"I wish dad could've been here to see this," Tonks said softly, as she pressed her lips to her son's forehead, and brushing away his midnight blue fringe. "He would've loved being a granddad."
"I know, sweetheart. I miss him every day," Andromeda replied, dabbing the corners of her eyes. "He would've loved this little boy."
"Was dad like that when I was born? I don't think I've ever seen Remus so happy," Tonks said, with a smile. "Don't you think he looks younger? He also looked confused, but I wonder if that's from the Calming Draught."
"The first parent to look younger after the birth of a child," Andromeda noted. "Remus often has that bewildered expression on his face when he's happy."
"I think it's an I-can't-believe-this-is-happening-to-me look," Tonks chuckled, while adjusting Teddy on her chest. "He, err, has that face at other times too…" Tonks felt herself blush as her mother chuckled as well.
"Is this all he does?" Tonks asked, looking to change the subject. "Just sleep, eat, and poo?"
"That's all he'll do for a few weeks," Andromeda said. "And change his hair color."
"When did I start changing other things?"
"You started changing noses when you were a few years old, but your hair length and style changed often before then."
"I'm so excited to see him grow up," Tonks murmured. "Remus is going to be a great dad."
"He already is," Andromeda said softly. "He's been working hard for all of us." Teddy began fussing in Tonks' arms.
"I bet he misses his daddy," Tonks said. She lifted Teddy and sniffed his bum. "Nope," Tonks said. "Just needs a change."
"I'll take care of it," Andromeda smiled, taking the baby from Tonks' arms.
"I'm going to need to learn how to do that eventually," Tonks said hastily.
"You'll have plenty of time to learn." Andromeda quickly changed the nappy and cast a good Scourgify to clean the previous one. Teddy had stopped fussing and was back in his mother's arms.
"Mum, I love this kid so much," Tonks said. "How is it even possible to love someone this much?"
"Motherhood does that to you," Andromeda replied, stroking Tonks' currently periwinkle hair. "It's a love that's hard to describe."
"It feels like my heart got too big for my chest," Tonks murmured, while kissing Teddy's now-auburn hair.
A noise downstairs startled Tonks and Andromeda; despite the pain from giving birth, Tonks attempted to stand.
"Sit down, Nymphadora," Andromeda admonished, holding her wand. "You've just given birth to a child."
"It's just me, Remus," a jovial voice announced.
"You should still ask him to identify himself," Tonks breathed, still holding up her wand.
"Announce yourself properly, if you are Remus," Andromeda said sharply.
Remus laughed, which alarmed Tonks, but he spoke. "It is I, Remus John Lupin. I am a werewolf and my Patronus is a wolf. I am married to Nymphadora Lupin, who prefers to go by her maiden name, Tonks. She gave birth this morning to our son, Edward Remus Lupin, who is a Metamorphmagus, just like his gorgeous mother. His hair was pale yellow last time I saw him, and he is the best thing I've ever done."
"I'm pretty sure that's him," Tonks whispered, a crooked smile playing at her lips. "I think he's had a few drinks."
Andromeda smirked and went downstairs to confirm it was Remus, and he returned upstairs and sat down next to Tonks and Teddy.
"Harry's there, at Shell Cottage," Remus said, beaming. "He's accepted becoming Teddy's godfather."
"Look at that, Teddy," Tonks cooed. "The Boy Who Lived is your godfather." Teddy babbled nonsensically as he slept.
"He'll care when he's older," Tonks sighed happily.
"Can I take a picture of you three?" Andromeda asked. "You're quite cozy there."
"Ugh, mum, I look hideous," Tonks said angrily. "I pushed this kid out of me not twelve hours ago."
"Dora, you are gorgeous," Remus said, grinning. "You and Teddy are the most perfect creatures I have ever seen."
"Did you happen to have any drinks while you were out?" Tonks asked, wiggling her eyebrows at Remus.
"Perhaps," Remus said coyly, stifling a giggle.
"Let's take the picture, mum," Tonks groaned. "We might never see this giggly Remus again, and we should capture it."
