Author's Note:
Reviews and Comments: To AQuickRead91: Thank you! I know, poor Tonks and poor Snape. Theo and K are coming. To briana_t: I know it was awful to kill both Ted and Andromeda, but it just had to be done! Yup, Theo is definitely going to lose the bet, but who will win, Draco or Blaise? To Fanfis01: Thank you! I love writing Theo and his Slytherin brothers. To BadWolfKris: Hopefully Snape has an emergency way out? Well, we can only hope… To Tyas85: I'm sorry to be so mean and kill Andy along with Ted. I know, we all want Crouch to die and and even with Aydin's sweet face in mind, I can promise, Crouch will die… just not yet. To katelyn453: Don't worry, nothing will happen to Tonks that will cause Teddy to come early! Of course Ginny was excited to see Aydin again! Draco and Blaise do love to make bets. To AnaGPotter: You think Blaise is going to win the bet? Interesting. Yes, thank god Remus was with Tonks. She needs that support system. The Burrow will be fun despite the angst of what will happen with Snape.
To Steelcode: Haha, you don't sorry at all to hear that Theo might lost and Blaise might win. Harry is definitely going to be heartbroken. To Sam: Pansy loves Greg so much and even she is surprised by it! She wants nothing more than for him to be safe. I wanted Greg and Pansy to turn but not because they want to do good, but because they merely want to save each other (at least on Pansy's part). It is one big Slytherin house party at Wiltshire Manor lol. To Joyce Foesenek: Thank you! I know, losing both of her parents in go has to be tough on our poor Tonks. To GryffindorHealer: Severus Snape has got the blues — LOL. Your review made me chuckle longer than it should have. Thank you! To Hannah: Don't hold your breath too long, but thanks! To free_bee: There will be something with Draco and Astoria, but it will not be coming any time soon. I'm glad you're enjoying my Draco and thinks he deserves to have someone who cares about him.
To Merrillma22: Haha, I'm so glad you read Ronald Weasley in that tone! I think all of us who grew with up Harry Potter will forever hear Julie Walters' voice when Ron is yelled at LOL. Hearing Filch's voice instead of Crouch's is fair considering the wording lol. Thank you! To Bluepencils: Sorry, they were a bit of filler chapters as I was building up to something. Thank you for saying I am "using the plot pacing to induce tension" and haha, rip Snape, pun intended. Thank you! To PurpleLotus: Yeah, Snape has been caught. To bandhoez9194: Thank you for spending an entire week reading this whole story, that's amazing! Thank you so much for enjoying it! You're hoping Snape will get free. And yes, Theo is definitely losing those galleons lol. Thanks so much for the lovely review! To DCNightwolf: It won't be a Voldy Victory despite the losses we are feeling. Promise.
To Katie2001: Um, I posted a chapter that's what I did LOL. Thank you! To alix33: Greg can still wish even if it doesn't work. To the Mandalorian terminator: Thank you! I had some great help from Dusk and Sam on Tonks' reaction. It's definitely not looking good for Snape and Pansy is now under protection. To JohnDouglas4274: "A bloodbath of beloved side characters?" Possibly… but yes, the DMLE now knows Himmler was under the Imperius which is a small win for them. Ha, Harry's tongue and fingers may get sore, but that means nothing to him LOL. To Nightwing2013: Harry did spend every Christmas at the Tonks' so yes, he will be very sad, but I think you'll like how they celebrate Christmas this year. You think Draco will win the bet? Hmm. Oh, yes, the twins are quite happy to see Mr March in person LOL. No, Snape doesn't deserve the painful death he will most certainly be getting. To carleys123: Thank you! It's so nice to hear people get excited at an update email! To Anshul: Thank you! Himmler will be taken care of. He was under the Imperius Curse so he needs help. To Chiku11: Poor Tonks, she had no idea Bill and Mad-Eye were aware that her parents were dead.
