Thursday 3rd January 1980

Auror Academy, 15:00

There was nothing, absolutely nothing, worse than a perfectly good training session (and Tonks meant a really good one, she was kicking people's butts today) being interrupted. And interrupted it was. By some of their very pissed-off looking instructors which never bowed well.

"Wonder what they want to tell us now?" Tonks heard someone ask as they were ushered into the big demonstration hall.

Which was weird because they had had their big demonstration for the week, they were all supposed to be focusing on specific skills in smaller groups today. Skills that she was finding easy to pick up for a change. Transfiguration for disguising yourself. You could say she was pretty good at it. Which would be a lie because she was fantastic at it. And not just her Metamorphmagus work, though she did that too but she also wanted to show that she was capable of everything without her abilities. That, and Transfiguration was just fun for her. Especially when it came to manipulating her appearance.

"New Ministry Guidelines," Williams said as they all filed out, muttering complaints. "We have to make sure all of you are at least in decent health."

"Only decent?" Tonks quipped as everyone around her continued to grumble.

All it earned her was a dirty look from the man.

"You can do laps or spell chains for that smart mouth of yours, Tonks," he told her.

"Yes, sir," she said with a sigh.

It probably wouldn't be the best idea to ask if he couldn't make up his mind. That was a sure-fire way of getting to do both. No, thank you.

She did wonder why the Ministry was now focusing on their health. They had all had check-ups before their training started - they'd had to get a clean bill of health to do that after all. What was the point in doing another one?

And yes, Tonks did not like Healers and the like. Who did? She spent far too much time in St Mungo's when she was growing up and that was with her father being a Healer. But it wasn't like she had a choice in the matter.

She allowed herself to get poked and prodded and she breathed deeply and demonstrated at all her joints still worked. It didn't take as long as she thought it would, which was nice.

There was now just one more thing to do.

"Why do I have to take a pregnancy test?" Tonks demanded.

"Ministry Guideline. Weren't you paying attention?" the Healer asked in exasperation.

The poor man had probably been asked that dozens of times today. Well, that's what you got when you had a bunch of Trainees wanting to get back to, you know, actual training.

Tonks huffed as she was passed the potion. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Anyway, it wasn't like they had said anything specific about pregnancy tests. At least this potion she didn't have to swallow. It just needed a bit of her blood, if she remembered correctly. The thought of giving blood was always a bit of a hot topic amongst people - it bordered on blood magic that always got people arguing.

But whatever, the blood was rendered useless in the potion anyway so Dora was happy enough to give it. She could technically refuse to give it but then she would have to log with her superiors when her next period was and be on light training until then. Which was a load of sexist crap, if you asked her but that wasn't exactly a surprise, was it? No. It was just easier to pick your finger and wait for the damn potion to change colour. If it bothered people that much about giving some blood for a stupid pregnancy test, they should just invent a spell for it already.

"How many drops does it need?" She asked.

"Two please. Prick your finger right over the vial."

Which she did and the vial was immediately whisked off to the side so it could be stirred. Normally something that was done in front of you but Tonks didn't really blame the Healer (who she never found out the name of...) for doing that. She had already managed to knock over a tray of medical instruments, broken two (thankfully empty) vials and nearly faceplate into the chair. Twice. Yes, gravity hated her today. The potion was safer off to the side and possibly high up, out of her reach. You had to wait a few minutes for it to give the results anyway.

"Oh, I forgot to check your iron levels," the man said.

Tonks couldn't help but groan. Really? Really? Hadn't she been checked over enough.

"Sorry," he said sympathetically. "But this is an important one."

Of course, it was. She supposed the Ministry couldn't be having their Aurors collapsing because they were anaemic or something. A quick wave of the wand and all the details about her blood was put on a piece of parchment. The Healer bent over it, making notes and nodding at some parts of it. He then reached for her other results and put them all in a folder. Tonks stopped paying attention to him. There was nothing interesting about people organising paperwork. She just had to remember to bring it with her when she left. Which would hopefully be soon.

"Trainee Tonks?"

"Can I go now?" She asked eagerly, standing up. "I'm all healthy and good, aren't I?"

"Well, yes," the Healer said slowly.

"Great," Tonks reached for her cloak. "Thanks, and all, I-"

"Need to stay for a few minutes longer."

'Plop' went her cloak on the ground.

"What? You just said I was fine!"

"Yes, well." The Healer looked like he was struggling to say something. "You might want to sit down."

"Just tell me."

They already said she was healthy, so what was the problem?

"Can you just-"

"Oh, just tell me."

Did she have to eat more fibre or something?

"You're pregnant!" The man finally blurted out.

Tonks' mouth fell open as she dropped heavily into her seat.

"What?"

Thursday 10th January 1980

Longbottom Manor, 19:30

"This is the room that's used for the heir," Frank said, pushing the door open.

It was a nice, well-lit room, just across the way from their bedroom. A bit on the small size but that's because it wasn't the Heir's actual bedroom, that was for when they were out of the cot. Or at least, that's what Alice had gathered from the discussion between Frank and his mother. It was perfect for a newborn.

