Chapter 54: Arrival

"Remus! It's here!" Tonks' screech made Andromeda jump and the pot washing itself in the sink to drop. Sirius opened his eyes lazily, woken in the middle of his afternoon nap, his wand in his hand.

Smiling, Remus looked up from the book in his hands. His wife has been stubbornly rooted to sitting at the ledge of the window of their living room, even if it gave her bad leg cramps and an aching back by the end of the day.

"What's here Nymphadora? Don't shout," Andromeda chided.

"Snow!"

"Snow,"

Remus and Tonks replied at the exact same moment. Tonks grinned at her husband, "It's time!"

Remus shook his head with a sigh but couldn't wipe the smile off his face at the sight of Tonks' glowing eyes and wide grin. Snow came later this year, later than expected. So late that Tonks tear up, on one of her nights while her mood swings were on high, when December, January and February came and went without any signs of snow. Remus held her and promised to magic snow in the house if it really didn't snow. The next morning, Tonks' blush over her behaviour the night before lasted all through breakfast.

Tonks slid off the window ledge and Remus moved his book aside just as his wife sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, "you promised," She smiled triumphantly.

"Yes I did," Remus smiled, "let's go,"

"Go where?" Andromeda narrowed her eyes, folding her arms.

"Snowball fight," Tonks grinned at her mother. Remus grimaced at Tonks' method of assuring her mother that it's something safe.

"My reaction's exactly, Remus," Andromeda said curtly, looking pointedly at Remus, "I thought you knew better,"

"We'll just be outside, mum!" Tonks pouted, "and Remus will protect me, not that I, as an Auror, need any protection-"

Remus placed a gentle on Tonks' cheek, interrupting well manneredly, "I'll make sure she's absolutely safe, Andromeda, I swear on my life"

"How are you going to fight when you're pregnant?" Andromeda raised a brow.

Tonks rolled her eyes, "Mum…I'm not going to fight. It's a snowball fight, a little different from actual Auror style fighting," Sirius stifled a poorly concealed giggle from the couch. Andromeda has grown up in a strict household where demureness was more important than fun. Understandably, she has never had a snowball fight. Ted has that covered for Tonks' childhood while Andromeda stayed in.

Shifting uncomfortably as her ignorance of something very simple was brought out into the open; Andromeda pursed her lips, "Dress warmly,"

Tonks beamed, nodding as she got up clumsily. Remus helped her to the coat rack and pulled her fur coat on for her. Her thick pink beanie was pulled over her yellow hair by Andromeda and her fur boots stood ready before the door.

She hastily zipped up her coat while Remus helped her slide on her boots. Then she was out the door.

"Dora!" Remus sighed as he grabbed his coat, shoved on his boots and ran out the door after his wife.

Tonks laughed, looking up at the cloudy sky. She held out her hands, feeling the chill of the weather but she has never been warmer inside. She turned to Remus to see him tugging on his coat over one arm before another.

"I love you," She smiled before turning to the sky and sticking out her tongue to catch a snowflake.

There was a bark and a blur of black tackled Remus to the snow. He fell flat on his face, already struggling with the coat. His coat was over one arm and the rest of it strewn over the snow.

Tonks laughed while Snuffles barked, his mouth turned up in a smirk before he dove headfirst into the snow. His head emerged, dusted white. Then he dropped onto his back, his legs in the air as he wiggled, "Are you making a snow angel, Snuffs?"

Snuffles barked once and Tonks sat down carefully before lying back. She spread her arms and began shovelling snow away.

Remus sat up, wiping snow off of his face, glaring at Snuffles. He paused. Smiling, he knelt by his wife, leaning over her, minding her stomach.

"My sweet Dora, your coat will soak through and you'll catch a cold," Remus whispered, cupping her flushed cheeks with his chilly bare hands. Tonks pouted and stopped flapping her arms in the snow. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Remus' neck and pulled him down on top of her.

