Ginny Weasley wandered through the halls of St. Mungo's infirmary ward. The bored-looking witch at the reception desk had told her which floor to head towards, a bouquet of store-bought flowers in her hands.
Her mom had told her where to find the kind of flowers Tonks liked.
Finally, she spotted Tonks' private room, where a witch who wore the lime green robes of the Healers stood outside her door. When the woman lifted her chin slightly to meet Ginny's questioning gaze and look the redhead in the eyes, Ginny was momentarily taken aback.
She thought for certain she was looking at Tonks' doppelganger once Tonks hit her late thirties, perhaps early forties. They had the same heart-shaped face, same nose, same hairstyle, though Tonks' was slightly shorter and more colorful with her love for vibrant pinks and purples.
The Healer, whose nametag read Megan, smiled at Ginny kindly.
"Hi!" she chirped kindly. "Can I help you?" she asked, her voice soft and kind and seemed to flow through the hallway like a soft spring breeze.
"I'm looking for the room of Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin?" Ginny asked. Once she'd gotten word from Mrs. Weasley Tonks was in St. Mungo's, she hadn't hesitated in making a quick trip to the hospital.
"In there, thought I'd watch your tone if I were you. Her husband is exceptionally short-tempered. I can't think of why, you'd think I just announced she has a life-threatening disease," the young Healer said kindly, though the briefest flickers of confusion passed through her orbs, her patient's clipboard in her hands and observing the redheaded woman before her for a moment in silence before sauntering off down the hallway, her lime green robes swishing and billowing behind her as she moved. Ginny stared after the young Healer, slightly dumbfounded.
Shaking her head to clear her mind of such hazy thoughts, Ginny wasted no time in wrenching open Tonks' hospital room door and let out a gasp at what she saw. "Oh, Merlin's beard!" she exclaimed violently. "Not you too! What happened, you guys?" Ginny groaned, seeing Remus sit in the chair next to his wife, looking thoroughly disgruntled. "Well?"
"I—I'm okay. I just…passed out," Tonks mumbled, the heat rising to her cheeks as she actively tried to avert her gaze and avoid Ginny's eyes.
"'Just?' People don't 'just' pass out, Tonks!" Ginny retorted hotly, tossing the bouquet of flowers aside. "I didn't come all the way out here to worry about you, so why don't you tell me what's really going on!"
"I'm fine," Tonks insisted, tucking a lock of pink hair back behind her ear, still looking at anywhere but at Ginny Weasley. "No need to worry!"
Ginny frowned, and for a split second, both Tonks and Remus visibly flinched. Whenever she tossed her red mane over her shoulders and narrowed her eyes to the point where they were nothing but slits, she bore an uncanny resemblance to Mrs. Weasley, and it unnerved them both.
"You're not fine. You're glowing," she muttered, eyes narrowed as she fixed Tonks with a stare that was unlike the kind Weasley. "Why are you glowing?" she demanded, not hesitating to drag a chair up to sit by the other side of Tonks' bed, completely ignoring the look Lupin was giving.
"We're not glowing!" protested Lupin, his temper still swelling.
"Mmm, definitely glowing!" chirped Ginny, having eyes seemingly only for Tonks, a woman, who, although older than her by a few years, she considered a close friend, perhaps one of her best friends these days. "I didn't make the trip all the way out here, worrying about you all afternoon not to know why you are glowing. I sent along an owl to Kingsley at the Ministry, and he told me that you'd passed out earlier today. Spill it!"
Remus sighed and exchanged a weary glance with Tonks. "All right, Ginny, we haven't heard back from Tonks's parents yet or my father, so until they know, you cannot tell anyone. Do you understand me?"
His voice was unusually firm, and though he was smiling, Ginny noticed that his smile flickered, and it did not reach his light brown eyes.
Ginny nodded, having no time to dwell on Remus's strange behavior.
"Just until we let family know!" Tonks piped up quickly, noticing Ginny's eyes narrow as she processed their news. "Then you can tell…"
"Seriously?" Ginny asked, quirking her brow at the young pink haired Auror and her husband. "I'm not going to tell anyone. But…seriously? You're not joshing me around, are you? This—this isn't a joke?"