To Wolf's scream: Compliments from Mad-Eye are rare, it's true. Everyone deals with grief differently. I'm sure Draco never expected to be around so many babies either. Ha, turning Fred and George loose on the site where Crouch is building Voldemort's castle would be interesting, but sadly, this is not going to happen. To scrappy8: Thank you! To Derpdude32: Sorry, yes, Snape. To Nuno Neves: Thank you for saying the chapter was full of twists and sadness. Remus will definitely give Tonks the support she needs along with others. Glad despite the sadness, the scene with Ron still made you laugh. To shivani: Thank you! Of course Kane was checking on Theo! He hasn't seen him in well over a week and the last time he did, he saw him crying. He was worried (not that he would say as much lol). To Slaidback: Thank you! I will try to keep up the excellence. To ITHersey: I know, it's awful to see Tonks grieving. Will Snape manage to find a way out? I don't know. We'll have to see. To ahlem stelena: I'm sorry, I chuckled at the vow you made not to cry followed by you crying buckets. Thank you! That is so lovely to hear to know that I can make people feel that kind of emotion with only words I write. Thank you! To Anonym: Harry has a large support system and he is waiting for the attack because the Horcruxes are almost all gone and he knows he can't go running blindly after Voldemort.
To Bond007: You think Snape would have a way out like the Nazis did in WWII? Interesting. To WinkingSkeever: Thank you. To LilyBlack18: Thank you! You're shocked about Snape? I figured no one would be lol. To pix25: Well, bad things are coming, this is true… To puttyman24: Yes, it's nice to know so many people have been saved. The Ministry will be starting to try to pick up the pieces now that they know about Himmler. To ellyann13: Blaise had a second dagger (he's much too cocky and vain to only have had one). Theo should definitely know better than to avoid K, but he tried anyway after those naughty dreams. As to Angelina… her questions will be answered lol. To jennyalexa.1995alex: Thank you! I know that the Tonks' death was very sad in comparison to Snape. To Dianne: Yes, Draco is more worried about himself right now and dealing with Ted and Andromeda would make him sad, but he has other things on his plate. I love the idea of Draco and Theo just warning Blaise away from Astoria lol. Yes, Fred and George will have a comment on Mr July and Mr October as well. Thank you!
To Chintan: You were behind! Thank you for catching up! Yes, Snape is in some deep shit. They aren't worried about Goyle's Mark right now because the DMLE has him. Thank you! To ANewRanger: You actually feel for Snape here and in canon you didn't? Thank you! Highest of compliments! To Cristina: Thank you! I love writing from different perspectives, plus it makes me feel like I'm writing lots of different stories in one! Pansy was worried about herself and her family so she wanted to do something. What was Kane's Patronus? Sorry, you won't be finding that out for a while. And yes, you will be learning more about his background soon. I know, Crouch deserves to die, but not yet. To Bluerain22: Thank you! Greg doesn't deserve to be locked away for years, I agree. Thank you! To sunlitdxys: Sorry you saw the spoiler on tumblr, but I'm kind of honoured it didn't lessen the pain. Blvnk's art is amazing and I am anxious to write some Astoria as well, but her and Draco will not be any time soon. Wow, twenty-seven days to catch up on this story? Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying it and thank you for such a heartfelt review! To JUSTMEHERE: Don't kill Snape? We'll see. Harry and Ginny will have sex when they are ready to.
To Ellieoryan7447: I know it's going to be hard for Tonks not to have her mum there when she gives birth. Andy has always been like her best friend. Theo trying to avoid Sebastian like he thinks it will be so easy and then Bas is just there and you can practically see Theo going, fuck! LOL. The thing with Theo, he didn't have an erection, but he looked down to check because he knew how Sebastian effects him and that's what set Blaise off in one of those "made you look" kind of moments. Thank you! To darkhk: Well, right now Tonks is still pregnant with Teddy… To MinervaMcGee: Thank you! I really appreciate you taking the time to tell me how much you've enjoyed my story. To saucyswimmer: I love writing Charlie as a single dad! Oh don't worry, Ron is not going to be left alone over Mr March LOL. Snape is slimy so how will he get over this? Thank you! To tim2604: Theo is a bit dense, isn't he? Thank you and yes, more fluff will be coming for the holidays, among other things…
My posting schedule: Weekly.
Thanks to Dusk for her amazing editing skills.
As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!
Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!
