I'm so sorry this chapter took so long! I don't even have a decent excuse, so shame on me. But now that it's done, I can get started on chapter three. Which will definitely involve more Weasley's, wedding invitations, and perhaps even the planning of bachelor/bachelorette parties! Which brings me to this: any reviewers out there wanna give me some good ideas for the chapter with the parties in it? Lol. All right, enough of me. Go read!
P.S.: major thanks to Queriusole, fallen89, MissMoony16, and NixiNox. Thanks guys!
Disclaimer: Were they ever mine? Didn't think so.
Remus glanced nervously at his reflection in the bathroom mirror for what seemed like the hundredth time that morning. Tonks came up behind him and pretended to straighten the tie he wasn't even wearing. She grinned at his reflection and messed up his hair.
"Tonks! This is not the time for games!" For a moment, he looked deathly afraid of his hair being out of place. Remus frantically patted at his hair in a poor attempt (almost reminiscent of Harry) to make it lie flat again.
"Oh please, Remus, this is no big deal," Tonks sighed, exasperated. "We have to leave soon anyway."
"No big deal?! Tonks – I'm meeting your parents for the first time!" Remus now looked absolutely petrified.
This just spurred her on. Tonks circled him slowly, straightening a collar here or a button there, smirking the whole time. "Really, Remus, you are such a baby. It's not like my father will be waiting at the front door with a baseball bat," she kissed him on the cheek and went to her room to change.
As soon as she was ready, Tonks Apparated downstairs by the front door where Mrs. Black's portrait had long since been removed. She was dressed in a jean skirt and pink blouse to match the curly pink mass that was her hair. She was surprised to see that Remus was not yet downstairs. "Remus?" she called up. "Don't tell me you're still getting ready."
"I'm coming," he made his way slowly down the stairs clutching the railing as if he was afraid Tonks would grab him and drag him to his demise at the hands of her father.
"We're going to be late anyway, we might as well Apparate there," Tonks looked up at Remus, realizing that he was actually nervous about meeting her parents. Well, nervous might have been an understatement. She sighed, and granted him a bit of mercy. She walked up the stairs to meet him halfway and took his hand. "All right, I know you're a tad apprehensive about this, but look at it this way: the sooner we go, the sooner we can leave. I'll even buy us dinner afterwards."
Remus looked a bit reassured, but not entirely. "As long as your parents won't kill the lucky soul who's marrying their daughter..." he joked.
Tonks rolled her eyes and they Apparated to her parent's house. They waited on the front porch before knocking.
"Er, by the way, love... do they know about the... er, my lycanthropy?"
She walked over and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Yes. They've been filled in on most of everything, since there is no longer a great need for the Order. Plus, they're been reassured many times by Dumbledore of how great you are. That, and me telling them every time I talk to my mum," she broke off, blushing. "What really convinced them though is how good of friends you were with Sirius. So they trust that I'm safe with you."
Remus smiled at this, took her hand and knocked on the door. It soon opened to reveal a striking older woman. Her silver-streaked , long black hair and dark eyes instantly reminded him of Sirius. Andromeda Tonks. She struck out her arms to hug her daughter.
"Nymphadora! It's about time! I thought you weren't coming at all," Mrs. Tonks enveloped Tonks into a massive hug.
"Hi mum," she squeaked out form where her face was crushed against her mother's chest. Tonks slipped out of her embrace to step back beside Remus. "Mum, this is Remus Lupin. You've probably already figured it out from the way I've been talking about him, but uh, we're engaged," she cast an encouraging look up at him.
Mrs. Tonks squealed with delight and threw her arms around them both. She composed herself after a moment of elated hugging and ushered them inside and into a cozy living room just off the main hallway. From the bottom of the stairs, she called up to her husband. "Ted? Nymphadora is here, come down!" she turned back to Remus and Tonks. "I'm just going to get some tea ready. Your father will be down soon." She flashed them a smile and strode from the room.
Tonks flopped down on the love seat and pulled Remus down beside her. "Well? What do you think of my mum?"
"She's wonderful, Nymphadora. I have no idea why you called her a fool," he replied, smirking at her.
Tonks slapped him lightly on the arm. "Because of that blasted name. Which I am certain I told you never to call me."
"C'mon, love," Remus wheedled, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "It's too confusing to call you 'Tonks' while we're here."
"Fine," relented 'Nymphadora' with a sigh.
Remus was about to comment when he was halted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. He looked towards the source of the noise to see a stout man with fading tawny hair standing in the doorway to the room. Remus forgot his fears of the man andquickly stood upto greet him. "Hello, Mr. Tonks, sir," he said, striding over toshake his hand. "My name is Remus."
Mr. Tonks shook his hand, gripping it as if he were testing its strength. "So. You're the bloke who wants to marry Nymphadora then?"
Remus blushed slightly. "Ah, yes, sir. I love her very much."
Mr. Tonks seemed to accept this and released his hand to sit down in the easy chair opposite the love seat. Remus returned to his spot next to Nymphadora. Just then, Mrs. Tonks returned with a tray of tea and biscuits. Everyone had settled down with a cup of tea before the conversation began again.
"You were going together in the Order then were you?" Mr. Tonks directed towards the couple.
"Er, Remus and Sirius were best friends since Hogwarts, I told you that dad. So we've known each other for a while," Nymphadora answered. " But we didn't start dating 'til the Order, yes," she hastened to add, seeing the dangerous look that had crept into her father's face.
And so it continued on like this for about an hour; Nymphadora's mother making the conversation pleasant, her father turning it into an interrogation of Remus, who was just beginning to feel at ease. Mr. Tonks appeared to be evaluating everything he said, deciding whether or not he'd be able to give his only daughter away to this man.
Finally, Nymphadora told her parents that she and Remus really must be going. "Remus and I were planning on heading out for dinner," she explained. After professing to her mother that the invitations to the wedding were indeed on their way, Remus and Nymphadora headed for the door. They bade their goodbyes when Mr. Tonks drew Remus aside.
"You take care of my baby girl, keep her safe, and you will prove to me that you really are the good man I believe you to be," he shook his hand again.
"I will do that," Remus promised. "Thank you, sir."
Mr. Tonks nodded and shut the door behind his daughter and future son-in-law.
"So?" Tonks asked around a mouthful of pasta. "That wasn't so bad at all. What did you think of my parents?"
Remus put down his glass to answer her. "For a while there, your father made me feel like a pervy fifteen year-old. Then I realized he was just protecting. My overall thoughts: they're absolutely fantastic. I can't wait to marry you," he grinned at her across the table of their favourite restaurant.
Tonks beamed back at him. "Excellent. My dad didn't kill you and my mother just loves you," she abandoned attacking her pasta to give the sly look she reserved for when she was torturing him. "I, for one, can't wait to see how she is with our children."
Remus choked on a piece of steak.
Tadaa! Finished that chapter.
Alrighty, I'll admit it wasn't very long or interesting, but I promise the party chapter will DEFINITELY make up for it. The Weasley twins plan it. Need I say more? Don't worry, Tonks will get to have fun too!
So anyway. THEHALF BLOOD PRINCEIS FINISHED! It comes out July 16th, 2005! Yes! Can't wait!
Sorry, had to get that out of my system. So, if you liked this chapter, leave a review and lemme know! Even if you didn't, I'd still like to hear about it. :P
Thanks,
Kendal Rose
