Author's Notes: Once again, huge apology for the large space between updates. Thank you all for your sympathies about my family. Luckily no more people died and the rest of my summer was wonderful, if not wonderfully busy. I was in Orlando for a week performing at a National Youth Gathering in front of 35,000 people. I had two weeks off (sort of) one of the weeks I was working at my church's Vacation Bible School. Then I spent another week and a half in Hawaii, which was awesome. Then had about a week and a half off before I went to Vegas for a family reunion. I came back after a week there to take care of my mother who had knee surgery (last week). And then, Monday, this week, I had all four wisdom teeth out. Monday I was out of it from the anesthesia. Tuesday was spent vomiting (it was either the medicine, the blood, something else, or a combination of all of those). So now that I'm a little bit better I'm posting this chapter, which I hope you're all excited about! Hooray. So please put away your torches and pitchforks (and don't think I can see you with your shot gun) because here's Chapter 8! I really hope you understand why there was such a big gap in updating this time around.
P.S. I currently look like a chipmunk hoarding nuts, so think of that as sweet revenge for the waiting I made you all do. I'm also in pain as an added bonus.
Remus had just pulled on a pair of pants when he heard Harry shout followed by the distinct noise of shattering glass. He quickly glanced over at Tonks who was in the middle of pulling on a pair of knickers. She hurriedly tied shut her dressing gown and together they ran downstairs, wands held aloft.
Tonks was the first to enter the kitchen. A kitchen filled with bright blue light coming from fifty pixies.
"Bloody hell!" Tonks screamed, casting freezing charms over the pixies nearest her. Remus joined in, freezing more. It was only a matter of seconds before the rest of the house was awake, and those who were not underage joined in with placing freezing charms until finally all the pixies were frozen in place.
"Ron!" Molly Weasley screeched. "Weren't you the one that was supposed to clear off that nest outside the window?"
Ron exchanged a glance with Ginny.
"Yes."
"And Ginny, don't think you're getting away with it either. I do believe you were supposed to be helping him!" Molly yelled. "You two are in very big trouble. You'll be cleaning this room by yourself!"
Ginny and Ron gave identical groans.
"Don't be groaning you two, you can start by cleaning these pixies up and moving them out into the wood-"
"Molly, I'd best be the one to take the pixies and release them into the woods," Remus said gently, handing each redhead a cage to put the currently frozen pixies in.
"Yes, yes, of course Remus," Molly aggreed. She looked at the other children, Harry, Hermione, Neville, and Luna who were still standing there looking around. "The rest of you, off to bed, we're going to Diagon Alley in the morning to help Fred and George settle into their new flat. We're leaving early so you'll need your rest."
Arthur followed Molly who was ushering the kids up the stairs. Harry said something to Mrs. Weasley who nodded and let him hang back, he obviously had not forgotten he wanted to talk to Remus and Tonks.
Moody, who had also been staying the night, gave the kitchen one last once over with his magical eye, repaired the shattered window, and left.
"Here, Ginny, give me your cage, it was my fault we didn't get to clearing them off," Ron said nicely. Ginny nodded sympathetically, but it was true, she had been pestering Ron for two days to help her but he had brushed her off in order to help prepare for Harry's party. She gave him a smile and then followed the others upstairs.
Ron turned to Remus and Tonks to say something, but stopped dead in his tracks. Tonks was the first to notice the odd silence the teenaged redhead had gone into.
"Oh, for goodness sakes, Ron!" she exclaimed, closing up the top of her dressing gown which was open for all the world to see her bare chest. "At least Harry had the decency to gawk at me with his mouth closed!"
"Now, Harry what did you need to talk to us about?" Remus asked Harry once they were in the sitting room, leaving Ron alone to clear out the frozen pixies.
"I just... I wanted to know if this whole thing is for real," he said, looking at his hands.
"What whole thing?" Tonks asked gently.
"The whole... adoption thing," he said.
"Of course it is, why would you think it not?" Remus asked.
"Because... well... I don't know. It just seems that you're doing it out of pity."
"No Harry, no!" Remus practically shouted. "Don't ever think that. We truly care for you Harry. We want you to be happy, and you need a family who loves you and cares for you and who want you to be happy! I've always thought of you as a sort of son to me, Harry. From the moment you were born. The moment I got that owl from James, excitedly telling me that they had a boy. He was a brother to me, Harry. Someone who accepted me for who I am and loved me for me. He, Sirius, and yes, even Peter, they were my family, even if not in blood.
"I was expecting Sirius to be named your godfather, I was happy when he was chosen. But James, being James, had to come up and tell me personally, that if he could have, he would have made us all your godfathers, because he knew we all loved you as our own, nearly.
"That night, I lost every important thing left in my life. I lost your mum, your dad, Sirius, Peter, and you, Harry. My parents had died a year earlier, a month before you were born actually. When you were born, part of the void they had left was filled. But after that night, my entire heart was empty," Remus choked back a sob, but he couldn't hold back the tears. Harry looked on, stunned.
