Nymphadora Tonks rolled her eyes, listening to the continued nagging of her cousin-in-law, as she complained. She was beyond ready to be home, having been at Hermione and Sirius' house for several hours to watch their younger daughter, Farrah, while she and Sirius were both working. Sirius, unfortunately had something going on and would be out longer, but now that Hermione was home, Tonks planned to do the same and get some sleep.
"Well, Hermione, it's not my fault you chose to have his birthday party NOT on his birthday, but waited so late to tell us all when it was. I have had these plans for a while." She sighed, lacing her boot up from where she'd kicked them off so she and Farrah could slide around the halls in sock feet.
"But you have to come!" Hermione pleaded. "Your mum and dad are, and Sirius can only tolerate your mother's teasing if you're around to back him up." Hermione reminded her. Tonks sighed again, shaking her head.
"Sorry. My RSVP is in with my friend Franki." She repeated. "Sirius will understand."
"Its a SURPRISE party." Hermione reminded her. "You can't tell him you can't make it."
"Then you can!" She said, standing to get her coat. "I have three appointments in the morning, 'Mione. Can I go?" She ask, head tilted. Hermione looked a bit defeated, and let the bun holding her hair back go, releasing a fluff of curls.
"Good night, Tonks. Thanks again. I know it was such short notice." She gave Tonks a small hug as she headed out the door. Hermione started to turn toward the stairs to head to bed herself when she noticed something on Tonks' wrist. She grabbed her and pulled her over, shoving her sleeve up. She found four blue, fingerprint sized bruises on one side of the girl's wrist. She turned it over and found a fifth, slightly larger thumbprint. "Tonks!" She gasped.
"They're not what you think..." Tonks sputtered, embarrassed.
"Did someone hurt you? Mug you?" Hermione demanded. "We can call Sirius now-"
"Hermione." Tonks said, a bit louder and more firm. "No one hurt me. They're..." She pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth, face and hair both flushing bright rose pink.
"Nymphadora Tonks!" Hermione's face changed, and she laughed. "They're sex bruises!"
"Like you've never had any..." Tonks said, annoyed at how amused Hermione seemed to be. She knew Remus had left a few, as he sometimes did when the moon waxed fuller, but she'd thought she'd covered them well enough with her sleeves that no one would see. Hermione snorted.
"For real this time, love." Hermione hugged her again. "Good night."
Outside, Tonks cursed herself. At the very least, she mused, she was glad Hermione had not ask who they'd come from. She hated lying to Hermione, but was forever thankful to Franki for having something they could go and do the night of Sirius' birthday party. She apperated home to call and tell her friend that the plan was in place.
She was starting to hate her flat when she was alone. And she hated herself for it. Tonks pride was her independence. But this 'falling in love' business, she decided, was a bit more of a mess than she bargained for. Six months of his ever-growing presence in her home, and her life, and it made her wonder if he ever intended to make this a serious thing.
Tonks flopped herself gracelessly onto her couch, slinging her legs over the arm. She grabbed her cordless phone from the endtable above her head and dialed, waiting for the other end to pick up. "Ello?"
"Wotcher, Franki." Tonks sighed. "I'm so glad you're home. Are you busy at the mo?" She ask, kicking one foot nervously.
"No, just got done with some laundry. Whats up?" Her friend replied.
"About Saturday..." Tonks said nervously.
"We're still on, yeah?" Her friend ask. "Should be a decent show, and free food at the after party." Franki said.
"I'm so glad you knew of something we could go do." Tonks confessed. There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment.
"He still isn't telling them, is he?" Franki ask. "That's why you won't go."
"It isn't so much that he won't tell..." Tonks explained. "It's Lily."
"Elaborate."
"Lily loves Remus. They're closer than he and James, really. Brother and sister, almost. She wants him to be happy, she is a good friend. So she always, and I do mean ALWAYS brings a 'friend' along to any event, in hopes of setting the before mentioned friend up with him. And Rem- He's a gentlemen. He keeps them company. Shares a dance. Flirts. He has gone home with a couple of them..." She closed her eyes, dreading the party.
"He isn't going to go home with some else. I've seen you two together, he really cares about you." Franki said.
"Apparently not enough. But no, I knew Rem wouldn't do that to me. But it's just hard. I don't want to be a dirty little secret." She covered her face with her free hand. "Nine years is not that much of an age gap. Especially not by wizard standards. I don't understand. Maybe he's ashamed to be with a rainbow haired tattoo artist. He's a world renowned wizard, Order of Merlin. I just-"
"Stop." Franki spoke firmly over her rambling. "I have a plan..."
Remus had been resting in what passed for a 'restful' fashion for a few hours, when he found himself being startled awake. He waved a hand over toward a few candles on his nightstand and squinted his eyes. "Harry?"
"Sorry, Uncle Moony. It's important." Harry said, also pajama clad, his hair sticking up on all sides of his head. Remus suddenly found himself much more awake, having found his nephew out of bed and Gryffindor tower, and in his own rooms.
"Are you alright?" He said, swinging his feet over the side of the bed, coming down to sit beside Harry, who had already perched himself on the older wizard's bed end.
"I need to tell you something. And I trust you, but I have to ask you not to tell anyone else." Harry said, quietly. Remus swallowed.
"Are you alright?" He repeated more firmly. Harry nodded.
"Yes. But you have to promise you won't tell. Not mum, dad, Sirius, NOBODY." The twelve year old pleaded. Curious, Remus raised an eyebrow, and looked his best friends' son over. He nodded.
"Alright, Harry. I promise." He sighed.
"I hear things. A lot. They won't go away." Harry looked at the floor, and Remus' nose caught the distinct smell of fear wafting off of him. He gently laid his arm around Harry's shoulders.
"Things?" Remus ask softly.
"Voices. Whispering." Harry explained. "They sound like they're inside the walls of the castle. Sometimes I hear them in class. Or the loo. Or the library. Never outside and never in any other the towers, though." Harry continued. "I mentioned it to Sir Nicholas. He said it didn't sound like any of the ghosts he knew."
"What sort of things do these voices say, Harry?" Remus inquired. "Do they talk to you directly?"
"No." Harry shook his head. "That is the strange thing. When you hear about people who go crazy and hear voices, the voices are always talking directly to them. This one- I don't think it knows I hear it." He looked up at Remus, his bright green eyes shimmering with a few tears. Remus squeezed him in tighter. "I'm scared, Uncle Moony. I need your help. Not Professor Lupin's. Uncle Moony's. That's why I couldn't wait until morning. It happens more and more now. Started on Halloween."
"Alright, Harry." Remus soothed. "We will figured this out. And I promise, as long as you are in no danger, I won't mention this to anyone else until we have more answers."
"Thank you." Harry said quietly.
"Do you want me to walk you back up to the tower?" Remus ask. "Just in case."
"Please." Harry nodded. Remus smiled gently and stood, sliding on his slippers. He held his arm out and Harry tucked himself under it.
"Did you use the cloak to get here?" Remus ask, amused. He noticed Harry had the old invisibility balled up in his arms.
"Yes, sir." He replied.
"Don't make it a habit, but when something like this happens, absolutely. Don't hesitate. Come get me." Remus said, guiding Harry along.
Okay- first let me just say... Wow!
Thank you all so much for the positive response this story has gotten so far.
If you haven't noticed, the events of Voldemort's demise are quiet different in my version. (As is Tonks' age.) But this is an AU, so.
Thank you all so much for reading!
Keep that love and the reviews going! It really makes my day getting to hear what you all think!