Chapter Eleven: Andromeda and Nymphadora

October, 1981…Harry Potter becomes The Boy Who Lived…

Remus awoke with a gasp, as suddenly as if he'd suffered an electric shock, to the sound of frantic pounding at his door. Panting slightly, he pulled on a shirt and went to greet the visitor who persisted in attempting to break down his door. When he opened it, he was somewhat surprised to see Andromeda Tonks, who he'd only met in passing once and whom he knew was related to Sirius in one way or another – possibly a cousin – accompanied by a small girl. The little girl's face was pale and her dark eyes were wide and sleepy.

"Andromeda, come in," said Remus. "Can I help you?"

Andromeda did not answer, but tugged her daughter along with her inside Remus's flat. She looked as though she were about to speak, then lost the ability. Remus ushered the two of them over to his threadbare sofa and, noticing the girl give a wide yawn, he handed her his blanket, helped tuck her in, and watched as she curled up with her head on the armrest, falling asleep quickly. Andromeda seemed very distraught about something.

"Remus, it's...I'm so sorry to be the one to tell you all this, Emmeline was going to, but she got called away last second, something for Moody...I feel awful, it really shouldn't be me at all, but as everyone else is occupied with...well. Anyway...God, I don't know where to begin..."

"Take a deep breath and calm yourself, then start over," said Remus. "Just start at the beginning, I suppose..."

"It's...he..." Andromeda simply did not have the words.

"Is it Dumbledore?" asked Remus at once, assuming the worst and hoping he was wrong.

"No, it's not Dumbledore, no, he's fine, he's got him."

Remus neither knew nor cared who "him" was, he was so relieved that Dumbledore was all right.

"Did someone die?" he asked, trying not to be too blunt but wishing she could just spit it out before his heart exploded from hammering.

"Yes, yes, they did, oh God...Remus...it's the Potters."

Silence followed these words. Remus's heart had given a nasty jolt and he felt momentarily dizzy and weak. The Potters? Lily? James? Harry? There surely was a mistake, there had to be...there was no way...it had to be an extremely sick joke, a terrible dream, even a hallucination. But Andromeda's eyes held no lie in them.

"How?" asked Remus huskily. "How could they...how?"

"Voldemort found them in Godric's Hollow." Andromeda seemed to be fighting to keep her voice from shaking.

"Even the baby? What would he want to kill a little child for?"

"You'll never believe it," said Andromeda.

"I'll believe it if you say it's true," said Remus, feeling the little girl stir next to him. Andromeda popped up from the couch and started pacing.

"Voldemort couldn't kill Harry. He tried, believe me...he killed James and Lily straight away, but something broke him when he turned his wand on Harry. Search me as to what it was, I haven't the foggiest, but when he tried to kill him, it rebounded or something...I don't know all the details, I've only just found out and came here right away. I just grabbed Nymphadora and came here to tell you after Emmeline was called away. It all came so fast, all the information, I've got it in bits and pieces...putting it all together is so hard...I feel like I'm going mad," said Andromeda, and seeming to realize she was babbling, she fell silent.

The child turned over so she was facing the back of the sofa, and Remus reached over and adjusted the blanket so it covered her more fully.

"Have you spoken with Sirius yet? I'm sure he must know by now, and I know you haven't really seen him in a while, he said something to that effect anyway, but have you?" asked Remus concernedly. "I imagine he's horribly upset. He must be..."

Remus trailed off at the look on Andromeda's face, and then she did something that surprised him somewhat, considering how vaguely they knew each other. She grabbed the ottoman from the worn armchair and dragged it up, sat on it, and took Remus's hands in hers in a motherly fashion. Remus's blood ran cold.

"Not Sirius too?" he whispered, barely getting the words out.

"No, Sirius made it through, all right," said Andromeda.

"So, does he have Harry now, or what?" asked Remus, the wave of relief he had felt upon hearing that Dumbledore was all right washing over him once more, though slightly less strong than before.

"It's an 'or what', Remus," Andromeda spat. "Sirius was their Secret-Keeper."

