As every morning in the last 25 years, Andromeda Tonks was woken up by noise.
She truly regretted leaving her bedroom window open last night. As she opened her eyes to yell for her daughter to wake up, her eyes filled with tears.

As every morning in the last week, she remembered she can no longer wake her daughter up. Dora was asleep forever now, and Andromeda just had to learn how to live with that.

She got up on her shaky legs, and went for the window to close its pane. She closed her eyes at the same time. She couldn't bear the festivities going on in the wizard world. She had nothing to look forward to.

Her last morning kiss from her husband was long gone, as was her daughter's face lightened with a smile. If only she managed to speak some sense to her that night, maybe her grandson would still have at least one living parent.

-

"Dora, please. If not for me, then stay for Teddy's sake. Do you want him to be raised by his grandmother? A child needs a parent, Nymphadora!"
"Mum, I'm going to be fine. Remus is going to be fine. We are going be there for Teddy."
"You don't know that! There is a war going on out there! There are hundreds of more skilled wizards and witches than you fighting! For all you know, you might get hit by a member of the Order's curse as an accident..."

"Okay, so maybe I won't be fine! But don't you see I'm doing this for my son's future? I don't want him to grow up in a world full of fright and darkness. To be in danger of being killed just because his blood is not as pure as it should be? I want him to grow in a happier world. And you can't forbid me to try and secure that for him."
Andromeda sighed. She knew her daughter was right.
"Dora, I am so..." she struggled to get the words out, sobbing "I am so proud of you. And I know your father would be too."

"I know, Mum. I want you to do something for me. In case Remus and I don't come back..."
She calmed Andromeda, who tried to fight her.

"If we don't come back...I want you...I need you to tell Teddy that we loved him. Every day, every minute. And if we die...I want him to know why. Tell Teddy we died for him. Teach him to forgive, not hate."
At this point, Andromeda had to sit in her armchair because her legs couldn't hold her anymore.
"I...I promise. I love you, Dora. And al...Although I wasn't thrill...thrilled with Remus as my son-in-law, I love him too. I'll be praying."

She hugged her daughter the best she could and try to keep focus on her, turning in the air one more time before she risks her life for a better world.
"Goodbye", she whispered in the warm summer night.

-

A week has passed since that moment. And a horrible week it was. So many families who lost their loved ones, so many sad funerals. Going to one would be the same thing as joining in the festivities in Andromeda's eyes. Something unbearable, unthinkable.
She sent a card to the Weasleys and many other families who lost their loved members. And she always got the same responses: "We understand, we'll help if you need anything, time will pass..."

But they didn't understand. They couldn't help her. And time may pass, but the memory of her daughter won't ever fade.
Today was the day she feared the most. Today, she had to find strength and attend her daughter and son-in-law's funeral.

She did her toiletry in her bathroom and braided her once beautiful hair. In the past few months, it's got so interlaced with the growing number of grey hairs it made her look at least fifteen years older than she was. Not like she cared now. She got dressed in a simple black dress – Augusta Longbottom charmed all her clothes black, since she didn't have the strength to do it herself- and came down the stairs. It was still dark here, since she didn't even bother to open the curtains.

"Lu..lumos!" Her wand lighted a bit weakly, but that was it.
"Lumos!" She heard a much stronger voice, and the sudden light made her blink violently a few times.

As her eyes grew accustomed to the kitchen, she saw a familiar tussled hair silhouette sitting in her husband's chair.

"Harry dear, is that you?"
The figure smiled widely, as much as she could see.
"It's me, Dromeda. I made some breakfast, come and sit."
Andromeda slowly walked to her chair, careful not to let Harry out of her sight.
"What brings you here today, dear?"

She noticed his cheeks turning bright crimson as he served some eggs in front of her.
"You know...the usual" He said, leaning onto the kitchen counter "Just to see how are you. And to tell you that Teddy is doing great. Molly is constantly cooking, and the girls seem to love having a bay around...it's nice, he takes our mind off of..."
"I know why you're here, Harry" she interrupted him "I'll come today. I'm not as weak as you all seem to think I am. Molly, with taking Teddy in, and Augusta, assuming I'm not able to perform magic!"

"We don't think you're weak, Andromeda. It's just you've been through a lot lately, and it's perfectly normal for you to...get out of practice a little. You're still doing better than George, he hasn't come out of his room for a week."
Andromeda stood full height, with her scariest face that took her years to practice.
"Harry, I may not currently be able to perform magic, but my sense of throwing things at people who are getting on my nerves hasn't 'got out of practice', so if you would be so kind to leave. I will see you this afternoon."

"Jolly good then, see you!"
Harry waved at her nervously, turning at the exact same place Dora had a week ago.
Once again this week, Andromeda Tonks broke into tears.