If I mentioned Remus already, and it doesn't exactly go with what I am writing in this chapter, I am sorry, my mind is a bit forgetful.
I couldn't help but laugh. Because I get so many other letters, right? Funny. I got a piece of parchment and a quill out from my desk to write back.
Neville,
I've been good, I suppose. Mostly I have just been running every day so far, and that gets tiring pretty quickly. Life is never dull with Tonks, so every day is more than crazy, haha. Don't worry about the letter, I've only gotten letters from Tonks, and those are very scattered, so your letter is the most put together letter I have ever read. I'm taking Arithmancy, Divination, and Ancient Runes. I can't wait for school to start back up. But really, your taking two Herbology classes? Jeez, Neville! Oh well, I can't really say anything. If I could I would probably take two potions classes. If Snape wasn't the teacher, that is. Have you ever thought that his name should be Professor Anti-Shampoo? I most certainly have, I know that.
~ R.E.B.
I rolled it up and gave it to the owl that we have here at home, and told him to take it to Neville Longbottom. Our owl is kind of old, so you have to say it a few times. Once he left I grabbed one of my new books that I got. It can't hurt to skip one day of running.
RPOV
I had tried to go through some of the muggle police reports and the reports filed out by the Aurors that had gone to the alley where my father was said to have killed thirteen people. I couldn't find much, because apparently when they get a good enough suspect they stop filing out paperwork. So everything I did find pointed it all straight to my father. I sighed. I had looked and looked for nearly two weeks, and I had stayed up really late into the night just looking for proof that wasn't there. I had stayed up all night last night, and I was starting to feel it. Tonks was worrying about me, worried that I was getting sick or something. I didn't tell her what I was doing, and I wanted to make up for scaring her. I groaned as I got up and out of my seat and tip toed down to the kitchen to make breakfast for her. Tonks usually sleeps in until around ten on Sundays, so I had plenty of time, since it was only eight thirty. I made some toast, eggs, bacon, and pancakes and placed them on the table along with a glass of orange juice for the both of us. Tonks hated coffee, and she said I was too young for it. There was just one last thing I had to d before she woke up. I had almost forgot to put the newspaper on the table at her spot. The mail owl had delivered it earlier, but I had just put it on the counter. I unrolled it and smoothed it out, about to put it down at her spot, when the bold, black headline caught my eye. My breath caught in my throat, and my eyes grew wide. I accidentally dropped the glass I had in my hand, and it shattered on the floor, causing glass and orange juice to spill out everywhere.
Black Still At Large
Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. "We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm." Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Confederation of Wizards for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. "Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it - who'd believe him if he did?" While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.
I heard Tonks run down the stairs, and she came into the kitchen, her wand at the ready.
"What happened? Are you okay? What made that noise?" She asked frantically, her eyes falling on the broken glass of orange juice, and then to the Daily Prophet in my hand. I looked up at her.
"You knew." I said, showing her the headline. She fidgeted under my gaze.
"Well, I-Yes, I knew." She admitted quietly, rubbing the back of her neck.
"You knew, and you didn't tell me!" I said, getting mad that she had kept this from me.
"I didn't want you to worry!" She said.
"YOU KNEW AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME! YOU KNEW ABOUT IT THIS WHOLE TIME AND YOU NEVER SAID ONE WORD TO ME! I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD! WHY WOULDN'T YOU TELL ME?! I'VE BEEN JUST GOING ABOUT MY BUSINESS THIS WHOLE TIME, AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME! I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD, TONKS! I WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CAREFUL! I should have been told." I yelled before my sentence drifted off at the end.
"I'm sorry, Rita. It was stupid of me, I just didn't want to upset you." She said, coming forward and wrapping me in a hug.
"I'm sorry I yelled." I mumbled.
"It's alright, I probably would have done the same thing." She said.
"I made breakfast." I said, sniffing a little and wiping the tears that had betrayed me and ran down my cheeks.
"It looks amazing. Your food tastes so much better than mine." She said, laughing.
"That's because I don't burn it," I giggled, "I'll clean up the glass and juice." I said.
"No, it's fine. I got it. Sit down and eat the food you made." She waved her wand and the glass transferred to the trash.
