They all started at the beginning. Donaghan had learned acoustic guitar at his grandfather's knee, and folks labelled him as "folksy and dark", but this didn't bother him at all. Donaghan stayed as a borderline baritone; people didn't know he had a deep set of pipes. Myron Wagtail knew a thing or two about the piano, but a lot of people didn't know this, either. The Weird Sisters were more than they appeared. Donaghan reserved his voice for the shower.
Their new album, Catch and Release, set to be released in September, had a secret track called "Kindling", and although Myron wrote its lyrics, he did not appear on it. When he'd handed it to Donaghan one afternoon at practice, Donaghan had taken this as a mistake. Myron's vocal coach, Ferguson, took on the challenge with renewed enthusiasm because they kept pulling out the same old thing. It sold. It bored Myron to death. Instead of following the predictable three or four chords with the chorus pleasing the ear, this told a narrative story.
This would either be the biggest mistake or the Weird Sisters' revival. One track buried amongst fourteen, there was no hiding this. Myron sang in a different range; Donaghan's pitch was more or less his talking voice, which Myron admired. They'd been best mates since their schooldays. They had not been in the same year. Donaghan, twenty-six, turned a new leaf over. This sounded bad, but he hoped it would stick.
Myron had landed them the best gig. Myron, a smooth talker who walked the walk and certainly talked the talk, had landed them at Hogwarts Castle on Christmas Day. Nothing had yet been released by Rita Skeeter. Donaghan hoped she waited until he could properly sit down with her. As a trade-off for the money and fame, they dealt with having their lives center stage.
They arrived promptly at four o'clock in the afternoon. Sarah, who had called them all mad when she'd insisted she'd seen nothing more than a "Keep Out" sign, followed them up to the castle. Donaghan explained these were just protective measures against Muggles. They'd arrived by Hogsmeade Station. When she saw a quaint Christmas card village, Sarah insisted they go there. Whilst the rest of them wore their artfully ripped stage clothes, she wore a full-length red gown.
"We can't, Miss Sarah." Gideon, businesslike the moment they Apparated onto the premises, started steering the large instruments towards the castle with the help of Orsino, Merton and Kirley. They couldn't Apparate onto the Hogwarts grounds, of course, but it was a short walk.
"But ...but I want to." Sarah's inner child and the water works made frequent appearances. Donaghan guessed she couldn't help it. Since they'd met and made a baby at a pub the same night, they were still getting used to each other. "Please."
Gideon glared at Donaghan and followed the others up to Hogwarts Castle. They weren't playing for four hours. But they needed time to set up. Donaghan, smirking, left Sarah at the gates and went to rent a room at the Three Broomsticks. Madam Rosmerta said there were no rooms available. She was very busy, thank you very much, and who walked in and expected rooms on Christmas Day? She rattled on, filling a tankard or two, with her back turned to him. When she faced him, Rosmerta did not notice her tankards spilled over with foamy drink.
"I'm Donaghan Tremlett."
After signing a few autographs and working on chatting her up, he reached inside his robes and placed a pouch on the bar. He had no idea if this would do him any good. Gold usually spoke volumes. Rosmerta, blushing, said she remembered him. Turning on the charm, he decided to flirt with her, nudging the pouch towards her. This was for Sarah. What the hell? The others sitting at the bar, except for a disgruntled goblin, gaped at him. There was enough gold in this pouch to pay for a room three times over.
"Listen, madam, I've got a very pregnant fiancée with me." Donaghan knew he stretched the truth because Sarah was seven months along. As Rita Skeeter would no doubt break the news the day after tomorrow, secrecy didn't matter. He lowered his voice so only she could hear. He knew it was stupid, yet he felt desperate here, so he sweetened the deal by offering to play during last call. Pouring it on thick, he lied straight through his teeth when the barmaid leaned in. "You know we're playing up at the castle. She'll be tired. If there is no room available, I understand, but it's our first Christmas, see, and Sarah was so excited. Maybe I'll try the Hog's Head."
