Chapter 55: Departure

"Andromeda!" Remus cried in his panic; his voice reaching a frantic pitch which Tonks has never heard from him before, "Sirius!"

Sirius bolted up from the couch, his black curly hair in a mess from his nap, "Nymphie?" His eyes widened in horror, "what happened?" He howled, scrambling to their side on his knees as he stumbled over his feet in panic.

"She fell before I could-" Remus' voice died away as his breath hitched in his chest.

Tonks groaned and craned her neck to look up at him. Her brows knitted as Remus' eyes looked red rimmed, his lips pressed in a thin line and his eyes flashing with worry, "Rem-" she was interrupted as a wave of pain hit her. She stiffened in Remus' arms and couldn't conceal a groan, making Remus even more panicky.

"What happened?" Andromeda demanded, descending the stairs. Her face paled as she saw her daughter lying on the floor, Remus cradling her upper body. Sirius was staring, shell shocked and at loss with what to do.

"She fell," Remus muttered guiltily, his eyes never leaving his wife.

Andromeda grabbed her wand off the table and levitated Nymphadora without another word. Remus followed, his eyes watching Tonks' expression worriedly. Her face was twisted in pain. As Sirius made to follow, Andromeda turned around from halfway up the steps, "contact Molly, I'll need her here," She ordered with meaningful glances at Remus, who was staring emptily at Tonks, evidently useless at this moment.

Sirius glanced at Tonks before he nodded stiffly and turned in search of their owl.

Andromeda placed Tonks on her bed before getting to work. Remus knelt down on the side Tonks laid took her hand, "Dora?" He whispered, squeezing her hand. Tonks had been still for a while now, her brows burrowed and her lips pressed together. She opened her eyes and looked at Remus, her lips parting to say something when she squeezed his hand unwittingly, pain shooting through her, "Okay, don't say anything. Just save your strength. I'm right here with you and I won't leave,"

"Promise," Tonks demanded through gritted teeth.

"I promise," Remus said solemnly, glancing over as Andromeda checked Tonks.

"That's quick…" Andromeda muttered.

"What?" Remus frowned.

Tonks struggled to sit up, "what?" She demanded, looking between Remus and Andromeda.

"You're almost ready," Andromeda frowned.

"To do what-" Tonks paused, groaning as contractions hit her once more.

"To push," Andromeda stated, matter of factly.

Tonks leaned back against the pillows when Remus gently pushed her back to lay down, "That'll hurt like hell, wouldn't it?" She craned her neck to look at her mum.

Andromeda shrugged, "not anymore than it had hurt when I had you,"

Tonks groaned; though not from the pain this time but from the anticipation.

When Molly had arrived, Tonks was on the verge of biting on Remus' hand only because crushing every bone he had in his hand wasn't nearly enough.

"Why do men get their children so easily?" Tonks demanded, on the verge of screaming.

Molly chuckled, "that's a question I always ask myself, through all seven children,"

"Relax, Dora…I'm here," Remus tried to comfort her, wiping the sweat off her brow before caressing her forehead gently.

Tonks craned her neck and glared up at him with a look that she reserved for criminals she chased as an Auror, "Lupin, I swear, if you touch me again after this, I'll cut it off,"

Remus paled. A threat from an Auror was terribly frightening, even for a war veteran and skilled duelist.

"She doesn't mean it, Remus," Andromeda said, on the verge of laughter as she saw her son-in-law's face. She knew Remus was a good man though and felt he didn't deserve the threats and insults her daughter threw at him; which were much worse than the ones she flung at Ted.

"Oh yes I do!" Tonks shrieked, "Do I push now?"

After a glance, Molly turned and nodded to Andromeda, "Yes you can, dear. Remember to breathe-"

Molly's advices were drowned out as Tonks screamed.


Remus stared.

Andromeda was fussing over a mess of blood and sticky fluid, mini arms and legs could be seen flailing even though Andromeda tried her best to swaddle everything in a thick blue towel. The thing which Remus remembered the most was the noise. The bundle of blue was just so…loud. It was deafening.

