Mysterious Hearts
~~~Memories~~~
Tonks snuggled deep under the covers of her bed. Severus had already left to go to Hogwarts so that he could make potions for Madame Pomfrey, but Tonks had the day off and she planned to enjoy it. She rolled out of the empty bed and pulled on a bathrobe and stumbled into the kitchen. She put a pot of coffee on and reached for a cup. Once she placed her cup on the counter next to the coffee maker she reached blindly for the Daily Prophet.
She unrolled it and she dropped it as if it had burned her. It fluttered open on the counter. The headlines read: "Sirius Black Escapes Azkaban". And staring up at her from the paper was her cousin.
She paled as she looked into the face. She swallowed hard and ignored the paper trying to calm her shaking hands as she poured the coffee. And then she ate her breakfast. Once she finished she placed her dishes on the countertop and gingerly picked up the newspaper.
She sat on the couch and curled up with a blanket, because hose suddenly got cold, and she read and reread the articles about Sirius. She let it drop to the floor as all the long buried emotions and memories welled up inside of her. Tonks had thought that she gotten past all of this, her feelings on her cousin and his crimes. But she felt like someone had sucker punched her. She felt just like she did when she first found out about his betrayal. She curled up onto the couch and cried for herself, and she cried for Sirius and his victims, and she cried for her family. Then she cried herself to sleep.
Severus returned to their flat as soon as he heard the news about Sirius Black. He entered the living room quietly and cursed Sirius once again when he saw Tonks curled up on the couch with the paper on the floor next to her. He smiled grimly as he ground his heel into the picture on the front page. He shook her awake gently and she hugged him tightly just clinging to him. There was no need for conversation just then.
Tonks kissed Severus on the cheek before she got up the next morning. She showered quickly and dressed. She left a quick note for Severus and went out on a run. Tonks ran to clear her mind, to think about what was happening and she decided to visit her mother's grave. Tonks apparated to the cemetery and she walked in. Tonks walked through the graves of her family; all the Blacks were buried here. She frowned when she saw a blond woman at her mother's grave.
"Narcissa," Tonks said sharply getting the older woman's attention, "what are you doing here."
"I was not aware that I needed your permission to visit my sister, Nymphadora." Narcissa said sharply.
"You don't," Tonks replied.
"Good," her aunt said, "I was just leaving."
The older woman began to walk away from the grave. But then she turned and walked back towards Tonks.
"Yes, aunt Narcissa?"
"Congratulations on your marriage, Nymphadora," Narcissa said.
"Thank you," Tonks said cautiously.
"Severus is a fine wizard," the blond told her, "don't worry Lucius does not know about it, your secret is safe with me."
"It is not a secret."
"It is not public knowledge," Narcissa pointed out, "just think how the ministry would take to one of their employees being married to a former death eater being widely known."
"Was there something you wanted?"
"Just to tell you to keep your eyes open, one never knows what might happen to them."
"Is that a threat?"
"No, it is a warning," Narcissa told her, "just pay attention, Nymphadora, don't let your guard down."
Tonks was only slightly confused as she watched her aunt walked away, just what did that mean. She sat down in front of her mother's tombstone and gave a quick smiled, "well, what do you think that meant, mum?"
"I personally have no idea," Tonks said, "Everything has gotten so confusing lately. I was talking to dad about Severus the other day. Severus really has a hard time; he won't ever admit it, but he does.
They don't trust him. I don't understand, he nearly gave his life for them, but they still don't trust him. I can understand the students, well not really, they don't know what he did and he can be scary, but still obviously Dumbledore trusts him so why shouldn't the children and the staff, I mean, they trusted Lockhart for Merlin's sake. It's the other professors that truly bother me. They know what he went through at the hands of You-know-who and they still don't trust him. Its like they're waiting for the other shoe to drop, like they expect him to betray them. Well, they had better be careful about what they wish for. And then there is Dumbledore, he does trust Severus, with his life and obviously with the lives of others, but he never lets Severus know this. He's been known to treat Severus awfully in front of others, and in my book that is just plain rude, especially when Severus looks up to him. He is Severus' mentor, Professor Vladimir and Severus are very close as well, but I just think that Albus is still blinded by houses like he was when I went to Hogwarts.
I think that if Severus' father were still alive then everything would be different. Severus' mother is the most terrible person that I have ever met, and that is saying a lot. That's another thing that I think Dumbledore knows more about. The death of Severus father is so mysterious; they never even had a body to bury, mum, what if…
That is what Mundungus believes; he told me one day in confidence that he does not believe that Severus' father is dead. But he won't do anything, he care too much for Severus. That is another thing; Mundungus and Severus are better friends than either will admit. Oh, and could you get dad to stop pestering me and Sev about kids, were working on that one, but we are not doing well, Poppy thinks that it may have to do with me being a metamorphmagus."
Tonks talked some more with her mother before she left. She walked through the cemetery paying her respects to her family. She stopped in front of a grave that she hadn't been by in years. Regulus Black.
"Hey," she said, "I know I haven't talked to you in years, but I thought you should know that Sirius escaped from Azkaban. Other than that life has been great, I thought I finally got over being a Black, but no, they just had to go and suck me right back in. Had a lovely little talk with Auntie Narcissa. Congratulated me on my marriage, but I haven't told you about that one yet. I married Severus Snape, and yes, I know he is a Slytherin, guess that ought to make the family happy. A full-blooded Slytherin. Personally I could care less, but, hey, as long as they're happy, oh and she, Auntie Narcissa also gave me a rather cryptic warning, but knowing her it could mean anything from Lucius becoming squid to You-know-who."
Tonks said her goodbyes and she apparated away, she walked into the flat and curled up in a comfortable chair with a book and lost herself in it.
To be continued…