"Kiss me now," Tonks demanded.

Remus chuckled before pressing his lips to hers, "it's so cold you should probably sleep here every night," He said it with a spark of mischief in his eyes, taking a jape at all her cooling charms she used on herself prior to sleeping.

She stuck her tongue out at him, "can you bear to leave me out here?"

"No," He replied honestly, "I can't even bear to let you out of my sight," He kissed her forehead gently but firmly.

Tonks smiled, gazing up at Remus, watching the snow fall and settle into his hair serenely. Remus settled for watching her.

In a blink of an eye, Remus yelped as he felt a slap of ice cold snow hit his neck and run down his neck. Tonks giggled loudly in triumph and Remus jumped off her, eyeing her accusingly, as she sat up.

"What?" Tonks chuckled, "what did you expect darling? It is a snowball fight y'know," She smirked.

Remus looked amused as he watched her, "you have no idea what you just got yourself into-" A full sized snowball exploded into the side of his head followed by a weird combination of guffaws and barks.

Tonks laughed as she clumsily tried to make a snowball. Snuffles leaped out of the way as Remus tossed a snowball at him, followed by another which hit the dog on his hind. Snuffles howled as he felt the cold snow. Tonks abandoned the snowball as she saw Remus approach her. Screaming and laughing, Tonks made a run for it but not before Remus could wrap his arms around her firmly.

She laughed, flailing, making them tilt back and Remus lost his balance.

Remus panicked as they fell back. He held her firmly, feeling his back hit the snow with Tonks on him, "are you alright?" He cupped her cheek.

Tonks nodded owlishly, "I'm fine!" Snuffles barked and leaped, landing on Remus' legs.

"You're getting too fat, Snuffles!" Remus snapped and got a face full of snow from Tonks. He felt his wife slide off him. By the time he swept melting snow off his face, he glimpsed Tonks launching a fistful of snow towards him. He rolled to the side and dodged it by inches but instead, saw Snuffles magic a ball of snow straight down his shirt, "Two up against one, it's not fair!"

Tonks laughed, gathering more snow. Remus scrambled to his feet, shoving Snuffles aside as he lunged towards Remus.

Suddenly, a crack sounded on the outskirts of their wards.

Remus froze. The snowball Tonks threw at him exploded in his face but Remus ignored it and turned towards the sound while walking briskly towards Tonks. He took her hand, "get into the house,"

"What-"

"Dora, please, do as I say," He reached into his coat and drew his wand. Remus glanced to Snuffles and nodded. Snuffles barked and grabbed Tonks' sleeve in between its teeth and tugged her towards the house. Tonks yanked her arm back and drew her own wand.

"No," Tonks looked at him squarely in the eye.

"Dora," Remus sighed but out of the corner of his eye, he spotted movement. Wand raised, Remus marched straight towards the border of the ward.

Arthur stood at the edge of the boundary with his hands raised in surrender. Remus frowned, waving his wand to disable the sound wards and invisibility wards, "Remus. I'm Arthur Weasley, here to fulfil our agreement about your participation on Potterwatch. My wife, Molly, gave your child a red hand knitted hat and your wife a hand knitted jumper, for Christmas,"

Remus nodded and waved his wand. Arthur nodded and walked through, "it's him!" Remus shouted back to the house. Tonks nodded and lowered her wand slightly.

"Tonks," Arthur smiled as he approached her, greeting her with a firm handshake and a nod to Snuffles, "soaking up the snowfall?"

Tonks grinned, "I wouldn't miss it for the world. Besides, it's the first snow experience for this one," She patted her stomach.

"I'm glad you came Arthur," Remus followed, on Arthur's heel, "she's giving me a heart attack," He said it with a fond twinkle in his eyes.

"Couldn't even begin to understand how you'd feel. Molly stayed in, where it's dry, mostly," Arthur smiled as he's being ushered into the house.

