Verity Moody was looking forward to this; she had been all week. Her grandmum had suggested that perhaps she should wait until Tonks had rested up a bit before going to see them.

The gravel in the driveway crunched under her feet and the shadows that the trees cast in the sunset created cold spots on the way to the front door.

Finally arriving at her destination, she raised her hand and rapped on the front door.

Tonks wondered who would be at the door that just wouldn't come in. She was up and moving around as easily as she could, but most of their visitors just called as they came in. Jude was a heavy sleeper thus far, and Tonks was thankful for it.

She was smiling though, as she opened the door and Verity was on the other side.

"What a surprise; we weren't expecting you. Come in, come in," Tonks said, opening the door with the hand that wasn't adjusting the sling around her body.

"Is everything all right? I hope this is a social visit."

Verity smiled. "Yes, everything's fine. I came over to see the baby and maybe his mum if she doesn't fall asleep on me."

Tonks led them to the kitchen, where they could sit and talk and she could conserve her energy.

"We actually just woke up from a nap. He hasn't made what I think is his hungry noise yet, so I think we're all right for visiting for a spot."

Verity held out her arms and took Jude from his mother and then sat down at the table. "Hello, little man," she cooed at him. The baby snuggled down into her and opened his eyes, squinted, and then closed them again. "Oh, we almost got some eyes, didn't we?"

She looked at Tonks and asked, "Does he sleep through the night, or does he get up for feedings every few hours?"

"Every three and one half hours, on the dot," Tonks said, smiling softly. "Bishop would get up with him, but I'm the one with the food, so it's mostly me. It's not so bad, really. He wakes up, fussed, then feeds and a nappy change and then goes back to sleep. We've set him up next to the bed, so I don't have to go far."

"That's probably smart," she responded distractedly. Jude was now wiggling a bit in her arms, and she was pretty sure that he was looking for something to latch onto.

She put the back of her knuckle on his cheek and he turned his head, trying to grab it.

"I think he's hungry, Momma," Verity said. To the baby, she confided, "You're not going to get anything out of there."

Tonks took Jude back from Verity, and settled him down to feed, pushing back into her chair and cooing at her son. "That's my greedy boy. You're going to be as big as your papa, little piglet."

She grinned at Verity. "Don't feel bad, he roots around on Bishop, too. I don't think he likes chest hair."

Verity giggled. "Small babies root around on everyone, I think. And if I remember correctly, Bishop might not want to go without a shirt in a few months."

Tonks matched the giggle with her own. "I may not tell him that, just for the sheer delight in hearing him make manly squeals. How are you? How are things in the department? No broken desks, I hope."

She raised an eyebrow at that last comment. "I'm good. The department is still there, and nobody's been caught fooling around, if that's what you mean..." She fought to keep a straight face.

"Oh, that's a shame. Is Harry still staring at the spot on the floor where my water broke? Poor man, I think I may have scared him off women permanently."

"I'm not sure. Shacklebolt has me running around so much lately that I haven't made it over to Potter's office. I do know that that crazy old fool Houlihan has all of the trainees but me and Abercrombie dodging bloody wrenches in the training room..."

Tonks shifted the baby to her shoulder, adjusting her shirt and patting his back. He didn't seem to mind the chuckle coming from his mother.

"Crazy old fool is apt. I can't believe they let him back into the department. Granted, they did let Moody back in, but I don't remember the last time he threw a wrench."

"I can. I was..." Verity screwed up her face as she cast her memory back, "Ten or eleven. One of my cousins overrevved one of the tractors and he had to tear it all apart to get it repaired. He was not pleased. Though, to be fair, he chucked it through the barn wall, and not at anyone."

Tonks made a face. "I'll have to remember that for our barn. And never let the Weasley twins near the tractor." It made her happy to be able to say that again, even if little Corey and Devon were only six months old.

"Oh, someone needs a nappy changed. It's too bad your papa isn't home; I'd make him do it," Tonks said, shifting again.

"If you go and get me one, I'll change him." She took the baby back from Tonks.

"You don't have to," Tonks started. "But I won't say no to the help." Mumbling accio, the baby bag made it's way down the stairs and plopped itself in front of Verity. Tonks had the off hand thought she really just should keep a bag on each level, for ease.

She grinned. "It's not that big of a problem. He's old enough now that he's probably not passing any more tar, and wet babies are easy to change," she said.

"Thanks, Verity," Tonks said as she relinquished her son. "I think he likes you. He opened both eyes, almost."

Verity put Jude down on the table, pulled his wool soaker off, and then undid the pins. She quickly picked up his legs, slid the wet diaper out from under him, and replaced it with the clean one...

...Only to have the child evacuate his bladder again before she could re-pin the diaper.

"We're going to need another one, I think," she told Tonks.

Tonks snickered, "At least you didn't get hit in the face. Bishop learned quickly that a shield is needed, at all times." She handed Verity another nappy, and watched as her now wriggly son was re-diapered. "You seem old hat at this."

"This is probably the..." She thought about it for a second, "Sixth time I've done this. My grandmum... Now, she's old hat at this. It takes her almost no time at all."

"I would imagine so," Tonks replied, thinking of Verity's grandmother. "I know there's a charm to do it, but I'm afraid to see what would happen if I fouled it up."

Verity snickered. "It's not pretty. I don't even try Most times it's just as quick to do it by hand, and you don't have... stuff all over the wall if you don't get the charm right."

Tonks made a face, imagining baby shite all over the walls. Unappealing that.

"Thanks, I'll not try it."

"Probably a good idea," Verity agreed.

"Did you just come over to get a peek at the sleepy baby? He's not too interesting right now," Tonks said.

"Well, I came to see you, too," She told her mentor.