"When I saw you after twelve years, I couldn't believe my eyes. I wanted to tell you everything right away, I wanted to take you home with me... but laws had been put in place by then, and I couldn't. But, still, you were there and I was ready and willing to protect you, protect you from your godfather, who we both thought was a traitor. But as you know, he wasn't. In the year following my teaching, I spent a lot of time with Sirius, actually. Harry, that had been one of the best years I had in a long time. One of my brother's... was back... And though I wanted to write to you a lot, I thought it better you bond with Sirius, hoping that his name would be cleared soon enough and you could go to live with him.
"Sirius dying was Halloween of '81 all over again, Harry. It was then I turned to a shell, not wanting to touch anyone for fear of losing them. It was a definite fact that James and Sirius were never coming back... and Peter... well, if I ever see him again I'm not sure I can restrain myself from killing him. But I had never felt so truly alone since '81 until Sirius died. I didn't want to face anyone- I couldn't face anyone! I tried to shut down every emotion that was threatening to spill out of me. It was a very bad idea. I'm going to tell you this Harry and you need to hear it very well. Don't ever bottle your emotions up. Never. Because they will come out sooner or later, and when they do, they might not come out in such an appropriate way," at this he glanced at Tonks. "Some of the emotions I had been trying to keep down were the ones I was beginning to feel for Tonks. Actually, I had been feeling them since I first met her and they only got stronger. When she walked into my room, my emotions had reached their boiling point. The woman my heart continuously cried out to was suddenly there. A companion for my lonliness. My love and my lonliness. I couldn't stop them... I'm sure I don't need to tell you what happened next, because it should be fairly obvious.
"But Harry, when Nymphadora told me she was going to have my baby, I knew what I had to do. I knew I wanted to have this baby, I wanted to marry this woman, and I wanted to make you part of a real family. Not one connected by blood, like you and the Dursley's, but one connected by love. One that you truly belong too and one that would love you unconditionally. One where you didn't ever have to feel like an outsider, wishing that you were a part of it. I wanted to bring you into something, Harry, that I know we both need."
There was a moment of silence, heavy with an emotion so rare that Harry could barely identify it as true love. He looked at Remus, his eyes reflecting truth and honesty. It was that look Harry needed. He threw himself into Remus' arms, wrapping him in a large hug, trying to show Remus the same amount of love he was receiving. Remus instinctively returned the embrace, feeling that, for once in his life, everything was going right.
A loud wail brought them out of their beautiful moment, and both turned to look at Tonks.
"That- w-wa-was s-so b-beau-beautiful!" she sobbed, tears running down her face. The two men looked on stunned as Tonks continued to wail, and blow her nose in the sleeve of her dressing gown. "I- I- I need a hug!"
"I don't have to call you 'Mum' do I?" Harry asked Tonks the next morning at breakfast.
"Not if you don't want to, Harry," Tonks replied, though hoping he wouldn't... it just made her feel old. Not to mention she would have three already calling her 'Mum' soon enough.
"Okay, because... it would just be weird," Harry grinned. He couldn't remember ever being happier then he was right now, what with an official family on the way. It wasn't that he didn't like the Weasley's. Quite the contrary, he loved them very much. It was just that, at times, he did feel like an outsider, not wanting to intrude on precious family moments. The incident in the hospital with Arthur Weasley being a prime example, despite their invitation to join. But with Remus and Tonks... they would be his family. The triplets Tonks would be having... were to be his little siblings, Tonks had specifically told him so.
"Hey, Remus?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry?"
"Will I have to change my name to Lupin?"
"That's entirely up to you, Harry," Remus smiled. "I will not mind at all which you choose."
"Harry, you're going to keep the last name Potter," Tonks said firmly.
"It's his decision though, Nymph- ah, Tonks," Remus back-peddaled on Tonks' icy glare.
"Personally, I think Harry Potter sounds a lot better then Harry Lupin, also I would like him to keep it as a sign of respect to his real parents," Tonks said.
"Well, in the end it's to be up to Harry-"
"No, I will not let him change it!" Tonks yelled.
"Tonks, there's no reason to get upset about it-"
"I'm not upset!" her face was nearly beet red.
"Shh, calm down," Remus put his hand over her's, trying to soothe her somehow.
"I am calm!"
The vase at the center of the table exploded into a million tiny pieces, causing everyone to instinctively duck. The Weasley's were especially quick having grown up with Fred and George.
"Ooh!" Molly sighed, the first to emerge from under the table. "First signs of pregnancy Magic!"
Tonks visibly paled.
"Pregnancy what?"
"Pregnancy Magic!" Molly beamed. "Better known as Pregmagacy."
"And what exactly is Pregmagacy?" Tonks asked warily.