CHAPTER THREE-HUNDRED AND EIGHT:
The One With the Soot on the Carpet
The first night in the cell wasn't as bad as Greg had expected. The Aurors came for him early the next morning to bring him back in for more questioning. He spoke until his voice was hoarse. He greedily took the water they gave him, but he didn't stop talking. He spoke about every meeting he had ever had with Lord Voldemort, every word he'd ever spoken to Yaxley and to the others. He discussed every little thing he had ever done with Yaxley, Selwyn, and the others. He told them about Crouch and his obsession with Voldemort, the way that he would do absolutely anything for the wizard without question. He told them about Kata and what had motivated him to free her, how he had contacted her husband in secret, and how he had snuck her out of the manor in Croatia to bring her to him. When he got to the part about building the castle, the Aurors had been intrigued.
"He's building a castle? What the fuck does bloody Voldemort need with a castle?" Proudfoot demanded. "Where?"
Greg shrugged. "I wouldn't say he needs it, but he expects gifts from his followers. It's a show of respect to prove who loves him more and some of them try to outdo each other in order to gain his favour. It's almost like a pissing match and right now Crouch is trying to get on top and make the Dark Lord a place to call his own. Avery has gained the most favour because he's given Voldemort a place to stay and to rule from."
"But Crouch is building it?"
"Well, he's in charge of it," Greg corrected. "But he's not doing any of the work. He's using prisoners as manual labour and the wolves are supervising."
"Prisoners? What prisoners?"
Greg swallowed. "Some Muggles, some of the Muggleborns who have gone missing are there. Some of them are wolves or others who fucked up and are being punished. He took all of their wands and is forcing them to work without magic."
"Without magic?"
Greg nodded. "It's moving slowly, but those who do have magic are helping put it together a bit faster. When they don't meet deadlines, he tortures them. Crouch likes to torture."
"What else can you tell us about the castle?"
"I don't know," Greg admitted. "I've only been there once. I know it's somewhere in Scotland, on one of the isles because the ocean was close. It's protected, well. The castle is going to be a fortress and a prison to hold the Dark Lord's enemies, but Crouch wants him to have a throne room to put the others to shame. Somewhere that the Dark Lord can sit and rule from like a king."
Savage pursed his lips. "Like we need that maniac to be a king. Who does he think he's going to rule?"
"Everyone," Greg said. "Crouch believes that the Dark Lord will be the king of the magical world."
"Is that what Voldemort is planning?"
Greg shrugged. "I don't know. He lets others talk around him a lot, but he doesn't really give out a lot of his plans. He speaks to those he deems worthy and the rest are just given orders."
Savage exchanged a look with Proudfoot. "And Crouch…"
"Is completely mad," Greg said. "The Dark Lord feeds on his madness, has him convinced that it's a reward when he lets him suck him off."
Proudfoot's face was full of disgust. "Ew. I'd rather imagine that madman didn't have a cock at all, thank you very much."
Savage ignored his partner. "So, Crouch and Voldemort have a sexual relationship?"
"Sometimes," Greg said. "I got the impression it started a long time ago and Bellatrix too, sometimes. They um… kind of beg him for it. It's rather pathetic. He always looks bored, like he's granting them this great favour or something."
"Perhaps he thinks he is," Savage said. "Let's get back to his inner circle, you said that they have the Sovereign Chalice."
"Yes," Greg said. "I don't know where, but I know that Linus Lestrange had it last. I don't know why they have it. They're all afraid to touch it, worried that it will zap their magic."
"I'd say they took it because they know how important it is to the Wizengamot," Proudfoot said. "Linus Lestrange… haven't heard that name in years. His sons have been the ones making the news, but he's still playing the game?"
"Yes," Greg said. "He calls a lot of the shots."
Savage tapped his quill on the parchment. "All right, let's take a quick break and get you something to eat because I have about a hundred more questions for you."
Greg dragged his hand over his face and nodded. "I'll answer all of them as long as you can promise me that my wife and son are safe."
Proudfoot nodded. "They already are. Now, how do you feel about a reuben?"
~ ASC ~
Harry was pulled from sleep maybe thirty minutes after he closed his eyes. The sound of someone saying his name again made him roll over and look around. That was when he noticed his bedroom door was opened a crack and light was coming from the hall.
"Yeah?" he croaked.
"Can you come downstairs?" Zee whispered.
Harry frowned, sitting up and squinting at her. "What happened?"
"Just come downstairs."