"Oh, no. I'll find something." Rosmerta scooped up the money and the autographs.
Donaghan smiled and left. He usually didn't play the rich and famous card, though it had its perks. After stopping by Honeyduke's to sweet talk Mr. Ambrosius Flume into handing over some double chocolate fudge, some Peppermint Toads, and other sweets, he headed up to Hogwarts. The sweetshop was closed for Christmas, and Donaghan now had his pocket change. When he entered Hogwarts Castle, he was surprised not to be swarmed by fans and students. Albus Dumbledore himself met him at the door, saying the others were in the Transfiguration classroom.
"Welcome back, Mr. Tremlett," he said, clasping hands with him.
"Merry Christmas, sir." Donaghan smiled and followed him upstairs. When they reached the classroom, the headmaster cleared away the desks with a casual flick of his wand and asked if they needed anything.
"Yeah." Myron sat on a case and checked something with Heathcote. He jumped to his feet and handed Professor Dumbledore a folded sheet of parchment. "The set list. Will that do? If time catches up with us, we've got a number or two."
"Like what?" Gideon, large and in charge, liked to be in the know.
"Er, I dunno. Let's wing it, Papa Bear." Myron shook his head vehemently and nixed this idea as Gideon crossed his arms and pulled a grumpy face. He read the signs aright, making Herman and Kirley chuckle as he regained his composure. Dumbledore smiled politely as he read through the list of suggested songs. "No? Er, no. That's a hell, no."
Herman and Sarah completely lost it in a giggle fit as Myron Wagtail, the control freak of control freaks, lost ground in no time flat. Gideon unpacked his bagpipes and set time aside before he went to go negotiate with Professor Dumbledore. The Scotsman got heavily to his feet and held out his hand. Professor Dumbledore dwarfed Papa Bear, and it was rather strange seeing them huddled at the teacher's desk. Myron, a little miffed, helped himself to Donaghan's Honeydukes stash and bit off a head of a Peppermint Toad.
"They're kids, Myron." Herman played the lute absentmindedly. "Some of them have probably never heard of us."
"We play in Calais and Paris all the time." Orsino pointed out, though none of them spoke a lick of French.
Myron shrugged, guessing this was true. When Gideon and the Professor broke their huddle, they decided on "Paris is Burning" and "Auld Lang Syne". When a few of them looked confused, Donaghan hummed a few bars, and they acted like they caught on. Nobody got it. Donaghan referred to this as a New Year's song. Instead of debating the matter to death, he suggested they close with a single like "August Rush."
"Yes. That sounds good." Gideon, muttering that he hadn't played "August Rush" in years, conjured a binder full of sheet music and told Merton, the new kid in the gang, he had two hours to learn the piece. Donaghan hid his sweets. Dumbledore nodded and left them to it.
They'd been cordially invited to dinner at eight. Professor Dumbledore was a nice man, but they didn't want to get distracted and swamped by autographs. If they fed one pigeon, as Gideon used to put it, they fed them all night long. Sarah went to join the students. In the first hour, they played "Melody Rose" for the Triwizard champions. Myron had no singing part in this. Merton, a happy little clam, for he lived for classical music, shamed them all. He played the best.
Donaghan particularly liked "Tortured Tea Leaves", and he sincerely hoped Professor Trelawney wasn't in attendance because they basically gave Divination the finger. Funnily enough, Myron enjoyed a Tarot reading every couple years. After the second hour, around ten-thirty, Donaghan tied his hair back and accepted a bottle of water from Merton. He could tell they burned through the set list. Usually Myron would chat here and there, but this was just straight play. During a brief intermission, Gideon struck up a Muggle tune called "There She Goes". Donaghan, recognizing it, did a double take, and gaped at him.
