4th August, 1997

"...They have got to be sodding joking!"

This uncharacteristic explosion silenced both Andromeda and Nymphadora, who had been quietly arguing over the amount of sugar the latter had been putting in her tea. Staring at Ted, who was glaring at the newspaper as though it had personally offended him, Andromeda finally found her tongue and managed, "Ted, what in the name of -"

"Just look at it." He practically threw the newspaper at her, so angry he could barely speak. "Like we needed proof he's in charge now!"

That was enough to make her heart sink, and she slowly unfolded the paper and smoothed it out. Her breath froze in her throat at the headline: MUGGLE-BORN REGISTER.

"Mum?" Nymphadora leaned over to take a look, and her face drained of colour, which made an interesting contrast to her deep purple hair. Without thinking, Andromeda clasped her daughter's hand as they both read through the article.

By the time they'd finished, she was nearly shaking with fright and anger. "They can't seriously be thinking of -"

"They can, Mum." Nymphadora sank back into her seat, serious and pale as she glanced at her dad. "It's not like we didn't know who he'd pick on first."

"Well, bollocks to that," Ted snapped.

Andromeda felt her stomach lurch. "You're not going to -"

"Like hell am I signing any bloody Muggle-Born Register, Andi," he spat. "I'm not playing into their games."

"But if they're just asking people to present themselves for interview -"

"Mum." Nymphadora's voice was as heavy as Andromeda's heart felt. "D'you really think they're going to just ask a few questions and then let all the Muggle-borns go? All they want from this is an easy way to round people up for Azkaban."

"But..." All the protests died on Andromeda's lips. She knew her daughter was right; there was never going to be any justice in this. "What are we going to do, then?" she said finally, staring at the paper without seeing the words on it.

Ted sighed and put his hand on hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Guess I'm just going to have to take a leaf out of young Harry's book, aren't I?"

"You mean go into hiding?"

He shrugged. "Better that than Azkaban, right? I can pack enough to keep me going for a while and take off."

"There'll be people looking, Dad," Nymphadora said, trying to keep her expression calm and professional. "You're not gonna be the only one taking off to avoid the roundup."

"So it'll be a really serious round of hide-and-seek." He flashed a grin, and she let out a reluctant giggle. Andromeda couldn't help a faint smile either at the mischievous expression he wore; it was so reminiscent of the look he got whenever he was considering misbehaving at school. "Seriously, though... I'm not going to muck about. I'm just going to have to pack and go."

"...Right now?" Andromeda straightened up, feeling a horrible jolt in the pit of her stomach at the thought. "You're not going to -"

"Might be best..." He trailed off on seeing the look on her face, and sighed. "Tell you what. We'll get things ready, and see how long I can stay under the radar for, eh? Soon as things get too close, I'll leg it."

Nymphadora shifted awkwardly. "You don't want to leave it too late, either, though - if they raid the house again like they did the other day, you're gonna be stuck."

He sighed. "I know, but really... I don't want to bugger off and leave you two alone any sooner than I have to."

Andromeda managed a weak smile. "We're not helpless, you know. There will be an Auror in the house."

"Not what you were saying last week," Nymphadora muttered, rolling her eyes, but she smiled anyway.

Ted chuckled. "Yeah, I know, but what with the baby and everything..."

"That's not gonna stop me hexing the arse off someone."

"All right, thank you," Andromeda cut in pointedly, before the hypotheticals got any more graphic. "We get the point." She glanced between her husband and daughter, and sighed. "I suppose we'll have to start getting things ready once you two are done with breakfast."

"I'm not hungry any more." Nymphadora pushed away her half-eaten toast and stood up. "I need something to do, anyway, or I'm gonna go mad just sitting around waiting for - I mean, doing nothing."

Andromeda caught Ted's eye and pressed her lips together. They both knew how devastated their daughter was at her husband's sudden desertion - to be perfectly honest, Andromeda was ready to give Remus a piece of her mind if he ever showed up again - but bad-mouthing the man behind his back wouldn't help the situation.

Instead, she just got up with a sigh, turning her mind to the practical side of the situation. "All right. Packing it is. I think I'd better do the actual putting everything in, if you two want to get everything together for me."