"It's a form of magic that typically only happens to witches when they are pregnant," Molly explained. "It occasionally happens to a Muggle if they are expecting a child that will grow up to be a witch or a wizard. Even if you don't experience it, it doesn't mean your child won't be magic. But if you do, it's a sure-fire way to know you're having a witch or a wizard."
"But what does Pregmagacy do?"
"Oh, nothing useful, really," Molly sighed. "I managed to hone it down a bit when I got to Ron and Ginny, but typically it's like magic of beginning wizards, very sporadic, uncontrollable, at times it can be extremely powerful. Actually, it is a bit useful when you're casting spells and such. You just have to be careful."
"Why?"
"Oh, because once Pregmagacy shows up, your magic becomes a lot more powerful, it's quite fun really," Molly laughed. Tonks rolled her eyes.
"Lovely. Not only are my hormones going out of wack, now I've got uncontrollable magic to worry about," she said wryly.
"You know, it has shown up quite early for you Tonks," Molly commented. "Though it's probably because you're having three. With Fred and George it showed up a bit early for me. And you know what, there was a bit more power there then usual too."
Tonks groaned, knowing that if she was already showing up earlier then usual, with triplets, she was going to have a lot more power then usual.
Great, thought Tonks, things couldn't get any worse.
Unfortunately things did get worse for Tonks.
Desk work is neither easy, nor fun. Especially when you're an auror. The minute her co-workers found out she was pregnant they came over to give her congratulations and a stack of paperwork.
"Could you please, Tonks? What with this Death Eater break out I haven't had time to file any of my reports and I know I'm not going to. Congrats on the baby by the way." And they were off before she could make a cry or a plea for them to stay... and take back their papers.
When she got home that day she was more tired than she had ever been while she had been doing field work. Mind you for a beginning Auror, her field work consisted of checking up on Aberforth Dumbledore, and when he's not being played by an insane Death Eater uncle of hers, he was usually pretty easy to deal with.
"Tired?" Remus asked, giving her a kiss on the cheek and a warm cup of cocoa.
"Yes, but thankfully I only have the rest of this week and next week before Amelia has me down as officially being transferred to Hogwarts as a professor," Tonks said quietly, sitting down on the couch. Remus sat beside her and lifted her feet on to his lap, slipping her shoes off and beginning to massage her soles.
"An owl came from your mother today," he said, taking a pause from his ministrations to hand her an envelope. He started up his foot massage and watched his fiancée read the letter over. She groaned and tossed it to the floor.
"She's pissed that I didn't tell her I was pregnant right away," she explained. "Angry she had to find it out from her next door neighbor who found out from her son."
"You didn't tell your mother?" Remus asked.
"It sort of slipped my mind!" Tonks explained. "I've been really busy. But I had been planning on sending her a lengthy owl, she loves those, explaining all that's happened. Y'know with getting pregnant, engaged, almost killed, transferred, adopting a teenage boy, becoming a teacher. I suppose I can just wait for her to hear it from her neighbors. I tell you there's never been a more gossipy bunch I've met."
Remus just smiled and chuckled politely.
"Well you can probably have a nice tea with her come the 26th," he said.
"Why? What's happening the 26th?"
"Well, after your... death," Remus forced the word out, "Dumbledore had me contact the Healer in charge of you for your pregnancy and while I was talking to him we scheduled another check-up for the 26th. He told me where you had it last and I said that would be fine. Was it all right to have it planned for your parents flat?"
"Yeah, that's fine," Tonks said, talking both about the location of the check up and the location of Remus' hands on her feet. "I imagine Mum will forgive me once she's a part of this baby's life- excuse me, babies- from the get-go."
They sat in comfortable silence. Remus stopping his massage when Tonks finished her cocoa. He crawled forward, they moved around a bit, and were finally cuddling with each other quite adorably. Molly just about cried when she came in to tell them that dinner was ready.
Tonks was happy, sitting in between her soon-to-be husband and her soon-to-be son. She was really happy. Maybe she was a little too happy.
"Tonks, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, noticing the tears streaming down her friend's face.
"Oh, I'm just so happy!" Tonks cried out, leaning over and giving Remus a very tight embrace. She then turned to Harry and gave him a large hug, still crying away. "My two boys! And then maybe I'll have five! Or four! Or three! It doesn't matter, they'll all be mine! Oh, I love you both so much."
Remus was slightly embarassed and Harry even moreso when Tonks gave both of them large kisses on the cheeks. But no one was really noticing that anymore. Instead they're attention had shifted to the repaired vase in the center of the table. Hermione and Ginny had found a beautiful garden out back that day and insisted on picking some of the flowers so they could grace the table at dinner that night. Those very flowers were beginning to swell to enormous size. Mrs. Weasley was the first to pick up on that it was Tonks' pregmagacy that was causing them to grow.
"Tonks, dear," she said. Tonks didn't hear her.
"Tonks," she said a little more loudly. Still Tonks was distracted.
"Tonks!" she barked. Tonks finally turned.