The wave of relief was quickly retracted and replaced with pure horror and an unpleasant churning of his stomach. Sirius, betray the best friend he ever had? Surely there had to be some mistake...he wouldn't...he couldn't...

It was obvious, however, that he could and would. Why else would Andromeda's shoulders have begun to shake with racking sobs, her grip on Remus's hands painfully tight as she tried to steady her own shaking hands?

"I thought - we all thought - he wouldn't be like the - rest..." Andromeda said between gasps of air and hiccups. "Like the other Blacks. He - we thought he - was - decent. But I guess…it's in his blood. And it's in mine, and that terrifies me. He was my – my favourite cousin, he – he is – was – the best…but I haven't seen him in so long, we just lost touch…maybe it's better, maybe it's all right that Nymphadora never met him, I can't imagine what she'd – this is all so sick –"

"Mum?"

Nymphadora had woken up and was sitting, staring at her mother fearfully. Andromeda let go of Remus at once and tried to wipe the tears from her eyes so her daughter wouldn't see.

"What happened, Mum?" asked Nymphadora drowsily.

"Nothing, darling, nothing...Mum's got a friend who got hurt, but everything's going to be all right...you go back to sleep."

Nymphadora didn't say anything, but looked at Remus, as though hoping he could explain her mother's strange behaviour. Remus suspected the girl had never seen her mother cry before. He started to say something to her, but then thought twice and turned instead to Andromeda.

"Listen, Andromeda...the loo is just through that door. Go get a drink of water and wash your face, you'll feel better," he suggested, pointing to the bathroom door.

Andromeda took a great gulp of air and stood up, went into the bathroom, and closed the door. Remus heard the lock click and he turned to Nymphadora.

"What's the matter?" she asked immediately. "Why's Mum crying? And I don't know who you are."

"My name is Remus Lupin. I sort of work with your mother. And what happened is...tonight, two of our very good friends died," said Remus. It caused actual physical pain to say it aloud. "And another good friend made it happen."

"Oh..." said Nymphadora, understanding and fear spreading over her face."Did Valdamort do that?"

On another occasion, Remus would have thought her mispronunciation of the name was cute, but found he couldn't tonight. Instead, he heaved a great sigh.

"Yes, he did," said Remus.

"Why?"

Remus had no answer. He knew perfectly well why James and Lily would have been targets - they were, after all, key members of the Order - but why Harry? A defenceless baby couldn't possibly pose a threat...but he supposed Voldemort was so used to killing that a little child would have been like practice for larger and more difficult prey...and that thought made him shudder.

"Valdamort's really awful," said Nymphadora, and she nodded back off.

It was strange how calm he felt, considering all he had just found out. He supposed it hadn't hit him quite yet, and when it did, he was sure it would be a terrible feeling. Sirius...a traitor? James and Lily dead? And where exactly was Harry? He only just realized Andromeda hadn't really made that clear.

A moment later, Andromeda emerged from the bathroom, her eyes puffy and her face splotchy, but considerably calmer than she had been.

"Listen, Remus, please let me know if I can do anything for you. I know we don't know each other all that well, but Sirius is...was...my family, and I know he is...or I suppose it's was now...was one of your best mates...so..." she trailed off. "We really should be going. I've got to make sure Emmeline's okay, and my daughter's tired."

Remus nodded and stood to see the two out. At the door, Nymphadora suddenly gave him a tight hug around the middle.

"I'm sorry about your friends," she said in a voice so earnest it brought a lump to Remus's throat.

"Thank you, Nymphadora," he said softly, patting her on the head. "Take care, Andromeda, and likewise, if you need anything..."

Andromeda nodded, took Nymphadora's hand once more, and they left down the dark staircase in Remus's building.

"I'll send someone along tomorrow afternoon to clear up whatever holes I've left," she called just before leaving.

"Thanks," Remus called in return.

It wasn't until he was sure they were gone, until he'd closed and locked the door, until he'd sat back down on his sofa and tossed the empty chocolate bar wrapper onto the somewhat battered coffee table that he allowed his hands to begin shaking.