I had been doing a good job of sleeping at my own house until the next day when Sirius got sick.
Sirius stayed sick for about two weeks. Apparently he had mono.
Much to Sirius' dismay right after he got better, that Sunday we had a meeting.
"We're still keeping a close watch on Lucius Malfoy. That snake is definitely up to something," Kingsley said. "As far as the ministry's case against Dumbledore they're getting really angry with him for not having done anything wrong."
"As long as he stays on that card he's happy. I keep telling you," Bill said casually.
"The case against Harry and Hannah however. . ." Kingsley began. "Things aren't look so good."
"What do mean 'not looking so good?'" Sirius asked.
"Apparently Dolores Umbridge has sent back to the ministry about them being problem children and they need to be investigated to see if their mental stability is in check," Severus put in.
"And that helps her how?" Sirius asked.
"As far as Harry goes he's already gotten two weeks of detention which is a nice change not to see Hannah there anymore," Snape said.
"Why'd they get in trouble in the first place?" Remus asked.
"From McGonagall has told me, apparently Umbridge has taken away their right to use magic in her class. When Miss Granger, Mister Weasley and the Potters quite obviously put in their two sense she hit a nerve with the twins that quite obviously made them both rather angry considering what she said," Snape said.
". . . What'd she say?" Sirius asked curiously.
"First and foremost she went on about their previous teachers, making a point to call you out, Lupin," Severus said. "And as we all know you're Hannah's favorite and she made a point to call Umbridge incompetent and even went so far as to compare her to Gilderoy Lockhart."
Sirius shook his head in pity. "Well at least she was standing up for a just cause. What about Harry?"
"The boy doesn't know when to stop talking. They got on about Diggory and he got a week of detention and he got thrown out of class."
"Poor kids," I said. "It's them against the world. . ."
"Not really," Remus said.
"Well that's what they feel like. Stuck at that school, no place to go. Kids taunting them and calling them crazy. The entire Wizarding World is eating up the Daily Prophet and spitting it out on them. They probably feel more alone than we can possibly imagine," I said. "The way things look for them at school, they're not going to stand a chance if the ministry wants to check their mental stability because they're under to much stress to think clearly."
"Hmm. . . Alright then. . . This is what we'll do in order to keep them out of prison. Remus, when you go to Hogwarts to sub for Severus on keep a close eye, a very close on them," Moody said. "Constant vigilance!"
I rolled my eyes at this.
"I recommend you keep an especially close one on Hannah," Severus said.
"Why Hannah?" Remus asked.
"Because she seems to be the one taking the bulk of the heckling, considering the 'new crowd' she's fallen into," Severus said. "She's spending an awful lot of time with the Slytherins."
"What is the sudden infatuation those two have with Slytherins?" Sirius asked.
"Oh. . . So you don't know then," Severus said with a smirk. Sirius' eyes narrowed on him.
"What don't I know? I know everything. They tell me everything," Sirius said. Severus chuckled.
"Certainly the boy does but apparently someone likes to keep secrets from you," Snap said. He shook his head. "Tisk, tisk. Just imagine all the trouble she could be getting into that you will never know about."
"You two stop it right now," Moody said. "I won't have you bring your childhood quarrels into this meeting. . . Now that that's settled, Tonks."
"Yes, Alastor?" I asked.
"What've you found out at the ministry?" Moody asked.
"Nothing much sadly. It's the same old Lucius dropping hints about stuff he knows. Nothing has come across my path," I said.
"Have you attempted to do any digging?" Moody asked.
"No. I haven't had the chance to think to attempt to dig. Fudge has got Percy Weasley watching me like a hawk these days and Rufus is doing his best in to insure that I stay at my desk and don't leave," I said.
"And when you're off duty?" Moody asked.
"I'm here, taking notes at meeting just like this one," I said showing him my notepad with my chicken scratch hand writing.
"You've gotten lazy Nymphadora," Moody said.
"For the love of Helga Hufflepuff, don't call me that," I growled. "And as for being lazy, I could be a lot worse. I could be Mundungus."
"What?" he asked waking suddenly from his sleep. I looked to Moody, Fletcher's actions proving my point.
"I'm doing the best I can with what I got but since Scrimgeour's and Fudge's suspicion of me have grown the level of pull I have there has decreased. I've hit a dead end," I said. "Yet so far the only thing I've managed to do is pull them off Hannah and Harry but in truth, as a whole, the Order hasn't done much either."
Everyone exchanged silent glances.
"We're waiting on something. Just one thing to happen that could turn us around because as it is right now none of us can really do anything but try stuff out and pray that our assumptions are right," I said.
Silence still engulfed the room.
"That, Tonks, is the most brilliant thing I've heard you say, ever," Kingsley said. "And though you may be right, we still have to try."
I nodded.
"So what's the course of action we'll be taking up until the next meeting?" Moody asked.