"No," answered Lupin solemnly. He seemed significantly less excited by their news than Tonks did. Tonks beside him, beaming and looking positively radiant at their surprise announcement. "I'm afraid not."
Tonks shot her husband a dark look, but didn't have time to open her mouth to argue as Ginny, much to their surprise, threw herself on top of Tonks' hospital bed, engulfing them both in a tight, vice-like hug, completely ignoring Remus's quiet protests to be gentle with Tonks.
"This is the best news ever, you guys! I'm so happy for you!" she squealed. "Wait till everyone else knows you're going to be parents!"
Tonks didn't know how long the three of them stayed like that, just content to be near each other, but she knew that it felt right, and she wouldn't trade it for anything else. Not for anything in the world, she thought happily as she felt her eyelids begin to grow heavy and droop, exhausted from the day's efforts, and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Her first in ages since she'd been taken away from Fenrir Greyback.
Tonks lingered near the reception table at Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding, in awe and slightly dazed at the copious amount of food. Keep it together, her conscience reminded herself, glancing down at her outfit. She wouldn't start showing signs of her pregnancy for a few more weeks. Tonks had dressed for the special occasion in a simple black sleeveless lace dress and ballet flats, turning her signature pixie blonde for the occasion. She had indulged in one plate already, eating more than she thought was possible and still feeling like she couldn't get enough.
Her Healer and who was to be her midwife, Megan at St. Mungo's, had claimed this was all perfectly natural, the hormones changing her appetite, that she had nothing to worry about, but now, Tonks wasn't so sure of it.
She'd started on creamy nettle soup that felt warm and hot in her stomach. A handsome fish dish had followed that. The wedding attendants had laid a silver platter in front of the wedding guests, on top of which sat a fleshy pink strip of trout, garnished with dashings of green herbs that Tonks didn't know the names of, but liked how they tasted. The fish course was supplemented by a side plate of mussels and oysters. Their black shells lay open, the beige insides spilling out, sickening yet enticing.
Tonks had never eaten them before until now. They felt horrible on her tongue and she discreetly spit it out into her napkin, trying not to gag.
After the seafood dishes had been cleared away, the servants had returned from the kitchen with the main meal; a full spit-roasted pig, its skin a sizzling, mouth-watering golden brown, jaws pried open around a forest green apple. The two servants had harmonized their heavy breathing with the screeching wheels of the cart they'd magicked to roll itself automatically to the head table, where the bride and groom sat.
Cuts of the pork had been served with a refreshing apple sauce, easing the perfectly cooked meat down. She hadn't been able to handle the smell, covering her nose and stepping outside of the tent for some air.
"Damn," she swore under her breath, doubling over and trying to control her waves of nausea. "I—I can't," she managed to gasp out.
"It's the smell of the cooking meat, isn't it?" came a man's voice. "I recognize that symptom all too well, ma'am. I know it well. My wife, Norah, when she was pregnant at first, she could never stomach it, either. Sadly, we lost our baby. There were…complications, I'm afraid."
Startled, Tonks straightened and squinted into the darkness, trying to see. "Who's there?" she called out, her wand hand's fingers curling and tightening into a fist over her wand, prepared to defend herself if need be.
Tonks didn't know if it was because she was now pregnant, but she seemed to be increasingly paranoid these days, thinking every stranger was out to attack her or try to kidnap her. "Show yourself!" she demanded.
The Auror could see the shadow of a man lingering in the shadow of the tent, his arms folded across his chest, one leg crossed over the other.
When he stepped out into the shadows, his hands raised in surrender, Tonks drew in a sharp breath that pained her lungs. "I—I know you, it's…"
The young man was dressed in a simple pair of slightly tattered brown dress robes that complimented his almost too-thin frame and dark tuft of brown hair. The young werewolf chuckled, lifting his chin, brushing a lock of dark hair out of his eyes and met Tonks' gray eyes with his yellowing eyes. "Wes," he answered simply. "I—I used to be…part of Greyback's. I helped save your life with that little house elf." The wolf glanced around, as if half-expecting the strange creature to materialize out of thin air. "Thought for some reason he'd be with you. I was hoping to catch him and say thanks. I came to warn you about Greyback." He said the last word so softly it was barely above a whisper and Tonks had to strain and lean forward slightly to hear him. "I'm not affiliated with him anymore."
