Chapter 4
The night passed far too quickly in Tessa's opinion as she and Remus shared their final night together at Grimmauld Place. When the pink tinge of dawn filtered through the window, Tessa threw a spell shuttering the windows tight against the oncoming light of the sun.
She sat staring at the windows for a time while Remus laughed at her sudden ferocity. His laughter ceased when he saw that her mock anger had turned to real tears. He knelt beside her on the bed and cradled her in his embrace, stroking her hair. She let him hold her, passively, for a while, and then she turned, tears shaking her body, and buried her head in his shoulder and held him as if she would never let him go.
Remus continued to rock her gently in his arms. She realized after a moment or two that he was singing softly to her a gentle song.
"Come with me my bonny lass, The terror of the night has passed. The morn has come with sunlight bright, To chase the demons of the night.
Sing merrily, heigh ho, my dear My love will keep you safe and near"
Calmed now, she leaned back to look at him. Concern etched his face as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. She smiled at him and his concern vanished as he returned her smile.
"That was a beautiful song. I've never heard it before."
He touched her face but didn't quite meet her eyes when he said, "My mother sang it too me as a child after I'd had a bad dream and later, when I'd been bitten, after my change." He dropped his hand to the bed and looked at the shuttered windows.
She knew that it was a very intimate and difficult memory he had shared with her. She caressed his cheek with her hand and kissed him. She kneeled up, put her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him in a long embraced. He held her so tightly too him that her knees lifted from the bed.
They moved out of the embrace and looked at each other. Tessa sat back on her heels, sighed, shrugged her shoulders and laughed a frustrated little laugh. "Oh, Remus. This isn't going to be easy is it?"
"No, Tessa, I don't think it is," he said. She saw his eyes gleam for a moment and then he cocked his head to one side and rakishly looked her from head to toe. He moved forward as he spoke, "But, I think that we can safely ignore it for at least another hour. What do you say?" He had successfully caused her to fall backwards onto the pillows and he now hovered tantalizingly mere inches above her.
She sighed dramatically, "Oh, all right, I suppose so. If you really wa..." He lowered himself to kiss her effectively ending her speech.
When the sun had risen properly, Remus made his way to the bathroom. Tessa decided that she would give in to her urge this time and followed him into the shower. She had to remind him some time later that, yes, they really did need to get breakfast.
So, slightly damp, the two descended the stairs for Tessa's last meal at Grimmauld Place. They were greeted by a great deal of hustle and bustle as the Weasley's, Tonks, Harry and Hermione rushed around the kitchen in various stages of breakfast, some just starting, others hurriedly eating; Molly and Arthur having finished, cleaning up. Tessa was pleased to see that she and Remus were not the last to arrive at breakfast. It seemed the Twins and Bill had yet to come down.
Tessa and Remus helped themselves to the hearty breakfast that Molly provided. Molly barked and fretted and snapped at everyone. Arthur had just assured her there would be plenty of time to get everyone safely to the station when Bill, Fred, and George wandered into the kitchen yawning.
"Mornin' Mum, Mornin' Dad," Fred greeted and grabbed a roll from the table. "What's for breakfast?"
Tessa wondered if Fred was intentionally provoking his mum or was just too sleepy to see the fury that was coming his way. Molly let loose on the three of them. Bill had the sense not to answer back and retreated to the rear and let the twins take the brunt of Molly's wrath.
"If you three think I am going to cater to your whims this morning, you are sadly mistaken. You take whatever is left over and be happy with it."
"Ok, woman, ok. Honestly, no one was asking for anything. You'd have thought we wanted a proper five course meal." George said.
"And none of your antics today. We are going to be surrounded by Muggles the entire trip so I want you on your best behavior. I'm warning you."
"Alright, alright, mum. No need to bite our heads off," said Fred.
Bill slid into his seat at the table and grabbed a few sausages, a cup of tea and a couple of buns. He endeavored to smooth things over. "Mum, Fred, George and I brought a few of the trunks down on our way. I hope that helps a bit."
Molly smiled at Bill, "At least one of you is thinking ahead this morning." Bill smirked at the twins who were looking at him in disbelief.
"Mum, he said we all brought them down, you know. Why does he get all the credit?" Fred said. George nodded; his mouth too full of food to speak.
"Oh, hush and eat your breakfasts," Molly said silencing any further comment. Tessa noticed though that Molly poured each a cup of tea and patted them on the shoulder.
