Chapter 11

(A/N: For those of you who don't know, I accidentally deleted this story while trying to edit it. In my defence, I was half asleep. I'm sorry if this caused you any inconvenience. )

July 2, 1995 9:44pm

"Could you two please stop babbling and start helping me put the groceries away?" Kingsley asked.

"Nope," Sirius said. "The pantry is full of blood and guts from the dead animals that were there earlier this afternoon."

"Wonderful," Kingsley muttered. "Would you at least help me clean it?"

After forty-five minutes and much grumbling from Sirius, the pantry was clean and stocked with food. The results of Kinsley's hunting, which he pulled from another bag, were stored in the closet of the hidden room that Cuddles was staying in.

"Pet?" Kingsley exclaimed. "This isn't a pet, this is a wild animal! He could attack you at any time!"

"Aw, Cuddles is nice," Sirius cooed at the dragon, which looked like he was enjoying the attention. "He's shy, but he's well behaved. He only set the house on fire once."

"Whatever. I'm going home, where there is no chance of me being burned up or eaten in the middle of the night. Don't stay up too late, Tonks. You have work tomorrow," the auror said, then quickly walked out the door.

"You don't think Cuddles is dangerous, do you, Tonksie?" Sirius asked.

"Well, he is technically a wild animal, and he did set the house on fire," Tonks replied. "But Charlie could take him to Romania, and he could live with other dragons."

"But I want him here, with me," Sirius pleaded.

"He's a dragon, Sirius. He's not meant to stay inside, and having to find food for both him and Buckbeak will be a pain in the arse to Kinsley," Tonks told him. "I'm going to bed now."

"But you said you'd drink with me!" he whined.

"Not when I have to work the next day!" she said, exasperated. Sometimes her cousin could be really daft. She left the room and slid down the banister of three flights of stairs until she reached her bedroom. It had been a long day and she was exhausted, but she forced herself to take a shower, knowing that she wouldn't have time in the morning.

While tugging on a baggy T-shirt and shorts she wondered if she should start staying at Grimmauld Place all the time. Sirius was annoying, but he needed the company. Remus was nice, polite, and talented, but he was so modest. Usually that would be a good thing, but he seemed to think that because he was a werewolf he wasn't worth as much as everybody else.

"I'll have to change his mind," Tonks whispered to herself, climbing into bed. The painting he had given her was on the bedside table; nobody with that much talent should be modest. They should be conceited and arrogant. But perhaps he didn't let very many people see his art, thus not getting any compliments or confidence in himself. And he did have really nice blue eyes; whenever she looked into them she felt as if she was drowning in the sea...

Where had that thought come from? Deciding to ignore it, and to never write romantic poetry, she fell asleep.