Donaghan, forgetting the Sonorous Charm stayed in effect, cursed and laughed his head off. Gideon shrugged. Students and other people turned to face him. Nodding at Myron, who saluted him, Donaghan jumped into the La's "There She Goes". Although it was a little known fact because he was the current buried weapon for the album release, Donaghan sang with quite the pair of pipes. His grandfather had taught him ages ago, and he'd been classified by Myron as an almost baritone. Picking up his bass guitar, he fell in line with Gideon and sang his heart out. When they finished, some of the students, probably the Muggle-borns, exploded in applause.
"Gideon, what the hell?" Donaghan clapped him on the shoulder as the other band members traipsed back onstage. Gideon gave him a thumbs-up and winked at Myron. They continued playing.
"All right. So, we're winding down," said Myron, addressing the crowd fifteen minutes until midnight. He gave his closing comments, though he'd changed these up a little. Herman waved. "Herman says hi. Thank you so much for letting us play here tonight. You've no idea what it's like to be back home. Gideon threatened to flay me if I didn't get this gig. So, Professor Dumbledore."
Myron saluted him and Professor Dumbledore nodded. The crowd laughed appreciatively as Myron made a show of checking his own pulse before positioning himself behind a keyboard. "Still alive. Whew. But, seriously, you're great people. So, we have a new single called "Paris is Burning" that I wrote for Donaghan, and I thought we'd try it out. What say you?"
The crowd really didn't have a choice, despite the fact that Myron gave them an illusion of having one. They reeved like an engine, and Donaghan, his palms sweating, set his bass guitar aside. This song had been in the works for months, and it had been rewritten three times. It was a ballad about the French Revolution. Orsino played this really cool marshal drumming sequence. Singing was different than playing an instrument. Instead of angering the Beauxbatons lot, which had been a real concern, the night ended on a strong note. As the strong men broke down the stage and the students started leaving, Donaghan jumped off the platform and kissed Sarah.
"That was amazing." Sarah took off her heels and threw her arms around his neck. "Who taught you to sing?"
"Myron and my Grandad." Donaghan, still shaking from nerves, nodded at a tall, slender student. The tall girl seemed to be walking on the hem of her dress robes. Telling Sarah he'd be right back, smiling when she handed him a half-empty Butterbeer, he went to help the unsteady girl. As he approached her from this distance, although he had no idea where these students got their hands on this stuff, he smelled the liquor on her breath. He asked her name, which she gave as Alicia Spinnett, and steered her away from her date. She couldn't be the only one who got her hands on this stuff. "You're drunk. Go to bed."
Alicia didn't say anything. She stood there giggling next to another girl who said she was on the Quidditch team. Donaghan, deciding to play it cool and not tell a teacher or the girl's Head of House, wanted to make sure she got off in one piece. He'd get her to the Grand Staircase. He caught a whiff of peppermint and told her there was much better stuff out there than peppermint-flavored whatever.
Next thing he knew, this girl locked lips with him. Students who milled around stared at them, shocked. Sarah paled and ran off. When they broke apart, the girl opened her mouth to say something and got sick all over Donaghan.
"All right, that's ..." This wasn't the first time this had happened at a show. In fact, if she hadn't gotten ill and he was Donaghan from a year ago, he probably would've taken her to bed. Except they were at school. He looked around, speechless and left the castle after Alicia's girlfriends took her up to bed. He cleaned the sick with a simple household spell and stormed out of Hogwarts Castle.
He could see Sarah ahead and followed her towards Dervish and Banges.. "Sarah. Sarah, wait! You don't even know where you're going. Sarah!"
"Don't." Sarah spun around when he grabbed her by the wrist. "You filthy ... that's a girl. They warned me about you! Even Myron. But I said Donaghan's a good man. I can do this alone. We'll be just fine. Jericho and me. You and your ... damn it."
Sarah had meant to take off the engagement ring, but it got stuck on her finger. When he reached up to help her, and made to slap him, but he grabbed her wrist again.
