Ghosts and Memories
"Another one, please." In the Leaky Cauldron, Deanne downed her fourth shot of firewhisky, laid it down on the table with a clang, and immediately regretted it. The bartender stared at her, appalled by Deanne's behavior. But she wanted to feel as numb as possible. Whatever it took to forget Tonks, she would do it. She slumped on the table, her head in her hand. Her right elbow covered up the newest owl from the same girl she was trying to put out of her mind.
Deanne,
Things have been happening so fast around here. First of all, I'm pregnant! Kind of a shock, isn't it? Remus was shocked, too. So shocked that… I don't even want to write this down… He left. The man is afraid that our child's going to be a werewolf. What's more, my dad has just gone on the run from the Ministry. You know how horrible they've been to Muggle-borns lately. I'm so worried about him. What if he dies of hunger? Or what if he gets caught and killed? Seeing you right now would make me feel better about everything. Will you come over soon? I think I'll visit my mum, but at the moment, she's faring worse than me. This hurts too much to go through by myself.
Sincerely,
Tonks
Deanne clenched her fist, revealing faint scar lines on her knuckles from that fateful day, when her darkest secret had spilled out of her. Who had she been kidding? No amount of alcohol could wipe away Nymphadora Tonks from her memories. When you love someone, they stay with you until your last day on earth. And nothing can kill you faster.
She turned the letter over to its blank side and scribbled her response:
Good. Now that he's done to you what you did to me, you know how much it hurts! Don't expect me to come crawling back to you so easily. I will keep your dad in my thoughts, but I'm not going to visit. Remember what you said when I asked you if we could kiss one last time? "It would be too sad". That's all I have to say.
-Deanne
Taking a look at the clock above the bar, Deanne suddenly rushed outside. She was supposed to be at work soon. Glad to be a witch at times like these. After returning home and sending Finn off with her letter, she Apparated to St. Mungo's.
"Deanne? What happened to you?" Maggie, the welcoming witch, glanced at Deanne warily.
Deanne had forgotten that she probably appeared to be a complete mess. "Ran into another Dementor, that's all," she mumbled.
Maggie nodded sympathetically. The supporters and followers of Lord Voldemort had recently taken over the Ministry, as well as Hogwarts. Dementors were some of his most loyal companions, not to mention, the creepiest.
On a whim, Deanne decided it was time to visit the Pensieve again. She was feeling nostalgic. Stumbling to the basin, she settled on a special memory: one day out of the six wonderful months that Tonks was her girlfriend…
Hagrid tended to a cluster of bushes while flowers bloomed and a chorus of birds sang. Spring was making its way to Hogwarts. Deanne and Tonks sat on the grass next to the Black Lake. When no one around them was looking, they held hands.
"We should plan something special for tonight," Deanne told her. "It's your birthday, after all."
"I'm perfectly content to just be here with you. Besides, we've got our Astronomy class later. I think there's going to be a full moon."
This gave Deanne a brilliant plan. She tried not to show her excitement as she frowned at Tonks like a puppy. "Why do you have to spoil my happy thoughts? I am going to surprise you. It's not every year that a witch comes of age!"
Her girlfriend's face became all flushed. "You don't have to do anything. My dad joked that turning seventeen doesn't technically count as coming of age, because Muggles don't become adults until they turn eighteen. But he and my mum sent me this stunning necklace." Tonks took out the necklace from under her robes and held it in her palm, its gold sheen catching the light. It was the crest of Hufflepuff, with a badger in the center. She let Deanne touch it to admire the detail.
"Wow. That's some handiwork there. You know I don't like most things that are…" -Deanne fumbled with the next word because it made her want to gag- "feminine, but I still love jewelry! This is absolutely gorgeous. 'Course, it's not as gorgeous as you."
A giant smile came across Tonks' face. "You're the best girlfriend in the world," she said in a low voice, briefly brushing her lips on Deanne's wrist.
Just then, the castle bell rang out. The girls stood up and went into the castle for dinner. A few hours later, they were viewing stars with the rest of their class on the Astronomy Tower. Professor Sinistra had just finished her lecture.
"Please write an essay on the importance of Pluto, to be handed in at the next period," she announced. "Class dismissed."
Deanne gave Tonks a signal that meant stay put. They packed their bags so slowly that Professor Sinistra had to walk over to them.
"What's taking you so long, girls? You may be sixth years, but you know you're not allowed to be here by yourselves."
Professors always had to ruin everything. "Can't Tonks and I hang about for a minute?" Deanne pleaded. "It's her birthday!"
The professor's expression lightened. "Oh. You're of age now, Tonks? A momentous occasion indeed." She grinned mischievously. "If any of my colleagues come to me and ask why two figures were seen alone in my tower… they were ghosts." Sinistra waved goodbye to them and strolled away.
"I see what's going on," Tonks teased from behind Deanne, placing an arm around her shoulders. "You wanted us to enjoy this amazing view. I never get tired of being schooled in a castle!"
"Me neither. Hogwarts is an incredible place. But that's not the only reason we stayed here. Your dad ever read you Muggle fairy tales when you were little?"
"Yeah," Tonks replied.
"My mum told me some of them, too, since she's Muggle-born. I thought it would be fun to pretend that I was rescuing my princess from her tower." Deanne ran a hand through Tonk's hair and kissed her softly. "There. I just kissed a princess."
Tonks immediately played the part and curtsied, giggling. "Why thank you, my dear prince. Now comes the part where we run off into the night on a horse."
Hand in hand, they skipped down the stairs to their respective common rooms. The moon illuminated their figures, two souls forever connected by a thread.
