What is Family?
Chapter One
Tonks was tired. The battle was long, and it had taken its toll on both her mind and body. The war was over, the boy who lived was victorious but Tonks found it hard to celebrate. The battle had taken the lives of many of her friends and family and nothing she felt, could ever take that pain away.
The clean up after the battle was long. The bodies of friends and family had been recovered and placed in a chamber away from the bodies of their foe. Although both chambers contained a vast amount of death, both had a very different feel to them. Tonks had discovered this as she moved from being a guard at the foe chamber to a mourner at the family chamber.
The family chamber was full. Mourners gathered around the bodies of their dead mother, father, brother, sister and friend. The grief was evident, bit each person found comfort within each other, for they knew how the other was feeling.
Tonks spent a little time with Remus. Their romantic relationship never worked out, both deciding amicably, that they were better off as friends. Their relationship was close and Tonks had confided everything in remus. He had been there for her when Sirius had died, When Mad-Eye had died and when her father had died. Who was going to be there for her now that he wasn't?
Tonks sat beside Remus, talking in hushed tones to his lifeless body. She filled him in on the events following the battle. She knew he was dead but she felt a warmth when she talked, like he was still there with her offering her comfort. After a while she heard someone come up beside her. She turned her head and was met with the face of Neville Longbottom. "Kingsley is looking for you" he informed her. Tonks nodded. She surveyed the young man before him. He had grown into a strong, courageous man and Tonks knew that his parents would be so proud of him. "Thank You neville" she said as she placed a hand on his arm. "You did well in the battle. Your parents would be so proud of you" she told him before making her way towards the door to the chamber. She looked back as Neville took a seat next to his former professor.
Continuing on through the door, Tonks made the short journey towards the great hall. The once magnificent hallways and been reduced to dust, rubble lining the way. Tonks took her time as she went, casting as many repairing spells as she could along the way. It didn't make a huge difference but it was a start.
Upon entering the great hall Tonks located Kingsley easily. Since the end of the battle he had been appointed Acting minister of magic, and was often found surrounded by a group of people. This time he was conversing with a group of order members. Tonks approached and greeted them. "Wotcher everyone" she said although it did lack her usual cheerfulness. They turned and in turn greeted her individually. "Are you okay Tonks?" Kingsley asked, placing a hand on her arm, offering some condolence. She nodded. "I think so. Its just hard trying to process everything" she said and was met with a few nods of heads. "It is, but we can all move forward" Mcgonagall offered. Tonks nodded at this.
"Whats the plan now?" She asked. Kingsley took point. "Well the first thing is to reform some sort of Ministry. We have total control now that Voldemort has gone, its going to be a case of identifying who is left from the old faces of the ministry and then go from there. Its going to be a long couple of month but i'm confident we will be able to rebuild fairly quickly." He took a breath before continuing. "Ive called a meeting to be held tomorrow morning" Tonks nodded. She was glad that Kingsley seemed to have everything under control. "Is there anything you want me to do?" She asked him. "Not right now. Go home, be with your mother. Get some sleep. The meeting will be tomorrow at 12pm. A mass notification is going out to all those required to attend. We'll see how turns up, work with what we have and then go from there" he informed her. She nodded. She bid him goodbye before heading around to also bid farewell to those who had not already left before making her way to the apparation point.
Mcgonagall had made quick work restoring the initial protective enchantments, save the one space where people could apparate to and from. Once there, Tonks took one look behind her at the once magnificent castle. All though the majority of the structure was intact you could see the tell tale signs of war had had its effect. She was certain though that it wouldn't be long before it was once again standing in glory. With a last look she twisted on the spot and apparated away.
Tonks landed with a third on the front lawn of her mothers house. Not even two seconds after landing the front door of the house was being thrown open and her mother was streaming up the pathway. "Nymphadora!" She exclaimed as she swept her daughter up in the biggest hug imaginable. "Thank goodness you're alright" she whispered into her daughters mousy brown hair. Tonks held on, welcoming the comfort. They stayed like that, hugging on the front lawn for minutes, neither in a hurry to let go. Finally they parted ways and Andromeda led her daughter into the house. "Go upstairs and run yourself a bath. Ill start food and fix you some clean clothes. Are you injured?" She asked quickly surveying her daughter for any sign of serious injury. Tonks just shook her head. "Im okay mum" she assured her. "A few cuts and bruises but other than that im alright" she finished. "okay then. Well up you go" her mother instructed and pointed up the stairs. Tonks complied and started up the stairs. "There is murtlap essence in the cabinet" Andromeda called after her and Tonks acknowledged with a nod of her head. Andy watched as Tonks made her way out of sight before making her way to the kitchen to make a start on cooking Tonks' favourite food.
