Days were gloomy while on patrol of Number Four Privet Drive and
Nymphadora Tonks was not one to take her job lightly. Harry James Potter,
her past cousin's godson, was being treated somewhat nicely due to a nice
little chat between Alastor Moody and his caretakers. Shotty group of
muggles they were. Itching the side of her face, her grass green hair
blended into the foilage around her. Pursing her lips, Nymphadora, or more
widely known as Tonks, watched for any sign of anything suspicious. A faint
pop behind her notified her of a oncoming wizard.
"Nymphadora?" Remus Lupin's caramel smooth voice sounded from behind her. She wheeled around to glare at the only one, besides Sirius, to call her that.
"Remus! What are you doing?! You aren't supposed to be here!" Remus smirked and crouched beside her.
"Enjoying the view. Nice hair, by the way." He tugged on a strand. Tonks snorted and glanced back to the house. Whinging was quite silet except for the night when "Tubby", or Dudley, would prowl the street and harrass the youth.
"Stupid muggle" She grumbled. Remus settled himself next to her and rested on his haunches. Remus tended to take on many characteristics of his alter ego, the werewolf, when he was not being watched. His nose twitched at the smallest of scent changes, he growled at certain comments, and always sat like a dog.
"Harry's doing fine, by what he tells me. So does this really seem nessesary?" Twitch. His canine nose caught a scent. Tonks paled, his nearness usually made this happen. Quickly turning her head, she saw Remus smirk and wink at her. "Thinking dirty thoughts, Nymphadora?"
"None that you should be worried about!" She hissed. Remus chuckled and tussled her hair. The ultimate of rejections.
"Little Nymphadora's a woman!" He smiled.
"Creep!" Swinging at him, he fell on his bottom and looked up at a ticked of Tonks. Breathing loudly a couple of times, she growled and marched off, leaving Lupin to finish her watch.
Tonks ended up apparating to her cousin's home, which now was her home. But, it seemed not hers at all. Sirius' past touches on the 'Great House of Black' were seen all over, especially in the kitchen. Several wizard photos, taken while Harry visited, were of him and his godson doing various things. Several photos of him in school sat about as well. Him and James, him and Remus........ Remus, everytime she had seen him and Sirius when he was brought to the house. Since he was 11 she saw him as the cute dusty brown haired hero. Of course she went to Hogwarts several years later, but when she was a first year, and he a 7th, she saw him as a graceful man who was Head Boy and whose smile could calm the worst of tantrums. Sitting in a dusty chair, she watched as Sirius and Harry tussled on the floor, played chess, and talk like best friends. Those days seemed to have drifted by so quickly. Setting the grimy frame, she conjured a meal up and ate half heartedly until she heard another faint pop. Remus.
"Why're you following me?" She muttered while twisting food on the end of her fork watching the cheese strand grow thinner until it snapped.
"I wanted to know why you were angry." He pulled out a chair and sat beside her. "I didn't mean to make you upset. Honest. Sirius' death has been hard on all of us. Especially Harry and us. But we..."
"It's not about that!" She snapped. Slamming down her fork, Tonks turned to glare at Remus. "I'm in love, been in love since I was 5 and now I'm too embarrassed to admit it." Noticing what she had said, her thin hands flew to her mouth while her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.
"Since you were 5?" Remus said slowly. Tonks could feel the burn of tears in the back of her eyes. She had to get out of here! Closing her eyes, she snatched a picture from the table and apparated. "Nymphadora!" Remus looked at the blank spot where she had once sat. "Dammit!" Slamming his hand on the table, he looked at the ceiling. Nymphadora was a tricky one. She tended to hide her feelings, the is was usually covered up by her clumsiness. This mystery man was probably someone he knew, of course. She probaly didn't want him telling. But, he was in the Order of the Phoenix! He kept secrets that meant people's lives! Scowling, much like his collegue Severus Snape, he rapped a tattoo on the ancient table with his fingers. Out in the hallway, Mrs. Black screeched at the noise interrupting her silent prowling. The derranged woman! Sighing, he apparated to his small flat outside of Hogsmeade.