"Oh, Molly!" Tonks practically wailed. "Thank you so much for this wonderful dinner, and for taking care of Harry, and for all that you've done. I love you so much!" She flung herself from her seat and ran to the other side of the table towards Molly, throwing her arms around the older woman.
"Tonks you need to stop this," Molly said. The woman did feel bad about having to stop what was most likely a wonderful moment for Tonks, but the flowers were beginning to engulf the table.
"Why Molly? Why can't we all be happy?" Tonks asked, eyes wide. "There's so much sadness, we need happiness and love!"
That was what did the men at the table in. They really had been trying hard to hold back their laughter, but that last line was too much. All of them burst into loud gales of guffaws and giggles. They were quickly silenced once they were engulfed by the giagantic foliage. Tonks still beamed though, well at least what Molly could see of her smile.
Poor Molly, she was forced to use drastic measures.
Taking Tonks' hand, forcing the girl to look at her through the petals, Mrs. Weasley said, "Tonks, I'm dying."
The laughter and the growing petals stopped.
"What?"
"I'm dying, Tonks," Molly said again.
The flowers began decreasing in size extremely quickly and Tonks' lower lip began to quiver very violently.
"No," she whispered, her cried soon growing louder. "No, you can't be Molly! No! No!"
"Tonks, shhh," Molly comforted. "Calm down. Now, listen to me."
Tonks looked up, whimpering slightly.
"Listen, I'm not really dying, I just needed you to calm down and stop hugging people," Molly put gently. Tonks pulled back, the anger becoming very apparent in her eyes.
"Why would you do that?!" Tonks screamed. The vase on the table exploded. Tonks got up, spun on her heel, and stormed up stairs. A nervous Remus scampered off after her, hoping to both calm her down and save his house.
There was a pause until Hermione spoke.
"Ron," she said, "I would like to apologize for telling you that you have the emotional range of a teaspoon."
Ron and Harry exchange confused glances.
"What?" Ron asked.
"You were right, you know," she continued. "One person can't feel all those things at once. Tonks is our prime example. She felt a plethora of emotion at once... and... basically exploded."
"Oh, yeah," Ron said, the conversation dawning back on him. "Well, thanks Mione."
"Your welcome," she said simply. Those remaining at the table went back to their meals, which had miraculously remained untouched by the mutating flowers. The quiet chatter was only broken when Lupin came back downstairs.
"Tonks just conked out," he explained. "I guess that outburst just wore her out, poor thing. Also, there's a new rule in the house. No more vases on the table."
Thank You's: First of all let me thank you all again, those of you who mentioned their sympathies for the deaths in my family, it truly meant a lot that you understood. Also, thank you for those of you who expressed much patience with my lack of updating. It helped a lot to read that you guys enjoyed the story and weren't pressuring me to write more, it made it easier for me and made me feel good. And then, just a big general thanks to all who are enjoying this story! I had no idea this story would get the type of feed back it's been getting. I am so pleased that this has turned out to be a good story so many people have enjoyed. So thank you! Lol. I'm glad to know I'm doing an okay job.
Specific Thank's for Chapter 7: Accursed Muffin, A Darker Shade of Bright, Arino Paesan, a.sam, bansheecall, BendyLady, Bits1212, Black Cherrie, bludgers-n-broomsticks, BrunetteBella, celtic elf, CharlieTheOtakuNymph, Chelles, cilverblood, Delleve, Eat-a-cherry-today, ebony-kiena, Elmindrea-al'Thor, Emmy-Chan, Emmylou, EvanescoDarkness, eye-candy 56, ffaddix, Fool Moon, freedomandrights, GhostMagic19, ilive4cake00, Indhira Morillo, invisible2u, italianchick371, Jen, joytotheworld, Kagome Tonks, Kat, katie, Lady Atropos, lady of the wingnuts, Lauren, lindsey-31, livewithit, Lord Marix, Lupin'sChic, lutefa, Mandi, Mina-chan, Moon Archer, nach44, NixiNox, nui lupin, nycgrl, Ode-to-a-plum, Padfoot2289, pinkmooseofdoom, rio, SAbi, ShelbyBlack, Silvar, Silver Warrior, skichik, Susan, The Irish Fox, The Mysterious M, TomTom21, Tonks79, True, wmlaw, Yav aka Shibs, Zaphra Ti'Gan, and of course anyone I may have left out, I didn't mean it... so I once again ask you to put your shotgun away.
aQ2bA: I felt as an added bonus to the patience most of you have shown to answer a question that has been brought up by a few of you. Your question was: Are there going to be any other romances in the story? My answer is: Maybe, I'm not sure. For the most part the story is going to be Remus/Tonks centric. But if, within the general progression of the story, another relationship happens to crop up, I may mention it, but most likely not play it out (except if it happens to be Harry). And don't go shouting out who you want to see hook up because I already have in mind who I would hook up if I mention any other couples. I hope that answers your question! ;-)
Preview... Don't scroll down if you don't wanna be spoiled!
