Disclaimer: Don't own it. Making no money.
Nymphadora had always prided herself on being – fairly – fearless. Her parents had always told her so, and often accompanied these admissions with somewhat strained warnings, some more serious than light-hearted, warning her not to get into so much trouble at Hogwarts. Nymphadora was not a naughty child, but her over exuberant personality coupled with the clumsiness – to put it mildly – that she had inherited from her father, had landed her in several scrapes, each progressively worse than the next. Due to this annoyingly frequent habit of having to talk her way out of accidents and charm her way out of difficult situations, she had developed quite the resilience to danger, and it was this, coupled with a fierce resentment toward the Dark wizards her estranged aunts associated with, that lead her down the career path to Aurorhood.
Clouds of dust billowed through the halls of Hogwarts, once so pristine and majestic. Dodging flying curses, bodies and debris, Tonks held her wand aloft, searching. Harry and others had pointed her in the general direction, but she was having no luck whatsoever locating her husband. She flew down staircases, throwing curses almost distractedly at Death Eaters she happened to pass, not focused enough to kill them, but merely to clear her path.
Being in the Order was greater than she had ever imagined. That there were loyal and wonderful and devoted and skilled wizards who remained faithful to Albus Dumbledore and the Boy Who Lived was proof to Nymphadora that the world was still a place of beauty. He Who Must Not Be Named's reign of terror did not – could not – penetrate their hope and it was this that kept her fighting, kept her fearless. And of course, anywhere that enabled her to stay close to Remus was home as far as she was concerned.
Someone grabbed her ankle from the ground, halting her as she twisted, wand at the ready. She stared into the face of her aunt, who had been thrown to the floor by a spell of Charlie Weasley's. The recognition, or the shock, must have registered on Tonks' face, because Bellatrix's heavy-lidded eyes narrowed in a cackle.
'Ah, my dear niece,' Bellatrix grinned as she leapt to her feet and jabbed her wand over her shoulder. Charlie Weasley was slammed into the stone wall behind him. Tonks' aimed a Stunning Spell straight at her aunt's leering face, but Bellatrix deflected it with a flick of her wrist. 'Looking for your freak husband, no doubt?'
Tonks' hands shook almost imperceptibly as she yelled – 'Stupefy!' – once more, but Bellatrix's Sheild Charm sent the red spark straight back to Tonks, missing her face by centimetres. 'Sweet that you care so much for him,' Bellatrix laughed softly, advancing on Tonks. 'But tell me, dear Nymphadora, what will become of your child when Mummy and Daddy, the filthy half-breed, are not around to protect him?'
Baby Teddy's face and the faces of her parents burst into her mind and Tonks screamed at the top of her lungs. 'EXPECTO PATRONUM!' The silver werewolf sprang from the tip of her wand and lunged at Bellatrix who looked, for a fraction of a second, surprised, before disappearing beneath the silvery assailant. Tonks wheeled backwards and dashed away down the hall.
Their wedding had been small, covert and over within the hour. Their guests were the only members of the Order who were available at the last minute; their chapel, the candlelit kitchen of the Burrow in the dead of night. Drawing attention to any kind of celebratory event, however harmless, was not wise. But Nymphadora knew, looking into the eyes of the man she had loved for so very long, that flowers, food and elaborate expenses were not what made a wedding. Her parents had been surprised, maybe even a little disappointed at her hastiness, but they knew their daughter. And she was not one for regrets.
She rounded a corner, narrowly dodging a stray jet of green, her heart hammering as Bellatrix's words reeled through her mind. She was experiencing an odd sensation – as though freezing water was rapidly filling her lungs and she realised that this was what was known as paralysing fear, cold and solid. Of course she'd faced the thought of death before, and it had frightened her, the thought of leaving, or being left by, Remus or her son. But never had she heard it issued from the mouth of someone intent on murder, and so chillingly unconcerned about who was next. She stumbled over a body, slipping on something that smelt horribly like blood, and the next thing she knew she was crying and staggering blindly into Remus's outstretched arms. And for a second, just one blissful second, she forgot everything around them and inhaled his clean, familiar scent.
She had seen Remus cry on one previous occasion – the death of Dumbledore. But she swore, with mounting glee, that she could now see tears glistening in the corner of his eyes as he gazed down at his newborn son. His large hands held the precious bundle so carefully, and his face seemed to slacken almost, so lost was he in his baby's eyes. A second ago, all she had wanted to do was sleep. Now she felt as though she could watch them forever, her two most favourite people.
'Teddy,' Remus whispered softly.
'What?' she spoke equally as quietly. Remus smiled suddenly, his face splitting brilliantly.
'After your father!' he looked up at her, radiant. She smiled back.
'Teddy, it is.'
A jet of red brushed her arm and she snapped out of her reverie. They sprang apart and raised their wands, back-to-back. The closest Death Eater, a masked man, had turned to face Remus, and unhooded man Tonks didn't recognise facing her. At once Tonks felt the icy water drain from her chest, her momentary fear melting as she felt Remus shifting and duelling behind her. The usual adrenaline now coursed through every inch of her, as blocked and aimed. Her opponent raised his wand once more and right at that moment, she heard her husband's sharp intake of breath. Faltering slightly, her head flicked around as Remus dropped to his knees. Tonks dropped to, her wand clattering to her side as she lifted Remus's chin, the cold in her chest threatening to drown her.
'Take care of him,' Tonks whispered as she planted a kiss on her son's head, who was sleeping in Andromeda's arms. She stepped back to Disapparate.
'Nymphadora,' her mother spoke softly but firmly, her eyes fixed on Teddy. She drew them slowly away and looked up at her daughter. 'I've already lost your father.'
'And you have gained a grandson. I love you Mum.' Tonks' Disapparated quickly, before her mother could see her cry.
Remus opened his eyes, grinning feebly at her, a bubble of blood forming in the corner of his mouth. She could distantly hear the Death Eater's laughter. By the sounds of their voices they were mocking her, but she didn't bother to comprehend the words.
'I guess then,' Remus's voice was father-light 'This must be it.' His hand found her shoulder and she pressed her lips together as hot tears came freely. He pulled her to him roughly, and he slipped his wand into her hand with his free one. 'Finish them,' he whispered in her ear.
She could barely stand for the cold in her lungs, but whirled around just the same, aiming her curse not at the Death Eater in front of her, but at the ceiling above them both. It exploded in a shower of marble and stone and rained down upon the masked figure. Spinning once again, she raised her husband's wand and Stunned the maskless opponent. She scrambled over to her husband, whose breathing was shallower, his face more pallid. She vaguely heard the screams of others, perhaps attracted by the explosion, but she cared not. She held his hand and savoured his smile and ignored the hysterical voice of Bellatrix getting closer, running over with her wand raised. Tonks didn't see the wand move, didn't hear the spell, just wrapped her arms around his body as a rush of green light filled the Hall.
Two pretty elm trees were planted at Andromeda's house. Teddy learnt from a young age that they were there to remember his parents, though he knew he could visit their proper graves when he finally went to school at Hogwarts. Harry Potter, a friend of his father's, had given him a beautifully ornate map of the school, which had been drawn by Teddy's dad and Harry's dad. When Teddy had immediately mastered the art of working it, Harry had laughed, surprised and said with great glee that he would be a chip off the old block.
'Yes,' spoke up Andromeda ' Fearless.'
AN: Yes, yes, I know the last line isn't too strong but I'm a bit tired now. My muse seized me by the throat and wouldn't let me sleep until I'd finished it. Feedback or just general comments of appreciation for that amazing book are welcomed.