"That's not fair. You shouldn't hit people." Donaghan slid the ring off with a little difficulty and apologized as he pocketed it. "I was that bastard. She kissed me!"
"Likely story." Sarah might have breathed fire through her nose. Donaghan froze and asked her why she called the kid Jericho. Momentarily forgetting her anger, she reminded him that they had chosen names, and she had agreed to give the baby his surname. They went into the Three Broomsticks. Rosmerta, waving them over enthusiastically, told them to sit at the bar. The place was dead. Sarah found her wallet in her handbag and slammed a greyscale stationary picture of an ultrasound on the bar.
"You swear she kissed you?"
"I swear.'" She tapped the ultrasound. "That's your son."
"My son? How can you tell?" The snapshot looked like a deformed alien. He said so, and she laughed, pointing at something that wasn't a third arm. Taking a sharp breath in, Donaghan felt like this was real. "Damn."
"Can he have a stout, please?" Sarah smiled at the barmaid. Rosmerta obliged. She seemed to notice he looked a little faint because she didn't ask him to play. Sarah steadied Donaghan. "Imagine how I feel. Don't throw up. Go shower. You smell."
"Damn." He sounded like he was in a trace. He reached out to touch her, and Sarah, normal again, moved his hand. She asked if he felt anything as he got up. "Yeah."
Rosmerta slammed a stout onto the bar and Donaghan slammed onto the floor. Both Sarah and Rosmerta screamed as Donaghan passed out.
Jericho survived for a short time and passed away in Donaghan's arms. He'd left the band for a while, and although they claimed Gideon brought him back, it was Sarah. He married her. Donaghan learned things about himself as a married man; he liked matrimony, and he apparently had an unforeseen talent. A year a half after Jericho died in March 1995, Sarah was pregnant again.
She'd proven rather skilled as a bank teller and worked for a large Muggle chain called Barclays . In early September, she'd been asked to come on to accounts receivable; she basically paid the bills for the London branch. The band made fun of him. Especially in Myron's view, Donaghan had been the last person he'd pegged as deliriously happily married.
On the eleventh, he took the day off and tracked down a friend. With the tour dates and a handful of other excuses, he'd abandoned his friends. He walked down the street with Nymphadora Tonks and her new husband, Remus Lupin. When he pointed out the large building, Tonks looked impressed. There was a bicycle station off to the side. One of these belonged to Sarah. Donaghan, dressed in casual dress that put Remus Lupin to shame, walked in and joined a queue.
"So, this is Barclays. They own the world." Donaghan helped himself to a pamphlet about a children's hospital.
"I see." Remus looked around and nodded at a boy in the next line with his mother. "Is it hard having accounts at both places?"
"That, Remus, is why I'm married to a human calculator. Afternoon." Donaghan took a white envelope out of his casual blazer. He handed it facedown to the teller. "Can you deposit this into the account ending in 5893? Sarah Tremlett."
"I.D." The teller held out her hand. Donaghan took out his driver's license and handed it over. She smiled, glancing at the photograph. "You're her husband?"
"Yep." Donaghan asked her for a hundred pounds out of his checking account. When Tonks suggested a couple grand, Donaghan accepted that in a separate envelope and tucked it away for safekeeping because he'd bring it back. Tonks said nothing when he asked why; Remus suggested middle it was for a rainy day. The teller offered to ring Sarah. "Sure. Thanks."
Minutes later, Sarah came down dressed in a grey business suit and heels. When he offered her the money, she gave him a questioningly look, but she took it all the same. Tonks laughed. They exchanged introductions and Sarah waved to the teller.
"She can't believe I'm with you." Sarah shooed them out of the building. Donaghan never though she was a plain Sarah, but he waved back all the same. "I tell them you work as anthropologist. You clean up really well as a Muggle."
"Well, my father is a mortician and Mum is a schoolteacher. The dead look good." Donaghan didn't understand this occupation. "I'm a what?"