"No, I can't!" she said in just as much desperation.
There was a soft tap on the door.
"Yes?" Remus sighed, but loudly enough for the person on the other side to hear. Molly Weasley stuck her head in.
"I heard shouts," she said. "Is everything all right?"
Tonks ran up to her and clutched at Molly's dressing gown.
"Molly! Thank God! I need nachos!"
There, that wasn't so bad, was it?
Until next time!
P.S. I currently look like a chipmunk hoarding nuts, so think of that as sweet revenge for the waiting I made you all do. I'm also in pain as an added bonus.
Remus had just pulled on a pair of pants when he heard Harry shout followed by the distinct noise of shattering glass. He quickly glanced over at Tonks who was in the middle of pulling on a pair of knickers. She hurriedly tied shut her dressing gown and together they ran downstairs, wands held aloft.
Tonks was the first to enter the kitchen. A kitchen filled with bright blue light coming from fifty pixies.
"Bloody hell!" Tonks screamed, casting freezing charms over the pixies nearest her. Remus joined in, freezing more. It was only a matter of seconds before the rest of the house was awake, and those who were not underage joined in with placing freezing charms until finally all the pixies were frozen in place.
"Ron!" Molly Weasley screeched. "Weren't you the one that was supposed to clear off that nest outside the window?"
Ron exchanged a glance with Ginny.
"Yes."
"And Ginny, don't think you're getting away with it either. I do believe you were supposed to be helping him!" Molly yelled. "You two are in very big trouble. You'll be cleaning this room by yourself!"
Ginny and Ron gave identical groans.
"Don't be groaning you two, you can start by cleaning these pixies up and moving them out into the wood-"
"Molly, I'd best be the one to take the pixies and release them into the woods," Remus said gently, handing each redhead a cage to put the currently frozen pixies in.
"Yes, yes, of course Remus," Molly aggreed. She looked at the other children, Harry, Hermione, Neville, and Luna who were still standing there looking around. "The rest of you, off to bed, we're going to Diagon Alley in the morning to help Fred and George settle into their new flat. We're leaving early so you'll need your rest."
Arthur followed Molly who was ushering the kids up the stairs. Harry said something to Mrs. Weasley who nodded and let him hang back, he obviously had not forgotten he wanted to talk to Remus and Tonks.
Moody, who had also been staying the night, gave the kitchen one last once over with his magical eye, repaired the shattered window, and left.
"Here, Ginny, give me your cage, it was my fault we didn't get to clearing them off," Ron said nicely. Ginny nodded sympathetically, but it was true, she had been pestering Ron for two days to help her but he had brushed her off in order to help prepare for Harry's party. She gave him a smile and then followed the others upstairs.
Ron turned to Remus and Tonks to say something, but stopped dead in his tracks. Tonks was the first to notice the odd silence the teenaged redhead had gone into.
"Oh, for goodness sakes, Ron!" she exclaimed, closing up the top of her dressing gown which was open for all the world to see her bare chest. "At least Harry had the decency to gawk at me with his mouth closed!"
"Now, Harry what did you need to talk to us about?" Remus asked Harry once they were in the sitting room, leaving Ron alone to clear out the frozen pixies.
"I just... I wanted to know if this whole thing is for real," he said, looking at his hands.
"What whole thing?" Tonks asked gently.
"The whole... adoption thing," he said.
"Of course it is, why would you think it not?" Remus asked.
"Because... well... I don't know. It just seems that you're doing it out of pity."
"No Harry, no!" Remus practically shouted. "Don't ever think that. We truly care for you Harry. We want you to be happy, and you need a family who loves you and cares for you and who want you to be happy! I've always thought of you as a sort of son to me, Harry. From the moment you were born. The moment I got that owl from James, excitedly telling me that they had a boy. He was a brother to me, Harry. Someone who accepted me for who I am and loved me for me. He, Sirius, and yes, even Peter, they were my family, even if not in blood.
"I was expecting Sirius to be named your godfather, I was happy when he was chosen. But James, being James, had to come up and tell me personally, that if he could have, he would have made us all your godfathers, because he knew we all loved you as our own, nearly.
"That night, I lost every important thing left in my life. I lost your mum, your dad, Sirius, Peter, and you, Harry. My parents had died a year earlier, a month before you were born actually. When you were born, part of the void they had left was filled. But after that night, my entire heart was empty," Remus choked back a sob, but he couldn't hold back the tears. Harry looked on, stunned.
"When I saw you after twelve years, I couldn't believe my eyes. I wanted to tell you everything right away, I wanted to take you home with me... but laws had been put in place by then, and I couldn't. But, still, you were there and I was ready and willing to protect you, protect you from your godfather, who we both thought was a traitor. But as you know, he wasn't. In the year following my teaching, I spent a lot of time with Sirius, actually. Harry, that had been one of the best years I had in a long time. One of my brother's... was back... And though I wanted to write to you a lot, I thought it better you bond with Sirius, hoping that his name would be cleared soon enough and you could go to live with him.