Remus mock-scowled, but snuggled up next to Tonks, beaming at her and Teddy. Although she was knackered from childbirth, seeing Remus so happy made her heart soar, and after all, she didn't mind taking a picture with her newly expanded family.
….
It was the night of April's full moon, just days after Teddy's birth, and Remus' anxiety was coming back.
"Remus, we're going to be fine," Tonks said for the tenth time in the last hour. "Teddy and I will be in our room, my mum will be in her room, and you're going to be our guard dog."
"What if something happens to Teddy? To you?" Remus was pacing anxiously. "What if he hurts himself? What if he hurts you?"
"What if he's not a werewolf? He hasn't given any indication that he's affected by lycanthropy," Tonks countered. "He's not pale and he hasn't got any dark circles under his eyes. He's pooed thrice today, no more or less than usual. He'll be fine."
"I'm so worried," Remus whispered, staring at the sleeping infant.
"We'll be just fine, Remus," Tonks pressed. "Mum's already in her room."
"I haven't placed any Silencing Charms on the room, either," Andromeda said through her door. "In case I need to hear any of you. Just a Locking Charm to prevent any…accidents."
"Thanks, mum!" Tonks yelled. Teddy began stirring and sniffling in his cot, and Remus quickly took the baby up into his arms, as he glared in Tonks' direction.
"He's got me for a mum," Tonks said, rolling her eyes. "He'll have to get used to loud noises." Remus frowned, but kissed Teddy's now-golden hair and set him back in the cot.
"It's almost time, Remus," Tonks reminded. "I'm going to place a Locking Charm on the door, but not a Silencing Charm. Transform downstairs."
"Fine," Remus harrumphed. "Keep Teddy in his cot. I placed a few protective enchantments on it so he won't be able to get out if he transforms, too." Remus took a long, dejected glance at the cot where their son was fussing.
"I'll break the enchantments if I need to," Tonks replied. "Now go, Remus!" Remus glared and scowled again but left the room.
Tonks shook her head as Remus went downstairs; she then cast a Locking Charm on the door to keep Remus out, if needed. The full moon always brought out his temper, even when he was happy. She returned to their bedroom, where Teddy was still sniffling in his cot.
"Alright, Teddy," Tonks began. "It's your first full moon. I think you'll be just fine, but your daddy is losing his mind."
Tonks kept an eye on the clock as the moon began to rise. She was able to hear Remus' anguished screams from the room upstairs as he transformed. She felt tears falling out of her eyes as she heard his agonizing pain, but kept her gaze firmly on Teddy.
The infant began crying. Tonks wasn't able to get to him with the protective enchantments Remus had cast, but she could hear and see him crying loudly in the cot. Unlike Remus, who was screaming in agony and transforming, Teddy was growing red in the face from his cries.
Tonks stared at her son, bewildered. He wasn't transforming, but he was in distress. He wasn't growing a snout or tail, and he had no teeth. He was as human as ever, albeit with fiery red hair to match his red, tear-stained cheeks. Tonks felt conflicted; he wasn't transforming, but moonrise certainly hadn't helped the child.
"Fuck this," Tonks muttered, undoing the enchantments around the cot. "I'm getting my boy." She broke all the enchantments and finally picked the screaming infant up from his cot.
"Shh," Tonks murmured, bringing Teddy up to her shoulder. She began swaying in place, in order to calm him, but his screaming continued mercilessly.
Another sound startled Tonks through Teddy's cries. It was…whining. As the whining grew louder, so did Teddy's cries. Tonks crept closer to the door, where a snout was sticking out underneath the door frame.
"Remus?" Tonks asked tentatively, over Teddy's screams.
A howl was heard through the door, and Tonks stood near the threshold, panicked. It was unlike Remus to howl or whine, even with Wolfsbane. Teddy was still screaming and his face was turning purple from the cries, despite Tonks' various attempts to soothe the child.
Whining and crying attacked Tonks' ears from either side and she felt helpless. She didn't want to place a Silencing Charm on either her son or husband, as she was unsure if there was something wrong that Remus was trying to convey. Nor did she want to silence her son, as he was straining with the effort of screaming.
