Remus sat still as a statue on Tonks' couch, feeling tense and slightly ill. The two of them were going to Tonks' parents' house for dinner, and if that weren't enough on its own, Dora wanted to announce their engagement. Remus knew that Ted and Andromeda would have to find out at some point, he'd just held onto a vague hope that he wouldn't have to be there to see their reactions, and that he'd have a little more time to brace himself.
He consoled himself with the thought that her parents knew about his condition, since he and Sirius had visited them several times when they were younger. Still, knowing that someone was a werewolf and accepting that said person was going to marry your daughter were two vastly different things, and Remus wouldn't blame them if they tried to talk her out of it.
What would he do if they did? He knew and trusted Dora enough to be certain that there was no way she would ever change her mind or leave him simply because her parents wanted her to, but he hated the thought of being the reason for any strain between the three of them. They might yell at him and throw him out of their house, which Remus could tolerate if it would only hurt him; it was the kind of treatment he had received countless times before. Yet everything was different now. The treatment he received, Dora would receive too, and she deserved far better than that.
It was almost time for them to leave, Dora wanted to double check her hair in the mirror, and then they'd be off. She emerged from their room wearing her hair a conservative, curly blonde, and some of her finest clothes. She'd never said anything, but Remus suspected that Andromeda wasn't the biggest fan of her daughter's radical style.
"Ready?" she asked, gracing him with an exuberant grin.
"As ready as I'll ever be…"
"It'll be fine," she said confidently, placing a quick kiss on his cheek.
As they walked outside, Remus' hand found hers, and they linked their fingers together automatically. Remus found some comfort in the gesture, amazed at how normal it felt, despite the two of them only having been a couple for a few weeks. He figured that this must be what true love felt like, when every single part of the other person seems to complete you and better you, as though they were the piece of your jig-saw that you never realised was missing.
They revealed their news not long after they arrived. Remus would have preferred to leave it until the later part of the night, lest it cast a shadow over the evening. Tonks, however, could not contain her excitement.
"Mum, dad, guess what? We're getting married!" There was nothing but delight in Tonks' voice as she made the announcement, and Remus forgot all of his misgivings when he was looking at her.
They returned in full force in the next second as he observed Ted and Andromeda's reactions. Shock and surprise were the initial emotions that registered on their faces, understandably. Ted recovered first, and his face split into a grin not unlike that of his daughter.
"Congratulations!" He cried, enthusiastically shaking Remus' hand and hugging his daughter. "Welcome to the family, Remus!"
Andromeda, who had been standing a little behind, watching the scene unfold, smiled too, although Remus could sense hers was not entirely genuine. "Yes, welcome to the family," Andromeda said to Remus, shaking his hand as well. To her daughter, she said, "We're very happy for you, sweetheart."
"Thanks mum, we're so excited!" Tonks' hair had turned its brightest shade of bubble-gum pink, as if to reinforce what she said, although she hadn't seemed to notice.
Tonks had warned Remus that Andromeda had retained some of her Black upbringing, and could therefore in some instances be a little less accepting and more rigid in her beliefs than her husband or daughter. You could escape your family, apparently, but never quite fully rid yourself of their influence.
That aside, the news went down far better than Remus had dared hope. For starters, neither Ted nor Andromeda was yelling, or had made any move to throw him out of their house or convince their daughter to have nothing to do with him, and for that reason, Remus felt the tension in his muscles lessen slightly – only slightly.
They moved through to the dining room, where the table had been set with fine china and a steaming roast sat waiting for them, its scent drifting enticingly through the house.
"So when will the wedding be?" asked Andromeda.
Tonks replied that they hadn't set a date, and the conversation flowed from there, mainly revolving around their upcoming nuptials.
When Remus had gone to the bathroom, and Andromeda was in the kitchen serving up desert, father and daughter were left alone.
"Dora?"
"Yes, dad?"
"I just want you to know how happy I am for you. I know you must have thought we wouldn't entirely approve, considering the age gap between you, and Remus' condition. Wait, don't bite my head off," he hastily added, noticing her expression. "Your mother and I aren't prejudiced, and if we were, we'd be a bit hypocritical, wouldn't we?"
She returned his smile without interrupting, and he continued.
"Besides, tonight, any doubts I might have had are gone completely. I can see how happy he makes you, and how happy you make him. And you know, I should probably be more worried about you at the moment, in the middle of a war, in a relationship with someone most of the wizarding world disapproves of, but when I see you two together, I know that he'd never let anything happen to you. The way he looks at you when he thinks no-one's watching – it's like you're the most precious thing in the world. I don't have to worry quite so much about you now – I know he'll take care of you."
Tonks couldn't talk for a moment, digesting her father's words. "Thanks dad," she said, standing up to hug him, hoping to convey her gratitude without words.
They let go and returned to their respective seats, both a little misty-eyed. "Now, let's talk about something a little lighter, I think Remus and your mother will be back soon. Did I tell you about the new café that's opened up around the corner? Mum and I want to try it out one day…"
The rest of the evening passed relatively quickly, with Tonks and her father doing most of the talking while Remus and Andromeda pitched in occasionally.
Tonks started yawning somewhere around eleven o'clock, trying and failing to be discreet by covering her mouth with her hand.
"I think it's time we call it a night," said Andromeda, Nymphadora's yawns not having escaped her notice.
There were murmurs of agreement all around. "Would you like me to help with the tidying up?" Remus asked, ever polite.
His offer was politely declined, and Ted and Andromeda walked them to the door, farewelling them and telling them to come around again soon.
"Goodnight!" Tonks called as the door closed behind them, and Remus felt an enormous weight fall off his shoulders.
"That wasn't so bad, was it? It went just how I'd hoped." Dora said later.
"It was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be, but it's not exactly an experience I'd like to repeat."
"Well, luckily we'll only ever have to tell my parents we're getting married once, and now it's done, and I'm exhausted. Goodnight, Remus."
"Goodnight, love."
Dora was asleep in minutes, snoring softly beside him, and as much as Remus wanted to join her, he couldn't switch his mind off just yet, instead replaying the night over and over in his head, picking out any minute details indicating that Ted and Andromeda weren't happy with their match. Dora would berate him if she knew, reassuring him with words and kisses which, although appreciated and temporarily effective, would not ease his fears.
It was some time before he eventually drifted off to sleep, having decided that nothing except time would dispel his worries. He turned his head to look at Dora, sleeping peacefully, and he was reminded again of just how much he loved her. She had chosen him, of all the seven billion people in the world, and she was convinced that he was worth all the hardship that might come their way. If the simple fact of their love was enough for her, it was enough for him. Come hell or high waters, they would survive.
Written for:
The Legendary Creatures Competition: Centaur
The Hogwarts Classes Category Competition: Care of Magical Creatures
HP Potions Competition: Cheese-based Potion
fan-fiction terms category competition: canon
The "We're In A Relationship!" Competition