"Get everything together?" Ted chuckled as he threw the paper away. "How much are you planning on me taking?"

"As much as you might need," she replied bluntly. "We don't know how long you might have to be away, or what kind of weather you'll have to deal with. I may not be able to do much to help once you go, but I can at least do this."

She could feel a lump rising in her throat, and tried to swallow it down. Everything was just becoming too much like the old days... the time she spent living in terror that her family would break down the door and make her pay for breaking their laws.

Tactfully, Nymphadora bounced out of the kitchen, tripping on the doorframe, and clattered upstairs with a yell of, "I'll take a look in the spare room!"

Andromeda felt a warm, solid hand on her shoulder, and turned blindly to find herself in her husband's arms, fighting back tears. "Merlin, Ted, I can't -"

"You'll be fine." He hugged her close, stroking her hair like they were teenagers again. "You and Dora can look after yourselves, like you said."

"It's not that I'm worried about," she replied, her voice shaking. "It's just... oh, Merlin, I can't think of you out on your own in that kind of danger."

"Less danger hiding out there than stuck here in the attic," he said wryly. "I know it's going to be rough, but I'll need to keep away from you two till everything's safe again. I can put up with camping for a while."

"Will it ever be safe again?"

"Don't give me that. Look at me." Startled at the sharp note in his voice, she raised her eyes to his hesitantly. Though his expression was unusually grave, there was a familiar determination there that she'd always relied on; Ted had been her rock for so long now that she couldn't help but trust him now. "This is going to end one day, Andi. People aren't going to lie down and let You-Know-Who run all over them for long. All we're doing is taking it easy and staying alive till everyone else is ready to give him what he deserves. Okay? We've got to keep it together for Dora."

Andromeda pressed her lips together, gulped a few times, and nodded. "I'm sorry," she breathed, burrowing into his chest and taking in the warm, familiar smell of his shirt. "I just..."

She felt him chuckle. "We're all going a bit mad right now, love. Let's just focus on what we can do, even if that's just making sure I've got enough underwear."

That made her laugh - a real burst of giggles, subdued though they were, and her mood lifted. "All right. Doing what we can." She wiped her eyes and straightened up. "But you are never going to have enough underwear."

His laughter mingled with hers as Nymphadora clumped back into the kitchen, and the fear faded, for a little while.

Early October, 1997

Remus had slipped back in as evening fell, bringing grim news with him. The Snatchers were approaching the area. Raids had taken place across the north of the county, and they were moving south. It had made for a quiet and unhappy dinner as the reality sank in; Ted was no longer safe at home.

After they'd eaten, Andromeda commandeered his backpack, made larger on the inside with an Undetectable Extension Charm, and began filling up the remaining space with food that would keep for a while. Nobody argued with her, which she was grateful for; she needed to feel like she was doing something useful, something that might help keep him safe and protected from the evil hunting him.

In the living room, Remus did his best to keep the mood up. She could hear him chatting away with as bright a tone as he could muster, giving Ted what sounded like useful advice. Probably he'd picked it up from Sirius - that boy had spent enough time living on the run.

Andromeda bit her lip at the stray memory that thought brought up, of the last time she'd ever seen Sirius, and set her jaw. She wouldn't cry now. She couldn't let them all down by being an emotional wreck; she had to be strong for Nymphadora.

Eventually it grew late, and she ran out of ways to rearrange and repack the bag. Giving up, she fastened it and put it beside the back door before coming into the living room. Nymphadora was just hugging Ted tightly at that moment, while Remus waited by the fireplace.

"Promise you'll wake me up," the young woman mumbled as she let go of her father, who gave her a sad smile.

"'Course I will. I'm not going to go and leave you all without saying goodbye."

She smiled weakly, kissed his cheek and let go. "Night then, Dad. Night, Mum."

Andromeda kissed her cheek and waited quietly until both her daughter and Remus had gone upstairs to bed. Once they were gone, the tension seemed to thicken as Ted turned to face her.

"I'm sorry, love, but you know I -"

"I know." Her voice shook, but she willed herself to remain calm. "We all knew it was going to be safer this way. It just - doesn't make it any easier now it's come."

