Summary: Tonks wanted to get to know Sirius, what better way to break the ice with some tacos?
Rated: K
Genre: General
Language of Tacos
"Wotcher," Tonks said, hopping onto the kitchen counter. "Question for you…"
Sirius turned away from the stove where he was boiling water for Remus' tea—the man refused to eat after a full moon, but he couldn't say no to a good cup of tea. Old habits die hard, Sirius supposed.
"Of course," he said.
He didn't know Tonks very well, but the first time they'd met, her Auror training had overridden Dumbledore's promise that everything was under control when she tried to petrify him. She damn near would've too if Mad-Eye himself hadn't interfered in Sirius' favour. Bloody good aim, that witch had.
"I was wondering what your favourite food was," she said.
"My favourite food?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah," she said, pushing a lock of magenta hair out of her face and tucking it behind the ear where three cartilage piercings shimmered.
"I don't know," Sirius said. "Why are you asking?"
"Because nobody's rushing over to give Kreacher a Michelin Star, Molly's not around the house so much, and I… I feel bad," she said. "I mean, I know I wasn't part of the department when you were imprisoned…"
"You don't need to make it up to me," Sirius said sharply.
He didn't mean to interrupt her, he just didn't want to talk about this. Especially not with Tonks who, delightful as she was, was an Auror herself.
"It wasn't right, what they did. When you tell the story, I can spot at least seven conduct violations—and obviously I can't make it up to you, nobody can, but I know what they feed people in Azkaban," Tonks said, wrinkling her nose. "It's a bloody terrible place, and the cuisine checks out. So I wanted to ask if there was anything you'd particularly like to eat that we can't make here."
Sirius smiled. It was very sweet of her. Very Hufflepuff.
"That's nice of you, but I stopped thinking about food a long time ago," Sirius said. "I… I can't really think of anything."
"Okay, well if not food, then just… things. Flavours. Yeah, adjectives—give me adjectives! I can work with that!"
She got so excited that her hair flared up and turned three shades lighter. He grinned and tried to conjure up the strangest selection he could.
"Okay," he said. "Well… Crunchy. Meaty. Spicy but fresh. Savoury. Juicy. Green. Chewy. Warm. Compact. Cheesy. Heavenly."
To his surprise, Tonks jumped off the counter—even sticking the landing. "Say no more!"
Twenty minutes later she was back at Headquarters, sopping wet because of the rain, but excitedly held up a paper bag.
"Tacos!" she cheered.
"Tacos?" Sirius asked.
"From the place Kingsley and I go to on our lunch breaks," Tonks said. "I got beef, chicken, tuna, a cauliflower, a tofu, and pork. Which do you want?"
He didn't know what to say.
"I told you I could work with adjectives," she said, hugging her bag of tacos to her chest. "And tacos are the perfect food, and you so obviously described them to a T. Come on then; to the table."
Originally Written For:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)
Monthly Challenges for All
The Houses Competition
Word Count: 509
Originally Written: April 2019