"You study evolution and society," said Remus, apparently giving him the short answer because Sarah nodded. She checked her bike before starting down the street. It was busy but people had taken their lunches much earlier. Sarah often forgot the clock and got lost in her work.
"That's sounds boring," said Tonks and Donaghan together.
"That's the point." Sarah waited to cross the street and slipped into a restaurant on the corner. Donaghan tossed a few coins at a musician who sat on a bench. She ordered some sweet food from two different booths and continued walking. The others got food, too, and she stopped by a man with a cardboard box that read "Kittens". Dongahan said no, a definite hard no, and she scooped to a scrawny Siamese thing. "Look."
"Yes, it's cute and cuddly," said Donaghan fairly. It wasn't a kitten, but a cat . Guessing this was the mother, he picked up the fuzzy thing; it purred nonstop. He paid the vendor and nodded when Sarah mentioned she took a half-day. They adopted the cat and spent the next half hour in a pet shop and carted the fur ball off in a pet carrier. "Damnit."
"Pushover." Tonks punched him in the arm and smiled at Sarah. "I don't know if you've figured this out yet, but you can pretty much get anything you want from Donaghan. When you do have kids, it's going to be spoiled rotten. Where are we going?"
"Nearly there. You told me to surprise you last year." Donaghan positioned her in front of Myron's flat. Confused, saying she'd die paying for rent in this part of London, Tonks glanced at Sarah. Donaghan opened the door, and Tonks acted genuinely surprised he possessed a proper key to this place; she commended him for not breaking in. Donaghan patted her shoulders. "Remember when I forgot Christmas and your birthday last year?"
Tonks snorted. "And our friendship? You get married and it goes to hell."
"Basically. Aren't you married?" Donraghan raised her left hand and his eyebrows. He acted offended, crossing his arms. "I didn't receive a wedding invitation. How hard is it to send an owl that says, 'Hey you, clear your timetable because I'm getting married.'?"
"I didn't get … I forgot." Tonks winced apologetically at Sarah and settled on a compliment. "You're really cute."
"Thank you," said Sarah.
"Uh huh. You've failed at life. Basically." Donaghan nodded empathetically, putting on a show for his wife. He pounded up the stairs and beckoned for them to follow him. He did thank Tonks for the self-operating espresso machine. "One moment."
He poked his head into the recording studio and saw nobody at work. Myron read over invoices with Gideon and looked a little annoyed. Thinking they'd get to this later, Donaghan shoved Tonks inside and beamed at her. Orsino scrutinized the cover art in the corner. As they couldn't do anything without Gideon's wife, who was ruler of all things Weird Sisters, this was a light day. If she didn't get the point, and Donaghan would have to consider her stupid, he handed her two albums.
He signed one, laughing as she read over his shoulder.
"Question. Would you be willing to sing the acoustic version of 'Tarot'?" Myron pointed at Donaghan without looking up. Donaghan didn't know how he knew it was him, but Donaghan had mentioned he'd be back after lunch. Could one artist do the original track and the other the acoustic one? Their voices were completely different ranges, and they'd released the album only yesterday. "Yes? No? Maybe?"
"No. I'm not you. I can't pretend to be you. Can everyone pause for a moment?" Orsino and Gideon looked up. Donaghan drummed his fingers on Tonks's shoulders. She'd appeared to have lost her voice. Remus, Sarah, and Donaghan laughed. He waited a minute longer and spoke in a softer voice. "I think I'm forgiven, don't you, Nymphadora?"
"Uh huh." She wasn't really listening to him anymore. Donaghan nodded, for he'd known he'd had this in the bag before he'd walked into the flat. The slate wiped itself clean. Donaghan sat her down in a swivel chair and imagined her as a little girl as she introduced herself. As time went by and she finally realized she had the whole afternoon with them, Tonks grew more confident.
