So I am hoping to slow the pace a little wherever I can. In other news, I am typing this with two cats sprawled across my lap and my laptop balanced on my shins. Not very comfortable.

Tonks swore, ducking an extremely violent sounding curse that a Death Eater had thrown at her. Her suspicions were confirmed when the wall next to her exploded into tiny fragments. She couldn't see Dawlish anymore, but a second later heard his deep voice throwing a few swear words.

There was the tell-tale cracking of multiple Apparitions and she pushed herself to her feet.

"Dawlish, they're gone!" She yelled as Dawlish appeared.

"I know!" He snapped. "There were too many, Scrimgeour never would have sent two Aurors to chase a large group of Death Eaters. Robards is an idiot."

"And now we have to tell him that we didn't make the arrest." She said. "Third one this week- we'll be sacked for sure."

"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed, rushing to hug his godfather.

"It's good to see you, Harry. I wanted you to come stay with me for the summer, but I've left Grimmauld and it's better for you here anyway, less Aurors." Sirius said, holding him at arm's length. "Every time I see you, you're looking more like James." He handed Harry a wrapped package. "That's from everyone at the house. Hard to go shopping right now, but we found something you'd enjoy."

Remus shook Harry's hand. "It's great to see you again, Harry."

"Tonks couldn't make it today?" Molly asked Sirius, as she ushered them towards the table as Harry opened a set of books that were continuations of the set he had received the Christmas before.

Sirius rolled his eyes towards Remus, who was now talking to Bill. "She's been working extra shifts lately. Voluntarily, as I understand."

Molly nodded in understanding. "Still no talking?" She asked quietly.

"Not a word." Sirius responded. "It gets uncomfortable when they're both home for dinner."

She sat on the floor of her childhood bedroom, packing clothes into a couple of bags. When someone knocked on the door, she expected Sirius or Kingsley or Alastor, but instead Remus stood there.

"Harry liked the books." Remus said.

"I said he would, as a future Auror." She said. "I still think Sirius regrets not getting a new broom for him, but the firebolt's a good broom."

"When do you leave?" Remus asked, glancing around her room. The walls were still pink, but very faded from their original bright pink.

"Tomorrow."

"Will you be back for Christmas, at least?"

"Does it matter? You won't speak to me then, either."

"We're speaking now."

"It doesn't count."

"And what should I do, Nymphadora? Act like everything's okay? Like we'll be fine together-"

"We will be fine together!" She shouted, standing and facing him. "You're not a bad man, Remus. Why do you act like you are?"

"I'm a werewolf." Remus said simply. "I'm too old for you. I'm too dangerous, and I've got nothing for you. I'm poor."

"Look around you, Remus. Kingsley, Alastor and I aren't exactly rich. Kingsley had to quit his job to raise me. Even now that two of us are working, we're still not as rich as the Malfoys."

"I'm too old, I knew your parents when we were all in school."

"Good, you can tell me what they were like."

Remus sighed. "I graduated Hogwarts before you even knew how to walk. That's the biggest problem-"

"Actually, I was 4 when you finished Hogwarts. I could walk and talk by that age."

"We're skipping over the fact that I'm a werewolf, I could kill you-"

"I'm trained to protect myself, Remus. I'm an Auror."

"You'll fall in love with someone better." Remus said, turning to leave. "I just wanted to say that you should be careful. Even Hogwarts may not be safe now."

"We had these for your 17th birthday, but you were at Hogwarts for your birthday, so we decided to save them until you were home." Alastor explained, handing her two folded pieces of parchment. "I suppose Andromeda and Ted didn't expect to make it out of the war, not with how Bellatrix was threatening them. They wrote for us as well, asking us to protect you and to give these to you when you were of age."

"You don't have to read them now." Kingsley said as she stared at the parchment. "You can save them, if you want. For when you really need to hear from your parents."

She needed it now. Six years after receiving the letters, she needed to read them. Alastor and Kingsley did the best they could, but the harsh truth remained that they weren't her parents. Sometimes, she needed her parents, not the ones who raised her. And a few times she had dared to say so- something she would always immediately regret saying. She found the letters in an old box of her school stuff, sitting on her bed to read them.

Nymphadora,

The only reason you'll ever receive these is if we don't make it. If we do see the end of the war, we're planning to burn these so you can never know the truths of my family. My family is dark, there is no doubt. I hope you'll become exactly who I hope you to be. Kind, caring and strong. If I don't see you grow up, know this- I'll be proud of whoever you turn out to be. What matters is you're happy. And if, as you're reading this, you're in doubt of who you are... I don't doubt you'll find yourself soon, and that you'll be an amazing witch. Do not let others put you down for your family. Family isn't always blood, family is who you decide it to be. Remember that, and you'll never be alone.

I love you, and I hope you haven't grown to hate me if I'm not there for you. I hope that the war is over, and that you don't have to spend your life in fear. Above all, I hope you'll be happy. I hope you grow up in a world of happiness, one I know I could never provide in our current position.

Wherever you wind up in life, please don't forget the ones who were there for you. We may not be with you anymore, but Alastor and Kingsley(hopefully) are and always have been. They'll protect you, I know they will. And I hope that if you're old enough to remember us before we died, that you remember the good. As I'm writing this, you're only a few weeks old. I hope, if we're taken from you, that you'll know of us. Mistakes and all, because everyone makes them. I hope you're too young to remember us on your own if we've died, and that if you do remember us, that you won't remember our deaths. That would be the cruelest punishment for anyone to endure.

Please know, my Nymphadora, that even if I don't see you graduate Hogwarts or see you marry, I'll always be a part of you. And I'll always be proud. I believe you'll be truly able to accomplish anything, if you're as strong willed as your father or as stubborn as I am. If you're both, then Merlin help the poor souls who make an enemy of you.

I hope you'll grow up in a house of love and happiness- even if we can't be the ones to provide it for you.

Your mother,

Andromeda

...

Dora,

I plan for you to never read this. If, by some chance, you are, then I am sorry. But know this- I will protect you to my dying breath, and perhaps beyond. Your mother no doubt will write a longer letter than I will, but I know we'll both be saying the same thing.

We love you so much, and if we can't see you grow, we are sorry. We'll always be with you, through whatever trials you'll face. I hope the war has ended and your problems are simple little things like how to wear your hair or how long should kids live at home for(answer is forever, by the way- parents will never tire of having their kids with them).

If you should be raised by Alastor and Kingsley, they're good men. I have no doubt that they'll treat you as their own. I love you, Dora.

Your father

Weirdly enough, I got the idea for the letters listening to Starkid's Trail To Oregon soundtrack. maybe the idea struck me at the same time and it's a weird coincidence? I don't know, honestly, but either way, it provided a flashback opportunity. And provided ideas for more flashbacks so that's good!