Still, Tonks realized, she had to do something.
She took the still-wailing Teddy back to his cot and placed an enchantment on it that would repel Remus. Tonks then lifted the Locking Charm on the door and slowly opened it. To her surprise, Remus burst through the door, nearly knocking her over, and bounded towards the cot.
Tonks panicked, but the enchantment she'd placed on the cot held and Remus was held back by a meter from approaching the screaming baby.
"Remus?" Tonks asked. Remus-as-the-wolf was whining at the edge of the ward Tonks had placed on the cot. His eyes were glowing amber-yellow, and he was howling in front of the cot, pawing at the edges of the ward.
"Remus," Tonks said more firmly, and the werewolf looked back at her. Tonks froze in place, as the werewolf came up to her slowly. Tonks was unsure what Remus was thinking, and Teddy's wailing had not stopped. He was still a reddish-purple color from the screaming.
The werewolf crept up towards Tonks, and she held her hands up as if in surrender. "Remus, it's me, your Dora, your mate," Tonks said softly. "Please tell me you understand me."
The werewolf bobbed its snout up and down and whined in Teddy's direction.
"I think I know what you want, Remus, but you told me no," Tonks explained, over Teddy's crying. "He's not a werewolf, but he's really upset."
The werewolf replied by whining and howling, which led Teddy to scream even louder than before. Teddy's hair was still a fiery red, and Tonks could see small sparks emerging from the tips of his fine hair.
"Okay, this kid's going to set the cot on fire if I don't do something," Tonks said, determinedly, and broke the wards on the cot in order to pick her son up.
Remus was right next to her as she picked up Teddy, and he was whining up at the pair. Teddy's crying had subsided somewhat upon being in his mother's arms, but he was still wailing.
"Remus," Tonks called. The werewolf looked up at Tonks with wide, concerned eyes.
"Can you lie down, Remus?" Tonks asked. "I'm going to try something."
Remus whined but awkwardly laid down on the floor. Teddy was still crying and Tonks, still sore, got to her knees and brought Teddy to the floor as well, bringing him in front of Remus' snout.
Remus sniffed at the crying infant, and to Tonks' surprise, Teddy began calming down.
"This is so weird," Tonks mumbled, as she stared at her son, now lying next to Remus' werewolf head, in between his snout and paw.
A soft click raised Tonks' suspicions. She looked up to see her mother standing at the threshold of the bedroom, staring in abject horror at the scene in front of her. Remus looked up and growled softly at Andromeda.
"Remus!" Tonks said sternly. "This is my mother. She's part of our pack too." Remus-the-wolf blinked twice and returned his snout to Teddy's side, still looking up at Andromeda suspiciously.
"What in Merlin's name is going on?" Andromeda hissed. "A werewolf should not be around a newborn!"
"Did you hear Teddy crying?" Tonks retorted, in a low voice. "He was wailing. Remus was whining. They stopped when I put them together."
"This is unacceptable, Nymphadora," Andromeda whispered angrily. "Remove your child at once." Remus looked up and growled again at Andromeda.
"Remus," Tonks said, sharply, placing her hands on either side of Remus' snout. "My mum is part of our pack. She loves Teddy, too."
Remus' stern, suspicious eyes stayed on Andromeda, but the werewolf stayed put at Teddy's side. Teddy, for his part, was back asleep, his hair a brilliant turquoise.
"Remus, I'm going to try something," Tonks said softly, forcing Remus to look into her eyes. "I'm going to take Teddy for just a minute out to see my mum. I'll be right back with him, okay?" Remus grumbled as a wolf and sat up, not taking his eyes off Teddy.
"Alright, baby," Tonks murmured. "Come with mummy and Gran now." Tonks picked up her sleeping son as Remus eyed the pair warily. Remus let out a low whine upon seeing Tonks taking Teddy across the room.
"Remus, I'll be right back, I promise," Tonks reminded. "I'll take our pup right back to you." Remus' snout bobbed slightly, but his gaze never left Teddy.