Tonks stared, not sure if she fully bought it, but then her expression softened as she recognized that look of heartbreak in the young wolf's eyes, having seen it for herself in the mirror several times, and in Lupin's.
"Why are you here?" she challenged, careful to keep her voice low, casting a nervous glance back towards the tent. Though Remus had informed her the following day in St. Mungo's that this young man had saved her life, she was not so sure the other wedding guests would be so kind to learn that a former wolf of Greyback's had crashed the wedding.
"I came to find you," the werewolf said, looking pained. "To warn you. It's your aunt. Bellatrix." Here he spat the word as if it were poison on his tongue. "They tortured me. They killed my Norah!" he shouted angrily.
"I still owe Bellatrix," growled Tonks angrily, her grip on her wand tightening, her knuckles white with the effort to remain calm. She still owed her aunt for Mad Eye Moody's death, and she very nearly killed her during the mission to escort Harry Potter safely to the Weasley's Burrow.
But Wes shook his head fervently. "Don't underestimate her, Miss Tonks, or is it Mrs. Lupin?" he asked, his brow furrowed in confusion as his gaze drifted down towards Tonks' left hand to eyeball her ring that glittered there. "I did, and my wife was the one who paid the price."
Tonks fell silent and stared, almost unable to bear the look of heartbreak in the young werewolf's eyes. She knew all too well what he was going through. To come so close to pure love and lose it so violently was something that no medication or potion could heal. If Fenrir and the others had gotten to this kid's wife, then the Auror knew there was no graveside for the poor young man to mourn by, no coffin to bury her in.
She knew just by one look that his heart was broken, what beat now in his chest and kept him alive was merely a mass of angry muscle that would function only until Wes could avenge his deceased wife. "She—she should have had a life," Wes cried, feeling angry tears begin to gather at the corners of his eyes. "She loved to laugh and dance, and I couldn't give her that. She knew what I was, and she married me anyways. I—I consider myself a decent creature," Wes lamented, beginning to restlessly pace outside the tent, seemingly forgetting where the young wolf was for a moment. "But when they killed her, what they took from me, they're going to regret what they did. I'll end Greyback for what he's done to me, what he did to Norah. I'm going to rip his throat out, tear him limb from limb and watch as he takes his last miserable breath, bleeding out," he snarled through gritted teeth, letting out a low growl from the back of his throat and baring his canines, and for a moment, Tonks was frightened of him. The Auror saw the shadow of the wolf cross his tired but still handsome features, and in the dim light, she held onto her wand even tighter without being made aware she was doing so.
"Calm down…Wes…" she began hesitantly, not sure what to say. Deep down, she believed this young man not to be a violent man, but once love had gone from his life, his violent tendencies took hold of him faster than even he could imagine. "You're not like the other wolves. Like them."
Wes's head whiplashed up so sharply to the left where she was standing, Tonks was surprised his neck didn't break from the strain of it.
"So, there's a them now?" he snarled, his voice dangerously quiet.
"You know what I mean!" pleaded Tonks, trying desperately to reach this young man. Desperately, she turned her head this way and that, searching for Remus. If anybody could reason with him, it was Remus.
"No, I don't think I do," Wes growled, his yellow eyes flashing. A lock of dark hair had tumbled in front of his face, and he irritably brushed it out of the way. "Please, Mrs. Lupin. Wife to werewolf Remus Lupin," he stated coldly, noticing how Tonks' face paled at his announcement. "Oh, yes," he added, the corners of his lips turning up into a twisted sneer. "Please. Feel free to elaborate and tell me what it is you think you mean."
"You're not that kind of werewolf, Wes. Please, whatever you're thinking of doing, don't do. I know," she managed through shaky breaths, backing away a few steps from the young wolf as he advanced, looking livid. "I know how much it hurts to lose someone you love, but…"
"And what kind of wolf am I?" bellowed Wes, absolutely beside himself with rage now. "The kind that needs to be muzzled? Euthanized?"
"No," Tonks cried. Remus, where the hell are you? I need you…
"So, let me ask you a question," growled the werewolf, leaning in so his nose was only an inch away from hers, closing off the gap of space between the two of them. "Are you afraid of me, Mrs. Lupin? Do you think I might lose it? Go savage, that I might try to eat you?" he roared, jumping at her.
