"Potter's too noticeable to be an Auror. He could never do half the undercover operations that are required," he said.
"Sure, if you have the funds for extraneous items like that, go ahead, but I don't see Weasley springing office funds for them."
Cormac scrubbed the back of his neck. "Do you think that was a mistake? I saw the house and it was perfect, and before I really thought about I was asking Tiberius for help." He grinned sheepishly. "Thought it'd make a nice birthday present."
He watched Adrian fidget with his pen, and then was shocked when Adrian asked about children. "What, did you get Stephen pregnant?" he joked. When he realized that Adrian was perfectly serious, he thought before answering.
"When Victoria and the baby died, I didn't think I would ever love anyone again, and I definitely didn't want children," he said seriously. "But then Colin came along and destroyed the barriers, and I thought, okay, I can love him and it will be okay. I never thought about children. How could I, really." He sighed.
"And then there was Emma, and it was impossible about not love her. She's mine, Adrian. Maybe not by blood, but she's mine. Pigtails and tea parties and dolls and fancy dresses and everything. And I love it. I wish the circumstances around her coming to me were different, but for better or worse, she's mine. And I wouldn't change it."