Tonks walked across the threshold to the corridor, where Andromeda was standing in shock.
"Alright, mum, I got Teddy now," Tonks grumbled. "We're all just fine." Teddy opened his eyes briefly to look up at his mother, and he began to fuss. His hair turned to neon orange, and he began to cry in earnest.
Remus-the-wolf immediately came to Tonks' side and began whining at the sight, while grumbling at Andromeda.
"For Merlin's sake, you two," Tonks said in exasperation, as both the whining and the crying grew louder. "Teddy's probably just hungry, mum. Go back to sleep. I'm going to stay in my room with Teddy and Remus before either of them lose their shit again."
Andromeda eyed the trio warily. "If he steps one toe out of line—"
"Mum, he won't," Tonks said flatly. "Just let us go." Andromeda muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like babies, werewolves, and dinner, but Tonks let it go to return to her room with a wailing infant and a whining werewolf.
"Remus, love, can you just lay down again?" Tonks asked impatiently. "I think Teddy's hungry." Remus did as he was told and awkwardly placed himself on the floor while looking up at Tonks and Teddy. The infant was still crying and his hair remained a neon orange. Tonks lifted her shirt and placed Teddy at her breast. Unsurprisingly, Teddy began to eat immediately.
"See, Remus? He was just hungry," Tonks said in exhaustion. Remus' eyes never left Teddy as he ate, and Tonks made sure to keep Teddy visible to Remus as she burped and changed his nappy.
"We're going to sleep now," Tonks murmured. "Remus, d'you mind if I put Teddy in his cot and I can lay in our bed?"
Remus bobbed his snout and went directly to the cot, laying down next to it.
"You make a good guard dog, Remus," Tonks chuckled weakly, laying a sleeping Teddy back in his cot. "You'll wake me if he gets hungry again, yeah?" Remus stared at Tonks, bobbing his snout again.
"Good doggy," Tonks mumbled, as she drifted off to sleep.
….
The morning after April's full moon, Tonks woke to the sounds of Remus' anguished cries as he was transforming back to a human. Tonks vaguely remembered Remus' cold, wet snout waking her every few hours when Teddy's wails wouldn't, which allowed her to feed or change him as necessary.
Now, a naked, human Remus lay on the floor next to Teddy's cot. The baby's hair was a sandy brown, not unlike the werewolf's fur. Tonks snorted, thinking that Teddy wanted to match his father's wolf coat.
"Wotcher, Remus," Tonks said softly into Remus' ear, just after bringing him a fresh set of clothes. "How do you feel?"
Remus groaned and replied, "Exhausted."
"Didn't you sleep at all?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I was watching Teddy."
"And?"
"I, err, didn't want anything to happen to him."
"Other than screaming at me and making two glorious messes in his nappies, I think he did just fine for his first full moon," Tonks said, while looking Remus' body over. "You're alright, too. Some bruises here and there, but I think that's normal for you, yeah?"
"With Wolfsbane, yes," Remus rasped. "Can you help me?"
"Of course, love," Tonks replied. She helped Remus up, and helped him put his clothes on, until he was clad in a jumper and flannel pajama pants.
"Do you remember much of last night?" Tonks asked, once Remus was seated on their bed. He glanced over at Teddy, who was still sleeping soundly in his cot.
"I growled at your mother," Remus said, his ears turning pink. "And maybe you, too."
"It seems that Moony is very protective of his pup," Tonks smiled. "I dunno if Teddy felt anything, but he was wailing the minute the moon rose."
"He didn't transform, though," Remus said hoarsely.
"No, he didn't," Tonks replied brightly. "He wailed till you came to see him. When you finally got here, I put him right next to your snout."
"I can't believe I let you do that," Remus said, putting his face into his hands. "That was incredibly stupid of me."
"You took your Wolfsbane, Remus. You've been with me several times now with the Wolfsbane and you're always fine. Mum thought I was mad to let you in here."
"Your mother was right," Remus said darkly. "I could've killed both of you. What if the Wolfsbane had been made incorrectly?" Remus looked up into Tonks' eyes; she could see the anxiety burning within them.
