Chapter Forty-One – New Beginnings
A week later, Tonks walked in and pulled off her Auror dress robe. She had just come back from Antonin Dolohov's hearing. Tonks had been able to confirm that he tortured her, and it looked like he would be receiving a life sentence.
A moment later, Severus came into the room, looking quite pleased.
"Why Severus Snape, don't you look happy about something?" Tonks teased, settling herself on the couch.
"It's been a good day," Severus said, handing her a piece of parchment. Tonks scanned it quickly and saw that it was a formal letter of apology from Cleeve Dickerson.
"Excellent!" Tonks said. "About time the bastard said something. You know, I never liked him. There are rumors that he won't get the permanent position."
"I have more news," Severus added, running his hand up and down her arm.
"And what would that be?"
"I did it, Dora," he told her.
"Did what?" Tonks asked.
"Gave my notice to Hogwarts."
She looked up at him and smiled. Leaving Hogwarts was something he had been talking about for a while. Though he always said that he didn't think he'd have the courage to leave.
"Good for you," Tonks said softly.
Severus sat down next to her and took her hand. "Only two more months of teaching. Two months of grading papers, of dealing with idiotic questions and wanting to pound my fist against the wall."
At Christmas, he had told her that he didn't enjoy teaching, that he basically hated it. But he only did it because he knew he'd be safe at Hogwarts. "So have you thought about what you'll do?" Tonks asked.
Severus nodded. "Research."
Tonks cocked her head slightly, unsure of what he meant.
"More specifically, medical research. I enjoy potions, just not teaching it. And I've learned a lot this year from a research standpoint," Severus said.
"I just want you to be happy," Tonks told him. "Do you think this will make you happy?"
"I do," Severus said slowly. "I can try to get hired by St. Mungos, or possibly a potion manufacturer. I have options, Dora. I've never really had them before."
"Options are good," Tonks said cheerfully. "And you have that burn salve you made last year. People would be foolish not to hire you."
"I heard that the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher is leaving as well. So now Professor McGonagall will have two positions to fill," Severus said.
"And you didn't think to apply for her job?" Tonks asked. "I know you've always wanted to be the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher."
"I thought about it for a moment," Severus said truthfully. "But it's time for me to leave Hogwarts. When Voldemort fell, my life here at Hogwarts ended."
"I wonder if Remus could apply?" Tonks said. "The Ministry passed the appeal of Umbridge's law. Remus can find work again. I know he loved teaching here."
"I'm sure the job is his if he wants it," Severus said. "I hate to admit it, but he was a good teacher."
"So where should we live?" Tonks asked out of the blue. "Hogsmeade? London? Somewhere else?"
"I can't think about that tonight, Dora," Severus said. "It's a jolt enough to my system knowing that I won't be teaching here. Hogwarts has been my home for more than sixteen years. I can't think about living anywhere else yet."
"I understand," Tonks said. But to herself, she couldn't wait to see the classified section in the Daily Prophet.
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The next day, Tonks and Severus were walking in Diagon Alley. "This feels weird," Tonks told Severus. "Doesn't this feel weird?"
Severus brought her hand up and kissed it. "It feels right to me."
Tonks giggled. She had been referring to the fact that they were now out holding hands in public for the first time. "Not that being weird is bad, mind you. It's just…we were a secret for so long, and now it's like we're announcing to the world, look! We're holding hands! We're a couple! Do you know what I mean?"
"I do, Dora. I don't know if I would use the word weird," Severus said.
"Well, what word would you use?" Tonks demanded.
"Does this need a word?" Severus asked.
"I guess not," Tonks admitted. They were on their way to get some ice cream when they passed the small Ministry of Magic records office. On a complete whim, Tonks dragged Severus inside.
"What are we doing here?" Severus asked as Tonks rang the bell for service.
"You'll see," Tonks said, giving Severus' hand a squeeze.
An elderly wizard walked slowly to the front. "How may I help you?" he asked kindly.
"We'd like a marriage license, please," Tonks said simply. Tonks couldn't help put smile as Severus' jaw seemed to drop. The clerk nodded and went to the back.
"A license?" Severus asked.
"Well, we will need one to get married," Tonks teased. "This way we have it. And when it feels right, we can do the deed."
The clerk put a small piece of parchment on the counter. "It expires ninety days from today," he told them. "Only a registered official will be able to fill out the form and place a permanent charm on it. That will be twenty galleons."
"To get married?" Tonks said in disbelief. "Twenty galleons?" But Severus already had his wallet out and paid the clerk. Tonks and Severus then quietly left the store.
"Maybe I'm a cheapskate," Tonks said. "But doesn't twenty galleons seem like a lot of money to get married?"
"Are you saying I'm not worth twenty galleons?" Severus asked, his eyebrow raised.
Tonks burst out laughing. "You're right, I'm being silly," she said, taking his arm. "It's a nice feeling, though."
"What is?"
"Knowing that within ninety days I'll be Nymphadora Tonks-Snape."
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Slowly, everyone became used to the idea that Voldemort was truly gone. At first, wizards everywhere desperately wanted to know how it had happened. But Harry Potter wouldn't say. Tonks heard he had given an official statement to Madam Bones, and she certainly wasn't talking.
Now utmost on everyone's mind were the trials. No one wanted to make the mistake of the last war: letting wizards say they had been under the Imperius Curse, when they had actually joined of their own free will. The only Headline the Daily Prophet would run lately was from the trials.