Kirley stopped by around three with orange cream flavored ice creams and a question. Gideon was much more open whenever someone baited him with food. "Where's your wife?"
"Why?" Gideon handed Tonks an ice cream and glared at Kirley. "Oh, Kirley, what'd you do? It's day one."
"Two," said Donaghan and Myron. Gideon threw waded sheet music at them.
"Don't poke the bear!" Donraghan went to hide behind Remus.
"What exactly do you expect me to do?" Remus smiled at Gideon. "You're a large man. Your hands are as big as my face. You win."
"Just once. I want a calm, no nonsense album release. Can we do that, fellas? I feel like a crisis manager - No, I sleep with your crisis manager. That's worse. Kirley, sit down and shut up." Gideon went to go send off an owl and put out a fire.
"He looks familiar," said Remus, pulling up a chair and scratching his chin.
"He's the bagpiper," said Tonks. He asked for his full name, and she didn't know because Gideon wasn't exactly one of the favorites. He played the bagpipes, yes, but he also acted as the sometimes security bloke and put out fires whenever they cropped up.
"Gideon Christopher Crumb II." After putting the ice creams away, Myron laid back in his chair and got the confession out of Kirley. He'd been snatched by the paparazzi and leaked the first tour dates.
When Gideon came back in, he acted calmer. Portia, his wife had already anticipated this happening. At least the album was out. This, apparently, although Donraghan didn't understand the ins and outs of this, that, and the other, worked to her advantage. He seemed to have noticed Remus for the first time and shook hands with the man like they were old friends. Remus, visibly lost, frowned at him and remained pleasant.
"You haven't the slightest idea who I am, do you?" Gideon frowned at him.
"No, I don't." Remus ignored the others' laughter.
Gideon said he' d expected as much. "I was two years ahead of you in school. You are the prefect who bribed me with Honeyduke's sweets to tutor you in Potions and get you through your fifth year. I got you an Exceeds Expectations. You called me …"
"Chubby Christopher. Yes! Hello." Remus skipped the handshake and went straight to hugging Gideon. The band members exchanged looks, and Orsino asked if that man just hugged Papa Bear. Gideon knelt down on the floor as Remus explained to the others. "This man saved my life for a couple years. I'd never thought I'd see you again. You're in a band? Never in a million years …"
"Papa Bear doesn't let us get away with anything." Kirley curled up in his chair and said he needed proper food because he was dwindling away.
"You're starving and you came with ice cream?" Gideon got up, saying he got it, and left the recording studio with Tonks, Remus, and Donraghan in tow. Sarah stole Donaghan's comfy chair and hung out with the boys. Gideon clamored around the kitchen and made a lasagna from scratch. The ingredients flew into the air and the dish baked shortly after to formed itself. Donaghan, licking his lips, went to grab a slice, but Gideon slapped his hand with a spatula. "It needs to coagulate, you vulture. Hands off!"
"Ouch." Donaghan waved his hand and went to check on his Siamese friend; he came back a moment later with it in his arms.
"That's what you get. I don't know how Sarah puts up with you, Donaghan, I really don't. You're like a toddler trapped in a grown man's body." Gideon smirked when Tonks raised her hand and said she'd always said the same thing. Minus Sarah. Sarah hadn't yet been in the picture. "I don't feed cats."
"Yeah, I know." Donaghan frowned at the cat and opened a bag of food. He should have dropped it off at home. He put a handful in a bowl on the floor with the cat. For the past weeks, he'd been bursting to tell someone. Sarah had insisted they wait until they broke the news to the parents after the third month mark. This was only a month away, but he wanted to shout it from the rooftops.
"What's wrong with you?" Tonks looked at him suspiciously. "You look like a rabbit eating a carrot. Just say it."
Donaghan checked to make sure the coast was clear. If Sarah heard him slipping the beans, he'd never hear the end of it. Myron already knew; he didn't count. Sarah had been smart enough to know he wouldn't shut up. He beamed at Gideon. "Sarah's pregnant again!"