"Uhuh," Tonks replied, sounding suspicious. "Though, you did make it here before Mad Eye, so I supposed that has some merit."

"Yes, well... I suppose that I'll owe Levi something a bit more than heavy petting... He's distracting Granddad for me."

Tonks raised an eyebrow. "Distracting? How? Why?"

"He asked granddad for some extra training. Apparently, he's tired of being hit by wrenches in daft old Houlihan's duelling class. Plus, I may have implied that his actions now might lead to more diverting distractions later."

"As I'm following, you're using your granddad as an avenue for hanky panky? That hurts my head," Tonks said, face scrunching up.

"Sort of, but not really. If it's hurting your head, we can move on." Verity grinned.

"Oh, there's more to move on to? This gets even better."

Verity sighed, and then chuckled a little... In for a knut, in for a galleon. "There really isn't that much to tell, actually. We've slept together, but haven't actually slept together, if you follow my meaning. I'll admit that at first, it was me trying not to be too fast, but now I think he thinks I don't want to do anything more than what we've been doing."

Tonks snorted. "Well, he may be thinking that, but is hoping differently. You are able to make some kind of move, unless Moody has been keeping the boy so overworked he barely has the energy to sleep."

"This is the first time that Levi's asked for 'additional training'... I guess that he doesn't think that Uncle Graham isn't doing a good enough job with teaching agility. But speaking of not having enough energy to sleep... Did you hear what Granddad did on my birthday?"

"No, I didn't. I'm supposing it wasn't something nice?"

Verity snickered. "It's kind of funny now, but I wasn't terribly amused at the time. You did know that 'Very Senior' Auror Houlihan has come back and is doing duelling classes, right?"

"I got a memo. I think."

"If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a hex!" Bishop bellowed in a crusty-sounding voice as he stepped into the room. "When Houlihan retired, the trainees celebrated for two straight days. Anyone who tried to disrupt got a wrench to the head - or as near as the firewhiskey allowed them to get."

"Hullo darling," Tonks greeted her husband, cheek tilted up for a kiss. "You're home early. Verity here was regaling me with the evil things Mad Eye is doing to disrupt her love life."

The soft kiss he brushed against his wife's cheek was followed by a sudden burst of air, unpleasant sounding noises seeping from where Bishop's lips were pressed to her face. Pulling away before Tonks could swat him, he grinned at her and gave Verity a nod and a wink. "Hello, love. How's our boy been today?"

"Sleeping, eating, pooping. He likes Verity, though."

"Though, that may have just been him saying, 'Hullo, you don't smell like Mummy... Who are you?'" Verity looked down at Jude and said, "Isn't that right, little man?"

Snickering, Bishop let Jude wrap tiny fingers around his pinky. "He is pretty fond of his Mum. Some parts more than others. Now what's this about Moody disrupting your amorous interludes? I may need to ask him for pointers. We're bound to have a girl sooner or later; I'd like to be prepared."

"Well, it was the first day that we'd had Houlihan, and most of the trainees had a bit of a learning curve. Levi had a few broken ribs and some other minor injuries..."

She paused for effect.

"Guess who the medic on duty was?"

"Hmmm, a Senior Auror?"

Verity gave Tonks a look, and then said, "Yes, yes it was. A VERY Senior Auror."

"How fortunate for Levi. He couldn't have been in better hands," Bishop said matter-of-factly. If ever he had daughters, and if ever they were allowed to date, Merlin help the suitor who had to rely on him for medical help.

"You are never to converse with Mad Eye again, Bishop Jude. For the sake of our daughters."

"I make no promises." Strolling over to the cabinets, he pulled out a glass. "Can I offer you a drink, Verity? It's the least I can do for running you over when Dora was in labor."

"Yes please, she said.

Bishop poured three glasses of of pumpkin juice and carried them to the table. "Sorry, we didn't keep much of the strong stuff around during the pregnancy. Dora gets grumpy if I drink while she can't."

"Yes, well... She can have a little now," Verity commented. "They say that a stout a day is good for lactation." She flashed them a grin.

"HA! I told you! You'll bring some home tomorrow, won't you, dearest? We wouldn't want our son to starve, would we?" Tonks fluttered her eyelashes, looking the caring mother.

"Of course, mein liebchen. You and Jude can have a cold one. I'll be the designated diaper changer."

"If it's Guinness," Verity interjected, "Then it'll have to be a really cold one." She cooed down at Jude, "Isin that right? Really, really cold, and slammed down before it starts to get warm. Yes, that's right. Always remember that, Little Man."

Tonks chuckled. "It'll be Harp, and I'm not letting Joscelin near this one. My babe will be a babe in arms in a pub, picking up women and carousing the night away." She elbowed her husband, smiling to take the sting out of it.

"You needn't look so proud."

"Don't make me put my foot down, woman," Bishop groused playfully. "Joscelin may be a prat, but he's Jude's godfather and we'll be taking care of teaching the little man the ways of the world."

Verity rolled her eyes. "And Mummy and Aunties Gwen and Verity will teach you about manners and toilet seats," she told the baby.

"And how to kill a man with your eyes," Tonks smirked, noticing how Bishop made a face at her.

Bishop chuckled and brushed a kiss to his wife's forehead before turning toward the back door. "I'll leave you ladies to chat. I've got a few things to take care of in the barn." Where Dora's wand can't reach me. "It was nice seeing you Verity."

Verity looked up and grinned. "You as well, Bishop."

[Synopsis: Verity goes to see Tonks and the Baby. They listen to aggressively cheerful music sung by people chosen for their ability to dance, eat cookie dough, and talk about boys. Bishop makes a brief appearance but promptly leaves.]