Harry snatched his glasses off of his night table and made it downstairs before Zee had even hit the last step. He took her arm and she immediately turned to let him engulf her in a hug.
"What happened, Zee?" he repeated.
Zee was quiet a moment before she pulled away to look up at him. "Remus just mirror-called me. Harry, Ted and Andy were killed."
"What? When? How?"
Harry let Zee lead him into the living room to take a seat.
"Are you sure? It… they can't be… no," he whispered, feeling like his heart dropped into his stomach.
He looked into Zee's eyes and he knew that she was telling him the truth. Suddenly the realization that they had been on the front lines by helping the former Hogwarts students escape seemed that much more real.
"Ted and Andy? How?"
"It happened earlier today in France. They were rescuing three witches and three babies on Snape's intel and one of the witches betrayed them," Zee said. "From what Kingsley said, Bellatrix Lestrange Polyjuiced herself as the witch who betrayed them and when they tried to remove the Dark Mark, she called for Voldemort."
Harry's eyes were wide. "Voldemort was there? Does he know that we've figured out how to remove the Dark Mark?"
Zee nodded. "He does. He's also realized that not only are the former Hogwarts students alive, but so are Malfoy and Zabini."
Harry didn't know what to say to that. Ted and Andromeda had been so insistent on helping. Harry had helped Theo convince Draco and Blaise to return to England and now…
"I… How's Tonks?"
Zee shook her head. "She's taking it hard, obviously. Remus is with her. He said that she cried herself to sleep."
Harry dragged a hand through his messy hair. Both of them, gone in one night… poor Tonks. Ted and Andromeda had always been two of the nicest people he had ever met. Andromeda was so excited to be a grandmother and Tonks had always been so close to her mum. She considered Andy one of her best friends.
"They were… they were the best people," he said, not quite knowing what to say.
Zee nodded, pulling him close. "I know, sweetie. I know it's not what you want to hear, but they did save two of the witches and two of the babies. Emmeline and Hestia brought them to Draco and Blaise. Andy would have been so happy to know that. All she wanted was to protect them."
"She had such a big heart," Harry said, tears in his eyes.
Ted and Andromeda had always been there. He remembered meeting them for the first time and how Ted had played Dominoes with him. Andromeda had immediately brought him a snack and given him a wide smile. Andy was the one Sirius had always called when he was sick. Harry remembered her coming to check on him, giving him potions and placing her hand on his forehead. She always baked him an amazing birthday cake every year. Ted had helped Sirius build the treehouse that he loved so much…
"They were so excited to be grandparents," Harry said.
Zee nodded, using the back of her hand to wipe her tears. "I know. They were so good with Mina and Leo. Poor Dora. I know how much she was depending on her mum. Being pregnant and not having your mum is… I couldn't imagine."
"Should we go over there?"
Zee kissed his cheek. "No, it's late, sweetie. Remus will bring her here when he thinks she's ready. She needs time to process it."
He nodded. He understood that as well. Losing a parent was… he swallowed.
"I just want her to know that I'm here."
"She knows, sweetie," Zee promised.
"Bellatrix…"
"I know," Zee said, her eyes darkening. "That bitch is going to get what's coming to her, mark my words. Azkaban is too good for her."
Zee told him what Remus said about the mission. How Bellatrix had called for Voldemort and how Ted and Andromeda had managed to get the other witches to safety. Kingsley had circled back with Moody and Bill, but they'd been too late. Voldemort had arrived himself.
"Everyone else?"
"Kingsley was hit with a curse in his side. Bill was there and thankfully knew the counter-curse. He's still going to need some healing over the next few days. Moody and Bill helped get him out to safety. Bill and Moody went back for their… bodies. I told Remus I would help him with the funeral."
"I want to help," Harry said.
Zee nodded, her fingers gently stroking his hair. "Okay, sweetie. We'll do it together, okay?"
It didn't really make him feel any better, but he wanted to help. He had to do something because this was definitely not the way he wanted to start off his holiday. It was less than two weeks until Christmas and Tonks had just lost both of her parents. Harry had a feeling it was just the beginning of the darkness and he really didn't like the sound of that.
~ ASC ~
It was well after midnight when Bill stepped into Shell Cottage. Fleur had left a light on for him and he dragged his hand over his face at the sight of it in appreciation. He was bone-tired. The trip to France had been planned. He was going to help Kingsley, to be backup to get the witches to safety, and then the whole bloody thing had blown up in their faces.
