Housewarming
Chapter One: A Time for Chocolate
"So that's it, then." Remus Lupin glanced over the papers one more time.
"That's it. I wash my hands of the whole bloody thing. I can't spend another night in this house. It frightens the living shit out of me half the time." Tonks spoke in an agitated voice, running a hand through her purple spiky hair. Actually, reflected Remus, she seems rather calm after this last incident, comparatively. But then, being beseiged by Cornish pixies was nothing to the Assault of the Enchanted Anvils, as the last event had come to be known, and both paled in comparison to the Magical Flying Squash Casserole Affair (although, conceded Remus inwardly, that was later discovered to be caused not by the vengeful house, but by two meddlesome redheads with a knack for making people livid).
"I swear this house has it in for me," Tonks muttered, reaching in her pocket for her bag of Hogsmeade candy and pulling out a Sugar Quill. She gnawed a bit on the end of it, reminding Remus of a feisty kitten. Looking up at him, she met his eyes briefly, expression gone from her face. Then she resumed her previous state. "Go on with you, Lupin, sign the damn thing. It's yours, the lot of it." She bit down hard on the quill, causing it to break in half. "Bugger."
The absurdity of the whole situation made Lupin want to laugh and cry all at once. Number 12, Grimmauld Place, or Black Manor, as it was known, was left to Nymphadora Tonks, as she was the only member of the Order of the Phoenix who had any biological claim to it. But with a flat of her own in London, and with the recent onslaught of misfortune befalling her within Black Manor's hallowed halls, Tonks decided she needed to be elsewhere and offered the ancient mansion to someone who could use it with more appreciation and perhaps fewer injuries. Lupin's own flat was perhaps in worse condition than the Manor, and a great deal smaller. Yet, his flat didn't smell of Sirius, lingering in the air and reminding Lupin of yet another beloved friend he had lost. Lupin resolved to take Tonks up on her offer anyway, reasoning that at least he would have ample room to change at full moon.
"Sign Here," read the note at the bottom of the papers in gold metallic lettering. Lupin reluctantly dipped his quill into the inkpot atop the kitchen table and positioned it above the parchment. Finally, he signed his name in small, neat script. Then he pushed the packet across the table and watched as Tonks followed suit, scrawling her name in enormous, illegible quillstrokes underneath his signature.
"Well," Tonks breathed, looking relieved. "Welcome home, Remus. You know, we should celebrate. There's some firewhiskey in the fridge. I think there's even some Muggle tequila, quite tasty, really, if you're up for something new-"
"Thank you, Nymphadora, but I'm quite familiar with tequila. No thank you. And I'd suggest you lay off it, as well. Don't want to Apparate under the influence or anything."
"Oh, a spoilsport, eh?" She looked almost dejected. Remus half-considered taking her up on her offer. "Well, at least have some Honeyduke's. Bought it this morning, you know, it's the time of the month for chocolate. I've got half a bar..."
Remus blushed. He and Tonks were friends, but he didn't think she considered him as one of the friends she would share that kind of personal information with. Knowing Tonks, though, she probably assumed all personal information was public property. She wasn't shy. He smiled.
"Since you seem so eager to share it..."
Beaming at him, Tonks reached once again in her bag and pulled out the bar, its wrapping folded back to allow access to the chocolate. She removed the wrapping entirely and handed him the slab.
"You'd better get going, Tonks." Remus simply didn't like the way she was smiling at him, or the way his stomach did a spectacular forward roll when he thought about it. "It's rather late, and I'll be changing in a few minutes. You really probably shouldn't be here at all."
"All right, then, Moony. See you at the Order meeting next week. And don't let the house get to you!"
"Bye, now," Remus murmured, moments before Tonks vanished with a pop.
Tentatively placing a piece of decadent chocolate on his tongue, Remus noticed suddenly how he thought he could taste her fingerprints, and how sweet the feeling was.
Swallowing the slab nearly whole, Remus felt a familiar tingle along his spine.