"Fool! Fool! Fool!" Tonks pounded the heel of her palm against her forehead. "Why didn't you just tapdance in front of him?! Well of course you wouldn't.........you'd fall flat on your face!" She repremanded herself. Stomping over to her small bookcase, she yanked a thick, leatherbound photo book. Her most prized possession, a compolation of her memories of Remus. Many of the pictures had Sirius in them of course, the two rarely parted. Sighing, she nestled herself into plush chair that sat infront of the fire - which she had lit upon arrival- and opened the book.
The first time she met Remus, shown in the front, was at the Black home over Easter break. Sirius was bouncing around like a puppy while Remus smiled and politely answered her relative's trying questions over lineage and purebloods. Remus, being eleven, hedged about his back ground and instead looked for others his age. Narcissa, Bellatrix, herself, and Sirius were the only ones present. He immediately came to her and her bubblegum pink hair. Her brand new camera was slung around her neck and she smiled at the taller boy who had silver brown hair and a soft smile. That was how she remember Remus, his smile that was sad and peaceful at the same time.
Turning the page, she saw Remus grow up with each holiday that he visited. Then the pictures abruptly stopped when Sirius turned sixteen and Remus didn't come to visit anymore. She remembered being a very lonely girl as both Narcissa and Bellatrix forced dark magic idealology down her throat, only scaring her into the white magic.When she recieved her letter to Hogwarts, she had owled Sirius and James Ootter's house and he sent her a picture of him and Remus waving. This was also the pictures that made her toes curl in her dragon hide boots! Sirius and Remus - James probably taking the picture- stood beside a lake with no shirts on and only their shorts for coverage. They were soaking wet and the summer sun was browning their skin. Of course her evil cousin's had to see the picture and tsk over a bad choice of friends.
"A werewolf! How could Sirius pick such idiotic friends? I mean, my Lucius had wonderful taste!" Narcissa would crow. Tossing the picture to her little cousin, she would flounce out of the room with a high pitched chortle. Nymphadora would scramble to grabt he picture and hold it to her still girlish body.
"Remus is a kind person and that's all that matters." She would mumble to herself. School started and the young Tonks was sorted into Gryffindor. The "Marauders" as they were called in those days, pulled the short scrawny girl into their seating. She was squished in between Sirius and Remus, only to her pleasure.
"Hey Nymphie!" Sirius coddled his little cousin, while Remus snorted and patted down her spikey hair.
"You make her sound as if she had that condition. Nymphadora is a sweet name. Like a little sprite." Remus chuckled. Siruis would groan about Remus' redundant talking and began shovelling food into his mouth. It was the first time Tonks had liked her given name. Her camera had made appearances through out her first year and then when the boys graduated, it dissapeared into her trunk. She lost her passion for photography when Her cousin was sent to the horrid Azkaban. She knew he was innocent, she knew that Remus was a good preson, and she knew that James and Lily didn't deserve to die. Slamming the books shut, she sniffled - like she always did - after reading the album. She had no one to love since Sirius died, and during a wartime like this it seemed impairative.
"If only he loved me." Tonks murmured into her hands. Suddenly the fire grew green and the head of Hermione Granger appeared.
"Tonks!" Hermione's voice was young and playful as she smiled at hernew found friend.
"Hallo, Hermione!" Tonks kneeled infront of the fire so she could talk easier with Hermione.
"You know there's an Order meeting at Hogwarts 'morrow evening?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, Remus informed me." She lied. She guessed that was why he had come to see her on patrol, not to see her.
"Good, good. He seems to fancy you, you know." Hermione smirked. She always seemed to try and fix someone else up with someone else. Since she admitted her long time crush on the impenatrable heart of Severus Snape, Hermione had solemnly sworn to find love for those around her.
"Get outa town." Tonks said playfully even though her heart ached.
"Maybe it's just me, but he looks at you like no one else. Like a dog drooling over a meaty bone." Hermione tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"So I'm a bone now?" Tonks snorted and got up to get a glass of water.
"No! It's that he probably really wants you!" From her kitchen she heard her chuckle. "Sexually, that we can work with."
"Hermione, this is a man not the Goblin Wars." Once seating herself once more, Hermione was still babbling on about sexy clothing and various books on the subject of seducing. Suddenly Tonks sat bolt straight. "Oh, my, Merlin! I've got it!" Tonks whispered.
"What? What?! Tell me!" Hermione squealed. Tonks smiled.
