February was bitterly cold. Tonks was shivering slightly under her cloak, despite being huddled up next to Remus. They were at their monthly Muggle healer appointment. As much as Tonks enjoyed seeing the baby on the Muggle contraption, the hour's walk in the freezing wind had put a damper on her enthusiasm.
"Lupin, Dora?" a Muggle healing assistant called.
Remus helped Tonks stand from the chair and took her by the hand until they reached the small room they'd had their previous appointments in. Remus helped Tonks up onto the examination table, and she sat uncomfortably upon it.
"What do you think they'll have me do this time?" Tonks asked. "I don't want to get another one of those needle things."
"It's what works for them, Dora," Remus reminded her. "It doesn't tell us much, but it works."
"As long as they don't make me put my feet in those metal contraptions and stick that thing up my—"
A soft rapping interrupted Tonks' speech, and Remus called a hoarse "come in" to admit the Muggle healer.
"Wotcher, doctor," Tonks said brightly.
"Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Lupin," Dr. Reed said. "How are you feeling today, Mrs. Lupin?"
"This kid better be cute," Tonks said grumpily. "I'm not getting much sleep."
"That's to be expected by this time. Did the nurse get your vitals?"
"Err, yes?" Dora said.
Dr. Reed frowned and looked at her clipboard, not finding the information. "She did not." The doctor huffed impatiently, and procured several contraptions from the cabinet including the poking device Tonks so detested.
"Don't like needles?" the doctor asked, amused. "Not everyone does."
"Barbaric method of getting blood," Tonks muttered.
"What do you expect us to do, slice you open?"
"Yes," Tonks said, as if that weren't the obvious choice.
"I don't know what kind of medical treatment you had before, Mrs. Lupin, but I assure you that this method is much safer for you," Dr. Reed said sternly, as she brought a strip up to Tonks' upper arm and tightened it uncomfortably. Tonks made a face at Remus, who was chuckling quietly in his seat.
A few pokes and squeezes later, and the doctor was back to her clipboard.
"It appears we haven't any vaccination records for you, Mrs. Lupin," the doctor said absentmindedly. "You're due for at least one or two by now."
"Err," Tonks stammered, looking at Remus. "Help," she mouthed at him. He made a move towards his wand, but then his brow creased, realizing they couldn't do magic without raising suspicion.
"We won't be requiring any vannictations, doctor," Tonks said hurriedly. "I thought we'd mentioned this before?"
The doctor narrowed her eyes at both of them. "Ah, yes, your paperwork indicates your…religious preferences." Dr. Reed emphasized her words with disdain as Tonks and Remus looked at her with exasperation.
"I hope, for your child's sake, you change your mind," the doctor said dismissively. "Why don't we check up on how it's doing?"
"That would be great, thank you," Tonks said softly. The doctor left the room to retrieve the machine that produced pictures of their baby.
"Why can't we just use a Confundus Charm on her?" Tonks said in exasperation. "This comes up half the time we're here and she treats us like we're morons."
"I know, love, but we need to avoid using magic unless it's life threatening," Remus said quietly.
"Why can't I take those vannititions again?" Tonks asked.
"Vaccinations," Remus corrected. "If you wanted to, I suppose you could. Although I don't think they would work, as we can't get most of their diseases, anyway. The ones we can get, we have potions to manage the symptoms that are as effective as Muggle methods, if not more so."
"What if I just told the healer to give them to me?" Tonks suggested, as Remus' brow raised. "Y'know, just in case this kid isn't, err…"
"A witch or wizard?" Remus suggested. Tonks nodded sadly in response.
"We don't have reason to believe it'll be a Squib, but even if it is, we'll love it all the same. If we can handle a little cub, we can handle a Squib."
"Right," Tonks said, just as Dr. Reed came in.
"You know, doctor, I've changed my mind," Tonks said suddenly. "Can I get those vactations again?"
"Vaccinations, Dora," Remus said impatiently.
"You've changed your mind?" the doctor said brightly. "Of course we can do that for you, Mrs. Lupin."
"I'll need them all, then," Tonks announced. "I haven't had any."
