Whisky Breath and Snatched Lullabies.
This takes place three years from the Trio's graduation. The defeat of the Dark Lord happened at the end of Harry's seventh year where he and Neville joined together to play the stars in Voldemort's downfall. Since then the wizarding world has been a much more pleasant place but it is still not without it's drama. This particular story features the hunt for a long lost relative, the daughter of one of the lovable Marauder's, and the much-awaited wedding of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks.
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Chapter One.
Four years ago when faced by the knowledge of his godfather's will Harry Potter had sworn never to see Number Twelve Grimmauld Place ever again. And yet here he was, clad in black, hands buried deep into the pockets of his jeans. Twenty years old, the death of his parents and the Dark Lord lost to his past. In truth he was still the same boy that had wandered the halls of Hogwarts only now he bore the title of an Auror, and the cells of Azkaban bore the bodies of several new criminals brought to justice by his hands.
Fortunately for the wizarding world the downfall of the Dark Lord, defeated by the duo Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom, had too seen to a downfall in crime. The Auror's now kept peace in check. Seeing to it that the last remaining followers of Voldemort were comfortable in their well-earned cells and that any chance of history repeating itself were crushed before anything could be made of them.
But this worrisome business was not the reason behind his return to the ancient house of Black. No, Harry Potter had returned under pleasant circumstance for there was a wedding in the close future. The much awaited and even more so delayed union of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks was approaching in under a week and Harry had received the honour of best man.
The street was dark. Nightfall had churned blue into purple, banishing the golds of the sunset beneath the looming horizon. Black tainted the sky; a few stars presented little light to see by. The street lamps flickered yellow, broken from stones aimed by children's games. Climbing the stone steps of Number Twelve Harry removed his wand from inside the waistband of his jeans, a habit of old, and tapped it on the black door. He waited. But did not wait long for he was met not by the sound of clicking locks and the creak of a door being opened but rather by the wearisome face of a recognised man. Remus Lupin.
His worn figure framed the doorway; his eyes which passed over Harry for but a moment, went unregistered. Behind him the glow of oil lamps lit the entrance hallway. A trail of smashed china led to the hysterical figure of his young soon-to-be-bride. Her eyes glowered with anger but were brimming with tears.
"YOU GET BACK HERE REMUS LUPIN! You hear me? I don't want any more of this! All this disappearing, all these absences! I want to find her as much as you but-but-"
Over-whelmed by emotion she hugged her sides. Squeezing and releasing, her fists then proceeding to swing down by her sides, knuckles white, face torn. A single tear slid down her cheek.
Without turning around Remus stopped, his hand paused on the frame of the door. For a moment a flicker of hope shone in Tonks's eyes.
"I should be back by nightfall tomorrow."
An exchange of nods between the two gentlemen and Remus slipped past Harry into the night, the sound of a pop and he was gone.
As if it were her queue Tonks sunk to her knees, collapsing into herself. She shook with emotion, screams of desperation escaping her lips and tears streaming from her eyes. In an instant Mrs Weasley appeared beside her, pulling the younger woman into her arms and holding her tight as she rocked her hysterical form. Harry too took that as he queue to enter the house, pulling the door closed behind him as silently as he could. With another nod to Mrs Weasley and a small hesitant smile he took to the stairs in hope of finding his best friends and a somewhat more welcoming greeting.