand and shake her head, because Fred was standing right in the room with the group.
"Yes, that would be me..the one standing right here listening to all this." Fred said raising his hand.
"It's just that's a life changing experience." Remus tried to come up with reason after reason, but was failing miserably.
"So is being part of the Order." Eleanor replied.
Her father couldn't argue that and everyone could see the frustration grow on Remus's face.
Tonks walked over and leaned against the back of Remus' chair.
"I think it's a great idea." she said with a bright smile.
"You do?" Eleanor and Remus said together.
"Yes. What about you Nixie?" Tonks looked over to the woman for help.
Nixie opened her mouth but Remus interjected before she could say anything.
"Well, she can't really argue it, can she?" Remus said. "She moved in with Sirius around the same age."
She couldn't help but grin with a small shrug of the shoulders as she thought back to moving out of her home and in with Sirius.
"Worked out for us." Sirius claimed happily as he walked in and kissed Nixie's cheek.
He winked at Fred and Eleanor before turning to his stressing friend.
"You worry too much, Moony." Sirius chuckled clapping him on the back.
"Well...become a father and get back to me on that!" Remus told him sharply.
"You've been like this long before fatherhood." Sirius grabbed a glass of water and turned back to him casually. "Besides, even if you didn't give the two your blessing, they're still in their right to do what they want."
"You really know how to comfort someone, Pads. Always had a knack for it."
"I try my best." Sirius responded with his famous grin.
Before the two friends could argue any further, Nixie stepped in between them. She grabbed Remus' head in her hands and forced him to face Eleanor. Grabbing his chin in her hands, she moved the lower part of his jaw up and down to give him the appearance of talking. He tried to fight her, but she kept a firm hold.
"Oh Ellie, I hope you and Fred enjoy your new flat," she said in her attempt at mimicking Remus' voice. "I can't wait to visit."
"Nixie!" Remus pushed her hands away while Nixie, Sirius and Tonks laughed together.
Sighing in defeat, Remus looked to Fred and then to his daughter.
"Alright, if this is what you want to do...I support it."
The group of "adults" cheered for the couple, as Sirius walked over and clapped Fred on the back.
"If you thought this was hard, wait until you have to ask for his blessing to marry her."
Nixie was thrilled for the young couple as she hugged the two of them in congratulations. Despite the harshness of the dark times they were facing, it was always nice to have reminders that there were plenty of positives left to be enjoyed.
However, soon the Grimmauld Place was surprisingly quiet with everyone gone with the exception of Harry, but the boy seemed overjoyed with the idea of spending some quality time with his godparents.
Meri requested to be brought back to the Dover household for a few moments to gather a couple of things, and Nixie answered the request, leaving Sirius and Harry alone at the home with Buckbeak, who was free to roam about the place without all the company around.
"Mum, what are you looking for?" Nixie called up the stairs as she heard all sorts of crashing. "I could help you with magic-"
"No need, I found what I wanted." Meri said with a bright smile as she appeared at the top of the stairs.
"What do you have there?" Nixie asked looking at the box.
"You'll see." Meri told her before walking past, "I want all of you around to see it together."
When they arrived back at the Grimmauld Place, Meri brought Harry and Sirius into the living room to sit as she settled the box in her lap.
"What's in the box?" Sirius whispered as he leaned into Nixie's side.
"I dunno." Nixie shrugged. "I already tried asking, but I wasn't allowed to know until we were all together."
Harry sat right next to Meri, curious to what the mermaid had in the box like everyone else. She removed the top and allowed them all to peer inside.
A wave of nostalgia washed over Nixie and Sirius as they looked in to see plenty of pictures from their childhood.