"Not one?" Dr. Reed asked. "Nor you, Mr. Lupin?"
"I'm afraid not," Remus replied ruefully.
"You'll have to contact your GP for yours, Mr. Lupin, but we can take care of some for your wife today," Dr. Reed said happily. "I'll be right back to get a nurse."
"They won't harm me or the kid, you think?" Tonks asked Remus.
"If nothing else, they won't work," Remus shrugged. "It'll be with those little needles, I think."
"More of them?" Tonks groaned. The doctor and the nurse arrived, and the nurse had several needles in hand ready for Tonks.
"This kid had better be really, really good," Tonks muttered. "Where are you sticking those?" she demanded from the nurse.
"Your upper arm, Mrs. Lupin," the nurse said, looking slightly alarmed.
"I'll be right next to you, love," Remus offered.
"Mrs. Lupin doesn't care for needles," Dr. Reed said in amusement. Remus reached around the examination table and began massaging Tonks' upper arm, muttering an incantation as he did so. Tonks lost nearly all feeling in her upper arm.
"You'll get the feeling back in an hour," Remus mumbled in her ear. Tonks beamed at him, and the nurse began filling several tubes.
An alarming amount of poking later, as well as a scan to check on the baby, Tonks and Remus were finally emerging from the healer's office.
"Do you feel anything in your arm?" Remus asked. "I may've overdone it."
"It feels really sore," Tonks said. "But I don't feel anything unusual."
"Good," Remus said. "I'll get you some potions when we get home."
"Those Muggle healers are sadists," Tonks said darkly. "All those little stabs when they could just have potions!"
"If Wolfsbane came through those stabs, I'd gladly take it," Remus said gently. "Wolfsbane Potion tastes horrendous."
"Oh. I suppose I didn't think of that," Tonks said, embarrassed.
"It's alright, Dora," Remus said.
They walked in near silence on the way home, with Remus casting Warming Charms on Tonks' cloak and boots every so often to ensure that she would be warm enough.
Upon reaching the home, Tonks and Remus were disturbed to feel the enchantments on the home. They were weaker, much to Tonks' dismay.
"Homenum revelio!" Tonks cast. The spell revealed that there were three individuals inside the home.
"Mum," Tonks said anxiously, as Remus broke into a run to enter the home. At seven months' pregnancy, Tonks was struggling to keep up, but entered the home all the same, wand drawn.
Tonks relaxed upon seeing Ministry officials. It was Wheeler and Denbright, the Ministry representatives now responsible for both Remus' werewolf wellness visits and Ted's Muggleborn Registration non-compliance.
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Tonks spat. "You're not expected till the end of the month." The Ministry representatives had been visiting monthly since the end of October, and it was only just the beginning of February.
"We've been called upon to check on you both weekly now," Wheeler said dismissively. "Call it a standing appointment."
"That's rub—"
"Dora, it's fine," Remus said, his eyes pleading. "It's just fine."
"Where have you two been?" Wheeler eyes, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"We were out, if you must know," Tonks said hotly.
"With your father?" Wheeler demanded.
"I have no idea where he is," Tonks said. "Neither do my mother nor my husband."
"Hmmph," Denbright vocalized. "Why were you out?"
"We were at an appointment," Remus said. "For my wife."
"What kind of appointment?" Wheeler asked, now extracting parchment from his rucksack.
"None of your business," Tonks dismissed.
"It is if you're possibly harboring an undesirable!" Wheeler demanded.
"My daughter and her husband were purchasing clothes," Andromeda interrupted. "Nymphadora, this is a trivial matter." Andromeda stared at Tonks pointedly.
"Fine," Tonks said unhappily. "As you might have noticed, I've been growing and needed new clothing. Muggles have better maternity clothing options than we do." She stood before the two Ministry officials, frowning.
"Why didn't the werewolf come in with the clothes, then?" Denbright asked.
"He brought them here first, by Apparating," Andromeda said calmly. She flicked her wand and from a closet appeared several bags of clothing.
"Is this not what you purchased today, Nymphadora?" Andromeda asked, eyeing the bags carefully.
"It is," Tonks confirmed. "Unless you two have come to raid my closet?"