"It's the same batch as last month, Remus," Tonks sighed. "I made it then and it was perfect then. Why wouldn't it be perfect now? Teddy was fine. I was fine. You were fine. I really think the wolf inside you got anxious that he didn't have his pup with him."
"I'm so embarrassed," Remus said, trying to hide his face in his hands again.
"Don't be. Teddy calmed right down when you got to him. I guess the pup needed his daddy, too." Tonks stroked Remus' hair gently. He stilled for a moment and breathed heavily.
"Did you call me a good doggy last night?" Remus asked suddenly.
"I might've," Tonks said, smirking. "You make a good guard dog." Remus rolled his eyes and then winced in pain.
"Remus, you should sleep. You and the pup could both do with some sleep."
"You need it too," Remus countered. "Stay with me? Us?" Remus looked over to the cot, where Teddy lay sleeping.
"Let me get my mum first," Tonks said. She got up and left the room quietly, knocking softly on her mother's door.
"Is everyone human again?" Andromeda asked sharply through the door.
"Yes, mum, all human and all alive," Tonks replied acerbically. "Want to see for yourself?"
Andromeda opened the door and Tonks stared back at her mother.
"What in Merlin's name were you thinking last night, Nymphadora?" Andromeda demanded.
"I was thinking that my kid was screaming his head off and his dad was whining, and it looked like they calmed each other down," Tonks explained impatiently. "Remus stayed by Teddy's cot all night. Both father and baby lived to tell the tale."
"Dora?" Remus called hoarsely.
"C'mon, mum," Tonks beckoned. "Remus wants to see me now." Andromeda harrumphed but followed Tonks into the other bedroom.
"Hello, Andromeda," Remus said nervously. "I am sorry I growled at you last night. I, err, didn't mean to…"
"I tried to take Teddy away from you," Andromeda said shortly. "I thought you of all people would know how dangerous it is to have an infant around a—"
"—I know," Remus interrupted. "I do. Next time, we'll figure something else out. I'm just relieved that Teddy isn't like me."
"Mum, see? It was fine," Tonks said. "We can bicker about my son having a guard dad another time. I want to sleep."
"Guard dad?" Remus asked incredulously.
"Whatever," Tonks muttered. "Guard dog, then, if you like. It doesn't matter, because I need some fucking sleep already."
Just then, Teddy began fussing, and his hair turned neon orange.
"You'll have to wait just a little longer for a kip, Nymphadora," Andromeda said knowingly, as Tonks groaned and Remus stifled a snicker.
…..
The month of May began cool and breezy. It was the afternoon of the second of May, and Tonks was creating multicolored bubbles from the end of her wand, which had been amusing Teddy for the last twenty minutes.
Tonks looked up to see Remus in the garden. Every day, like clockwork, Remus spent at least two hours in the garden, tending to the various plants. He had added a section to his garden for magical plants, which could be used in his healing potions and salves after a full moon. Gardening was the only activity he did besides attend to Tonks and Teddy all day. Tonks very nearly had to force him outside for his daily work, as he could hardly take his eyes off his family.
"Your daddy loves you so much, Teddy," Tonks murmured to her son. "Mummy loves you too, but I think daddy might love you more."
"Not true," Remus said suddenly, appearing in the parlor. "I love you both, with everything I am, and everything I have."
"Your daddy's just saying that," Tonks said playfully to the now raven-haired infant.
"Am not," Remus protested. "I love you both. I think I might be more protective with Teddy, though. I think it's the mating or pack bond." Remus blushed, looking uncomfortable.
"I think I feel the same," Tonks murmured. "I love you, Remus, but this kid's got some hold over me. The idea of someone wanting to hurt him makes me want to rip someone's throat out."
"It's the mating thing," Remus sighed. "Teddy has parents willing to murder for him."
"I hope no one ever breaks his heart," Tonks said, stroking a finger on his chubby cheek. "He's my perfect boy."
"You won't feel that way when he breaks everything you own," Andromeda interjected, snorting into her tea. "You were my perfect little girl until I had to replace all the teacups multiple times over. Reparo only works so many times."