They had been guarding the perimeter of the safe house, keeping their eyes out to make sure that no one had followed them. He and Jones had been keeping time on how long it was taking to remove the Dark Mark from the witches in the safe house. They had timed it to take about twenty to twenty-five minutes per witch. Then suddenly, they had been running from the house, claiming that Voldemort was coming. Bill had barely registered the words as Vance and Jones took two of the witches and their babies to get them to safety. He met Moody on the perimeter and then there had been the sound of Apparition followed by a blast.
Bill and Moody had both gone flying.
The shield that had erupted around the location had knocked both of them out. Bill had smacked his head against a tree hard enough to draw blood and Moody's wooden leg had blown clean off. Bill helped him re-attach the wood before they'd run straight towards the house, wands blazing.
But they'd been too late.
Ophelia hadn't really been Ophelia, but Bellatrix Lestrange. Voldemort had broken into Ted's mind and they'd been too late. All they had been able to do after that was run. Kingsley had been hit, bleeding from his side. He'd refused to let Bill examine him until they made it to Wiltshire Manor to tell Draco and Blaise that Voldemort knew that they were alive. The manor was safe, Bill had helped add additional warding himself after the Fidielius was implemented. Unless Draco told someone the location, they wouldn't find it.
By the time Kingsley had let Bill examine him, it had almost been too late. The flesh-eating curse that hit him had already eaten away part of his kidney and intestines. It had taken Bill two hours to counter the curse and Kingsley still needed rest. A healer had given him a restorative draught and he had to take blood-replenishing potions for the next three days to make up for the blood loss.
But Kingsley insisted that he was fine and took off after having Bill and Moody check in on Tonks at the DMLE. Kingsley had been adamant about him being the one to break the news to her.
Bill couldn't imagine how she had taken it.
He did a walk through of the cottage, making sure everything was locked and secured before he made his way upstairs. Fleur was curled up in their bed, her silvery blonde hair spread out around her like a curtain and shimmering in the moonlight coming in through the window. He watched her sleep for a moment before he headed into the bathroom to shower and clean off the grime, dust, and blood that he'd accumulated. When he finished, he dragged his towel across the mirror to examine himself.
The scars on his face, neck, and shoulder had mostly healed over. They were white lines now, jagged and ugly looking as they shimmered against his skin. But they didn't stand out in defiance the way they had before. He combed the wet hair that brushed his shoulders and ran a hand down the short beard he'd let thicken. The deep red hid most of the scars on his neck. His beard was long enough now that it was soft. He ran a finger down his throat.
His voice would never be the same as it was. It was deeper now, gruffer sounding, no longer that smooth sound he had been accustomed to. But he no longer stuttered over every word. The rhetoric healer had helped him learn to speak again and now, after seven months, he only found himself stuttering and forgetting how to say letters when he was too tired to concentrate. He dragged a tired hand down his face before tossing his towel into the hamper.
Bill walked into their bedroom naked, grabbed a pair of plaid sleep pants from his wardrobe, and tugged them on before he crawled into bed next to his wife. The bed dipped under his weight and Fleur turned automatically towards him. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, wrapping his arms around her.
Her eyes fluttered open slowly. "It's late."
"Very late," he said. "Go back to sleep."
"Qu'est-il arrivé?"
"We lost Ted and Andromeda," he whispered.
"Merde!"
He nodded. "One of the witches betrayed the other two. But Vance and Jones got them to safety in time along with their babies."
"Zat's a relief," Fleur said. "Poor Tonks! She must be a basket case and pregnant as well…"
"I know," Bill murmured into her hair.
"And just before ze 'oliday," Fleur continued. "You were not 'urt?"
Bill shook his head. "Nothing more than bruises and a bump to the head."
Fleur kissed his cheek.
"Did you go to the Burrow?"
"Oui," Fleur said. "I stayed for dinner and Angelina and I made plans to 'ave lunch with Ginny tomorrow."
"Is Ginny okay?"
"Oui," Fleur assured him. "We just wanted to have some girl talk, n'est pas?"
Bill frowned. "I don't know if I like the sound of that."
Fleur chuckled. "Audrey and Hermione will be joining us as well."
