A/N: This chapter was inspired by me and my younger cousin finding an old video of one of her birthday parties when we were younger. Read if you'd like but it doesn't add anything really to the plot, just expands on the Tonks/Sirius relationship a bit (and I mean that in a non-incest way!)
"Nearly there," Tonks said cheerily as they reached the third floor of her building. Harry was feeling relieved that he had left his things in the trunk of her car. He sighed as he heard her keys jangle. She turned to Remus and Harry before opening the door.
"Sorry, it's a bit messy," she explained and opened the door for them. It was anything but messy. The large open-plan apartment was immaculate, from the polished wooden floors to the neatly placed cushions on the cream leather sofa. At the end of the room was what Harry could only describe as a glass wall. It had the most amazing view of the city he had ever seen.
"Oh, guess my mum's been over," he heard Tonks say as they entered. "When she gets depressed she likes to clean. When her and Dad went through a rough patch when I was a kid, she asked me to make mess just so she had something to tidy. Crazy! Anyway, make yourselves at home won't you." Harry couldn't stop looking around. His eyes landed on her wide-screen television in the corner.
"Like my new toy do you? Dolby surround sound too. Haven't figured out how to use it yet."
"Dudley's getting one for Christmas," Harry muttered. Remus had taken a seat on the edge of the long sofa. He looked nervous. She moved to sit next to him.
"Oh Mum, they are floor cushions they are meant to be on the floor!" she growled, throwing the large cushion at Harry who laughed and sat on it.
"Cool is that at a Blade?" he asked, pointing to the honey coloured electric guitar in the corner. Tonks nodded.
"Yup, Delta T2. That baby didn't come cheap either. Waste of money really, for the use I get our of it."
"Who taught you to play?"
"It was Sirius actually. He taught me the basics anyway, when I was a kid. He learnt off your dad, actually." Harry never knew his dad could play the guitar. "James gave up after a while but Sirius carried on learning. He was really good at one point, and then he stopped too. Anyway, can I get either of you a drink?" She rose and headed to her baby blue Smeg fridge.
"Tonks, your flat's amazing!" Harry exclaimed. She shook her head.
"It's not mine unfortunately. My mum and dad bought this place when I first left school. I just pay them rent. Every thing I own is theirs, even my car. I guess it was just my parent's last plan of desperation to get me to conform to their standards." She gave a sad smile. She frowned, noticing a note on the marble sideboard. Tonks read it aloud.
"Dear Dory, your apartment was a disgrace. If I ever find it like that again there'll be trouble. And also I've thrown your cigarettes away," Tonks gave a groan and continued. "Do not start that habit again. I found something when I was tidying at home; I thought you might like it. I've left it in your room. Hope you're well. Call me soon. Love Mum." Tonks screwed up the piece of paper and chucked it on the floor.
"Do you smoke Tonks?" This came from Remus who, until now, had been reading a recent copy of Cosmopolitan with a look of bemusement on his face.
"I used to. Started when I was 15 then quit when I left school. I only bought one packet the other day," she mumbled in embarrassment as she saw the looks of disapproval on their faces. As a way of escape, she scurried off through a door that led to her bedroom. Harry noticed something on the wall behind him. It was a collage of photos, some Muggle, some moving magically. He got up to have a closer look and Remus followed.
"That's Tonks' mother there," he pointed for the boy. Harry saw the tall and elegant woman wearing white, stood to a man he guessed was Tonks' father Ted. There were many photos; Tonks with two other young women, grinning and looking slightly drunk, Harry, Ron and Hermione last Christmas, a young Sirius holding a grey cat by the scruff of it's neck and grimacing in a 'what is that!' kind of way. "Is Snuffles still alive?" Harry turned sharply to Remus at his question, only to notice it was aimed at Tonks who had just entered, carrying a videocassette. She placed it on the table and went to join them.
"Nah, got hit by a car. Oh I loved Snuffles. So did Sirius really, he just pretended he didn't." Remus turned back to the wall and gave a gasp of surprise.
"That's me!" Sure enough, Harry saw a young Remus stood with his own father James, and Sirius. He assumed Peter was once in the photo and had left. Tonks grinned.
"Yeah, Riu sent me that just before you guys left Hogwarts, a few years before I started. I really didn't want to go." She reached for the picture and pulled in down from the wall. Turning it over, Harry could see writing scribed on the back.
Dear T-Bird, your mum said you're thinking of not coming to Hogwarts. I just thought I'd write to you and let you know that would such a huge mistake. I have made friends here that mean so much to me that you will never understand until you make friends of your own. I know that the Wizarding world gets you down, just remember to have fun, get in to trouble and work relatively hard (I have to put that, I'm just messing!) Please reconsider Dora. It would make me happy. You won't regret it, I promise. Love you lots, Riu x
Tonks sighed as she finished reading it. Liar, she thought though she wasn't bitter about it. Harry looked at her in concern. He had never guessed that his godfather and Tonks were as close as they now appeared to be. He felt guilty for feeling so depressed at the loss of Sirius when he was with two people that had known him much longer than he had. Tonks offered him a smile.