Though the number of Aurors guarding the school was down, Professor McGonagall, now Headmaster McGonagall, still requested their presence. Tonks had hoped to be assigned to Hogwarts, but she was stuck in Diagon Alley, her special assignment to Hogwarts finished.
Tonks made it a habit to eat dinner with Harry and his friends at least once a week. Even Draco would join them occasionally, though he did eat most dinners by himself still. To be honest, Tonks was worried about Harry. He wasn't speaking much. Tonks realized he looked lost. She wished she could make him feel better.
Members of the Order still gathered at Headquarters at a regular basis. Though that might end soon. Remus had told everyone that Harry was talking about wanting number 12 Grimmauld Place destroyed in honor of Sirius.
Before Tonks knew it, there was only a month left to the school year. She tried to be good and not nag Severus about finding a place to live. It was just one of the many practical things Tonks never thought she'd have to deal with.
Like money. Severus sat her down one night and they had a long discussion about finances. Tonks realized that she would have to make a few changes in her spending habits. No more spending sprees at the thrift shop. For the past two years, she hadn't had to worry about things like rent, or food. Now with Severus leaving Hogwarts, they needed to pay for both.
She was almost jealous when Severus finally indulged how much money he made as a teacher. The Hogwarts professors were very well compensated. Much better than her salary as a fourth year Auror. But then he reminded her that he wasn't willing to take the first job offer that came along. He wanted to wait for the right one. And because he didn't want to go through their savings (which was mainly his, with a bit of Tonks' money thrown in), they might have to live on her salary for a bit.
Tonks realized in a way that even though she was already twenty-five, almost twenty-six, she never really had worried about 'adult' issues. She supposed it was all part of simply becoming a grown-up.
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When Tonks came in the night before, after her shift was done, Severus had been asleep. She generally woke up with him in the morning, so they had a chance to talk before he would go to class, and Tonks would go back to sleep.
"They've announced the date of the memorial services," Tonks said lazily. It was a Saturday, so both Tonks and Severus were still in bed.
"When is it?" Severus asked. The Ministry decided to hold a memorial service for everyone who died before the downfall of Lord Voldemort.
"July third," Tonks told him. "A little more than a month from now. They figure that will give everyone enough time to recover, physically, and emotionally."
Severus nodded. Then he stood up and headed to the bathroom. "Are you coming down to breakfast?"
"Yeah, I'm starving," Tonks said. Then not able to contain her giggles, she added, "Don't make an unexpected trip to Ireland while you're in there."
Severus stopped and looked at her. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"
Tonks shook her head. "I thought you dead! Here I was, worried I would never see you again, and you're…in Ireland," Tonks laughed. He had told her all about his adventure getting back. At first, she felt bad for him, but as time went on, she came to appreciate the humor in the situation. "Walking down a country road with sheep!"
"Bloody sheep," Severus muttered, stalking into the bathroom. Tonks forced herself to stop laughing.
She heard the running water and stood up herself. On a whim, she decided that she wanted long hair today. She had been in her natural state for almost two months. It was time to mix things up a bit.
Scrunching her nose, she concentrated on sky blue curls. She opened her eyes, and didn't see the curls. Tonks' breath caught in her throat. She ran to the dresser and picked up a small mirror. Holding the mirror in front of her, she tried the morph again. Still nothing happened.
She ran to the bed, tripping on the area rug as she went. Tonks was still on the floor when she grabbed her wand. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she pointed her wand at her midsection and whispered, "Infanarro."
A flash of white light emitted from her wand, confirming her hopes that she was indeed pregnant. Suddenly, Tonks started laughing, and found that she couldn't stop. Severus came out from the bathroom, looking at her warily. "Still laughing about the sheep, Dora?"
"I want to get married today," Tonks said, jumping up off of the floor. She wouldn't tell him, not yet. It would be a surprise for later.
"Today?" Severus asked, eyebrows raised. "Why today?"
"Because…because today is the day I want to be married," Tonks said simply. She walked over and wrapped her arms around him. "I don't want to wait any longer."
Severus kissed her passionately on the lips. "Then I want to get married today, too. Let's talk to Minerva; I'm sure she'll be willing to marry us. We can be married by lunch time."
"I don't think so," Tonks said. "I believe you're forgetting what I told you when I proposed."
"And what is that?"
"I want a big wedding," Tonks told him.
"Dora, if you want to be married today, it's short notice for a big wedding," Severus said reasonably.
"True," Tonks admitted. "But we're in a school full of students that could desperately use something to celebrate. It's eight in the morning. That's plenty of time for the house-elves to cook a feast for tonight."
"You want to invite the entire school to our wedding?" Severus asked in disbelief.
Tonks nodded happily. "And the Order, and my parents, of course."
Severus shook his head slowly. "I don't believe you."
"Come on," Tonks laughed. "The students would love to know that you're getting married. You're the one who says none of the students like you. Wouldn't it be great to invite them all and say 'Ha! I'm getting married?'"
"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this," Severus said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "This is madness."
"But a good madness," Tonks said, playfully kissing him on the nose. "You go talk to Minerva. I know she just married Fred Weasley and Angelina Johnson. So I'm sure she'd be more than happy to marry us."
Tonks broke free of Severus' arms and started getting dressed.
"What time do we want the blessed event to take place?" Severus asked. Tonks smiled, she could tell he was trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, and enjoyed her victory.
"Dusk. Then a feast, and then dancing," Tonks said.
"Oh Merlin."
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A/N - Infanarro (Latin) infantia – babyhood; narro - to make known