Wheeler and Denbright both grew pink at the suggestion.
"Be that as it may," Wheeler said grumpily, "You should have been here."
"We didn't receive an owl or any form of notification this morning," Remus countered. "Are we to expect unscheduled visits going forward?"
"Yes," Denbright frowned. "Weekly visits from us now, without warning. Should either of you be absent, your absence will be considered failure to cooperate and can be punished by fine or imprisonment."
"What the f—"
"Must we inform you of future outings?" Remus interrupted. "We have two more scheduled. One for my birthday, and one two weeks later."
Denbright scribbled the dates down. "Don't expect any further courtesies," he said angrily. "Wheeler." He gestured for his coworker to follow him out of the house.
"We look forward to seeing you both soon," Remus said, forcing a smile on his face.
The two Ministry officials didn't bother looking back before they exited through the front door and Apparated away.
"This is bullshit," Dora said angrily. "We're expected to be here all the time?"
"Unfortunately," Andromeda said distastefully.
"How did you have all those clothes in there already?" Tonks said in surprise.
"I expected that it would be a matter of time before we had an issue like this," Andromeda sighed.
"How are we going to cover next time?"
"I have a few options," Andromeda said curtly. "As long as they don't interrupt the birth of your child, I will cooperate."
"Merlin, let's hope it doesn't come to that," Tonks muttered to Remus. "She'll make those officials wish they'd never been born." Remus nodded solemnly, and Tonks went to the kitchen to prepare tea.
….
March began cold and wet. Snow gave way to slushy puddles outside the Tonks-Lupin household, and the inhabitants within were more than a little frustrated by their confinement.
Tonks' father, Ted, had been on the run for nearly six months; his Patronus messages were few and far between. The longer he stayed away, the more nervous his wife, daughter, and son-in-law became. Murders of Muggleborns were a regular occurrence, and the radio program, Potterwatch, had been responsible for sharing the news of their deaths. Hearing the names of those dead at the hands of snatchers – or Death Eaters – gave little confidence to those Ted Tonks left behind.
Andromeda and Remus worried over Tonks, which was another source of irritation. Staying confined to the house for months with few opportunities for outings was frustrating her. Lately, the only time she left the home were for visits to her Muggle maternity healer, which took an hour to get to, as they went on foot. Still, Tonks was grateful for the exercise, if only so she could see the world was still turning around her.
As it happened, Remus' 38th birthday happened to coincide with one of Tonks' last appointments with the Muggle healer, and she was looking forward to the visit, as she was hopping to persuade her mother into accompanying her to the visit, so they could purchase gifts for Remus in the town. Tonks dressed herself carefully, as she had to magically expand her jeans to fit her now. She morphed her hair into chestnut brown curls. She'd long given up on bright colors for the Muggle healers, as they were tetchy about Muggle diseases that might come from hair dye chemicals.
Once she was pleased with her appearance, Tonks went downstairs to meet her mother and Remus in the kitchen.
"Happy birthday, Remus!" Tonks greeted, waddling towards her bemused husband.
"Thank you, love," Remus replied, craning his neck down to kiss her.
"What's so funny?" Tonks asked.
"Err," Remus stammered. "You've become a bit of a penguin."
"Why's that?"
"You waddle when you walk now," Andromeda interjected. Remus chuckled and Tonks exhaled forcefully in exasperation.
"I can't really help it. How would you feel if you had a pumpkin strapped to your abdomen?" Tonks asked sharply.
"One month to go, Nymphadora," Andromeda said impatiently. "Is this your last visit to the Muggle healer?"
"I think so. Most Muggles go back two weeks before they're due for a final visit before birth, but I dunno if I'll be able to walk the hour by then," Tonks replied.
"I was hoping you'd say that," Remus said, with a smile. "Would you care to skip the walk today, and perhaps for the next appointment?"
"I can't use any other means to get there," Tonks said, frowning.
"Lottie's family offered to help us," Remus explained. "She told her parents we walked into town, and they offered to come by to take us with their car for the last two appointments."
"REALLY?!" Tonks cried. "I don't have to walk like this?"
