Chapter 11

Bella's POV

A/N: Here's a long one for you. Skip ahead to Christmas. K? Enjoy.

"So, why didn't you tell any of us you were in the Order?" Ginny asked, looking at the Cullens.

Everyone was in the sitting room, sitting around the small-ish Christmas tree in the Burrow.

"Well, we didn't want to risk being overheard," Rosalie said, actually smiling to us. She was acting much kinder lately. "And, truth be told, we were more focused on protecting all of you."

Yesterday, I'd managed to find everyone presents, well…except for one person.

The Weasleys, the Cullens, Harry, Hermione, and I were all there, and Tonks and Lupin would be coming any second now.

The Cullens were all eating bright red lollipops—Blood Flavored Lollipops. A Honeyduke's specialty. It was a bizarre sight, seeing seven vampires eat lollipops. They'd been delighted to discover that it was animal blood. The Blood Flavored Lollipops were my gift to them.

I'd gotten each of them a real gift, though. Except Edward. No matter what I saw, nothing looked good enough.

I had felt really bad about not being able to get him anything. He only chuckled, hugging me close. "Silly Bella. Having you forgive me was a present enough. I love you either way."

I smiled into his chest, inhaling his unique, entrancing scent. "You are too good for me." I murmured.

He pulled away a bit grinning. "Shouldn't I be saying that?" I rolled my eyes. Edward pulled out a wrapped box out of nowhere.

"Don't even protest," he told me. I chuckled as I unwrapped the gift.

As I opened the box and peered in hesitantly, I felt tears form in my eyes.

Inside were several things. The CD of him playing the piano that he'd given me for my birthday. Then there was a photo album. There were many pictures in there. Wizarding pictures.

The first was of all the Cullens, including Edward and I, smiling and waving.

The next was one Alice had insisted upon taking weeks ago. It was Edward and I—his arms around my waist, holding me lovingly—smiling and laughing.

Then there was another picture. It was of all my friends from Hogwarts, including the Cullens—Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and all of the Cullens—all smiling happily. The couples were together. Ron and Hermione—who weren't really a couple, even though they both liked each other—had their arms slung around each others' necks.

Lastly, there were photos of all the Order. The first was a picture of the original Order. The one beside it was of the current Order, including the Cullens, all grouped together. It had to be fairly recent because Tonks was standing beside Lupin, her stomach swollen with her unborn children—did I mention she was expecting twins?

I looked up at Edward. "Oh, Edward. I love it." I hugged him tightly, barely withholding my tears.

"Alice helped me get the first few pictures. She also helped me contact members of the Order for the pictures." He explained.

"Thank you." I looked up at him, dabbing at my tears. "You don't know what it means to me that you all bothered to go around for any extra old photos."

He chuckled. "It was no problem at all."

"I'm sorry I couldn't find you anything," I told him quietly. "Nothing seemed good enough."

Edward laughed quietly. "I told you. Simply being with you is beyond perfect, love."

I smiled as I kissed him. What did I do to deserve him?

Harry had shared with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and I that he had overheard Snape and Malfoy talking while he was under the Invisibility Cloak. Snape had been offering his assistance to Malfoy, who vehemently declined. It was suspicious.

Part of me agreed with Harry. Part of me wanted to suspect him of Hannah Abbott's…injury, like Harry. But another part of me wanted proof before believing it.

Anyways, Harry wanted to talk to Lupin about it.

Later, we were all in the living room, still. Mrs. Weasley had the wireless radio on.

I saw Harry telling Mr. Weasley about Snape and Malfoy, as well as Lupin.

Alice, Rosalie, Ginny, and Emmett were talking with Tonks, watching and laughing as she changed her appearance. Fred, George, and Bill were playing Exploding Snap. Fleur was beside her husband, Bill, cheering him on. Edward and Jasper were watching their game, most likely trying to figure out how to play. Esme and Carlisle were speaking with Mrs. Weasley.

I headed towards Harry, Mr. Weasley, and my godfather. Well, technically Lupin wasn't my godfather. He legally adopted me from that orphanage, so the Muggles wouldn't get suspicious while I was at Hogwarts. I called him my godfather, though. Just because.

"…Where have you been lately?" Harry asked Lupin as I came over.

"Sorry I haven't written to you all lately, but I've been with Tonks a lot lately. We've been staying at her parents' house…"

"I'll go get the eggnog!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed loudly as she went into the kitchen.