"Sirius dying was Halloween of '81 all over again, Harry. It was then I turned to a shell, not wanting to touch anyone for fear of losing them. It was a definite fact that James and Sirius were never coming back... and Peter... well, if I ever see him again I'm not sure I can restrain myself from killing him. But I had never felt so truly alone since '81 until Sirius died. I didn't want to face anyone- I couldn't face anyone! I tried to shut down every emotion that was threatening to spill out of me. It was a very bad idea. I'm going to tell you this Harry and you need to hear it very well. Don't ever bottle your emotions up. Never. Because they will come out sooner or later, and when they do, they might not come out in such an appropriate way," at this he glanced at Tonks. "Some of the emotions I had been trying to keep down were the ones I was beginning to feel for Tonks. Actually, I had been feeling them since I first met her and they only got stronger. When she walked into my room, my emotions had reached their boiling point. The woman my heart continuously cried out to was suddenly there. A companion for my lonliness. My love and my lonliness. I couldn't stop them... I'm sure I don't need to tell you what happened next, because it should be fairly obvious.
"But Harry, when Nymphadora told me she was going to have my baby, I knew what I had to do. I knew I wanted to have this baby, I wanted to marry this woman, and I wanted to make you part of a real family. Not one connected by blood, like you and the Dursley's, but one connected by love. One that you truly belong too and one that would love you unconditionally. One where you didn't ever have to feel like an outsider, wishing that you were a part of it. I wanted to bring you into something, Harry, that I know we both need."
There was a moment of silence, heavy with an emotion so rare that Harry could barely identify it as true love. He looked at Remus, his eyes reflecting truth and honesty. It was that look Harry needed. He threw himself into Remus' arms, wrapping him in a large hug, trying to show Remus the same amount of love he was receiving. Remus instinctively returned the embrace, feeling that, for once in his life, everything was going right.
A loud wail brought them out of their beautiful moment, and both turned to look at Tonks.
"That- w-wa-was s-so b-beau-beautiful!" she sobbed, tears running down her face. The two men looked on stunned as Tonks continued to wail, and blow her nose in the sleeve of her dressing gown. "I- I- I need a hug!"
"I don't have to call you 'Mum' do I?" Harry asked Tonks the next morning at breakfast.
"Not if you don't want to, Harry," Tonks replied, though hoping he wouldn't... it just made her feel old. Not to mention she would have three already calling her 'Mum' soon enough.
"Okay, because... it would just be weird," Harry grinned. He couldn't remember ever being happier then he was right now, what with an official family on the way. It wasn't that he didn't like the Weasley's. Quite the contrary, he loved them very much. It was just that, at times, he did feel like an outsider, not wanting to intrude on precious family moments. The incident in the hospital with Arthur Weasley being a prime example, despite their invitation to join. But with Remus and Tonks... they would be his family. The triplets Tonks would be having... were to be his little siblings, Tonks had specifically told him so.
"Hey, Remus?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry?"
"Will I have to change my name to Lupin?"
"That's entirely up to you, Harry," Remus smiled. "I will not mind at all which you choose."
"Harry, you're going to keep the last name Potter," Tonks said firmly.
"It's his decision though, Nymph- ah, Tonks," Remus back-peddaled on Tonks' icy glare.
"Personally, I think Harry Potter sounds a lot better then Harry Lupin, also I would like him to keep it as a sign of respect to his real parents," Tonks said.
"Well, in the end it's to be up to Harry-"
"No, I will not let him change it!" Tonks yelled.
"Tonks, there's no reason to get upset about it-"
"I'm not upset!" her face was nearly beet red.
"Shh, calm down," Remus put his hand over her's, trying to soothe her somehow.
"I am calm!"
The vase at the center of the table exploded into a million tiny pieces, causing everyone to instinctively duck. The Weasley's were especially quick having grown up with Fred and George.
"Ooh!" Molly sighed, the first to emerge from under the table. "First signs of pregnancy Magic!"
Tonks visibly paled.
"Pregnancy what?"
"Pregnancy Magic!" Molly beamed. "Better known as Pregmagacy."
"And what exactly is Pregmagacy?" Tonks asked warily.
"It's a form of magic that typically only happens to witches when they are pregnant," Molly explained. "It occasionally happens to a Muggle if they are expecting a child that will grow up to be a witch or a wizard. Even if you don't experience it, it doesn't mean your child won't be magic. But if you do, it's a sure-fire way to know you're having a witch or a wizard."
"But what does Pregmagacy do?"
"Oh, nothing useful, really," Molly sighed. "I managed to hone it down a bit when I got to Ron and Ginny, but typically it's like magic of beginning wizards, very sporadic, uncontrollable, at times it can be extremely powerful. Actually, it is a bit useful when you're casting spells and such. You just have to be careful."