"Oh? Oh." Concerned, Gideon said nothing more.
This set in. When Jericho had died, Gideon had been his rock - Donaghan had run off to be with Papa Bear and Portia. There were nights, horrible nights, when Gideon had held Donaghan as he cried himself to sleep. He held up a finger, silencing Tonks, who appeared to want to add something to this and steered him outside. Instead of having a chat in the sitting room, which would've suited Donhaghan just fine, they stepped out into the chilly autumn air.
"I'm fine, Papa Bear."
"You are not fine. You say that. You wonder why Sarah's not said anything?" He lit a cigarette and started chain smoking. "Do you remember what you were like?" "It's not … I'm moving on."
"Jericho destroyed you." Gideon pocketed his lighter and took a long drag. Donaghan still visited the grave every Thursday like clockwork. Donaghan sat on the steps. "Sarah's still got things in the nursery. Say his name."
The grin disappeared off Donaghan's face. It was fine for other people to say his name, and he even sat through discussions about his boy, but he never crossed that bridge. In his mind, he knew this wasn't healthy. After he finished with his second cigarette, Gideon went back into the flat and came back minutes later with Nymphadora Tonks. She sat down beside him.
"Shut up." He refused to look at her.
"Why didn't you tell me? Look at me." Tonks patted his knee. "Donaghan."
"What?" Donaghan's voice broke as he turned towards her. The tears came fast. "What do you want me to say? I couldn't breathe. I lost my boy. Jericho fucking died in my arms, all right? I - I can't … it hurts."
They said nothing for a while. Gideon stood sentinel and they waited for Donaghan to gather himself. Tonks wasn't the sort to fall to pieces in front of him, which is why Donaghan enjoyed her company back in school. Tonks wasn't a girly girl.
"So, I know this is totally inappropriate," said Tonks, turning when the door opened and Remus stepped outside. Gideon went back to his smoking. She patted Donaghan's knee again. She laughed and snorted a little.
"Share." Donaghan rolled his eyes.
"This is me talking crazy for a moment," Tonks hedged.
"She's not mad?" Donaghan checked Remus's smile when Tonks slapped him a little too hard. "Ouch. That hurt."
"If you hit me, I swear I'll hex you so fast, Mr. Tremlett." Tonks started laughing again when Donaghan raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "So, back to my master plan. I'm pregnant, too. No. Go with me. We should do an arranged marriage. It's perfect."
They looked at each other seriously for a moment and burst out laughing. Donaghan laughed so hard he cried. Remus wore a bemused smile. Gideon grumbled that they were idiots and went to buy more smokes at the nearby shop. Donaghan, relaxed, draped his arm over Tonks's shoulder. They sat outside and watched the sun set. Donaghan had forgotten his sister, and he regretted this.
"You're going on tour?" Tonks laid her head on his chest.
"Oh, no. Well, not here doing wartime. Can you imagine?" Donaghan shook his head, imagining an attack of Death Eaters. "No."
"Donaghan. Listen to me." Remus walked down the steps and stood on the sidewalk. He took a folded paper, a copy of the Daily Prophet, out of his robes. It covered the Muggle-born Registration Committee. He lowered his voice although nobody passed them. "You need to leave. Take Sarah and flee."
"She holds her position at Barclays. I can't." Donaghan had kept this from Sarah, although he'd certainly read about it.
"I know you don't know me. And that's fine." Remus nodded at the closed door. "You were a kid last time. You don't … they will take her away from you. How much does she know?" Tonks held up a hand. "Remus."
"No! I keep telling you that you didn't see it. They are dead serious. Your father knows, Dora. I don't care if I'm scaring him." Remus rounded on her and locked his eyes on Donaghan. "You ought to be scared. They are weeding the garden. They are. If they take Sarah, and she's a nice, lovely young woman - and they will exterminate her."
