The entire Order was in shock over the new development between Harry and Tonks. They all where blindsided by this news, especially Remus who knew Sirius so well, wondered how many more secrets he kept from him.
Hermione was especially furious since she always felt for the plight of house-elves. Now one of her closest female friends was being subjected worse that the house -elf. It was obvious that she was to be a slave in all ways in the language of the letter, which turned her stomach, and thankful that Harry would not hurt her like that.
Harry did not leave Tonks room, for two days as she recuperated fully. He would not do anything to make her get out of bed prematurely and he did not want to face the Order, not with so many friends of Tonks in there who could cause him great pain without breaking a sweat.
Ginny would come in with food but would not look at him either, He couldn't blame her, but it did hurt. He never stopped loving her, he only left her to ensure her safety. If only things where different.
He slept on the floor close enough contact to keep her well but far enough to give her privacy. He did not talk to her since he explained the situation and he cried in her chest. When he recovered he could not look at her, the pain she must be going through must be overwhelming. Her parents died and she got sick a byproduct of a curse that was not her fault but she was now stuck with that will most likely ruin the rest of her life.
Finally on his birthday he heard the spring of the bed and Tonks got up. She got up more confidently, and more determined.
"Master you have been on the floor for two days, your back must be hurting you. Come lay down in my bed for a while"
Bloody Hell she called him master. "It is alright Lilth do you feel better?" he asked
"Never felt better master" she replied. He groaned "Harry, Lilth, call me Harry."
"Ok Master Harry" They soon heard a soft knock at the door. He saw that her robe was still untied and he tied it for her to make her decent for whoever was knocking.
Remus poked his head in, "feel like a visitor?"
"I am going to the kitchen, if she gets sick I will come back."
He ran out before Remus could say anything.
He hoped to get there before anyone got up, but he was at the Burrow, there was always someone up early.
"Good morning Harry dear! Happy Birthday breakfast?" Mrs. Weasley asked as he entered the kitchen.
'There is nothing good or happy about today." He replied. At Mrs. Weasley shocked and hurt face, he felt more ashamed that he ever did. "I'm sorry. I just do not fell happy today. I never really liked my birthdays now I hate it even worse now that a birthday binds a friend to me as a slave for life. I am old enough to get killed and kill. "He put his hands to his temples and started to massage them, trying to relieve the headache that was starting to form. " old enough to get lied to by the people that I trusted the most."
" I guess I am not as hungry as I thought I be" before fleeing into the backyard garden.
He wished he could wake up and this nightmare could be over. That he did not "inherit" one of his friends.
He was asked by Dumbledore to tell no one about the Hecrouxs and their hunt for them except for Ron and Hermione. Now with the new situation he would probably have to take her with him most likely bruising Ron's delicate ego. Ron was his mate but he could not help but get irritated at him for his irrational jealously sometimes. He could sense that Hermione would agree but give a long speech about S.P.E.W.
He was not looking forward to finding out what Dumbledore meant by his mistakes. He already knew more that he wanted to know about the whole thing.
He heard a noise behind him and he saw Remus coming up the path to him. " I was wanting to talk to you too Harry. Do you mind if I sit down?" Harry just nodded.
"First I wanted to say Happy Birthday and I wanted to let you know if you wanted to talk to me about this you could."
"To be honest Remus I am surprised that you are not ready to hit me right now" His mentor looked startled at that one "why would I want to do that?"
Harry sighed and rubbed his eyes. " I know you have feelings for Tonks Remus, not really a secret around here. This inheritance bit is demeaning to her, and of course you would have every right to hate me or hit me, whatever you want to do."
"I don't hate you Harry, I could never do that. The relationship between Tonks and I has been greatly exaggerated. Yes I care about her and her wellbeing, but things where not going to work out between us we where too different. Anyway if anyone where to "inherit" Tonks I am glad it was you. You are a decent person Harry I know that you will not hurt her"
"But I did hurt her Remus! I turned her into a house –elf, a mindless bloody servant! She even called me master! That is totally opposite to what she is! She is a strong independent woman! An Auror for Merlin's sake! The youngest member of the Order! Now she lost everything to be by my bloody side!" exclaimed Harry clearly emotional at the situation.