Remus chuckled, and sat down at Tonks' side. "Let's hope he doesn't inherit my clumsiness, then," Tonks said, huffing angrily.
Teddy yawned and his hair morphed into what was clearly becoming his favorite color – a bright turquoise. Tonks morphed her hair to match the same shade, allowing her hair to grow out to her waist.
"Mum, can you take a picture of us?" Tonks asked. "We don't have as many of the three of us."
"Of course, Nymphadora," Andromeda replied. She took a picture of the little family, and brought back two recently developed moving photographs. One was of the day Teddy was born, when Remus had returned, slightly tipsy, from Shell Cottage. The other was of Teddy alone, his hair changing from its natural sandy brown to bright turquoise.
"These are perfect," Remus beamed, looking at the pictures, and then back at his son.
"Hold him, so I can take a picture of you both," Tonks ordered, placing Teddy into Remus' arms.
Tonks took the camera from her mother and captured the moment. Remus was beaming at Teddy and kissed his forehead, as Teddy's hair flashed sandy brown momentarily.
A flash of silvery-blue light came into the room unexpectedly. It was a weasel, Arthur's Patronus.
"Come to Hogwarts immediately. Final battle. This is it."
Remus, Andromeda, and Tonks all gasped collectively upon hearing Arthur's words. They were spoken clearly and calmly, though Tonks could sense the underlying anxiety.
Tonks summoned the wireless and tapped it with Potterwatch's last password, "Alastor."
Lee Jordan's voice filled the room: "Witches and wizards, this is not a drill. Lightning has struck Hogwarts castle. All available hands, wands, and fighters are needed. Chief Death Eater is coming with his friends. Lightning and company will need all the help they can get. Come through the Hog's Head immediately. This is it."
"We have to go," Tonks declared. Remus and Andromeda stared at her.
"You heard him! We have to go!" Tonks repeated, more loudly.
"Absolutely not, Nymphadora," Andromeda said sternly. "You have a child who needs you."
"I will go," Remus said, taking Teddy and bringing him to Andromeda's arms. "I will go for us."
"Remus, no," Tonks begged. "I can't lose you. Teddy can't lose you."
"Dora, Harry will need all the help he can get. You heard Arthur and Lee. This is it – this is the final battle. I have to go," Remus retorted. "I'm fighting for us, for our family. Surely you can understand that."
"I want to go too, then! I'll help you!" Tonks cried. "I can't just sit back and wait!"
"That's exactly what you're going to do, Nymphadora," Andromeda commanded. "You are a mother now. Stay for your child."
"No," Tonks said, more angrily. "I'm going to fight."
Andromeda glanced up at Remus, whose eyes were darting between the boy in her arms and Tonks herself.
"Do it, Remus," Andromeda said quietly. "For her own good."
"Do what?" Tonks shouted.
"Dora," Remus said sternly, his eyes welling with tears. "I forbid you from going. You must stay here with your mother and our son."
Tonks felt the pull of the command as soon as she heard it. It wasn't quite like receiving an order through the Imperius Curse, wherein she would feel pleasantly at ease. Rather, this order from Remus – to stay behind – cut through her heart and kept her rooted to the home, despite the whirlwind of emotions playing in her heart.
"You bastard," Tonks said indignantly. "You promised you wouldn't order me."
"I'm sorry, Dora," Remus said quietly. "I wouldn't have ordered you if I didn't have a choice. Our son needs you."
"Our son needs his father!" Tonks cried. "Please, don't leave us!"
"I will come back, Dora," Remus vowed. "I'm going to come back when we've won. I will never leave you again. I promise."
"What if you don't—"
"—don't say that," Remus said sternly. "I'm coming back. I have to. I'm coming back for you and Teddy. I'm never leaving either of you again. I promised."
"I'm sorry for calling you a bastard," Tonks said quietly. "I-I'll stay with Teddy."
Remus breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Dora," he said, approaching Tonks and wrapping her in his arms. "I'm going to go now, but I promise I'm coming back. I'm going to come back for you and our family."