Remus' heightened senses felt overwhelmed but never in his life had Remus, and the wolf both, felt so proud and relieved.

Molly was hunched over Tonks, who was craning her neck to glimpse their son. Andromeda then walked over hurriedly and placed the bundle of blue into Remus' arms. Automatically, Remus' arms came up into a cradle that he tried to learn from his readings, over the past two weeks. The baby was placed snugly into Remus' arms.

Remus' grin was so wide that Sirius, who was watching from the open door, wondered if his face would split in two. Remus sat down in a chair by the bed and Tonks craned her neck to peer down at their baby.

The baby had stopped his bawling after Andromeda secured the blanket around him and placed him into his father's arms. His parents watched as the baby sighed, his lips moving.

"Hey there," Tonks whispered, pushing aside the blanket around her son's face to see him better. The baby began to lick his lips, his brows furrowing in distress, "is he hungry?" Tonks asked, looking up at Andromeda, "Can I feed him?"

Andromeda nodded, "go ahead," Pride for her daughter shone in her eyes, "your father would be so proud of you, Nymphadora,"

Remus watched on as his son nursed, chuckling, "As tough as it is for you, Dora, I don't think our little one got it any easier," He pressed a kiss to her temple. Tonks looked up at him, rolling her eyes as she shoved Remus gently, careful not to jostle their son. Andromeda smiled as she retreated quietly from the room, leaving the couple to marvel at the existence of their son.


A Month Later

"Remus?" Tonks sat up blearily. In the dark room, she could see the silhouette of her husband, crouched over as he tried to pull on his trousers in the dark. She almost smiled and lay back in bed, thinking her responsible husband was going to feed Teddy, their infant son. Remus was terribly uptight about everything regarding the childbirth. He made sure Tonks took her vitamins and ate regularly. He always had an eye out for Teddy and leaped up to attend to the kid the moment he showed signs of fussing. Teddy was an easy enough baby to take care of but Remus followed the feeding schedule like clockwork, always with the bottle before Teddy could wail. Even in the night, like this one, Tonks thought.

Remus turned and looked at her before buttoning up his trousers quietly. There was a look in his eyes that Tonks could barely see in the dark but she knew something was terribly wrong.

Her heart sank, "Remus…" Tonks threw aside the covers and shuffled to the edge of the bed on her knees. As Remus turned away to pick up his coat, Tonks grabbed his hand, pulling him back to her, "Is it time already?" She choked out. Remus nodded solemnly, refusing to meet her eye. His jaw was clenched tight and his hair was dishevelled from his sleep.

"Kingsley's patronus came," Remus muttered. His hand turned in hers, grasping hers back, "I'll come back," He whispered, "for you, for Teddy, for us to be together,"

The empty promise hung in the darkness. Tonks swallowed and nodded, struggling to take the next breath, she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying his face into the side of his neck, pressing a kiss on his hot skin, "I'm coming with you," She murmured.

She felt him tense up against her. Gently but firmly, he extracted her from him, holding her at arms' length, "No, Dora. Stay here with our baby…" Tonks could feel her eyes welling up with tears, "Teddy would need a parent to stay with him," if I should die. It was left unsaid but Tonks thought it that way. She knew he probably didn't mean it like that, even if he did think it.

"Mum will take good care of him," She gritted her teeth against the inevitable, clutching his coat in her fists.

"Dora," Remus let go of her arms and cradled her face in his palms, painfully gentle, "don't be this way, you know I'm right about this,"

She shook her head, feeling the first tear burn its way down her cheek, "Why must it be me?" She hissed, "you stay here with Teddy then," Dora challenged defiantly.

Remus sighed. This is definitely his feisty Dora. She's an auror, he knew that and she is perhaps more certified to be out there in the upcoming war than he is. She's had special training for this. But because she is his Dora, all the more, she should not be out there.

"Damn it Remus! I'm not a weak and docile woman for you to control," Dora withdrew from his touch, "I'm an auror and this is my job. Whether you like it or not, I am going," She gave him that piercing, infamous, black family stare. Remus, impressively, held her gaze, his shockingly blue eyes unreadable.