"Is this the one you would have been in?" Alice asked as she looked around.

There was a lovely, highly polished wooden crib and a changing table and a set of drawers all ready to be filled with teeny, tiny baby clothes. Oh, she couldn't wait for that to happen.

Frank shook his head. "No. I would have been in the wing my parents are in. But it would have been a similar room."

That made sense. This whole bit of Longbottom Manor they were in was set up for the heir when he was an adult but not actual Head of the Family yet.

"We can decorate it anyway you like," he told her, making her beam.

"Perfect!"

She had so many ideas and she couldn't wait to see them all come to life!

"Oh, I hope it's a boy," Alice said, rubbing her stomach.

She could feel a faint bump there. Not that you could see it yet, but it was there.

"I hope it's healthy."

"But an heir would be good."

"Of course, it would," Frank said earnestly. "An heir's important but not as important as it being healthy."

"Right."

A healthy heir. That was the most important thing. Yes. And that's what she was going to do. Produce a nice, healthy heir with chubby cheeks and a button nose. That was the perfect baby, wasn't it?

"I can't wait to meet him," she said with a broad smile.

A baby to cradle in her arms and coo over. Was there anything better?

"Or her," Frank said, with a matching smile of his own as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. "And neither can I."

At least her mother would now be off her back. She was "properly fulfilling her duty as a married woman" now. Alice didn't even feel a little but guilty at being relieved at that. Kt wasn't fun being nagged at by your mother. Especially when your mother was Celia Smith.

Tuesday 15th January 1980

Order Meeting, 18:30

"An awful lot of people are having babies," Kingsley said with a laugh.

They had just finished the Order Meeting with the news of the Potters and the Longbottoms. Dumbledore had taken to asking them all if they had good news, any sort of good news, at the end of each meeting. A way for them to remember what they were fighting for and keep their spirits up and whatnot. And news of babies was always good. It was nice to have new life to celebrate for a change. They hadn't been doing a lot of that recently.

"It's just us and James and Lily," Frank said with a roll of his eyes. "And Sirius and Marlene. Hardly everyone."

"It's a good lot of us. And sure, isn't Molly Weasley due soon? This is going to be her sixth, right?"

"I think she's due in March or something," Frank said. "That's what Fab-"

"Fabian and Gideon said," Kingsley finished for him with a sigh.

It still hurt to think of them. Hurt a lot. Was the pain ever going to go away?

"Yes. They did."

"Think it's going to be another boy?"

"Who knows? She's got five already."

Kingsley was starting to think that's all the Weasleys could produce. Boys, boys, boys. Maybe it was better that way. Would a girl be even able to deal with five older brothers?

"Do you think they've got a name ready?" Kingsley asked after a beat of silence. "Or do you think after five that they've run out of good names?"

"Kingsley!"

"What? It's an honest question."

He didn't think that he'd be able to come up with six decent names for kids. Actually, he couldn't even think of one. Which was fine because it wasn't like he was going to be having a kid any time soon. He wondered if anyone else was? It did seem to be the season for it.

"Hey, Vance, you getting knocked up any time soon?" Kingsley joked as she walked past them and regretted it almost immediately.

Frank groaned and stepped to the side, completely abandoning him. Which looked like a wise move on his part, considering the cold look Emmeline Vance was currently giving him. Oh, why did he not think before he spoke?

A stinging hex caught him on his thigh, dangerously close to a very sensitive area.

"Watch yourself, Shacklebolt."

Yes, sorry! Ow! Ow!"

He supposed be deserved that. But you had to admit, it was pretty funny that three Order members were pregnant at the same time. He pointed this out to Emmeline but she just rolled her eyes at him.

"You are so immature."

He wasn't going to deny that, especially when she still her wand out. He might be immature but he wasn't stupid. Though, his still stinging thigh said otherwise.

"Sorry!" He repeated as she walked away without giving him a second thought.

"Ouch," Frank said sympathetically, returning to the side.

"Some Auror you are," Kingsley grumbled as he rubbed his leg. "Letting me get attacked like that."

"You're an Auror too," Frank reminded him. "And you weren't being attacked."

"Was too."

"You were goading her and she shut you up."

Kingsley huffed. Frank was supposed to be on his side!

"It's still funny," he mumbled, folding his arms and sulking.

"What's funny?" Sirius asked as he and Marlene approached them.

They were both beaming, not that Kingsley blamed them. A baby was a happy thing, after all.

"How many people are expecting babies," Frank said before Kingsley could put his foot in his mouth again.

Which was fair enough, considering the first thing that had come to mind when he saw the pair was the question of whether there were any wedding bells in their future. That probably wasn't a good thing to say.

"It's loads, isn't it?" Marlene laughed, briefly touching her stomach.