"Why?"
"Oh, because once Pregmagacy shows up, your magic becomes a lot more powerful, it's quite fun really," Molly laughed. Tonks rolled her eyes.
"Lovely. Not only are my hormones going out of wack, now I've got uncontrollable magic to worry about," she said wryly.
"You know, it has shown up quite early for you Tonks," Molly commented. "Though it's probably because you're having three. With Fred and George it showed up a bit early for me. And you know what, there was a bit more power there then usual too."
Tonks groaned, knowing that if she was already showing up earlier then usual, with triplets, she was going to have a lot more power then usual.
Great, thought Tonks, things couldn't get any worse.
Unfortunately things did get worse for Tonks.
Desk work is neither easy, nor fun. Especially when you're an auror. The minute her co-workers found out she was pregnant they came over to give her congratulations and a stack of paperwork.
"Could you please, Tonks? What with this Death Eater break out I haven't had time to file any of my reports and I know I'm not going to. Congrats on the baby by the way." And they were off before she could make a cry or a plea for them to stay... and take back their papers.
When she got home that day she was more tired than she had ever been while she had been doing field work. Mind you for a beginning Auror, her field work consisted of checking up on Aberforth Dumbledore, and when he's not being played by an insane Death Eater uncle of hers, he was usually pretty easy to deal with.
"Tired?" Remus asked, giving her a kiss on the cheek and a warm cup of cocoa.
"Yes, but thankfully I only have the rest of this week and next week before Amelia has me down as officially being transferred to Hogwarts as a professor," Tonks said quietly, sitting down on the couch. Remus sat beside her and lifted her feet on to his lap, slipping her shoes off and beginning to massage her soles.
"An owl came from your mother today," he said, taking a pause from his ministrations to hand her an envelope. He started up his foot massage and watched his fiancée read the letter over. She groaned and tossed it to the floor.
"She's pissed that I didn't tell her I was pregnant right away," she explained. "Angry she had to find it out from her next door neighbor who found out from her son."
"You didn't tell your mother?" Remus asked.
"It sort of slipped my mind!" Tonks explained. "I've been really busy. But I had been planning on sending her a lengthy owl, she loves those, explaining all that's happened. Y'know with getting pregnant, engaged, almost killed, transferred, adopting a teenage boy, becoming a teacher. I suppose I can just wait for her to hear it from her neighbors. I tell you there's never been a more gossipy bunch I've met."
Remus just smiled and chuckled politely.
"Well you can probably have a nice tea with her come the 26th," he said.
"Why? What's happening the 26th?"
"Well, after your... death," Remus forced the word out, "Dumbledore had me contact the Healer in charge of you for your pregnancy and while I was talking to him we scheduled another check-up for the 26th. He told me where you had it last and I said that would be fine. Was it all right to have it planned for your parents flat?"
"Yeah, that's fine," Tonks said, talking both about the location of the check up and the location of Remus' hands on her feet. "I imagine Mum will forgive me once she's a part of this baby's life- excuse me, babies- from the get-go."
They sat in comfortable silence. Remus stopping his massage when Tonks finished her cocoa. He crawled forward, they moved around a bit, and were finally cuddling with each other quite adorably. Molly just about cried when she came in to tell them that dinner was ready.
Tonks was happy, sitting in between her soon-to-be husband and her soon-to-be son. She was really happy. Maybe she was a little too happy.
"Tonks, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, noticing the tears streaming down her friend's face.
"Oh, I'm just so happy!" Tonks cried out, leaning over and giving Remus a very tight embrace. She then turned to Harry and gave him a large hug, still crying away. "My two boys! And then maybe I'll have five! Or four! Or three! It doesn't matter, they'll all be mine! Oh, I love you both so much."
Remus was slightly embarassed and Harry even moreso when Tonks gave both of them large kisses on the cheeks. But no one was really noticing that anymore. Instead they're attention had shifted to the repaired vase in the center of the table. Hermione and Ginny had found a beautiful garden out back that day and insisted on picking some of the flowers so they could grace the table at dinner that night. Those very flowers were beginning to swell to enormous size. Mrs. Weasley was the first to pick up on that it was Tonks' pregmagacy that was causing them to grow.
"Tonks, dear," she said. Tonks didn't hear her.
"Tonks," she said a little more loudly. Still Tonks was distracted.
"Tonks!" she barked. Tonks finally turned.
"Oh, Molly!" Tonks practically wailed. "Thank you so much for this wonderful dinner, and for taking care of Harry, and for all that you've done. I love you so much!" She flung herself from her seat and ran to the other side of the table towards Molly, throwing her arms around the older woman.
"Tonks you need to stop this," Molly said. The woman did feel bad about having to stop what was most likely a wonderful moment for Tonks, but the flowers were beginning to engulf the table.
"Why Molly? Why can't we all be happy?" Tonks asked, eyes wide. "There's so much sadness, we need happiness and love!"
