Chapter 1 Tsunami （津波）
Nymphadora drifted with the current in the Ocean. She had never witnessed such an enormous tsunami. Most of the Muggle inhabitants and their homes had been washed away in an instant; they had been forced from the world of the living without pity. She was too late to rescue them from the coast. Big waves, were so powerful that their magic could not stop them, beat them up. A tremendous number of wooden blocks, wrecks were covering the surface of the seawater.
She cast the Bubble Head charm and dove deep into the sea. She never gave up. She had the ray of hope that she might be able to save at least one child, or more if she could.
She prayed and talked to the sea water in her mind, Blue, deep green sea, tell me where to find them. Tell me how to save them. Oh, Merlin, why did you treat these innocent people so harshly? What did they do? They don't deserve this.
She kicked seawater, producing froth. In front of her, she saw a white object sinking down to the coral floor. She sped up to catch it, swimming a strong stroke to find that it was an album. Her hand grabbed it and she tried to look through, treading water. A father in a picture, was smiling with his children, wearing a baseball uniform. The pictures had become soggy but she managed to recognize the family. She hoped they had survived. She cast a Shrinking spell on it and shoved it into her bosom.
In spite of her effort, she couldn't find any victims. When she gave up and ascended to the surface of water, she caught sight of a seal making its way to the north with strenuous speed. She followed after it, for she sensed it was an Animagus. The deep grey animal reached the coast of an uninhabited island and transformed back into a muscular man.
She was stunned to see his red hair. The back of the naked man was very familiar to her.
She felt a pang, a burning feeling for him. It had never occurred to her that she would be able to find him in the east land.
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Charlie Weasley hurried to a palm tree hut he had built a few days before. Inside, a child slept alone. Making sure that she didn't wake up, he pulled up his clothes and cast the Drying charm over his body. As he put on his robes, he muttered,
"Sorry, May. I couldn't find your father and brother. I believe they could have taken refuge from the tidal wave on a hilltop. I hope they survived, they are powerful dragon tamers."
He pondered on what could have caused the gigantic tidal wave. His mind raced through the legend; a big disaster visits once every hundred years, which is caused by a Seawater Demon. He suspected a great catfish had wreaked all the havoc. He regretted that he had left for England before the big wave happened in the Pacific Ocean. He shouldn't have left them.
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"Dad?" the girl called his father next to her. The world around her was silent and a ray of light filtered through palm leaves. She rubbed her eyes and her hand tried to reach her father. And she found he was not her father. The man, whose hair was ginger red hair which was completely different from her father's jet black one, was snoring quietly with his arms and legs sprawled out. She remembered the man rescued her from dark seawaters after tsunami. Then she jerked away, as someone's arm was tossed on her shoulder. She surprised to see the woman's hair turned to maroon from auburn and gasped. And she shook Charlie out of his sleep.
Charlie Weasley sat up instinctively and grabbed his wand by his side, "May?" And he felt relieved to see the girl was safe in the hut, not in the muddy streams with wrecks. Then his gaze shifted to the woman May pointed at silently. He couldn't believe his eyes. Nymphadora Tonks was sleeping soundly. The night, impulse and sweet memory rose into his mind. He whispered softly, "Dora."
He stood up saying, "Onaka suitadaro (You must be hungry), May? I'll catch fish."
"Ikanaide (Don't leave me alone) !" May jumped up and clung to Charlie.
Charlie hugged her tightly and said, "I'll be back soon. Tsunami died down. You are safe with her. Dora is my…friend. You are not alone. She is with you."
The conversation woke her up. Nymphadora sat up. The blanket slipped off and her bare bust got exposed. She pulled it up muttering, "I should've carried one more robes." She looked toward the hung drenched Auror robes.
"Eh, well," Charlie turned his eyes on the floor saying, "It was wise of me that I brought extra blankets. It's not the first time you forgot bringing nightie. I'm sure you don't carry emergency food, neither. Stay with May, Dora. I'll be back in thirty minutes or so." He went out of the hut and left for catching fish.
Nymphadora saw him off, remembering her fantasy, snuggling close to his tanned torso, so tempting to touch. Then she came to her senses when May asked her. The girl uttered the words hesitantly,
"Nihongo wakarimasuka? (Do you understand Japanese?)"
Her uncombed thick hair created soft shadow around her childlike round face. Nymphadora was filled with heartrending sorrow remembering May's plea for Charlie a few minutes ago. She must have lost her family because of tsunami.
"Well, I only know basic. Okasan to Otosan (Your mum and your dad)," then she lost her words. She only knew genkidesuka (Are they fine?).
"Kasan wa watashi ga umaretekara suguni shinda (My mum died soon after I was born). Tousan to Niisan, Charlie sagashiteru (Charlie is searching my dad and my brother)."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I hope he can find them. I'd like to help you to find them. Well, watashimo anatano Otosan to Oniisan o tasuketai (I'd like to save your father and your brother, too)." Then she jerked up and reached her still soggy robes. She shoved her hand and grabbed the white album she found in the seawater. Pulling the blanket over her shoulders, she sat down by May. "Do you know them?" She opened it carefully. A father and his children were smiling in a photo.
"Hayato, Tousan…" tears welled up in May's eyes.
A/N: Many thanks to Bardic Magic for beta reading.