The meal was quickly finished and cleared and everyone bustled out of the kitchen to get the rest of their things and meet back down stairs. Tessa ran up the four flights of stairs to gather what remained of her belongings and quickly stuffed them into her sack and flung it over her shoulder. She made her way down to the second floor where Hermione and Ginny were coming out of their shared room. Hermione seemed to be having trouble convincing Crookshanks to get into his carrier.
"Come on Crookshanks, its ok kitty. It's only for the ride to the train. After we are on board you can come out," Hermione cajoled. The cat remained unconvinced.
"Let me give it a try, ok?" Tessa suggested. Hermione shrugged and made a gesture indicating that Tessa could give it a go. "Be my guest," she said.
"Crookshanks," Tessa said in a warning sort of way. The cat eyed her warily. Tessa pulled out her wand as she spoke, "We can do this with or without your cooperation. I think you will agree that it would be more pleasant for you if you went in there of your own volition."
Crookshanks looked from Tessa to the carrier and back to Tessa. He stood up and stretched. Then as if it was his very own idea, he walked leisurely into the carrier and laid down.
"Smart cat you've got there, Hermione," Tessa said as she crouched down to Crookshanks and scratched him under his chin.
"How did you do that?" Ginny asked with her mouth gaping.
"It's no trick, I grew up with magical animals. You just have to let them know you are prepared to do whatever it takes and no hesitation."
She stood up and asked, "Do you two need any help carrying anything?"
They shook their heads. "No, our trunks are already downstairs," Ginny said.
"Ok, see you down there then," she turned and left the room. She looked in on Ron and Harry and they had things in hand as well, so she went downstairs to see if her help was needed there. She was on the last step when she heard a loud bang and then the shrill shrieking of Mrs. Black's portrait. Tessa sighed and made her way to the main foyer where the imposing portrait of Mrs. Black was hung.
The curtains covering her normally sleeping image where billowing to reveal her screaming visage. Mr. Weasley and Remus were trying to cover her portrait and quiet her while Tonks was apologizing profusely to Molly. Tessa had had enough screeching from the old biddy over the course of her stay here and decided to take matters into her own hands.
She tapped Remus on the shoulder who looked at her quizzically. "I'd like to try something if I may," she said.
He looked at Arthur who shrugged and together they stepped back from the curtains. Tessa put her pack down and pulled out her wand. She stood in front of the portrait just out of range of the curtains. She looked at the floor for a few moments then very slowly she began to raise her arms. The room seemed to darken slightly and Tessa appeared to be standing in a pool of light and there was the crackle of energy in the air. When she spoke her voice though quiet contained power.
"Attendi," she intoned. Mrs. Black paused for a moment in her tirade and then continued focusing her venom solely on Tessa.
"Obstructum Vocis!" Silence filled the room as Mrs. Black's voice suddenly ceased. In her portrait, she mouthed words but none could be heard.
Tessa brought her arms down forcefully and pointed her wand at the billowing curtains. "Defigere Peristromatis!" The curtains flew down to cover the portrait. The room brightened again when Tessa moved forward to check the coverings. She reached down and pulled slightly making sure they were firmly in place and wouldn't move.
She nodded her head slightly then turned to see Molly, Arthur, Remus, Bill, Tonks, Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny all staring open mouthed at her from various places in the room or on the stairs.
"I just thought I'd shut her up for you. That's alright, isn't it?" Tessa explained a little self-consciously. "Is there something wrong?"
Finally Ron broke the silence, "Blimey."
Remus stepped forward, "Remind me not to get on your bad side," he teased. "We've been trying to get her to be quiet for ages. How... how did you do it?"
Tessa looked at the amazed faces around her. "Well, actually, I had to do something similar on a case in Atlanta. It took me a lot of research to come up with the right incantation. The normal Quietus spells wouldn't work."
"I've never seen anything like it," Arthur said. "How you drew all that energy, I mean."
"I have," Bill offered, "in the Sudan. They don't use wands there much; just focus energy to do spells. Usually it's fairly weak, though." He looked at Tessa approvingly.
Tessa cleared her throat, unaccustomed to this kind of attention and tried to change the subject. "I suppose we should make a start for the train, right Molly?"
Molly shook herself and said, "Your right, of course. Come on you lot. Fred, George, get down here." The twins came quickly down the staircase and everyone began to gather up the trunks and various cages and made there way out of Grimmauld Place.