"I won't tell you until you bed your lovely Professor. Until then you will just have to wait." Tonks giggled to herself and stood. She walked toward the fire place and grabbed the grate shield. "Good night Hermione, and happy hunting!" Shutting it on the witch's face, she squealed with delight.
This had to be her best plan yet!
"Nymphadora?" Remus Lupin's caramel smooth voice sounded from behind her. She wheeled around to glare at the only one, besides Sirius, to call her that.
"Remus! What are you doing?! You aren't supposed to be here!" Remus smirked and crouched beside her.
"Enjoying the view. Nice hair, by the way." He tugged on a strand. Tonks snorted and glanced back to the house. Whinging was quite silet except for the night when "Tubby", or Dudley, would prowl the street and harrass the youth.
"Stupid muggle" She grumbled. Remus settled himself next to her and rested on his haunches. Remus tended to take on many characteristics of his alter ego, the werewolf, when he was not being watched. His nose twitched at the smallest of scent changes, he growled at certain comments, and always sat like a dog.
"Harry's doing fine, by what he tells me. So does this really seem nessesary?" Twitch. His canine nose caught a scent. Tonks paled, his nearness usually made this happen. Quickly turning her head, she saw Remus smirk and wink at her. "Thinking dirty thoughts, Nymphadora?"
"None that you should be worried about!" She hissed. Remus chuckled and tussled her hair. The ultimate of rejections.
"Little Nymphadora's a woman!" He smiled.
"Creep!" Swinging at him, he fell on his bottom and looked up at a ticked of Tonks. Breathing loudly a couple of times, she growled and marched off, leaving Lupin to finish her watch.
Tonks ended up apparating to her cousin's home, which now was her home. But, it seemed not hers at all. Sirius' past touches on the 'Great House of Black' were seen all over, especially in the kitchen. Several wizard photos, taken while Harry visited, were of him and his godson doing various things. Several photos of him in school sat about as well. Him and James, him and Remus........ Remus, everytime she had seen him and Sirius when he was brought to the house. Since he was 11 she saw him as the cute dusty brown haired hero. Of course she went to Hogwarts several years later, but when she was a first year, and he a 7th, she saw him as a graceful man who was Head Boy and whose smile could calm the worst of tantrums. Sitting in a dusty chair, she watched as Sirius and Harry tussled on the floor, played chess, and talk like best friends. Those days seemed to have drifted by so quickly. Setting the grimy frame, she conjured a meal up and ate half heartedly until she heard another faint pop. Remus.
"Why're you following me?" She muttered while twisting food on the end of her fork watching the cheese strand grow thinner until it snapped.
"I wanted to know why you were angry." He pulled out a chair and sat beside her. "I didn't mean to make you upset. Honest. Sirius' death has been hard on all of us. Especially Harry and us. But we..."
"It's not about that!" She snapped. Slamming down her fork, Tonks turned to glare at Remus. "I'm in love, been in love since I was 5 and now I'm too embarrassed to admit it." Noticing what she had said, her thin hands flew to her mouth while her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.
"Since you were 5?" Remus said slowly. Tonks could feel the burn of tears in the back of her eyes. She had to get out of here! Closing her eyes, she snatched a picture from the table and apparated. "Nymphadora!" Remus looked at the blank spot where she had once sat. "Dammit!" Slamming his hand on the table, he looked at the ceiling. Nymphadora was a tricky one. She tended to hide her feelings, the is was usually covered up by her clumsiness. This mystery man was probably someone he knew, of course. She probaly didn't want him telling. But, he was in the Order of the Phoenix! He kept secrets that meant people's lives! Scowling, much like his collegue Severus Snape, he rapped a tattoo on the ancient table with his fingers. Out in the hallway, Mrs. Black screeched at the noise interrupting her silent prowling. The derranged woman! Sighing, he apparated to his small flat outside of Hogsmeade.
"Fool! Fool! Fool!" Tonks pounded the heel of her palm against her forehead. "Why didn't you just tapdance in front of him?! Well of course you wouldn't.........you'd fall flat on your face!" She repremanded herself. Stomping over to her small bookcase, she yanked a thick, leatherbound photo book. Her most prized possession, a compolation of her memories of Remus. Many of the pictures had Sirius in them of course, the two rarely parted. Sighing, she nestled herself into plush chair that sat infront of the fire - which she had lit upon arrival- and opened the book.