"This is not your fault Harry stop acting like it is! Sirius wanted everything he had to go to you. He wanted the madness of the House of Black to end! To break the cycle to give it to someone who would use the resources for good! Granted he should have told you about this much sooner but what is done is done! All you can do now is protect her from their crazy relatives. If you refuse her by rights she will go to the oldest living relative and that is Bellatrix Lestrange. You would be damming her to a fate worse than death and you know it!
"Why? Why do they hate her so much to do something so horrible to her? She is of the same blood! How can they do that to family?"Harry buried his face in his hands and rocked back and forth " Why?" Why us? Why another responsibly on my shoulders? I am so bloody tired Remus" his cracking voice muffled by his hands.
The older man put his arm around him and hugged him in a fatherly way "I don't know Harry. It is unfathomable to me how they could hate so blindly things that are different from them. However you can change things when you take the title. Make it different, something Sirius could be proud of. If know Nymphadora, sorry Lilith she would not blame this on you at all. Go talk to her yourself if you don't believe me. And for whatever it's worth, we will not leave you until it's over."
Leave it to Remus to know what to say, Harry did not know what he would do if he lost him.
"Your right Remus thank you." Said Harry as he wiped his eyes and went to find his friend.
She was just sitting there in the way he left her "Hello Lilith Can we talk?"
She shrugs and points to the bed next to her. " I want you to be honest Lilith, how do you feel about all this Consider it an order if it helps."
"I feel odd like something has just switched on in my brain. It sucks that it happened but if Sirius or Dumbledore could have done something they would have. They know a lot of stuff. And I could be worse off than being with you. My job at the Ministry was getting tedious and the Death Eaters own it so it is no big loss. I could be a big help to you with everything I learned. It still would be doing Order business by sticking by you making sure you where ok."
Harry was surprised that she knew exactly what he was obsessing over. She smiled as if she was reading his mind. She pointed to the window. " I heard everything, anyone could hear it. You where not exactly quiet about it." She said with a small smile.
"I'm sorry about your Mum and Dad I did not know them but from I heard they where good people."
" I am sad that they are gone, I wish I knew why." Said Tonks tears filling her eyes.
He awkwardly put his arm around her and she put his head on his shoulder. Just then Harry's stomach started to rumble. " You are hungry allow me to summon you something."
Damn he forgot in his obsessing that he did not actually eat anything. Now Tonks will fuss over him like Mrs. Weasley or worse. Before he had a chance to react. She summed him eggs, beacon, and a mug of tea. She was just staring at him, like any chief would, waiting to see if he would like it. He took a bite and smiled it was wonderful. He took a sip of tea and found it the way he always liked it white with three sugars. She smiled a brilliant smile she really was beautiful now that he thought about it. "Come and eat Lilith you most be hungry too" She shrugged and sat next to him and ate only a little and insisted that he ate the rest .
Mrs. Weasley would not be swayed he would have a celebration for his seventeenth birthday a day after. She argued that it was a significant year, and that she was planning it for months and everyone was already invited. There was no stopping that woman when she had something in her mind. The party was lovely really all his friends where there, and he got presents that he never expected but loved:
Hagrid gave him a pouch that went around his neck to carry important possessions
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave him a watch that once belonged to Bill,Ron gave him a wizarding chess set, Hermione gave him a sneakoscope, Fred and George gave him a years certificate to their shop for any item at any price, Kingsley gave him self shuffling cards, and Remus gave him a ring, with a stag, a dog a doe, and a wolf engraved in it.
When Harry looked at the doe questioningly he shrugged said "It was your mother's patronous." Harry was just too stunned for words he just slipped it on. " They would be proud Harry never forget that." Besides Tonk's forgiveness, this gift meant the most to him. He was truly blessed to have his father's oldest friend by his side to give him advice, and support.
Two days later Lillth's parents were put to rest, with him among the small group of attendants. He knew what it was like not to be able to really say goodbye to loved ones, he did not want to do that to her also.
Harry figured that from him going to the kitchen and garden when Tonks was still inside
that the words "stay by your side" where not literal. He managed to figure out a safe distance from her to give her the privacy she needed to put her family to rest. Harry could fell a sense of dread fill his stomach knowing that the final confrontation between him and Voldemort was drawing even nearer.