The next morning Tonks went back to her home, at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. She followed the voices that were in the kitchen. Remus and Molly and Arthur Weasley were eating breakfast in the kitchen.
The Weasleys had lived at the Order Headquarters for the last five weeks. Their home had been destroyed in an attack by Death Eaters. Luckily, no one had been hurt in the attack. The Weasleys were able to have the outside of their home rebuilt by the time of their son, Bill's wedding to Fleur Delacour. The inside was just completed, but they had decided to stay at Headquarters for the summer.
Tonks sat down to help herself to a bit of breakfast when she heard two loud cracks. Fred and George had apparated into the kitchen.
"Excellent timing, twin!" one said to the other. Tonks still couldn't tell which was which.
"Mum, one thing we do miss is your breakfast," the other twin said.
Molly put her hands on her hips. "Fred, you could have stayed here. It was your decision to move to your own place."
"I know, Mum," Fred said, "I know. Be grateful, we work all hours of the night. We'd just be waking people up."
Just then George turned towards the table and saw Tonks sitting there. He sat down and took her hand. "We need to talk, future wife."
Tonks rolled her eyes. For over a year now, George would pretend to ask Tonks out. "From this moment on, you are now my former future wife."
"Oh really?" Tonks arched one eyebrow. She noticed that Molly was trying to pretend not to listen.
"I have fallen in love with another. And she now deserves that title," George smiled.
"Good for you!" Tonks told him. She looked at Fred, "Have you made an honest woman of Angelina yet?"
Fred chuckled. "This conversation is over. We're going to give Mum a heart attack if we keep talking about marriage."
"Oh Fred," Molly blushed.
"Believe it or not, we did have a purpose coming over here. Mum, can we borrow Ron today? Someone called in sick, and we need an extra worker."
"Don't ask me," Molly said, "Ron's of age now, as he keeps reminding me."
George gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Mum," he said as he apparated upstairs.
"Oh, and Tonks?" Fred said.
"Yes, Fred?"
"I really dig the veela look," he said, raising both of his eyebrows before disappearing. Tonks forgot that she had the long silver hair this morning.
Tonks laughed. "I still don't know how you raised seven children, Molly."
Molly shook her head. "Sometimes I don't know either. So what do you have planned today, Tonks?"
Tonks recognized Molly's tone. It was a tone she used when she wanted some help with housework. "I'm going to visit my parents today," Tonks said.
"How are they?" Arthur asked.
Tonks parents had been attacked by Death Eaters. Her mother had been completely cured, but it was now certain that her father would never be able to talk again. Tonks wanted to cry every time she saw her father open his mouth to try to speak.
"Mum's okay. One of her bones hurts like hell right before it's going to rain. She says it helps her know when to use an umbrella. My dad's learning how to use a Thought Board," Tonks answered.
A Thought Board was a small white board that one could place thoughts on, showing them to another person. It was very difficult to master. A lot of times thoughts that you would want no one to see would end up on the board. Tonks remembered being horrified when the board showed, "We should have sex tonight, Meda." Meda was what her father called her mother, her full name being Andromeda. She was even more horrified when her mother blushed and nodded her head. Tonks had tried very hard to pretend that she hadn't seen that.
Tonks ate her breakfast and ran up to her room. She had stayed at Hogwarts last night, so she needed to shower and change before she went to her parents. Flopping on her bed, she picked up a picture that had been taken a little less than two years ago. It was of her and Sirius.
She remembered that day clearly. Tonks had grown up hearing all about the horrible things her cousin Sirius Black had done. Imagine her surprise when she discovered what a wonderful person he really was. The picture version of Sirius was waving at her and had his arms around the picture version of her. "I miss you, Sirius," she told the picture.
Sirius was the only thing she and Severus really disagreed about. Even though he had been dead for a year, Severus still could not speak well of him. Tonks refused to let Severus say bad things about Sirius in front of her. It amazed her how people could hold onto a grudge, even after death.
There was a knock on her door. "Come in!" Tonks yelled, getting up off of the bed. No one came in. "You may enter!" Tonks said louder. Still, no one entered. Tonks walked to the door and opened it in front of her. Kreacher, Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place's resident house-elf was standing there, twisting part of his toga in his hands. Tonks was worried, Kreacher never bothered knocking. He usually barged in wherever he wanted to go.
"Yes?" Tonks asked uneasily.
"Kreacher has just gotten word that his son is ill. Kreacher wishes to see his son," Kreacher asked, bowing his head. Ever since he called her a whore, and Tonks threatened to kill him, Kreacher would always obey her command. Tonks was a Black, so he had to obey her, even if he hated her.
"You have a son?" Tonks asked in amazement.
"Botto is very sick. Kreacher is told Botto might die," Kreacher said. Tonks looked at the house-elf. She knew he was telling the truth, as he was unable to lie to her.
Tonks asked her next question carefully. "Whose family is Botto bound to?" she asked.