Tonks let out muffled yelp and stumbled backward, nearly tripping over someone. A quick glance behind her over her shoulder and she felt herself breath an audible sigh of relief. "Rem," she whispered. "It's you."
He nodded, pressing his lips to her cheek for a quick kiss. "What's going on, Dora?" he asked, furrowing his brow in concern. "It's…Wes?"
Remus looked towards Wes, whose shoulders had slumped in defeat, and the look of disappointment on his handsome face was immeasurable.
Wes shoved his hands and his wand into the pockets of his worn dress robes, frowning at both Tonks and Lupin. "I knew it," he hissed through clenched teeth. "Just when I thought someone actually believed in me…"
The young werewolf turned on his heel and Disapparated with a loud crack. Remus stared after the spot where Wes had vanished with a frown of his own, his mind seemingly lost in thought until Tonks tugged on the sleeve of his dress robes and pulled him back inside the tent, to the food.
She could stomach the meat now that the smell had dissipated a little. The pork was accompanied by potatoes that were diced up in a bowl with carrots, mushrooms and zucchini topped off with a healthy dash of pepper that stung the throat in the most pleasurable way possible. Then after the pork, had come the desserts, the servants placing a slice of a cherry torte on the table in front of her and Lupin and the other wedding guests. The pastry had been light, both in texture and color, with a thick dark brown crust, all of which contrasted with the beautiful cherry red sauce that poured out of it. The torte was topped by a thin layer of icing sugar as white as snow, but as sharp as salt. She didn't know what to try next.
The festivities, however, were soon interrupted by the arrival of a well-known Patronus. "That's Kingsley's," Tonks whispered, horrified.
"The Minister of Magic is dead. They are coming," it warned, and before the Patronus had a chance to even dissolve, chaos broke out.
An unknown Death Eater fired a spell at Tonks and Remus, Tonks deflecting it with a well-aimed jinx of her own. A sudden gush of pain jolted throughout her body. Her stomach ached, her arms lost tension and her legs began to weaken as her opponent started to advance on her.
The Death Eater began to bark orders at his comrades, and when they disobeyed his orders, he began firing the Killing Curse as they fled the fight. Tonks was momentarily appalled by such despicable behavior.
"Well, well, well…killing your own subordinates in the back. Why am I not surprised?" Tonks called out quietly from the shadows, behind one of the pillars upon which the tent was being supported. "You can't stoop much lower than that, now can you? Seeing as your arms and legs aren't missing yet, I guess this means you haven't met up with our department…"
The Death Eater ripped off his mask, revealing himself to be Dolohov.
He grinned wickedly, sneering at the young Auror in front of him, she who was reportedly ignoring her husband's screams to get to safety quickly. "You're the one I've been waiting to meet, Mrs. Lupin. I've heard all about your skills. You're quite talented, sweet thing. And now here we are together. I want to screw you, Tonks," he grinned, shooting her a furtive wink, ignoring Lupin's look of utter outrage as he reached for his wand, but Tonks held out her arm, silently shaking her head no.
Tonks sent a Freezing Charm the Death Eater's way so fast the man barely had any time to react, frozen and speechless at the young woman's skill, but then again, the Ministry only hired the best of the best, the brightest to become Aurors. She kicked aside his stiff body and stepped on his groin with her shoe. He would have cried out in pain at the harsh jab, but he was rendered speechless for the moment. Bruised slightly and winded with a leg in agony, Tonks grabbed the foot of the Death Eater and dragged him across the floor, so she was at his level, kneeling by the man's face. Her head was pounding. She brought a fist to the man's face, snapping his nose into a bloody grotesquerie. "You wanted to challenge me to a fight? Don't make me laugh. You think I'd waste the energy drawn on a third-rate sack of shit like you? Don't get me wrong, I'd love to kill you. But if you're actually happy to die, that's a different story. You've wasted enough of my time, Dolohov."
When he'd finally regained the power of speech, he was beside himself. "How dare you, you fucking bitch?! Get the hell back here! Don't you walk away from me, you heartless bitch! Stop, goddamn it!"
Tonks laughed, flipping him off, grabbing her husband's hand. "Sack of shit!" she taunted, right as they Disapparated and vanished.
The fight was far from over. The war had only just begun….