"I'll still add a Cushioning Charm to your feet and a few other charms for your comfort," Andromeda interjected. "It will be easier for you to go by car."
"I haven't been in a car in…Merlin, years!" Tonks said excitedly.
"They'll be coming by to get us in a half hour," Remus informed. "We'll go then."
"Oh, um, I was wondering," Tonks said nervously, "if my mum could come with me this time."
"I had no desire to return to the Muggle healer, Nymphadora."
"It's Remus' birthday and I was hoping to get him something…" Tonks' voice trailed off as she looked between Remus and her mother.
"Love, you don't need to get me anything," Remus said. "In a month you'll be having our baby. That's more than I could ever ask for."
"Not even a new jumper? Chocolate?" Tonks asked, looking into Remus' eyes. At the mention of chocolate, his eyes flickered with just a hint of desire.
"You do want something," Tonks said triumphantly. "So, mum, please?"
"Remus ought to be at the appointment," Andromeda decided. "I don't care for cars, anyway."
"Fine, but Remus, you'll let me buy you chocolate?" Tonks offered. Remus smiled and took her hands in his, giving them a little squeeze.
"If you insist," Remus said.
"I always do," Tonks smiled.
With that decided, Tonks and Remus emerged from the home, and much to Tonks' pleasure, Lottie's parents were waiting for them, to take them to the second to last appointment.
The car ride was pleasant, and Lottie's parents were pleased to meet a grown werewolf as well as his wife. They'd been delighted to learn that werewolves could still father children, provided their spouses weren't werewolves.
In just fifteen short minutes, Tonks and Remus were at the Muggle healer's office. Lottie's parents were going to explore the town while Tonks and Remus were at the healer. Tonks had surreptitiously given Lottie's parents money with which to buy Remus as much chocolate as fifty pounds could buy.
As Remus and Tonks walked down the street, Lottie's parents were indeed waiting for them. Lottie's mother was grinning and winked at Tonks as she entered the car. Upon returning to the Tonkses' home, Remus helped Tonks out of the car, as Lottie's mother handed Tonks a sizable parcel.
Remus and Tonks thanked Lottie's parents profusely, and they entered the house to find a mountain of chocolate waiting for Remus in the dining room.
"You said you wanted chocolate," Andromeda said simply, upon seeing Remus' shocked expression.
"How about a little more?" Tonks suggested, pulling out the parcel from behind her. She unwrapped it to find several more boxes of chocolate within.
"All yours, Remus," Tonks beamed. "Happy birthday!"
"This is…too much," Remus said.
"You deserve all the chocolate in the world," Tonks grinned. "Mum, is the cake ready?"
Andromeda nodded and flicked her wand, as a gigantic double chocolate cake came hovering into the dining room.
"Lottie and her boys sent along this film," Andromeda added, giving Remus a small wrapped rectangular box. He unwrapped it to find a copy of the film The Princess Bride.
"This is brilliant," Tonks laughed, as she looked at the film description, and Remus smiled alongside her.
"I know we couldn't get anyone here for your birthday with the war, and so many people dying," Tonks apologized. "I thought getting you the chocolate would be nice for now."
"This is perfect, Dora," Remus smiled. "I'm exactly with who I wanted to be for my birthday." He took Tonks into his arms, embracing her tightly.
As if on cue, their wands both emitted alarms informing them of visitors to the house.
"What now?" Tonks demanded. Remus wandered back to the front door to see Denbright and Wheeler in the front lawn.
"I thought we weren't to see you on days we had appointments," Tonks said hotly.
"We wanted to see the proof of an appointment," Denbright said bitterly. "What appointment did you have?"
"It's my husband's birthday," Tonks retorted.
"We picked up a cake for him," Andromeda interjected. "As well as these chocolates."
Wheeler and Denbright glanced in their direction, eyeing the parcels and cake suspiciously.
"It's just sodding cake and chocolates," Tonks said angrily. "There aren't any fugitives here!"
"We won't interrupt, then," Wheeler said curtly, turning on his heel. Denbright followed, storming behind his coworker.
"You'd think they'd have something better to do," Tonks grumbled.
"I'll cancel that last appointment," Remus said, sighing. "I don't want another visit like this."