"I think this idea is getting more dangerous by the minute," he teased.
Fleur lifted her head off his shoulder to kiss him. "I theenk it's perfect idea."
"A perfect idea," Bill corrected.
Fleur smacked his chest.
Bill kissed her again, framing her face in his hands. "I love you."
Fleur kissed him back, rolling on top of him as she did. His hand slid down the pink silk nightgown, slipping under it to touch her thigh. When he inched his hand higher, she nipped at his lip and then deepened the kiss. Sometimes Bill looked at her like this, eyes full of arousal, lips swollen from his and he still couldn't quite grasp that this woman was his.
As if reading his mind, she slid her hands down his chest. "You are mine, Bill Weasley."
"Yours," he breathed as she pulled the nightgown over her head revealing her perfect breasts, pale in the moonlight.
Bill sat up to suck one of the rosy pink peaks, a hand slipping to play with the matching pink knickers she wore. Fleur's fingers threaded through his long hair, holding him closer as he suckled her. His hand slid under the knickers and found her; she moaned, her hips riding his hand naturally. He moved his mouth to the other breast as he added a second finger and she murmured his name.
When he finally moved his mouth away from those deliciously taut nipples, he pulled his hand out of her knickers so that he could pull them down and off. Fleur shoved his sleep pants down, gripping his erection in her hand as he lied back on the bed.
"Not yet, love," he said, kissing her neck before he gripped her hips and pulled her up his body.
Fleur made a whimpering sound when he settled her thighs over his face and when he began to use his tongue, she gripped the bedpost tightly. Bill leisurely used his tongue, teasing her with it, tasting every bit of her desire. He swirled his tongue over her clit, using a finger to make her whimper and when he knew she was close he pressed a kiss over her folds before he flipped her beneath him.
Fleur cried out at the loss of contact as her head dipped over the side of the bed. But Bill's strong hands were lifting her thighs, wrapping her legs around him, and he was filling her. Her arms slid around his neck, holding him close as his eyes darkened. He made slow, deliberate love to her, driving her to the edge of reason again and again until she finally came in an earth-shattering orgasm that made them slide right off the bed onto the floor.
Neither of them noticed.
Bill kept making love to her, changing the angle as he rubbed her clit and when she came a second time, he finally let go, riding her orgasm along with his own.
When he caught his breath, he stared at the floor and the tangle of sheets that had come down with them.
"Did I hurt you?" he whispered.
Fleur grinned. "I may be a leetle bruised tomorrow, but I theenk it is worth it, non?"
Bill's smile widened as he kissed her breast. "I don't think I can move back to the bed."
"Me neither," she said. "You will 'ave to carry me."
He snorted. "I can't even carry myself right now."
Fleur kissed his shoulder, his neck, his lips. "Where's my strong husband?"
"Your strong husband needs a minute," he said, sighing when her lips trailed down his neck and over his shoulders.
Fleur's tongue flitted over his nipple before she kissed her way down his chest lower and lower and lower. Her lips pressed against his length and he made a whimpering sound.
"Mmm, if you start that we're never getting back into the bed."
She kissed him there again before she moved up to her knees, taking the sheets with her. Bill watched her beautiful arse move onto the bed, tugging the sheets up and he was suddenly left alone on the cold floor of their bedroom. Fleur leaned over the edge of the bed, a soft smile gracing her features.
"Why don't you come up 'ere so zat we can do zat again?"
Bill's heart rate had finally slowed down and his cock was beginning to stir once more. He climbed to his feet, jumping onto the bed and making her laugh as the bed creaked beneath him and when his lips met hers, he knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
~ ASC ~
Harry didn't sleep much that night. He tossed and turned and finally at three, he pulled out his mirror. Ginny answered in less than a minute, her eyes dazed in sleep and her hair tousled.
"Harry?"
"Hey, sorry to wake you."
She blinked. "What's wrong?"
"Can't sleep," he said, stretching out in his bed. "Did you see Bill?"
"No," Ginny said, her eyes clearing a bit. "Fleur was here, but she said Bill was helping with an Order thing and was going to be late. He never showed up. Is he okay? Did something happen? What do you know?"
"Bill's fine," Harry assured her. "No, its… bloody hell, Ted and Andy were killed, Gin."
