Updated Saturday 19th February 2005
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
Chapter Thirty One: Tea with the Tonks.
As Estella physically – and vocally – expressed her appraisal of her performance, the intense gaze of someone in the distance caught Severus' attention. Across the room from them and watching their every move with profound interest, was none other than Andromeda Tonks and her husband. Having realised that his companion had noticed the presence of the unexpected guests, Remus grabbed Severus' attention and tried to explain.
"I'm sorry, Severus. They came to me and I couldn't refuse them." He pleaded. "I thought this would be a inconspicuous way to…"
Severus spun around and glared at the interfering menace before him. "You fool, Lupin!" He snarled. "Have you any idea who could be watching?"
Remus sighed. "Yes Severus. I do." He said wearily. "But at least you will be able to say you did not plan this."
Estella, who had long since ceased her prattling, looked between her two Uncles, a confused look on her features. "Uncle Sev? Uncle Remus? What…"
Before Estella could finish her sentence, however, she was interrupted by a woman's voice. "Hello Severus, Remus." Andromeda Tonks said nervously, her eyes not leaving the child at the centre of it all. "It's been a long time."
"Indeed." Severus said gruffly, casting his mind back to his sister's wedding – an event that seemed a lifetime ago now in light of all that had happened since. "What brings you to Hogsmeade, Andromeda?"
Andromeda inclined her head to the husband flanking side. "You remember my Husband Ted, don't you Severus?" She asked by way of passing introduction. "I had heard from an old friend…" (at this she looked at Remus) "…that the school in Hogsmeade was putting on the play of 'Hansel and Gretel' and I had wanted to show my husband how the story truly plays out in our world." She paused again, awaiting Severus' curt nod of acknowledgement. Ted Tonks was none other than a fully-fledged Muggle. "Anyhow, imagine our surprise – and delight – when we saw who was in the cast!"
Feeling the gaze of several sets of eyes, Estella turned forthrightly to get a better look at the strange woman and her peculiarly dressed husband who had imposed themselves upon their previously cosy and private conversation. Taking in the woman's nervous disposition and the hungry look in her eyes, Estella took a slight step back, enveloping herself in the familiar warmth of her Godfather's form. "Uncle Sev?" She asked quietly in question.
Severus cleared his throat. "This is Andromeda Tonks, and her husband Ted. You may be vaguely familiar with their daughter Nymphadora who graduated a few months ago." Severus said monotonously, waving his hand at each person in turn. "Andromeda is your father's cousin."
Understanding flooded Estella's features. "Oh, like Aunt Narcissa?" She asked no one in particular. Even in the said woman's absence, she accented the word 'Aunt', as though it were a quaint joke. She was exceedingly surprised that she had been having dinner in the great hall in the presence of a once-removed cousin for the past seven years and no one had thought to mention it until now. Raising her voice to address her newfound extended family, she offered her hand in greeting. "Pleased to meet you." Then, her mind finally placing a face to the name, she added. "Your daughter is a really good metamorphagus."
Thrilled, Andromeda forwent Estella's outstretched hand in favour of a bone crushing hug. "Well look at you! Practically grown up already!" Andromeda fussed. "Look Ted, isn't she just adorable? So polite! Nymphadora would do well to take a leaf out of her book, mmm Ted?"
"She prefers to be called Tonks, heaven knows why!" Ted Tonks stepped forward to shake hands with Severus and Remus. "Always throws a fit whenever we call her otherwise, in public or no. Kids, eh?"
Severus glared coolly at the easy-going middleclass man whilst Remus nodded conspiringly. As Severus' gaze befell his sister's cousin-in-law, the woman addressed him.
"So I see you have already introduced Estella to my sister." Andromeda said tightly, with a sad look on her face. In orchestrating this 'spontaneous' rendezvous, Remus had explained to her the machinations of Severus' actions and made her aware of the risks he was up against, but it still hurt to know that she and her family were effectively cut out of the life of a child they would, under different circumstances, been otherwise entitled to see grow. Sirius had always looked upon their Nymphadora as something of a kid sister, after all.
Nodding affirmatively, Severus pulled his niece back from the woman's reach. "It was such a pleasant surprise to cross paths with you like this, Andromeda, Ted." He said with mock sincerity. "Yet I regret that Estella and I have a most pressing engagement to attend at the Castle. I am sure Nymphadora has told you all about the Halloween Feast?"
'There.' Severus thought to himself smugly, glad to finally gain something out of his enforced obligation to attend the blasted event.
Andromeda beamed. "Of course! Halloween!" She cried. "A very Happy Birthday to you, my dear. Nine years old! Would you look at that, Ted! Nine years!"
Estella looked at her 'cousin' in shock, before muttering her thanks.
"Severus, you surely must be able to spare a few moments for a wee cup of tea?" Andromeda pleaded, casting a questioning look at Remus as though pulling him up on his cue. "We really would like to give Estella something in private."
"Come on Severus, the feast doesn't start for another hour." Remus said, leaving Severus little escape. "What will it hurt?"
Casting a withering glare at the officious werewolf who he just knew had set this all up – right down to the number of lumps of sugar he was planning on dive bombing in his proposed cup of tea – Severus folded. Seeing her Uncle's reluctant consent, Estella looked between the men in her life and this newly found cousin with a bewildered look on her face. As all five of them made their way towards a secluded booth in the teahouse that occupied the playhouse's foyer, Estella voiced her opinion.
"Thankyou for your kind gesture," she said to the Tonks. "But you didn't have to get me anything. There's no need to go to so much trouble… if there's someplace else you need to be we don't have to have tea…"
"Nonsense!" Andromeda and Remus both said at the same time, setting Estella in her place and ruining Severus' last hope for reprieve.
Shrugging almost unseeingly at her uncle in unspoken defeat, she allowed herself to be led into the teahouse to be doted on by her long lost relatives. Her gift, as it turned out, was an old, leather-bound photo album embossed with the Black family crest. Inside it were pictures of her father with (and without) various members of his family and extended family dated from his birth right through to his time at Hogwarts. After that the supply of family pictures had petered out, but were, as Estella noted, readily supplemented by the collection her mother had amassed from their time at school together. Touched deeply by the gesture, Estella found she felt much more at ease and comfortable around Andromeda than she did around the other Black sister, Narcissa. Where the latter was Slytherin to the core and altogether cunning, manipulative and false, Andromeda was the polar opposite.
After her experience with dealing with the Malfoys, Estella didn't have to be told why she had been kept from knowing the Tonks. Three quarters of an hour had passed all too quickly for the reunited family and as they parted to go their respective ways, both parties had the firm resolve of ensuring the 'chance' encounter was not just a once-off. Having been thoroughly enthralled by her very first encounter with a real life Muggle, Estella spent the entire trip back to the castle brainstorming ideas on how she could go and experience a bit of the Muggle world – and catch up with the Tonks' – without the Malfoys or any of her Uncle's politically bigoted 'friends' ever finding out.
The day had shaped up to be one of Estella's best birthdays ever… and that was before they even got to the Halloween Feast!
End Chapter: Tea With the Tonks'