The night passed far too quickly in Tessa's opinion as she and Remus shared their final night together at Grimmauld Place. When the pink tinge of dawn filtered through the window, Tessa threw a spell shuttering the windows tight against the oncoming light of the sun.
She sat staring at the windows for a time while Remus laughed at her sudden ferocity. His laughter ceased when he saw that her mock anger had turned to real tears. He knelt beside her on the bed and cradled her in his embrace, stroking her hair. She let him hold her, passively, for a while, and then she turned, tears shaking her body, and buried her head in his shoulder and held him as if she would never let him go.
Remus continued to rock her gently in his arms. She realized after a moment or two that he was singing softly to her a gentle song.
"Come with me my bonny lass, The terror of the night has passed. The morn has come with sunlight bright, To chase the demons of the night.
Sing merrily, heigh ho, my dear My love will keep you safe and near"
Calmed now, she leaned back to look at him. Concern etched his face as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. She smiled at him and his concern vanished as he returned her smile.
"That was a beautiful song. I've never heard it before."
He touched her face but didn't quite meet her eyes when he said, "My mother sang it too me as a child after I'd had a bad dream and later, when I'd been bitten, after my change." He dropped his hand to the bed and looked at the shuttered windows.
She knew that it was a very intimate and difficult memory he had shared with her. She caressed his cheek with her hand and kissed him. She kneeled up, put her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him in a long embraced. He held her so tightly too him that her knees lifted from the bed.
They moved out of the embrace and looked at each other. Tessa sat back on her heels, sighed, shrugged her shoulders and laughed a frustrated little laugh. "Oh, Remus. This isn't going to be easy is it?"
"No, Tessa, I don't think it is," he said. She saw his eyes gleam for a moment and then he cocked his head to one side and rakishly looked her from head to toe. He moved forward as he spoke, "But, I think that we can safely ignore it for at least another hour. What do you say?" He had successfully caused her to fall backwards onto the pillows and he now hovered tantalizingly mere inches above her.
She sighed dramatically, "Oh, all right, I suppose so. If you really wa..." He lowered himself to kiss her effectively ending her speech.
When the sun had risen properly, Remus made his way to the bathroom. Tessa decided that she would give in to her urge this time and followed him into the shower. She had to remind him some time later that, yes, they really did need to get breakfast.
So, slightly damp, the two descended the stairs for Tessa's last meal at Grimmauld Place. They were greeted by a great deal of hustle and bustle as the Weasley's, Tonks, Harry and Hermione rushed around the kitchen in various stages of breakfast, some just starting, others hurriedly eating; Molly and Arthur having finished, cleaning up. Tessa was pleased to see that she and Remus were not the last to arrive at breakfast. It seemed the Twins and Bill had yet to come down.
Tessa and Remus helped themselves to the hearty breakfast that Molly provided. Molly barked and fretted and snapped at everyone. Arthur had just assured her there would be plenty of time to get everyone safely to the station when Bill, Fred, and George wandered into the kitchen yawning.
"Mornin' Mum, Mornin' Dad," Fred greeted and grabbed a roll from the table. "What's for breakfast?"
Tessa wondered if Fred was intentionally provoking his mum or was just too sleepy to see the fury that was coming his way. Molly let loose on the three of them. Bill had the sense not to answer back and retreated to the rear and let the twins take the brunt of Molly's wrath.
"If you three think I am going to cater to your whims this morning, you are sadly mistaken. You take whatever is left over and be happy with it."
"Ok, woman, ok. Honestly, no one was asking for anything. You'd have thought we wanted a proper five course meal." George said.
"And none of your antics today. We are going to be surrounded by Muggles the entire trip so I want you on your best behavior. I'm warning you."
"Alright, alright, mum. No need to bite our heads off," said Fred.
Bill slid into his seat at the table and grabbed a few sausages, a cup of tea and a couple of buns. He endeavored to smooth things over. "Mum, Fred, George and I brought a few of the trunks down on our way. I hope that helps a bit."
Molly smiled at Bill, "At least one of you is thinking ahead this morning." Bill smirked at the twins who were looking at him in disbelief.
"Mum, he said we all brought them down, you know. Why does he get all the credit?" Fred said. George nodded; his mouth too full of food to speak.
"Oh, hush and eat your breakfasts," Molly said silencing any further comment. Tessa noticed though that Molly poured each a cup of tea and patted them on the shoulder.
