Tonks' Unbendable Courage
Tsan Dorcey stood near the dais in the anteroom at the Ministry of Magic. Their was an audience of five Ministry officials, ready to hear his new doctrine before passing it on to Rufus Scrimgeour for approval.
"The Tsan Doctrine will force half-breeds to divorce their spouses, seven months after the marriage has taken place. This will include werewolves, centaurs, mermaids, and all other creatures that are half-human, half-beast. It could take a year to get passed, but I hope you find all provisions to your liking."
"I'm certain we shall," said a member of the audience, who had a face like a toad and who shrunk back in horror at the word "half-breeds."
"I know of someone who will be deeply affected by this law," said a man in his late thirties. "He was a friend of James Potter, and he'll be getting married precisely one week from today. His match is much younger than himself; a Metamorphmagus."
"If anyone deserves to be punished by it, it is Remus Lupin," said Tsan.
"Yes, he once worked at Hogwarts," said the toad-faced lady. "Incompetent Dumbledore: permitting a werewolf to teach children! It's a good thing he's dead now, or who knows what terror today's youth might face!"
"I heard Severus Snape has replaced Dumbledore. Is that really a good idea?"
"Of course it's a good idea, Dirk. If anyone can bring order to that school, Snape can."
The frog-faced lady took the Tsan Doctrine from its creator to be filed for proposal and the audience split up.
Nymphadora Tonks, with pink hair and a bright smile, was in the Leaky Cauldron. She had no idea why she chose this spot on this blazing afternoon, but something had drawn her here. Tom was glad to finally have a customer, which had not happened often enough in recent months due to a fear of encountering Lord Voldemort or loathsome Death Eaters.
Besides Tom and Tonks, there was only one other person in the pub. He had on a dark cloak and his face was concealed. When Tom asked him what beverage he desired, the stranger had not said a word. But at this moment he stood up and approached the table where Tonks was sitting. He removed his cloak, and she saw his face.
His countenance had a haggard frame, and his two gray eyebrows were absolutely grotesque amidst all the wrinkles across his forehead. But his cheeks were scarlet, as if he just given an embarrassing speech, though he hadn't said a word. Furthermore, his arms had the image of flames etched in them, and Nymphadora could almost hear them cackling. Even more peculiarly, she felt a savage heat emanating from the stranger's body.
Still without saying a word, he exited the building. At that moment, realization struck her. She had just seen a ghost, and not just any ghost, but the one belonging to Ticceron!
Ticceron was a man who lived in the fifteenth century. He had been in love with Rhiannon, a fisherman's daughter. However, his family believed themselves to be above such riffraff, for Rhiannon was a Muggle. However, Ticceron had to have her, so they made plans to elope. They got married in Surrey, but Rhiannon's brother shot her three months later. Ticceron disappeared and never returned. No one knows how he died, but it is said that when you see him, you will have an unhappy marriage.
Tonks' smile faded. How could her and Lupin's marriage be miserable? Unless he was planning to join Harry on his secret mission. But why would he do that? Lupin loved Tonks almost as much as she loved him; surely he wouldn't abandon her now? It was unthinkable!
Maybe she was just being superstitious. Surely that guy wasn't really the ghost of Ticceron; a lot of people ran around with his description, didn't they? But those tattoos on his arms—they were really giving off heat, which ran against all magical properties. The only explanation was that this was the true enemy of happy marriages, the murderer of bliss, and the signal for an unceasing melancholy that was soon to descend upon her.
Tonks went outside and Apparated home. There her mother was baking a cake for the upcoming wedding. "Mom, I saw the ghost of Ticceron."
"What was that, dear?" Mrs. Tonks asked, for her mind had been very occupied when her daughter spoke.
"The ghost of Ticceron."
Her mother looked at her blankly. "That name sorta seems to ring a bell, but I can't quite place it."
"It means that I'll have an unhappy marriage."
"Oh, Nymphadora, you young people and your superstitions all give me something to chuckle over," she said, laughing. "Ghost or no ghost, you're marrying the man you love more than all the world! Am I right?"
"Yes, Mom, but I still fear—"
"It's just some tale people made up to scare the brides and grooms to be. Think nothing of it, sweetheart, and trust me, it will go away. Now, I've got to finish this cake, so if you'll leave me be…that's a darling girl."
Nymphadora waited until Lupin arrived. They went to dine at Smorkin's, a perfect place for a tete-a-tete among lovers. Tonks was unusually quiet throughout the first half-hour of waiting for their meal to arrive, but Lupin failed to notice it at first. He had had a rather enchanting day, and he was very pleased to talk about it nonstop. But at last his fiancee's reticence alarmed him, and he felt obliged to ask what was bothering her.
"I saw the ghost of Ticceron today. You know what that means—an unhappy marriage is in store for us."
"Are you sure it was the ghost of Ticceron?"
"I'm certain. He had gray eyebrows, a wrinkled face, and tattoos of fire on each arm. I felt…heat coming from his arms. It was scorching, and I'm sure that had he touched me, he would've given me a third-degree burn."
"Allow me to allay your fears a little," Lupin said, bring a spoonful of spaghetti to his mouth and then quickly putting it down. "Seeing the ghost of Ticceron doesn't mean one will have an 'unhappy' marriage, just a short one."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"Not if one of us is killed."
"Oh Remus," Tonks asked, "you don't think there's any danger of that, do you?"
"Anything's possible, with the imminent war against Voldemort. Then again, it could be something entirely different, like some outward influence that we never contrived to imagine."
They went to bed that night full of worry. However, the wedding came and went—a quiet wedding, despite the one Tonks had dreamed of years before. But they were hitched, which was the important thing.
Two months later, she discovered that she was pregnant. On her way home to tell her parents, she ran into a witch who was leading her house-elf about.
"Ah, you must be the woman who married a werewolf. Haven't you heard? There's a law that was just passed, which will force your husband to obtain a divorce seven months after marriage. I guess you can kiss Moony good-bye, eh?"
Tonks stared at her. How did she know Lupin's nickname?
"Excuse me for not introducting myself. I'm Heegori," the news-bringing witch proclaimed. "This is my House-elf, Kinossur. Your husband and I were the best of chummates at Hogwarts; in our seventh year there was almost nary a moment when we were apart. His three friends were quite jealous, if I don't say so."
"Thank you, Miss Heegori," Tonks said, starting to feel a tad envious herself. "I think I'll be going now."
"Not so fast, little changeling. Ah, you're pregnant, aren't you? Well, I have one last thing to say." The loathsome witch bent her face close to Tonks' ear and said in a low whisper, "Your child will never live to graduate from Hogwarts."