Remus chuckled, "I wish Dora thought the same," earning a playful jab and a pout from his wife.

Andromeda was glad to see Arthur but that was overshadowed by her relief to see her daughter finally back indoors, where it's safe and not slippery. Remus helped Tonks with her coat and boots while Snuffles shook himself off and transformed back, sopping wet. Arthur took out a box from his coat pocket and tapped it with his wand. Instantly, it expanded back to its usual size.

It looked to be two microphone connected to a large rusted metallic box. Arthur then waved his wand around the area, "to send the signal to Lee. He would've love to drop by, to see his former and 'best' Defence Against the Dark Arts professor," Tonks beamed and glanced at Remus to see him duck his head at the compliment, "but it would've been too dangerous to have both Lee and Fred come here,"

"We understand Arthur," Andromeda nodded with a smile.

"This right here would be how we would be able to hear Lee and Fred, who will be referred to as River and Rodent," Arthur said, "we've given both of you code names to participate in the programme as well. Remus will be Romulus, Tonks will be rainbow and Sirius will be Rebel," they nodded as they sat down at the couch, right in front of the two microphones. Sirius grinned as he sat down beside Tonks.

"Rebel, I like it,"

Arthur chuckled, "Fred and George was put off that they didn't think of it first. Anyway, I'll bring us in in a while," He glanced at the clock on the wall, "we should be able to hear Lee," Arthur tapped the box with the tip of his wand, "Mad-Eye," He muttered.

Tonks stiffened slightly, forcing a smile sideways at Remus as he squeezed her hand in consolation.

There was static for a moment before Lee's voice came through. They sat in silence as they listened to Lee announce news of the day to the listeners. Then came the list of deaths that the daily prophet neglected to report. A moment of silence was observed, Tonks clutching Remus' hand in both of hers.

"Alright listeners, now we'll be having Pals of Potter! And you guessed it; we have 3 more guest speakers joining us for today! Let's give them a warm welcome!"

Arthur nodded and gestured to the microphone. Remus leaned forward, "Thank you, River. Hello, this is Romulus."

"Wotcher, I'm rainbow!" Tonks said eagerly, practically bouncing in her seat in excitement.

"Rebel here!" Sirius said.

"Welcome Romulus, Rainbow and Rebel!" Lee greeted, "thank you for joining us today and being with us amidst this dangerous time! I'm sure listeners of Potterwatch are happy and glad to hear from you! If there's anything you would like to share with our listeners?"

The three of them exchange glances and Sirius nodded before sitting up, leaning closer to the microphone, "I would like to tell everyone who is fighting to uphold the good and to protect those they love, to never lose heart," Remus smiled, "There will be times when you'll feel vulnerable and alone and even that you're succumbing to the bad or becoming bad. But know that you're not. As long as you can still fight, you're not vulnerable. If you can't, you have friends to carry you, to fight with you; to help you. The heart is where you truly live and as long as you keep faith and never lose heart, you'll be good; you'll do the right thing. Be confident and be brave,"

"Thank you Rebel!" Lee replied, "I'm sure there are listeners out there whom that speech touched and motivated and that means a lot! Romulus, if you will?"

Tonks smiled at her husband, brushing the back of his neck gently in comfort. Remus returned her smile before leaning up to the microphone, "I wouldn't say I know how to comfort people or say motivating things, like Rebel could. Because I'm someone who once lost hope and faith often and I let people who love me down. But through all that, I learnt that if you care for someone, be with that someone to protect and support them. If you love someone, trust them and always stay together. Because the strength you'll get from just being around that someone would be something you would never imagine you can have. The extent to which you would go to protect them, you wouldn't even thought that you are capable of being so strong," Remus swallowed, brushing the back of Tonks' hand with the pad of his thumb, "So stick together and we'll get through this,"

"Well said Romulus!" Lee exclaimed and in the background, they could hear applauses. Sirius grinned, patting Remus on the back, "and I don't know how we should follow that. Listeners, apparently, you are in for a huge treat today! Rainbow, please,"

Tonks bit her lips and Remus leant over, "just be yourself,"

"I'm not as good with words as the other two gentlemen here," Tonks started sheepishly. Sirius sighed, rolling his eyes.