Remus chuckled. Tonks frowned, confused and even more so when he kissed her abruptly but she returned it nonetheless. This sweet man is irresistible.

"I love you," Remus muttered.

She pressed her forehead to his, whispering, "and I don't know why I love you, you silly man," pecking his lips once more, Tonks withdrew altogether, searching for her clothes, "let me get dressed,"

"I'll check on Teddy," Remus muttered and turned away as she stood up from the bed, naked. He didn't want to start something he can't finish at this time.

Remus made it into Teddy's room and walked to the cot. It was lit up slightly by the moonlight outside with the curtains ajar. Teddy didn't seem to like sleeping in the dark. Remus peered into the cot to see his son already awake. His hands were in the air and his eyes were trained on them.

A few minutes after his birth, they realised their little boy was a metamorphmagus and it did not displease Remus but it came as a shock to both of them. They did not know that it is hereditable but thought it was by chance. Remus had been making faces to make Teddy laugh when the excited baby morphed his hair and eyes to that of his father's, giving him the shock of his life.

Teddy's hair was a soft brown colour and his eyes grey as he looked up at his father, babbling joyfully, not a bit sleepy.

"Hey buddy," Remus smiled, his voice barely above a whisper as he reached into the cot to pick him up. Teddy went eagerly, smiling at his father.

"Remus?"

Remus jumped and turned to see Andromeda standing at the door of the nursery in her nightgown and her hair bunched up in a loose bun.

"Did Teddy cry? I didn't hear him-"

"No, Andromeda," Remus replied grimly and Andromeda's eyes widened.

"It's starting?" She asked. Remus nodded as he hugged Teddy to his chest.

"Mum? Why are you up?" Remus heard Tonks' voice and Andromeda turned to her daughter. Her eyes widened even more as she took that her daughter was fully dressed.

"You're going?" Andromeda demanded, "Nymphadora! You have a child to think of now-"

"Mum…I'm an Auror, I have to be there. It's part of my job and you'll be here with Teddy," Tonks explained to her patiently.

Andromeda paused before replying icily, "you're on maternity leave,"

Remus could almost hear Tonks rolling her eyes. Tonks turned and walked to Teddy. He recognised his mother and reached for her. Tonks took Teddy from her husband and cuddled him for a second, whispering sweet nothings into his ear as she savoured the moment. Remus reached for them, pulling them both into a gentle but firm hug.

"Hey, ready to-" Sirius emerged at the door, fully dressed but he paused at the sight of the Lupins hugging their goodbyes, "Tonksie! What do you think you're doing?"

Tonks looked up from Teddy, her eyes watery, "telling my boy to behave while I'm away-"

"Why are you going even?" Sirius demanded, "Kings haven't gone and sent for you, has he?"

Tonks looked indignant, "His call for my husband is the message to inform both of us. Stop it, you two. I'm going and that's final," She hissed upon seeing the look Andromeda and Sirius are giving her. She looked back down at Teddy. Remus watched, tears welling up as his wife pressed a kissed to each of Teddy's eyes and his forehead before his lips, "Mama loves you Teddy and will always come back to you," She handed her son off to his father, tears rolling down her cheeks. Tonks took his little hand and kissed his palm before she pressed her hand over her mouth and walked out of the nursery and into the hall.

She knew it would be hard but she never knew it would feel like a part of her body was being torn out from her. She loved her boy in a way she never thought she'll love anyone. Her entire existence now seems to be completely dependent on her baby.

She heard footsteps and looked up to see Andromeda walking down the steps. Her mum raised her arms in invitation and Tonks ran into her mother's arms, "Please take care of him, mum," Tonks choked out, feeling her mother nod.

"With my own life, I promise you," She muttered.

"I'll come back, I promise you,"


He has lost sight of her. Remus felt panic start blooming in his chest, "Dora!" Remus shouted as he struck down a death eater full in the face, "DORA!" More death eaters replaced the one which fell, blocking his path to his wife.