That was what did the men at the table in. They really had been trying hard to hold back their laughter, but that last line was too much. All of them burst into loud gales of guffaws and giggles. They were quickly silenced once they were engulfed by the giagantic foliage. Tonks still beamed though, well at least what Molly could see of her smile.
Poor Molly, she was forced to use drastic measures.
Taking Tonks' hand, forcing the girl to look at her through the petals, Mrs. Weasley said, "Tonks, I'm dying."
The laughter and the growing petals stopped.
"What?"
"I'm dying, Tonks," Molly said again.
The flowers began decreasing in size extremely quickly and Tonks' lower lip began to quiver very violently.
"No," she whispered, her cried soon growing louder. "No, you can't be Molly! No! No!"
"Tonks, shhh," Molly comforted. "Calm down. Now, listen to me."
Tonks looked up, whimpering slightly.
"Listen, I'm not really dying, I just needed you to calm down and stop hugging people," Molly put gently. Tonks pulled back, the anger becoming very apparent in her eyes.
"Why would you do that?!" Tonks screamed. The vase on the table exploded. Tonks got up, spun on her heel, and stormed up stairs. A nervous Remus scampered off after her, hoping to both calm her down and save his house.
There was a pause until Hermione spoke.
"Ron," she said, "I would like to apologize for telling you that you have the emotional range of a teaspoon."
Ron and Harry exchange confused glances.
"What?" Ron asked.
"You were right, you know," she continued. "One person can't feel all those things at once. Tonks is our prime example. She felt a plethora of emotion at once... and... basically exploded."
"Oh, yeah," Ron said, the conversation dawning back on him. "Well, thanks Mione."
"Your welcome," she said simply. Those remaining at the table went back to their meals, which had miraculously remained untouched by the mutating flowers. The quiet chatter was only broken when Lupin came back downstairs.
"Tonks just conked out," he explained. "I guess that outburst just wore her out, poor thing. Also, there's a new rule in the house. No more vases on the table."
Thank You's: First of all let me thank you all again, those of you who mentioned their sympathies for the deaths in my family, it truly meant a lot that you understood. Also, thank you for those of you who expressed much patience with my lack of updating. It helped a lot to read that you guys enjoyed the story and weren't pressuring me to write more, it made it easier for me and made me feel good. And then, just a big general thanks to all who are enjoying this story! I had no idea this story would get the type of feed back it's been getting. I am so pleased that this has turned out to be a good story so many people have enjoyed. So thank you! Lol. I'm glad to know I'm doing an okay job.
Specific Thank's for Chapter 7: Accursed Muffin, A Darker Shade of Bright, Arino Paesan, a.sam, bansheecall, BendyLady, Bits1212, Black Cherrie, bludgers-n-broomsticks, BrunetteBella, celtic elf, CharlieTheOtakuNymph, Chelles, cilverblood, Delleve, Eat-a-cherry-today, ebony-kiena, Elmindrea-al'Thor, Emmy-Chan, Emmylou, EvanescoDarkness, eye-candy 56, ffaddix, Fool Moon, freedomandrights, GhostMagic19, ilive4cake00, Indhira Morillo, invisible2u, italianchick371, Jen, joytotheworld, Kagome Tonks, Kat, katie, Lady Atropos, lady of the wingnuts, Lauren, lindsey-31, livewithit, Lord Marix, Lupin'sChic, lutefa, Mandi, Mina-chan, Moon Archer, nach44, NixiNox, nui lupin, nycgrl, Ode-to-a-plum, Padfoot2289, pinkmooseofdoom, rio, SAbi, ShelbyBlack, Silvar, Silver Warrior, skichik, Susan, The Irish Fox, The Mysterious M, TomTom21, Tonks79, True, wmlaw, Yav aka Shibs, Zaphra Ti'Gan, and of course anyone I may have left out, I didn't mean it... so I once again ask you to put your shotgun away.
aQ2bA: I felt as an added bonus to the patience most of you have shown to answer a question that has been brought up by a few of you. Your question was: Are there going to be any other romances in the story? My answer is: Maybe, I'm not sure. For the most part the story is going to be Remus/Tonks centric. But if, within the general progression of the story, another relationship happens to crop up, I may mention it, but most likely not play it out (except if it happens to be Harry). And don't go shouting out who you want to see hook up because I already have in mind who I would hook up if I mention any other couples. I hope that answers your question! ;-)
Preview... Don't scroll down if you don't wanna be spoiled!
"No, I can't!" she said in just as much desperation.
There was a soft tap on the door.
"Yes?" Remus sighed, but loudly enough for the person on the other side to hear. Molly Weasley stuck her head in.
"I heard shouts," she said. "Is everything all right?"
Tonks ran up to her and clutched at Molly's dressing gown.
"Molly! Thank God! I need nachos!"
There, that wasn't so bad, was it?
Until next time!