Upstairs Tonks had made her way into the bathroom. She started running her bath, taking out the murtlap from the cabinet and adding a generous helping to the flowing water. Pacing the bottle back she made a start getting undressed. Once all her clothes were removed and lay in a dirty pile in the corner she looked at her reflection in the floor length mirror in the corner of the room. Her mousy brown hair was dirty, her heart shape faced littered with small cuts and bruises. Her haze moved from her face down toward her torso. There was some significant bruising on her ribs. She moved a hand over them and winced at the contact. Moving her hand away she decided she would get her mother to heal them. Her gaze continued downwards. More small cuts and bruises littered the remainder of her torso and legs. Tonks sighed. She had been lucky.
Turning back towards the bath, she shut off the water supply and lowered herself into the tub. The water stung her raw flesh before a sudden soothing came over her. The murtlap was making its way to her cuts, healing as it went. Tonks relaxed back. As she closed her eyes, flashes of the battle flashed before her eyes. Tears left her eyes and Tonks sobbed. She cried for the pain her body basin and for the pain of losing her best friend and father. By the time her tears had subsided, the healing process of the murtlap had been completed and she set about scrubbing her body clean of all the dirt and blood that had accumulated. By the time she was finished the water resembled the same colour as her hair. She emptied the tub as a knock sounded at the bathroom door. "Nymphadora, ive put some pyjamas on your bed, food is cooking come down when you're ready" her mothers voice sounded through the door. "Okay thanks mum" she called back and listened as her mothers footsteps faded away.
Tonks turned to the shower. Although the bath had been relaxing she still didn't feel clean. She entered the shower and scrubbed at her skin a bit more before rewashing her hair. Finally she deemed herself clean enough and exited the shower. Wrapping herself up in one of her mothers fluffy bath towels she made her way towards her childhood bedroom. It hadn't changed much since she had moved out, posters of wizard bands littered the walls alongside her Hufflepuff emblems. She took a seat on her bed. She looked around the room. She remembered the last time she sat on this bed and thought about how many things had changed since then. The room had remained the same but her life had not.
The sound of her mother setting plates out downstairs brought Tonks back to her senses and she set about getting changed into the pyjamas her mum had set out for her. Once she was charged she made her way down to the kitchen. Whatever her mother was cooking up smelled delicious. She found her mother hovering over the stove staring the contents of a saucepan. She looked behind her when she heard Tonks enter. "Do you feel better?" She asked? "You look better" she acknowledged her daughter. Tonks nodded. "I do. I used the Murtlap but can you heal my ribs?" She asked. A look of concern crossed her mothers face "They're okay for now" Tonks hastened to add "But maybe after food?" She asked hopefully. Andromeda took a breath. "Of course. Take a seat, soup is almost done. Do you want some tea?" She asked and busied herself with getting two cups out. She waved her wand and the soup moved itself off the stove and settled on the cooling stand on the centre of the table. Another flick her wand and the bread moved itself over and plopped beside Tonks. Her mother handed her a cup of tea before taking a seat opposite her daughter. She poured them both generous halogens of soup and lifted her spoon. Tonks took this as a sign that it was okay for her to start and she immediately started shovelling soup into her mouth. It was hot but she was so hungry. "Slow down!" Her mother reminded her "You'll Gove yourself indigestion" and Tonks swallowed what she had in her mouth before continuing much slower than before. They continued to eat in relative silence and when their plates were cleared Andy waved her wand and the dishes and pans set about cleaning themselves. It still amazed Tonks at how good her mother was at performing these household spells and she vowed that she would spend the time learning from her mother.
Since the dishes were taking care of themselves, Tonks and Andy retired to the living room. Tonks settled into her favourite armchair. Her mother set about helping her ribs and setting up a pot of tea. They drank again in more silence. Conversation and stayed away from the battle, Andy knew that they had bene victorious but she wasn't aware of any finer details.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked her daughter. Tonks sighed before nodding and recapping the whole of the battle for her mother. Her eyes welled up at the mention of Fred and Remus. "Oh I can't even imagine how Molly must be feeling! I'll send her some pie and pay her a visit" she said. Tonks finished and she could tell her mother had something on her mind. She knew what it was.
"She's dead" was all Tonks said towards her mother. "how?" Her mother asked her, moving her eyes to meet those of her daughter. "Stunner to the chest" was all Tonks said on the matter. She didn't need to say more. Deep down she knew her other knew she was the one responsible. "Okay then" she said and handed Tonks a purple potion. "Drink this. It's a sleeping potion. You need rest you have a busy day tomorrow." Tonks took the potion. She bid her mother goodnight before heading to her room. She gulped down the potion and was certain she was asleep before her head hit the pillow.