Remus wandered the great hall, littered with the dead and the wounded, the latter getting medical attention. His heart in his throat, afraid he'll see a familiar face…

He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, "She's not here Remus," Sirius said, "it's a good thing," Sirius' face was scratched and still bleeding slightly. His hair was dishevelled and his face was clouded with worry.


"Harry Potter is dead!"

Remus' heart sank. Because of both what Voldemort said and the sight of his wife, tied and trussed up in ropes, tugged along by death eaters. From the distance, he could only see a huge and deep gash on her forehead and nothing else.

"Dora!" Remus made a mad dash for his wife the moment things escalated into chaos only to find himself confronted.


His heart sank as he glimpsed his wife taking a hold of Ginny just before both of them disappeared into a cloud of explosion caused by Bellatrix.

Remus froze as finally saw them again. Ginny hunched over his wife, shaking her, crying.

Molly stepped up to confront Bellatrix but that didn't matter to him, he only saw his wife and she is motionless.


"Remus,"

Remus took his face out of his hands to see Andromeda standing there with Teddy clutched in her arms. Her eyes were red rimmed from crying.

"Oh Remus…" Andromeda sobbed and shuffled forward. Remus' lips were pinched into a thin line even as he gave Andromeda a hug, "how is she? What happened to her…" She withdrew and looked at Remus hopefully.

"I don't know," He muttered. He hesitated, "Bellatrix. She protected Ginny from her,"

Andromeda nodded, tearfully "It's good that you're okay…"


5 hours later, Remus was sitting beside his wife's bedside, caressing her hand as he watched her face unblinkingly for any signs of consciousness. He was told by the mediwitch that she would be fine but he just had to see it for himself.

She had no surface wounds from the explosion. The mediwitch said it was internal and it was fixed but Remus could not bring himself to be at ease till his wife was awake and talking to him.


A week later, Remus sighed in bliss as he settled down into bed, watching his wife get dressed for bed. She peeled off her clothes that she wore when she discharged from the hospital. He stared. After the not-so-glamorous process of being pregnant and giving birth, followed closely by a war and medical treatment, Remus had never thought in a million years that his wife's body would still be so desirable to him; so beautiful, like the first night they were together.

He did not notice his wife's blush till her arm wrapped around her stretch-mark filled tummy and she turned her body away from him.

"Dora-"

"I'm sorry," She murmured, reaching for a robe.

Remus lunged out of bed and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to the bandage around her forehead firmly, "what are you doing now?" He whispered, nipping her ear, "you can stand to be naked in bed with me before the war but not after?"

"It was dark…" She muttered, "you could barely see these ugly-"

His warning look stopped her, "you could never be associated with that word. You, my Dora, are the most beautiful woman I ever know," Her cheeks reddened prettily, "now," He paused and she looked up at him, "we can't make love, but can you get into bed and spoon with your poor, unworthy werewolf of a husband?"

Dora bit her lip, "that turned me on more than it should," She whispered breathlessly. She turned around in his arms and locked him with a kiss as they lay down on the bed and under the sheets. Remus waved the lights off with his hand before reaching down to grab Dora's wandering hand.

"Don't," He breathed, "please. We can't do this yet and I wouldn't be able to stop,"

Dora's lips stopped and she pulled back sheepishly, "sorry,"

Remus faked a look of reproach at her before he leaned in and pressed light kisses all over her face. She giggled, snuggling closer to her husband, settling down to sleep, "oh and Dora?"

"Yes?"

"I can see just as well in the dark,"

The End


I apologise for the late update! All my plot bunnies were killed as school began and things went downhill from there. I couldn't decide if I wanted a twist for the final battle as well but decided against it. You guys went through enough twists as it is and I took a new and foreign (for me as well) approach to writing the final battle; in snippets. There are way too many similar stories of the final battle for Remus and Tonks that I felt it need not be written in too much details. Hope you like it anyhow!

For anyone wondering, in my short hiatus of this story, I (guilty) began writing a sequel that came to my mind randomly and it is already written! So I'll be posting that tomorrow after posting this chapter (as my apology for such a later update)! Enjoy!