Sunday 20th January 1980

Marauder Flat, 13:00

She hugged at her stomach, feeling her guts churn around. Or was that the baby? No. That was stupid. It wasn't even baby-shaped yet, never mind moving. Right? Tonks didn't know. She didn't know anything about this sort of thing. A baby? She wasn't even nineteen yet. She never even thought of babies never mind having one herself.

How was it that she of all people were pregnant? Over three months too, how was that even possible? Shouldn't she have seen the signs earlier? Noticed something? Anything? She just didn't understand. How was this happening?

Wait, she knew how this happened, had enjoyed it do. She just didn't necessarily enjoy the result. Or enjoy what she was trying to do right now.

Remus. She was trying to tell Remus. Because it, this baby, was his. It couldn't be anyone else's.

"I'm going to be away for at least a week," he was saying from his bedrooms he took off his robes. "But it shouldn't be much longer than that."

He was talking about his latest assignment for the Order. Tonks, admittedly, hadn't been laying attention to what he would be doing this time. Something about talking to people? She wasn't sure.

"Dora?" He asked, sticking his head out of his door when she didn't reply.

"I'm pregnant," she blurted out and then winced.

That was not how she had planned on telling him. Okay, she hadn't planned anything at all but even if she had it certainly wouldn't have been like that Silence. Absolute silence. It was kind of creepy just how quiet the room had become. Were either of them even breathing?

"A baby? You're having a baby?" Remus said slowly in amazement. "A real, actual baby?"

"No, a fake, plastic doll. Of course, a real baby!"

More silence. And then...

"Is it mine?"

Tonks' felt her temper flare up.

"Yours? Of course, it's yours! It's not like I'm some sort of slut! I've only slept with you!"

"I, I never said you were!"

"Just shut up, Remus! Just shut up!"

"You aren't letting me say anything!"

"Because you're being stupid!"

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair! He also being stupid. They had been stupid and now nothing was going right! Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. She wanted to scream and cry and stomp and shout.

"Do you want this baby?" Remus asked suddenly.

That stopped Tonks in her tracks as she stared at him. "Excuse me?"

"Do you. Want this. Baby?" Remus repeated slowly.

"I heard you," she snapped.

What type of question was that? You couldn't just ask someone something like that straight out, could you? Apparently, no one gave Remus that memo.

"Well, you didn't answer," he snapped right back.

And here she thought she was supposed to be the hormonal one. Want this baby? Of course, she hadn't wanted this baby! She hadn't planned for it. They hadn't planned for it. But... but that didn't mean she wanted to get rid of it? Did she? Oh, she didn't know. No. She did know. Maybe. She didn't want to get rid of it.

"I'm keeping it, if that's what you're asking."

Tonks wasn't about to tell him about her thoughts if he was going to be like this.

"Ok."

Okay? Just, okay? That's all she was getting? She told him the biggest news of their lives and all he could say was, okay? Oh, it didn't matter that he was shocked and amazed and stunned. He should be doing something! Anything! Because she certainly didn't know what to do.

And Tonks didn't like that je didn't either. She hated that stunned look on his face. That je didn't know what to think. How did he think she felt?

She made a scoffing noise which startled him out of her thoughts.

"Dora-" he said, taking a step towards her.

"Oh, leave me alone," she said coldly, turning on her heel and apparating away.

She didn't have to deal with this.

Friday 25th January 1980

Evans Home, 18:00

The conversation had devolved, as it usually did in recent days, to pregnancy symptoms. Chryssie was actually kind of amused at how different each of Lily's, Marlene's and Alice's pregnancies were progressing. She didn't realise how different each woman's experience could be...

"At least you aren't getting advice from all your siblings as well as your mums," Marlene complained. "And none of my siblings have even been pregnant! Just two of their wives!"

"Well, I'm just glad I haven't been sick at all," Alice said, which earned her cushions to the face from Lily and Marlene.

"Are we the only females here who aren't pregnant?" Chryssie asked Tonks in amusement.

Tonks didn't seem to see it that way and made a weird growling noise and stomped off.

"What's with her?" Chryssie asked everyone.

They all gave her confused looks back and shrugged.

"Maybe she wants to get pregnant?" James asked, scratching his head.

"She better not," Sirius growled. "She's my baby cousin."

"Who's the same age as me," Chryssie reminded him.

"You better not be getting pregnant anytime soon either."

She rolled her eyes. Now was not the time for him to play the overprotective big brother. James could be bad enough; she didn't need Sirius doing it as well.

"I'm not planning on it."

Though, she felt like she shouldn't be saying that out loud. It would probably jinx it or something. But no, she didn't want to get pregnant right now. Mainly because she didn't have a boyfriend, never mind a husband. She wasn't averse to having a baby. Actually, she would very much like one at some point. But she would need a husband for that. Not that a husband was necessary for everyone, Sirius and Marlene being a perfectly good example of that, but she felt that she would prefer to have the stability of being married to someone to have a baby. And that way she would avoid any disapproval from her parents.

"What's the point in my trousers not fitting if I don't even have a bump to show for it?" Lily complained.