The meal was quickly finished and cleared and everyone bustled out of the kitchen to get the rest of their things and meet back down stairs. Tessa ran up the four flights of stairs to gather what remained of her belongings and quickly stuffed them into her sack and flung it over her shoulder. She made her way down to the second floor where Hermione and Ginny were coming out of their shared room. Hermione seemed to be having trouble convincing Crookshanks to get into his carrier.
"Come on Crookshanks, its ok kitty. It's only for the ride to the train. After we are on board you can come out," Hermione cajoled. The cat remained unconvinced.
"Let me give it a try, ok?" Tessa suggested. Hermione shrugged and made a gesture indicating that Tessa could give it a go. "Be my guest," she said.
"Crookshanks," Tessa said in a warning sort of way. The cat eyed her warily. Tessa pulled out her wand as she spoke, "We can do this with or without your cooperation. I think you will agree that it would be more pleasant for you if you went in there of your own volition."
Crookshanks looked from Tessa to the carrier and back to Tessa. He stood up and stretched. Then as if it was his very own idea, he walked leisurely into the carrier and laid down.
"Smart cat you've got there, Hermione," Tessa said as she crouched down to Crookshanks and scratched him under his chin.
"How did you do that?" Ginny asked with her mouth gaping.
"It's no trick, I grew up with magical animals. You just have to let them know you are prepared to do whatever it takes and no hesitation."
She stood up and asked, "Do you two need any help carrying anything?"
They shook their heads. "No, our trunks are already downstairs," Ginny said.
"Ok, see you down there then," she turned and left the room. She looked in on Ron and Harry and they had things in hand as well, so she went downstairs to see if her help was needed there. She was on the last step when she heard a loud bang and then the shrill shrieking of Mrs. Black's portrait. Tessa sighed and made her way to the main foyer where the imposing portrait of Mrs. Black was hung.
The curtains covering her normally sleeping image where billowing to reveal her screaming visage. Mr. Weasley and Remus were trying to cover her portrait and quiet her while Tonks was apologizing profusely to Molly. Tessa had had enough screeching from the old biddy over the course of her stay here and decided to take matters into her own hands.
She tapped Remus on the shoulder who looked at her quizzically. "I'd like to try something if I may," she said.
He looked at Arthur who shrugged and together they stepped back from the curtains. Tessa put her pack down and pulled out her wand. She stood in front of the portrait just out of range of the curtains. She looked at the floor for a few moments then very slowly she began to raise her arms. The room seemed to darken slightly and Tessa appeared to be standing in a pool of light and there was the crackle of energy in the air. When she spoke her voice though quiet contained power.
"Attendi," she intoned. Mrs. Black paused for a moment in her tirade and then continued focusing her venom solely on Tessa.
"Obstructum Vocis!" Silence filled the room as Mrs. Black's voice suddenly ceased. In her portrait, she mouthed words but none could be heard.
Tessa brought her arms down forcefully and pointed her wand at the billowing curtains. "Defigere Peristromatis!" The curtains flew down to cover the portrait. The room brightened again when Tessa moved forward to check the coverings. She reached down and pulled slightly making sure they were firmly in place and wouldn't move.
She nodded her head slightly then turned to see Molly, Arthur, Remus, Bill, Tonks, Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny all staring open mouthed at her from various places in the room or on the stairs.
"I just thought I'd shut her up for you. That's alright, isn't it?" Tessa explained a little self-consciously. "Is there something wrong?"
Finally Ron broke the silence, "Blimey."
Remus stepped forward, "Remind me not to get on your bad side," he teased. "We've been trying to get her to be quiet for ages. How... how did you do it?"
Tessa looked at the amazed faces around her. "Well, actually, I had to do something similar on a case in Atlanta. It took me a lot of research to come up with the right incantation. The normal Quietus spells wouldn't work."
"I've never seen anything like it," Arthur said. "How you drew all that energy, I mean."
"I have," Bill offered, "in the Sudan. They don't use wands there much; just focus energy to do spells. Usually it's fairly weak, though." He looked at Tessa approvingly.
Tessa cleared her throat, unaccustomed to this kind of attention and tried to change the subject. "I suppose we should make a start for the train, right Molly?"
Molly shook herself and said, "Your right, of course. Come on you lot. Fred, George, get down here." The twins came quickly down the staircase and everyone began to gather up the trunks and various cages and made there way out of Grimmauld Place.