"Aw, Dr. Reed will be disappointed as I won't get those boosters," Tonks said faintly.
"Boosters?" Andromeda asked.
"Uh," Tonks looked at Remus, who was now busying himself anxiously with boxes of chocolate.
"Well, mum, there are these Muggle things called vaccintotions…"
…
Two weeks after Remus' birthday, an unexpected Patronus arrived early in the morning. Tonks was still half-asleep, but she heard Arthur's weasel Patronus clearly tell Remus to meet him at the Burrow at the earliest moment.
"Love?" Remus said gently.
"Hrmph," Tonks replied. "Whattimesit?"
"It's nearly seven, and Arthur sent me a message. I'm going to go."
"Okay," Tonks said sleepily. Remus dressed himself quietly and went out the bedroom door. Only moments later, Andromeda came through the door.
"Nymphadora," Andromeda said quietly. "Come downstairs for breakfast."
"It's too early," Tonks protested. "Please don't make me go downstairs."
Andromeda muttered something and a tray of food made its way to Tonks' bedside table.
"You need to eat and take your potions, Nymphadora," Andromeda insisted. "You've got two weeks to go in this pregnancy and you need all the strength you can get."
"Fine," Tonks snapped, sitting upright.
"Where's Remus?" Andromeda asked suddenly, noticing his absence.
"Arthur sent a Patronus a few minutes ago to Remus to tell him to get to the Burrow as soon as possible," Tonks said rapidly, as she stuffed a large chunk of muffin into her mouth.
"Did you hear anything else?" Andromeda asked.
"Nope. Dunno what it could be about, though."
"I hope everyone there is alright."
"I think we'd have heard if something was wrong," Tonks said, downing another bitter potion. Perhaps the Muggles have it right – those little needles they use are only a moment of pain, while these potions taste revolting.
"Why don't you come downstairs with me?"
"I don't want to move," Tonks protested.
"Becoming bedridden won't help you," Andromeda said sharply. "Get up."
"I'm going to be a lot nicer to my kid," Tonks muttered.
"You'll feel differently by then," Andromeda admonished. "I'll be seeing you downstairs for tea."
Tonks grumbled but dressed herself hastily and went downstairs. It had been nearly twenty minutes since Remus left, and Tonks wondered what was happening at the Burrow.
Tonks heard the crack of Apparition outside the home.
"Can you check to see if that's Remus, mum?" Tonks asked. "Getting up is hard."
Andromeda sighed but proceeded towards the door. Tonks heard the door open and then was shaken by her mother's anguished cries.
"MUM!" Tonks shouted. She stood as fast as she could, cursing her luck that her extremely swollen midsection made it harder for her to move. She walked as quickly as her swollen feet allowed and came to the front door to see Remus and her mother in the front lawn, both kneeling around a shrouded figure.
"MUM! REMUS!" Tonks cried. "What's happened?"
Remus stood quickly. His face was tear-stained and his eyes were red-rimmed.
"Dora," he said shakily, his voice cracking. "Your father."
"What h-happened?" Tonks asked, her voice trembling.
"Snatchers," Remus said, through his own tears. "Murdered. I'm so sorry, Dora, Andromeda. I'm so, so sorry."
Andromeda was weeping at Ted's side, holding his pale, ashen hand in her own. Tonks was crying and struggled to remain standing under the weight of the pregnancy.
Tonks' eyes were wide as she looked at her father's body lying, cold and dead, in their front lawn.
Tonks was at his side, finding it impossible to bend down or kneel. She stood there, with Remus supporting her, as she sobbed upon seeing her father's lifeless face looking back at her, taking in the new reality – her father was no longer alive.
Tonks' vision became fuzzy and hazy; she heard a distant ringing in her ears and she became lightheaded. Her legs felt wobbly and unstable. She felt cold and hot flashes up and down her body. Her stomach began twisting and turning, while also feeling leaden and heavy. Before she knew it, Tonks felt her vision go black.
….
"What's going on?" Tonks asked faintly. She was lying on the sofa and she tasted salt on her lips.
"Your father," Remus said gently, holding Tonks' hands in his own.