"Donaghan. Don't panic." Tonks's voice quivered with fear. "I saw your name. There is a list, okay? And you are on it."
"No." Donraghan shook his head, lost. "Where do I go? My family. They can't possibly be moving this fast. I …I need time."
Remus shook his head, disgusted. "There isn't any time."
Without another word, Remus went to grab Sarah. He didn't let Donaghan say goodbye to his friends. As Gideon came down the street, they Disapparated. When they appeared again, Donaghan steadied Sarah and filled her in as quickly as he could. He didn't know where they were until Andromeda Tonks wrenched open the door and shooed them inside.
"Donaghan." Andromeda hugged Donaghan and checked the rucksacks by the door. "Hi, sweetheart. Are you all right?"
"Not really." Donaghan let her go and looked around. Why hadn't he thought to pack a bag? He'd always seen Andromeda as a second mother in his school days, and though they hadn't seen each other in years, he reverted back to his teenage days. "Mum, I've got nothing."
"That's okay. Sarah." Tonks took her upstairs and returned downstairs with Sarah, her hair now brunette, who was heavier than her, dressed in robes and a traveling cloak. She handed Sarah a bag. Donaghan realized it was her own emergency rucksack as she reeled off whatever was in there. Sarah, her head full of nonsense, nodded. Tonks hugged her, bracing her. "You'll be with my dad. You'll be fine."
"She can't take that." Donraghan desperately needed to slow down for a minute and catch his breath. Surely they could stop by the house? Medical records lay on their dining room table. "That's … that's yours."
"Not mine." Tonks went to hug Donaghan went her father came downstairs. Ted Tonks greeted Donaghan like a son and smiled warmly at Sarah. He'd share whatever he had with Donaghan. Remus, luckily, had thought to raid Myron's bedroom cupboard when he snatched Sarah. He handed the bag over. "You'll be fine. I love you."
"Me too," said Donaghan throatily.
"Well, if anyone asks, I'm Mr. Jenkins." Ted double-checked his bags and smiled at Sarah as he invented her identity on the spot. "And you are my daughter. I thought you said she was fair-haired, Dora."
"She is." Tonks waved her wand and reversed the Color Changing Charm.
"This is madness," said Sarah.
"Sarah. That's pretty. Look." Ted took the pendant off her neck and muttered they could sell it in a pinch. "You can stay Sarah. Donaghan's somebody else. Pick a name."
"Trevor … Trevor Evans." Remus invented quietly. He handed Donaghan a sheathed knife. "Sarah and Trevor Evans."
"Good. Okay." Ted clapped his hands together. "Is there anything else I need to know?"
Sarah spoke to the floor. "I'm pregnant. I don't want to go. I'll leave."
"Sarah, you're a Muggle carrying a Muggle-born's child. I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way," said Ted Tonks sadly. "You are a target. And we're leaving at nightfall."
"Sarah," said Donaghan, holding out his hand. "It's okay. We'll be fine."
"Why are we running away if it's fine? I'm Sarah Miller. Why are they killing us?" Sarah started crying and hugged Donaghan.
"Sarah. Sarah, I know this is scary." Ted accepted another traveling cloak from his wife and blankets. He offered the cloak to Sarah and packed another bag. He hugged his wife and his daughter. He handed Andromeda his wedding band, telling her to give it back to him when he returned home. After a tense moment, he shook hands with Remus and pulled him into an embrace, too. "Help whoever you can. Stay safe."
Remus nodded. He draped a hand over his wife's shoulder and shook hands with Donaghan and Sarah. Tonks hugged Donaghan again. Shortly after six, they walked out of the house. Donaghan took some of the bags from Ted and started calling him Dad. Ted grinned a little and fixed Sarah's traveling cloak. Donraghan knew his hands shook, for he probably thought of his own daughter. Ted made sure she was warm enough and nodded when he was ready.
They Disapparated.