Nymphadora Tonks and the Seven Deadly Sins

Disclaimer: If I were JKR, I would be writing a Lupin/Tonks sequel instead of the epilogue to book 7. But I'm not, so no Lupin/Tonks sequel.

A/N: Sorry for the wait. Spring break is over now, so I'll update more frequently.

Chapter 3: Pride

Pride was supposed to be the worst of the sins. Tonks remembered hearing the phrase "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" in church before. Proverbs perhaps? Oh well, right now, she wanted to put that from her mind. She was very proud and felt very good.

Of course, she was proud because she'd been eavesdropping. (Happily, that was not one of the seven deadly sins, though her mother had always claimed that it should be.) She'd been eavesdropping on Molly and Remus and overheard something that made her feel all warm inside.

"I swear, that Tonks is going to drive me crazy, Remus. I know Dumbledore thinks a lot of her, but really. She breaks everything and constantly sets off Mrs. Black. What can she really do for the Order?"

Tonks felt her heart drop. She hadn't meant to overhear, really—she had been waiting for Remus to come out of the kitchen, a room Molly never allowed her to enter after a big cooking disaster she had caused. Now she felt herself compelled to listen.

"Molly, she doesn't mean to trip over the rug or the umbrella stand. It's just one of her quirks. Everyone has them. Yours is probably the fact that you like to Mother Hen everyone, even those of us that don't need it."

"Oh, you need it," Molly argued. "You're altogether too thin for your own good. It's not healthy. And it takes such strength to transform every month."

"I take care of myself, Molly. I just don't have the appetite of a teenage boy anymore."

"Anyway, at least I can help clean this place up. What does Tonks do?"

"She's an Auror. She knows what's going on inside the Ministry."

"So does Arthur!"

Remus sighed. "Molly, Arthur doesn't have as high a job standing. He doesn't run in the same circles as Aurors. Aurors know more about what's actually going on with Fudge."

Molly was obviously unimpressed and a little offended for the sake of her husband. "Well, why do we need her? We have Kingsley Shacklebolt. He's an Auror, and not a junior one. Besides, he's also in charge of finding Sirius. What does Tonks do?"

Tonks paused. What did she do really for the Order. Molly had a point. Tonks was beginning to feel a bit depressed.

"She's of a younger generation than us, so of course the possibility that she would be a good recruiter is there," Remus pointed out.

Is that all?

"You and Kingsley aren't old, Remus," Molly pointed out.

"I think the best reason is that she's a fully capable fighter, Molly. She may be dead clumsy when it comes to walking by a troll leg umbrella stand, but there's no one I'd rather have watch my back when I'm fighting Death Eaters."

Tonks had felt like running in there and kissing him on the cheek for being so sweet. Instead she had sneaked away before she was caught. She went to the living room and sat beside Sirius at the fireplace.

"Why do you look so smug, Tonks?"

"Just the thought that somebody trusts me with their life. I don't think that's ever happened before."

"They must be an idiot then. I'd never trust you with my life—you might injure me like all the pieces of china."

Tonks sent Sirius a glare. "Well, no one asked you, did they?" She smiled. "Besides, I wouldn't save your sorry arse if I got the chance."

Sirius smiled. "Neither would I."

He held out a goblet. "Elf wine?"

Tonks took the goblet. "Thanks. A toast?"

Sirius raised his glass. "To Nymphadora Tonks, a very capable if clumsy Auror."

"To Sirius Black, the most sarcastic criminal in Britain."

They both downed their wine.

"Drinking again, you two?" Remus asked.

Sirius shrugged. "It's just wine."

Remus ignored his friend and eyed Tonks. "You're not as quiet as you think, you know."

"Excuse me?"

"I heard you leave. Don't worry, I don't think Molly did. I do have pretty good hearing. Werewolf trait."

"Oh. Sorry. But thank you." Tonks tried to hide a blush but failed miserably.

"It was true." He sat down beside her. "You know, your hair changes color when you blush. It's quite endearing, actually."

Tonks blushed again, this time with pleasure. And that feeling of pride came bubbling up inside her again.

A/N: Thanks to my beta jwoods471 and all my reviewers. I appreciate hearing from you!