"No wonder you two make a good self-deprecating couple," he muttered, earning a vicious jab to his rib from Remus.

"And they've basically said all there is to be said in times of war…" Tonks' voice trailed off, "but, please, be safe for your loved ones. You're not alone in this, we're all fighting in our own way; fighting our own demons," Remus squeezed her hand and she grinned at him, "oh and whoever kills the chief death eater gets to be the godfather or godmother of my first born child,"

Lee burst out laughing, "Well said Rainbow!"

The programme with Potterwatch came to a close with Lee disclosing the password for the next session, which Sirius vowed to tune in to. Andromeda pressed a freshly baked, packed and shrunk apple pie into Arthur's pocket before he was allowed to leave. Remus sent him to the apparition point before returning to the house.

He stepped in and stomped his boots on the mat before going into the house. Sirius had his wife in a firm looking chokehold from the back.

"Sirius!" Remus snapped, "Gentle..."

Sirius rolled his eyes, releasing his flailing cousin, "I wasn't really choking her Moony. Besides, if I gently choke her, it wouldn't even pass as a feign choke,"

"You and your sense," Tonks glared at him, rubbing her neck. Sirius muttered a complaint under his breath as he shuffled off to sneak an early bite of dinner from the kitchen.

Remus placed both hands on the shoulders of Tonks as he learnt over the back of the couch.

"I like what you said on the air," Remus said softly.

Tonks rolled her eyes, "It was weak beside what you and Sirius put up there,"

"And yet, it'll be what those listeners remember a year from now," Remus teased.

Tonks smiled, kissing his jaw, "I hope you didn't mind that promise I just threw out there,"

Remus froze, "I thought it was a joke," he admitted. Tonks huffed and stood up.

She winked at Remus, "I do not joke," Remus stared after her as she made her way to the table.


The next day found Tonks sitting at the window ledge again, peering out the window at the falling snow. Occasionally, when she thought no one was looking, she could open the window and reach out to catch a snowflake.

Remus watched his wife out of the corner of his eye, smiling at her antics as he worked on a cradle that was to be placed in the living room for their baby. Once in a while, he used his wand to smooth the edges and get rid of splinter.

Andromeda had retreated to her room for a short nap. Sirius was staring obsessively at his motorcycle magazine which he got from Christmas.

Picking up his carving knife, Remus glanced up to see Tonks admiring a snowflake she caught. Then he looked down and began carving.

Tonks laughed as she successfully caught a snowflake without it melting everywhere, just on the tip of her nail. Remus looked up, smiling when he felt a sharp pain in his hand. Unwittingly, a surprised cry left his lips.

Tonks jumped up and off the ledge, "Remus?" she walked quickly towards him.

Remus looked up. Just as his lips parted to warn her to slow down and be careful, her foot caught on the edge of the couch. Remus watched in horror as one of his nightmares played out before his eyes. A look of shock crossed Tonks' face before panic overshadowed it.

She hit the floor on her side, hard.

"Dora!" He shot up from his seat on the floor and scrambled to his wife's side.

"Remus, your hand-" Tonks made to sit up as she took Remus' bleeding hand between hers. Just then, her face contorted in pain as she sucked in a breath. Her grip on his hand tightened unwittingly and she keeled over.


A/N: Thanks so much for being patient during the long wait! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I hesitated quite a bit on Potterwatch, thinking up the names and their speeches! Hopefully you like it! Thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter, and once again, inspired this one; Guest, remusdora, Guest and MoonDoll33! Thanks so much for all your suggestions and feedbacks!

Don't forget to drop me a review on this one!