Chapter One: A Time for Chocolate
"So that's it, then." Remus Lupin glanced over the papers one more time.
"That's it. I wash my hands of the whole bloody thing. I can't spend another night in this house. It frightens the living shit out of me half the time." Tonks spoke in an agitated voice, running a hand through her purple spiky hair. Actually, reflected Remus, she seems rather calm after this last incident, comparatively. But then, being beseiged by Cornish pixies was nothing to the Assault of the Enchanted Anvils, as the last event had come to be known, and both paled in comparison to the Magical Flying Squash Casserole Affair (although, conceded Remus inwardly, that was later discovered to be caused not by the vengeful house, but by two meddlesome redheads with a knack for making people livid).
"I swear this house has it in for me," Tonks muttered, reaching in her pocket for her bag of Hogsmeade candy and pulling out a Sugar Quill. She gnawed a bit on the end of it, reminding Remus of a feisty kitten. Looking up at him, she met his eyes briefly, expression gone from her face. Then she resumed her previous state. "Go on with you, Lupin, sign the damn thing. It's yours, the lot of it." She bit down hard on the quill, causing it to break in half. "Bugger."
The absurdity of the whole situation made Lupin want to laugh and cry all at once. Number 12, Grimmauld Place, or Black Manor, as it was known, was left to Nymphadora Tonks, as she was the only member of the Order of the Phoenix who had any biological claim to it. But with a flat of her own in London, and with the recent onslaught of misfortune befalling her within Black Manor's hallowed halls, Tonks decided she needed to be elsewhere and offered the ancient mansion to someone who could use it with more appreciation and perhaps fewer injuries. Lupin's own flat was perhaps in worse condition than the Manor, and a great deal smaller. Yet, his flat didn't smell of Sirius, lingering in the air and reminding Lupin of yet another beloved friend he had lost. Lupin resolved to take Tonks up on her offer anyway, reasoning that at least he would have ample room to change at full moon.
"Sign Here," read the note at the bottom of the papers in gold metallic lettering. Lupin reluctantly dipped his quill into the inkpot atop the kitchen table and positioned it above the parchment. Finally, he signed his name in small, neat script. Then he pushed the packet across the table and watched as Tonks followed suit, scrawling her name in enormous, illegible quillstrokes underneath his signature.
"Well," Tonks breathed, looking relieved. "Welcome home, Remus. You know, we should celebrate. There's some firewhiskey in the fridge. I think there's even some Muggle tequila, quite tasty, really, if you're up for something new-"
"Thank you, Nymphadora, but I'm quite familiar with tequila. No thank you. And I'd suggest you lay off it, as well. Don't want to Apparate under the influence or anything."
"Oh, a spoilsport, eh?" She looked almost dejected. Remus half-considered taking her up on her offer. "Well, at least have some Honeyduke's. Bought it this morning, you know, it's the time of the month for chocolate. I've got half a bar..."
Remus blushed. He and Tonks were friends, but he didn't think she considered him as one of the friends she would share that kind of personal information with. Knowing Tonks, though, she probably assumed all personal information was public property. She wasn't shy. He smiled.
"Since you seem so eager to share it..."
Beaming at him, Tonks reached once again in her bag and pulled out the bar, its wrapping folded back to allow access to the chocolate. She removed the wrapping entirely and handed him the slab.
"You'd better get going, Tonks." Remus simply didn't like the way she was smiling at him, or the way his stomach did a spectacular forward roll when he thought about it. "It's rather late, and I'll be changing in a few minutes. You really probably shouldn't be here at all."
"All right, then, Moony. See you at the Order meeting next week. And don't let the house get to you!"
"Bye, now," Remus murmured, moments before Tonks vanished with a pop.
Tentatively placing a piece of decadent chocolate on his tongue, Remus noticed suddenly how he thought he could taste her fingerprints, and how sweet the feeling was.
Swallowing the slab nearly whole, Remus felt a familiar tingle along his spine.