"Okay," Tonks sniffled, looking up into her husband's eyes. "For me and Teddy." She took a glance at one of the photographs developed that morning and stuffed the one of Teddy into Remus' hands.
"For him. For us," Tonks whispered. "Please come back to us."
"I will," Remus promised, kissing Tonks. "I have to go, love, but I'm coming back. We will win and we will return."
"I love you, Remus," Tonks said.
"I love you, Dora," he replied. He went over to Andromeda and Teddy.
"Thank you, Andromeda, for everything," Remus said quietly. He turned towards his son, still in Andromeda's arms.
"Teddy, I love you more than life itself," he murmured. "I'm going to come back to you, my son. I will come back to you and your mother and we will be the family I've always dreamt of." Remus kissed Teddy's forehead, and took one more glance at the family before turning out the door. He Apparated away with a pop.
…..
Just an hour after Remus left, Tonks was pacing nervously in her bedroom. Teddy was happily sleeping in his cot, blissfully unaware of the war and battle raging in the magical world.
Tonks had kept the wireless on for Potterwatch, but no more voices were heard from it. As far as she was aware, the radio program had been abandoned so its hosts could participate in the battle at Hogwarts. No other messages – Patronus or otherwise – came to Tonks or Andromeda. The suspense was killing her, but she was prevented from leaving the home, given Remus' order to her. While nearly all aspects of the mating bond were tolerable, Remus' ability to order her directly irritated her beyond reason at the current moment.
Despite Remus' insistence and order that she stay with her mother and Teddy, Tonks had kept her anxiety at bay by packing a bottle of Dittany in her robe pocket. Even if Remus came back, she was certain he would need healing from battle. Upon giving it further thought, she grabbed the smallest first aid kit she had from her Auror days, which held a small bottle of Skele-Gro, as well as a few bezoars. Though she doubted Death Eaters would be force-feeding poisons during battle, Tonks felt it was better to be prepared.
As Tonks paced in the bedroom, she felt an uncomfortable warmth around her throat. She put her hand up to the base of her throat and realized it was the pendant that was growing warm – Remus. She had nearly forgotten about the Blood Magic pendant, tied to Remus' life and magic. She had not needed it for months, as Remus had been transforming with Wolfsbane in their home. Now, it was growing warm, which indicated he was injured.
Tonks began to panic. The pendant wasn't burning hot, but it was warm enough for her to feel it at her throat. She muttered under her breath, hoping that he had merely sustained an injury and would not be succumbing to anything yet. It was now nightfall, and she was terrified.
The pendant grew warmer. Tonks kept pacing, worried beyond reason.
The pendant was now hot, burning against Tonks' skin. Something broke within her.
"I have to go," Tonks said suddenly, disrupting the silence in the bedroom. She glanced at Teddy, her beautiful, turquoise-haired son, sleeping blissfully in his cot.
"Mummy has to go, Teddy," she whispered frantically to the sleeping infant. "I love you so, so much, Teddy. Mummy's going to help daddy now. I promise I'll be back with your daddy, as soon as I can." She kissed his head, feeling the tears welling in her eyes again.
She ran out of the bedroom, still feeling the burning against the base of her throat.
"MUM, I'M GOING!" Tonks screamed at her mother.
"Nymphadora, no, you can't!" Andromeda shouted. "You have to stay! You're supposed to stay!"
"The pendant – mum, it's burning! Remus is in trouble!"
"You – the order – Remus told you to stay!"
"It broke, mum," Tonks said desperately. "I have to save him, mum. His life is in danger – I'm disregarding everything he said."
"YOUR SON, NYMPHADORA!" Andromeda screeched. "Stay for your son!"
"Mum, I'm fighting for my son!" Tonks yelled in return. "I love you, and I love Teddy, but Remus needs me. I'm going!"
"Nymphadora, no!" Andromeda yelled.
It was too late, however, as Tonks ran out of the house and past the Anti-Apparition enchantments. Turning on her heel, she Apparated away, leaving her mother, panting and speechless, in the front lawn.