"I'll help you," Lupin said hurriedly to her as she passed. After he followed her, I exchanged worried glances with Harry and Mr. Weasley. They shrugged.

He was worried about something and hiding something.

I sighed, but followed him into the kitchen.

"…no, no, Remus. I've got it. You're a guest, Remus." Mrs. Weasley was saying. She turned and saw me. "Oh, hello, dear. Need something?"

"Um, I just wanted to talk with Remus." I said.

"Of course, of course." She smiled to me, and walked out of the room, her wand raised, the glasses of eggnog floating in front of it.

"So, you were at Tonks's parents'?" I asked.

He nodded.

"How are they?" I asked. I'd heard that Ted Tonks had almost been ambushed by Death Eaters.

"They're…good, I suppose," he said, looking away, to Tonks.

"What is it?" I asked.

He looked at me, and sighed. "They're not very…fond of me. Quite the opposite, really. Especially because Tonks is pregnant."

"What's wrong with that?" I exclaimed. "You two love each other. You'd never do anything to hurt her. It isn't your fault for your…furry little problem."

He laughed dryly. "That is exactly what James and Sirius called it back when we were at Hogwarts. Many people believed I had a very badly behaved rabbit."

I chuckled, too.

Something was off about him. He seemed…troubled.

"What's wrong?" I asked, bluntly.

He hesitated. "I—I made a mistake marrying Tonks. I did it against my better judgment and I have regretted it very much ever since."

I gaped at my godfather. After taking a deep breath, I quietly said, "If you were anyone else, I would slap you right now."

"I know. I wouldn't blame you, either. I deserve worse."

"Oh, quit it!" I said, annoyed. "You both love each other! I've never seen Tonks half as happy as she is when she's with you! Think with your heart and not your head for once! You can't just up and leave her!"

"You don't understand!" he shouted, more anguished than I'd ever seen. "You've only seen me amongst the Order or under Dumbledore's protection! When people learn of my lycanthropy, they can barely look at me! I've made her an outcast! Don't you see what I've done? Even her family is disgusted by our marriage! After all, what parents want their child to marry a werewolf? And the children—the children—"

He seized handfuls of his hair, looking deranged in his anguish.

"My kind don't usually breed! How can I forgive myself, when I knowingly risked passing on my condition to innocent children? And if, by some miracle, they are not like me, then they will be better off, a hundred times better so, without a father of whom they must always be ashamed!"

I couldn't stand seeing him like this. He was so…tormented.

He needed some sense slapped into him, so…

This time, I slapped him. I hated too, but he needed it.

The sound echoed in the suddenly silent Burrow.

"Don't say that, Remus!" I shouted back at him. I was angry now. Why could he never understand?

"Your children would never be ashamed of you! Those people out there, who can 'barely look at you', all they know is what they've read about in the Daily Prophet! They don't know you! And, if they knew you, they wouldn't cringe or look away! Look at Hermione and me! In our Third Year, and we figured out what you are, were we ashamed? Did we run away in fear? Did we? NO! We knew you, and we judge you by who you are, not because of your damn furry little problem!

"And, if Tonks's family has a problem with it, then, they should accept it and get over it! You and Tonks are in love! They should be happy that she married someone who really loves her like you do!

"No child of yours could ever hate you! No one who really knows you could hate you!

"Hell, I'm your Goddaughter! I don't hate you! I think I know how they would feel, a bit! You and Tonks and everyone in this house is a part of my family! I love all of you, and I don't give a damn if you have a furry little problem. Or if the Cullens have a little blood problem!"

As I began to stomp away, I paused.

"And—for God's sake—lycanthropy ISN'T genetic!

"Get that through your damn thick skull!"

I stomped out of the kitchen, away from a shocked Lupin, and past the even more shocked Cullens, Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, and Tonks. I went out the door, planning on heading into their garden.

Instead, I found myself face to face with a man whose face I recognized from the Daily Prophet.

"Guys," I called into the house. "We have a guest!"

I stared, my face beet red, at the new Minister of Magic, Rufus Srimgeour.

Shit.

A/N: Oh, I hated doing that to poor Lupin, but…he needed it. And it was fun. Tee hee. He'll be back…and so will Scrimgeour.

Because you all have been so wonerfully patient, I will give you another chapter, even though this one is extra long.