"Come on, I've got something to show you." She turned on her TV and put the video in. Then, placing herself between Remus and Harry on the sofa, she reached for the remote. The screen was black and the date 12/08/88 appeared briefly in the corner.
"What's this?" Remus asked but Tonks shushed him. A 20-year-old Sirius Black greeted them.
"Hello? Hello!"
"You don't have to shout Riu," came Andromeda's voice.
"How do you know it's working?"
"It is, trust me."
"Let's stop it and watch so far." He walked towards the camera and the screen went blank.
Remus wasn't sure he was ready to see this. His friend was still so young and happy, without any of the years of Azkaban weighing on him. He glanced over at Harry, who was smiling. This was enough for Remus and he sat back to watch the rest.
"Hello again, my name is Sirius Black and this is my beautiful assistant, Nymphadora Tonks." The 8-year-old girl sat next to him giggled. (Tonks nudged Harry who was sniggering.)"I'm going to show you a magic trick." Sirius picked up a small cake and managed to fit it all into his mouth in one go. "Da daa!" came the muffled response through a mouthful of cake. The screen flickered and changed. The camera was bobbing along at a relative pace.
"Dora don't run with that!" The camera continued to travel. Dora tripped over something black and furry, and shrieked; the camera fell to the floor. It rolled to a halt, showing tail of a familiar dog. Dora giggled and a transformed Sirius laughed, "You idiot!"
Ted Tonks was sat at a table, cupping a mug with both hands.
"Piss off Sirius," he laughed lightly as Sirius came closer. "You know what you're getting for Christmas this year!"
"I think it's amazing," Sirius' voice replied. "It wouldn't work at Hogwarts though. James would love this. He's so vain. It would probably amuse Remus for a minute, but he'd get over it" (Harry glanced at Remus and he nodded in agreement.) "I think it's great though." Andromeda came in to view.
"Riu, can you go fetch Dora in for tea please." The camera began to move. "You can leave that here if you want."
"No way!" He shifted the camera in his hand so that it faced him as he walked. He lowered his voice. "We are now hunting the rare T-bird. It can usually be found sitting on its backside doing nothing. Follow me." He travelled for a moment before stopping. He turned the camera back around to show Nymphadora sat cross-legged by an outdoor pool stroking her grey cat Snuffles. "Ah, I have spotted it." He went closer, his young cousin still unaware of his presence. He laid the camera on the ground so only his legs were visible as he approached her. He grabbed the cat off her and she squealed. It tried to scratch him and he laughed.
"Nice try Snuffles. Come on, do it! I'm warning you, I have a pet werewolf that would kick your ass!" (Remus smiled sadly at the comment.) Sirius held the cat above the pool and it wriggled in his hands.
"Sirius, don't!" Dora wailed. He eventually let the cat free and it ran with immense speed out of shot.
"You have sacrificed yourself for your animal. That is very noble of you." He grabbed the squealing girl.
"No, Riu! I can't swim!"
"Learn! There's a first time for everything!" With that he flung her into the pool, transformed into a huge black dog and dived in after her causing droplets of water to appear on the screen and Andromeda's voice to shout over Dora's squeaks.
"Sirius, what are you doing!"
The screen went blank. Harry thought the video had finished until he heard Tonks give a gasp and shield her eyes. He turned back to the screen to see Sirius and a young Tonks dancing a routine to upbeat music.
"Whoa, wrong way," Sirius exclaimed as they bumped into each other. Dora giggled.
"You're too good at this Riu. I think you've secretly been practicing."
"No secret about it T-Bird." Sirius began to sing along. (Harry had to admit he was pretty good.) He picked the young girl up and spun her around. They both looked so happy. The music stopped suddenly and they both looked to their right.
"Muuuum!"
"Andiiiiie!" Sirius copied the girl's tone and his elder cousin laughed.
"Bed now Dory." The girl began to sulk and stormed off.
The final shot of the video was taken by neither Tonks nor Sirius. Harry knew this because, as the camera came into focus, he saw a sleeping girl and a large black dog cuddled up together on a pink duvet.
"Aww, how cute," Andromeda's voice whispered. "And Dora too." The dog kept his eyes closed but let out a low, playful growl. Andie laughed. "Ok, ok. I'll leave you two alone. Sweet dreams."
The screen went blank.
Tonks pressed stop. They sat there in silence. Harry eventually spoke first.
"Sirius was an idiot." He rose from his seat and went to grab a drink that Tonks had left on the kitchen side. Tonks glanced over a Remus who was still staring at the blank screen.
"Are you ok?" she asked quietly and he nodded.
"You know, I think I will be."
A/N: You like? Review if you did, review if you didn't. Next chapters will be focussed on the plot, promise : )