"Hm. I wanted all of it to go to the trash." She said before waving her wand again and the juice disappeared. I laughed and started to fill my plate with food. After we had finished I put all of our dishes into the sink and put the food in the fridge. I filled a pitcher of water and walked outside to water the plants that Tonks had planted. And to fix them up a little. Tonks isn't the best at planting. I watered them all and had just started to pull up some of the plants to replant them when I saw a big, black dog walk by our yard. My first thought was 'Bloody hell, it's the Grim...', but then I realized it was just a regular dog, and I let out a breath of air I hadn't known I was holding in. The dog sat on the sidewalk in front of the house, and cocked it's head at me. It looked really thin, so I went back inside and grabbed a little bit of leftovers and filled a bowl with water. I walked back outside and up to the dog. It stood up and was going to leave, so I stopped walking forward. I motioned for the dog to come closer, and showed it the food and water that I had in the bowls.
"Come here, it's okay. I won't hurt you, promise." I said, laughing as the dog bounded forwards. I put the bowls down and watched as the dog started to eat the food I had brought out. I walked back over to our mini garden and started to rearrange the flowers. I saw the dog trot up and sit next to me out of the corner of my eye. I laughed and shook my head. I didn't see it inching forward until he had grabbed one of the flower bunches in his mouth and bounded away.
"Hey! Give those back!" I yelled, running after him and laughing. I didn't see Pepper come bolting out of the house until he was running with us.
"Pepper! Back in the house! You know that your not allowed outside!" I said, still running and laughing. Pepper ran in between my legs, effectively tripping me and I crashed to the ground face first.
"Ugh, that's it!" I said, getting back up and grabbing Pepper before putting him back inside the house. I walked back out and stood on the little wooden steps leading to the front yard, my hands on my hips. The stray dog hung his head and trotted back over to me, putting the plant at my feet.
"Thank you." I said, snatching up the plant that was now covered in dog slobber. I groaned.
"Ugh, that's disgusting..." It didn't take much longer after that to put all the plants back where they belonged, and then I grabbed my new book and sat down outside, the big, black dog still hanging around our house.
"Rita! There's an owl here for you!" Tonks called from the doorway. I jumped up from the blanket I had been sitting on and raced towards her.
"For me? I wonder who sent me an owl...?" I said as I took it from her. My face lit up when I saw the name and I jumped up and down.
"It's from Hermione! I wonder why she sent me a letter..."
"Who's Hermione?" Tonks asked, leaning against the open doorway.
"Hermione Granger, she's my best friend. She's also in Gryffindor with me."
"Really? Granger, hmmm. I don't think I've heard of that name before." I laughed.
"Of course not, silly! She's a muggle born!" I said, trying to open the oddly shaped letter. Must be some type of Muggle contraption...
"Good, it's nice to know that you were raised well." Tonks said. I laughed again.
"She's really nice. And totally smarter than everyone else in the school." I added, finally getting the letter open and going back to sit on the blanket.
Rita,
Sorry if this is late, I had to use Ron's owl, and it's very old. Did you hear about what happened? I'm so sorry, Rita. But don't worry, I'm still going to be your friend. I just wanted to make sure that you're okay, and that you're being careful. I would hate if something happened... I don't know if anything will or not, but we can always hope, right? Owl me back when you get this, and be careful!
Hermione Granger.
P.S. My parents are taking me to get my school stuff the weekend after we get our letters if you want to go around that time so we can meet up.
I laughed. Always such a Mum, Hermione... I ran inside to get parchment and a quill and then went back outside to write my letter.
Hermione,
Dude, chill. ALL IS WELL! I SWEAR ON MERLIN'S PANTS THAT I AM FINE! Do not do anything rash, Hermione Granger, or I will have to hex you. I just got your letter today, and Ron's poor owl is passed out in our kitchen, haha. You should tell him he needs a new owl. Anyhow, I just found out earlier today, it's been a while since... that, but I'm all good. Well, I accidentally dropped a glass of oj this morning when I read the Daily Prophet, but other than that everything is perfectly fine.
Rita Black.
P.S. What are you doing at Ron's anyway? Is there something your not telling me, Mione? (wink, wink)
I rolled up to letter and went back inside to see the very old owl had woken up. I tied the letter to his leg and told him to take the letter to Hermione. I spent the rest of the day outside, reading and watching the black dog running around our yard like a little puppy.