The first time she met Remus, shown in the front, was at the Black home over Easter break. Sirius was bouncing around like a puppy while Remus smiled and politely answered her relative's trying questions over lineage and purebloods. Remus, being eleven, hedged about his back ground and instead looked for others his age. Narcissa, Bellatrix, herself, and Sirius were the only ones present. He immediately came to her and her bubblegum pink hair. Her brand new camera was slung around her neck and she smiled at the taller boy who had silver brown hair and a soft smile. That was how she remember Remus, his smile that was sad and peaceful at the same time.
Turning the page, she saw Remus grow up with each holiday that he visited. Then the pictures abruptly stopped when Sirius turned sixteen and Remus didn't come to visit anymore. She remembered being a very lonely girl as both Narcissa and Bellatrix forced dark magic idealology down her throat, only scaring her into the white magic.When she recieved her letter to Hogwarts, she had owled Sirius and James Ootter's house and he sent her a picture of him and Remus waving. This was also the pictures that made her toes curl in her dragon hide boots! Sirius and Remus - James probably taking the picture- stood beside a lake with no shirts on and only their shorts for coverage. They were soaking wet and the summer sun was browning their skin. Of course her evil cousin's had to see the picture and tsk over a bad choice of friends.
"A werewolf! How could Sirius pick such idiotic friends? I mean, my Lucius had wonderful taste!" Narcissa would crow. Tossing the picture to her little cousin, she would flounce out of the room with a high pitched chortle. Nymphadora would scramble to grabt he picture and hold it to her still girlish body.
"Remus is a kind person and that's all that matters." She would mumble to herself. School started and the young Tonks was sorted into Gryffindor. The "Marauders" as they were called in those days, pulled the short scrawny girl into their seating. She was squished in between Sirius and Remus, only to her pleasure.
"Hey Nymphie!" Sirius coddled his little cousin, while Remus snorted and patted down her spikey hair.
"You make her sound as if she had that condition. Nymphadora is a sweet name. Like a little sprite." Remus chuckled. Siruis would groan about Remus' redundant talking and began shovelling food into his mouth. It was the first time Tonks had liked her given name. Her camera had made appearances through out her first year and then when the boys graduated, it dissapeared into her trunk. She lost her passion for photography when Her cousin was sent to the horrid Azkaban. She knew he was innocent, she knew that Remus was a good preson, and she knew that James and Lily didn't deserve to die. Slamming the books shut, she sniffled - like she always did - after reading the album. She had no one to love since Sirius died, and during a wartime like this it seemed impairative.
"If only he loved me." Tonks murmured into her hands. Suddenly the fire grew green and the head of Hermione Granger appeared.
"Tonks!" Hermione's voice was young and playful as she smiled at hernew found friend.
"Hallo, Hermione!" Tonks kneeled infront of the fire so she could talk easier with Hermione.
"You know there's an Order meeting at Hogwarts 'morrow evening?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, Remus informed me." She lied. She guessed that was why he had come to see her on patrol, not to see her.
"Good, good. He seems to fancy you, you know." Hermione smirked. She always seemed to try and fix someone else up with someone else. Since she admitted her long time crush on the impenatrable heart of Severus Snape, Hermione had solemnly sworn to find love for those around her.
"Get outa town." Tonks said playfully even though her heart ached.
"Maybe it's just me, but he looks at you like no one else. Like a dog drooling over a meaty bone." Hermione tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"So I'm a bone now?" Tonks snorted and got up to get a glass of water.
"No! It's that he probably really wants you!" From her kitchen she heard her chuckle. "Sexually, that we can work with."
"Hermione, this is a man not the Goblin Wars." Once seating herself once more, Hermione was still babbling on about sexy clothing and various books on the subject of seducing. Suddenly Tonks sat bolt straight. "Oh, my, Merlin! I've got it!" Tonks whispered.
"What? What?! Tell me!" Hermione squealed. Tonks smiled.
"I won't tell you until you bed your lovely Professor. Until then you will just have to wait." Tonks giggled to herself and stood. She walked toward the fire place and grabbed the grate shield. "Good night Hermione, and happy hunting!" Shutting it on the witch's face, she squealed with delight.
This had to be her best plan yet!