"Is – did it really happen?" Tonks' chin quivered, and she felt the tears coming again.
"I'm so sorry, Dora," Remus replied, his own voice strained.
"How – how did it happen?"
"It was a group of Snatchers," Remus said, his voice heavy with emotion. "There's no other explanation."
"How did you know?"
"The summons this morning were from Arthur," Remus began. "When I arrived at the Burrow, Bill was there with your father's body, Dirk Cresswell's, and a goblin's. Bill's been using his…enhanced sense of smell to track down anyone he can. He was unfortunate enough to find your father, Dirk, and the goblin in a forest. He tries to bring them back to their families, if he knows who they are."
"How did they know it was Snatchers?" Tonks asked through her tears.
"Bill has reason to believe that Fenrir Greyback was behind part of it," Remus said quietly.
"How?" Tonks wailed.
"Fenrir appears to be a leader of one group of Snatchers, and found the opportunity to kill Muggleborns and goblins, although I'm not certain that he knew he, or one of his cronies, had killed your father," Remus explained. "I don't believe he did, as your father appears to have been killed with the Killing Curse. Fenrir would have been…savage."
"Where's his body?" Tonks demanded. "I want to see him."
"Your mother has already made arrangements," Remus informed. "She's upstairs."
"Did I faint?"
"Yes," Remus said. "You were out for a little while. Your mother thought the sight of your father's body was unsettling."
"Obviously it was unsettling! My father was just killed!" Tonks shouted. She stayed quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you."
"I understand," Remus said quickly. "I know you're not upset with me."
"He won't get to meet our baby," Tonks cried. "He was so excited to be a grandfather!"
Remus began rubbing circles into Tonks' back, in an attempt to soothe her. She was now shaking with sobs and noticed her hair had turned into a mousey brown.
"I'm so sorry, Dora." Tonks and Remus sat quietly on the sofa, both sniffling, but Tonks felt numb and weak. Her father – dead. He would never get to meet her baby. Her heart clenched, and she leaned back into Remus to cry.
….
The end of March passed in a blur for Tonks. Denbright and Wheeler, the Ministry representatives, had stopped visiting once they learned that Ted had died. Apparently, their visits were aimed primarily at the Tonks family for potentially harboring an undesirable. Remus' status as a werewolf had not kept their attention, much to Remus' surprise.
Tonks was sitting unhappily at the kitchen table, staring out into the garden. The earth was finally ready for some planting, and Remus was taking to the garden enthusiastically.
Her mother, Andromeda, had taken it upon herself to knit and she was well into a third baby blanket. Not that Tonks minded; whatever kept her mother and husband occupied as they grieved the death of her father was enough for her.
"How are you, love?" Remus asked, upon entering the kitchen.
Tonks stared at her husband. His hands and face were covered with dirt, as were his clothes. His hair was longer than it should be, but his eyes and smile were the same. He had been terribly patient, kind, and caring since her father had died. Tonks couldn't help but smile upon seeing him; she loved him fiercely, and she was grateful he had been there for her and for her mother.
"I'm alright," Tonks replied. "Tired, but that's to be expected."
"How's our baby?" Remus asked, now washing his hands and face at the kitchen sink.
"Moving and making me uncomfortable," Tonks replied. "Right on schedule."
"I had a thought while I was out there," Remus said carefully. "About the baby's name."
"I thought we already had a name?"
"For a girl," Remus said quickly. "If it's a boy, I know we liked Sirius for a middle name. I was wondering if we should call him Edward, after your father. We can call him Teddy. What do you think?" Remus looked up at Tonks, and she saw the apprehension in his eyes.
"I love it," Tonks said, with a teary smile. "My dad would've loved it. Now I hope it's a boy, just so we can call him Teddy."
"Me too," Remus said quietly. "I'll be happy with anything, but I would love to call our son Teddy."
"Teddy," Tonks whispered. "It's perfect."
"Teddy Lupin," Remus said, a huge smile growing on his face.
"Teddy Lupin," Tonks beamed. As she placed her hands on her hugely swollen midsection, she hoped that the little one within would make its appearance soon, so that she could call it Teddy.