"The family of Lucius Malfoy," Kreacher said slowly.
'Is Botto at the Malfoy Manor?" Tonks asked. Kreacher nodded. No one currently lived at the Malfoy Manor. Tonks couldn't see any harm in letting the old house-elf see his son. She decided she would get another opinion, just in case. Kreacher was very sneaky.
"I'll let you know by the end of today," Tonks said clearly.
Kreacher slowly started walking down the hallway. Tonks heard him mutter, "Mudblood slut. Dares to call herself a Black…"
Tonks closed the door and sighed. Now she really needed that shower. Just talking to Kreacher made her feel dirty.
An hour later, Tonks tried to apparate to her parents' house. At once, she could tell that anti-apparation wards had been put on the house. "Why didn't they tell me?" she wondered aloud.
Tonks decided to floo over instead. She grabbed a handful of floo powder, sprinkled it over the fire, and said "Ted Tonks house," clearly. Nothing happened.
No Tonks was getting worried. She couldn't apparate or floo over to her house. Her parents' house was too far to walk. That left one thing to do.
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Tonks was flying in the air on her Comet Two Sixty. She closed her eyes briefly and felt the wind go through her hair, which for the journey, she had made very, very short. Gods, she loved flying. She didn't fly nearly enough. Maybe she would make Severus take a fly with her. Tonks chuckled, picturing him on a broom.
She was very high up, not wanting to been seen by any muggles. The broom compass she had brought with, told her she needed to be flying east. She changed course expertly.
Forty-five minutes, she finally made it to her parents' house. Thirty minutes ago, she had made a wrong turn, which added some time to her journey. Her parents' house was in the country, surrounded by very tall trees. They had no neighbors for miles, so Tonks didn't have to worry about being seen on her descent.
She loved this house. It was very small, only two bedrooms. But since there was only the three of them growing up, they had plenty of room.
She landed a quarter of a mile beyond the actual house. Picking her broom off of the ground, she started walking. The moment the house came into view, she head someone yell "Freeze!"
Tonks stopped. Her wand was in her back pocket. "Stay where you are!" the voice yelled.
"Wotcher, mate. I'm not moving," Tonks said good-naturedly. She recognized the voice as Gordon Petty, a fellow Auror.
Gordon came into view then. He was very tall and very skinny. He always seemed to have a look of surprise on his face. "Tonks?" he asked.
"In the flesh, mate. Why are you here?" she asked curiously. After her parents had been attacked, the Ministry had Auror patrolling the area. Tonks always wanted to patrol for her parents, but they never let her take a shift. Two weeks ago, the Ministry announced they no longer would be providing guard. Too many other priorities, they said. Mum was relieved. She hadn't liked knowing that people where watching the house at all times.
"There hasn't been another threat against them, has there?" Tonks asked. That couldn't be it. Mum and Dad would have told her right away.
"I'm not sure," Gordon answered. "This is where I was stationed this week. You know me. I never ask questions."
Tonks laughed. "I need to learn that lesson some day. I better go in and find out what's going on," she told him.
"There's six of us here. Say hi before you leave," Gordon said.
"Six? After the attack, there were only two stationed," Tonks said, picking up the pace to appease her curiosity.
Feeling like a stranger at the house she grew up in, Tonks rang the doorbell. After a minute, Tonks could see her mother's petite frame through the window. "Mum! It's your only child. Hurry up!" she cried. Tonks saw her mother motion to someone.
Finally, her mother opened the door. "About time, Mum," Tonks complained. Stepping into the house, Tonks whined, "Why didn't you tell me about the anti-apparation ward and that I couldn't floo here?"
"Nymphadora, those were only set up last night. Truth be told, I forgot that we arranged for you to visit," her mother said quietly.
Tonks laughed. "That's great. My own mum, forgetting all about me. How do you like that?" Tonks grinned.
"I just flew here from London, Mum. I'm starving. Can I grab something to eat before dinner?" Tonks asked, heading towards the kitchen.
Her mother blocked the entrance to the kitchen. "I'll bring something out for you, dear. You must be tired. Why don't you sit down," she said quickly.
This was getting weird. "Okay…thanks," Tonks said.
Heading towards the kitchen, her mum asked, "What would you like?"
Tonks settled herself onto the couch and yelled, "Short bread!" Her mother made the most wonderful short bread.
A few minutes passed, and her mother wasn't back from the kitchen yet. She heard footsteps going down the hall, away from the kitchen. Tonks decided to investigate.
She quietly walked through the kitchen, noticing there were three dirty plates on the table. She heard her mother in her parent's bedroom talking to her father. "This will work, Ted. We'll make it work."
Tonks walked past her old bedroom, noticing the door was wide open. She looked inside and continued walking. Then stopped, and did a double take. She was sure see couldn't have seen what she just thought she saw.
Tonks looked straight into the bedroom she had grown up in and gasped. Draco Malfoy was sound asleep in her bed.