"Andi..." He reached for her, and a moment later they were clinging to each other. She could tell from the breath he drew that he was struggling with tears as well. This was no easier on him than it was for her. "It's going to be okay," he managed. "I'll eat properly and change my underwear every day and even wash it occasionally and -"

"Stop that," she retorted, half-laughing even as tears threatened to escape. "You won't do anything of the bloody sort, Ted Tonks. I know you."

"You should. You've had twenty-seven years to get to know me." He nuzzled at the sensitive spot just below one ear that he knew was ticklish, and was rewarded with a quiet giggle and a very gentle smack to one arm.

"Behave. If you're going to be off early in the morning..."

"I should be awake," he agreed, his good humour fading slightly. "It's all right, Andi, you head to bed. I'll stop up."

"No, you won't," she replied firmly, pulling back to look him in the eye. "We both need sleep. And I'm not going to get any knowing you're down here on your own. We can set an alarm easily enough."

"But if someone tries to sneak in..."

"That's what the Caterwauling Charm's for." She stole a brief kiss and smiled faintly. "This is the last night we're going to have together for a long time, Ted. I'm not spending it alone. Come to bed. If I've got to say goodbye, I'm doing it properly."

A slow smile spread across his face, and he reached down to take her hand. "All right then."

A minute or so later, with the bedroom door firmly shut and warded, he was kissing her heatedly, cupping her face in his hands while her arms twined about his neck, holding him close - as though it was the day they'd first realised what they meant to each other, as though those twenty-seven years had never gone by.

There was no fumbling as they pulled each other's clothes off and sank onto the bed - only a fierce eagerness to be as close as possible, to become so entwined that some intangible part of them would stay even when they parted again.

"Andi -"

"Ted - Ted, please -"

"It's okay -"

"Ohh - yes -"

"Don't stop - sweetheart -"

"Ted -"

"I know -"

They lay curled up together, breathing hard, still wrapped around each other. Andromeda felt a delightful little chill as his fingers traced down her spine, and she leaned her head against his chest, sinking into the perfect moment.

"I love you, Andromeda Tonks," he murmured against her hair, and she swallowed hard, feeling a surge of love for this man who had risked everything for the sake of being with her.

"I love you too, Ted," she replied softly, and clung tighter, hoping he would understand what she couldn't put into words.

The contented little sigh, and the gentleness as he tugged a blanket over them both, suggested he did.

There were no tears in her eyes, though the chill that accompanied the grey, cold pre-dawn light might well have excused it. She had steeled herself for this, and would not break down now when she was needed most.

Nymphadora was trying her best not to cry, though she was audibly sniffling as she hugged her father. "Just... remember what I said about fires," she instructed as she stepped back, chin wobbling.

"I will." He gave her a wink, and turned to Remus, who offered his hand a bit uncertainly and was immediately swamped in an unexpected hug. "You, mister Lupin - you look after my girls, all right? Don't make me come back to kick your arse."

Remus managed a chuckle. "I'm sure we'll manage to take care of each other between us, Ted. But I promise I'm not going anywhere."

"Good man." Ted grinned and let him go after another moment, leaving the lanky man to regain his breath and wrap his arms around Nymphadora.

Andromeda's hug was almost formal; she couldn't let herself show too much emotion now, but she whispered, as he held her close, "Promise me you'll come home."

He kissed her cheek roughly. "I promise I'll do my very best, love." Letting go, he gave them all a broad grin. "Still got to meet my grandkid yet, haven't I?"

Nymphadora giggled quietly and patted her stomach. "It's not gonna go anywhere, Dad."

"'Course not. You lot get back inside, it's bloody freezing out here. I'll see you later. Love you." He picked up his backpack, took a deep breath, and set off towards the sunrise.

Andromeda watched him go, jaw set, until Remus put his arm around her shoulders.

"Come on in, Andromeda, it's cold out."

"Oh - yes, sorry." She moved towards the door, then looked back, wanting just one more glimpse of Ted before he disappeared. But he'd gone - Apparated away as soon as he was out of the garden's warded boundaries.

She pushed down the dread that threatened to overwhelm her, and followed her son-in-law inside.