"Snape is going to be out on assignment this evening and I'll be at the school keeping an eye on the twins in his absence," Remus said.
"And that's all we've got?" Moody asked. I nodded. "Then meeting adjourned."
Slowly everyone left out of the room and all that was left were Sirius, Remus, Severus, Kingsley, Moody, Bill and me.
"You two will be heading off soon I suspect," Moody said as he, Kingsley and Bill headed for the door.
"As soon as I pack up here," Remus said.
"And I give him further direction. We all know Remus is severely untalented with potions," Severus said.
No one retorted him. Remus was pretty bad.
"Don't stay up too late, Tonks," Bill said.
"You either," I said.
He nodded and the trio left.
"Further direction?" Remus asked.
"Mister Potter is not allowed to sit next to his girl friend. Nor is Mister Weasley," Snape said.
"Hermione?" Sirius asked.
"No. He's dating that one girl. . . Violet. . . or something. . . I know it was some shade of purple," Snape said.
"Lavender," Remus corrected him.
"That's the one," Snape said. "Weasley is not to sit with Lavender Brown. Fred and George are not allowed to sit in the back of the classroom especially in the company of Angelina and Lee. If anything goes wrong with anyone's potion in your fifth year class refer them to Hannah. Quite often you'll see this problem with Longbottom and as of late Potter. If Hannah finishes her potion early she'll probably fall asleep. I've learned just to leave her. Usually she'll wake up by the time class is over. And as for your fourth year class Weasley and Lovegood are constantly chatting with each other. If their talking persist separate them but be sure not to sit either one of them next to Creevey or your efforts will have been moot," Severus explained.
". . . It's good to see you know your students so well," Remus smiled. Severus rolled his eyes.
"If you need help grading any of your potions use Hannah and give her a respectable amount of house points for her time so she doesn't complain about you using her free time," Severus added.
"Is that all?" Remus asked.
Severus nodded and left without another word.
Sirius grabbed a glass of orange juice and sat on the edge of the table.
"Happy to be going back to your old career?" he asked.
"Thrilled," Remus said, no hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"We've made sure no word of this got to the children so it'll be a surprise when they see you," I said.
"I'll expect a few complaints as well. Hermione's just learned to stop calling me Professor," Remus said.
"Poor thing," I said.
"It's gonna be awful boring without you here," Sirius said.
"I'll be here," I said. "I'll stay the whole week while he's gone."
"Alright, as long as you promise to feed me as well," Sirius said.
"You'll actually let me cook?" I asked.
". . . Possibly," Sirius said.
"Alright then," I said. I turned to Remus. "I promise I won't poison him or anything."
"And make sure he behaves himself as well," Remus said.
"I do behave myself just fine thank you," Sirius said crossly. He took a swig of his orange juice and started to cough. He then cleared his throat. "That pipe is for breathing. . . Not for juice apparently."
"And that's why she has to keep an eye on you," Remus said. "Though I'm equally worried about your safety as well."
"I promise not to fall down until you return," I said.
"I'll hold you to that, Tonks," he said. I smiled.
Sirius coughed again. "I think there was a seed in my juice. . . There's something in my throat." he coughed again. "I'll see you later, Moony."
Sirius left the kitchen, still coughing.
"I'm worried about him," I said.
"You should be," Remus said.
"Oh, I just realized Saturday's Halloween. You won't be here," I said.
"I know. Hogwarts is having a dance on Saturday and-."
"Hannah would rip you a new one if you didn't stay," I finished.
"Well Dumbledore's going to rip me a new if I'm not at Hogwarts in a bit. I'd better be going," He said.
"Well. . . Bye," I said. I gave him a tight hug.
"See you," he said.
As if out of reflex I kissed his cheek.
"Bye," I repeated.
I tried my very best to keep from turning red, as Remus had already.
"Bye," he said.
He turned and left, quicker than he usually did.
"Well, well, well. What have we here?" Sirius asked from the door. I turned around to him. "I saw that."
"I was saying goodbye," I said rolling my eyes.
"You don't usually say goodbye that way," Sirius pointed out.
"He's going to be gone for a while and like you said, it's going to be terribly boring without him," I said.
"You don't say goodbye to Bill or Kingsley or Mad-Eye that way," Sirius pressed on.
"Bill is like my brother, Kingsley is my boss and my face isn't going anywhere near Moody's," I said.
Sirius nodded. "You can keep fighting for now, but eventually your feelings are going to jump up and you won't be able to control them."
He walked out of the kitchen.
The nerve of that man. To insinuate that I had feelings for Remus. I'd known him since I was four years old for Merlin's sake! He helped baby sit me on occasion. I couldn't possibly have feelings for that man. He was merely my friend and I saw nothing wrong showing a small bit of affection towards my friends. There was no point in getting worked up over something that wasn't even true, not true in the slightest.