"Tonks' parents? Oh, Merlin! Is she all right?"
Harry shook his head. "I don't know. Uncle Rem is with her."
"I'll tell Charlie first thing in the morning. He'll want to be there for her."
Harry nodded. "Yeah, yeah that's good."
"How are you doing?"
He shrugged. "I feel a little numb, I guess. They were… Uncle Sirius looked up to Andy a lot and they were always around when I was kid. We had dinner there every few weeks and Andy was always here to help when I was sick. Uncle Sirius always panicked when I so much as sneezed. Ted helped Uncle Siri build the treehouse… they were like an aunt and uncle to me. I mean… I don't know."
Ginny's brown eyes met his through the mirror. "Give me five minutes."
Harry headed downstairs when her face disappeared from the mirror. He unlocked the Floo and sure enough two minutes later, Ginny stumbled out, grabbing the chair nearby to prevent her from toppling over. Harry immediately grabbed her arms and pulled her close.
Ginny hugged him tightly, her face pressed against his chest. "Want to talk about it?"
"I don't know what to say," he admitted. "I'm sad of course, but I'm not… I feel like I should be more broken up then I am."
"Harry, everyone processes grief differently and in the last two years… you've had a lot of it to deal with."
"I know," he said.
Harry took her hand in his and led her upstairs through the dark cottage. He closed his bedroom door behind them and pulled her towards his bed. Ginny snuggled under the covers with him and he wrapped his arms around her.
"Thanks for coming," he said, kissing her forehead.
Ginny's cheek pressed against his bare chest. "I told Hermione that I was coming over, but I'll have to be home before breakfast or Mum will go berserk that I snuck out in the night."
He nodded. "Yeah, okay. But you'll stay for a few hours?"
Ginny lifted her face to his to kiss him. "I'm not going anywhere."
Harry pulled the blankets up higher to snuggle her close, his hand sliding down to cup her bum. Her hair was messy and she was in old boxers and one of his old Quidditch training tee shirts that had seen better days. He thought she'd never looked more beautiful.
"I love you."
"I love you, too," Ginny said.
He held her close, inhaling the floral scent of her hair, and he finally closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
~ ASC ~
Mina and Leo woke her up early. A glance at the clock told Zee that it was barely even six as she stumbled out of bed to greet her early rising children. She stretched, rocking her neck back and forth in an attempt to wake herself up before she grabbed her robe and her slippers and hurried to the nursery to see to her children.
They were both standing, hands on the bars, tears in their eyes.
"Oh, darlings, no need to cry. Mama's right here," Zee said. She kissed Leo's cheek as she picked him up and then did the same to Mina, holding one child in each arm. "Did you sleep well?"
"Ma-ma-ma-ma," Leo babbled.
Mina curled her face into Zee's neck and she kissed her cheek tenderly.
"Come on, darlings, let's go downstairs and Mama will get you some milk, okay?"
Zee carefully carried them from the room and down the stairs. She frowned when she saw the soot on the carpet and her eyes immediately locked onto the fireplace in worry. She swore that she had locked it last night. The creak on the stairs had her turning, holding Mina and Leo closer and cursing herself for leaving her wand upstairs when Ginny stepped into the living room.
"Ginny?" Zee gasped in surprise, taking in the witch's messy hair and pyjamas.
"Good morning, Zee," Ginny said, her cheeks flushing. "Sorry, I thought that you'd still be sleeping."
"Mina and Leo had other ideas," Zee said. "What are you doing here?"
"Harry called me last night," Ginny said. "He couldn't sleep. He was upset about Ted and Andy."
Zee nodded. She had known her son was more upset than he had let on last night. "Okay."
"We fell asleep, I'm sorry. I didn't meant to stay all night."
"It's all right," Zee replied. "You were offering him comfort, I understand that. Just next time give a mother a warning, okay?"
Ginny nodded in agreement before she greeted Mina and Leo with a kiss. She disappeared into the Floo a moment later. Zee frowned towards the stairs. She knew that her son was seventeen, but they needed to have a chat about overnight house guests without her permission. She moved into the kitchen to get milk for the twins and wondered what exactly she was going to say to him.
Harry didn't come down until after nine. He was still in his sleep pants, but had thrown on a jumper and his hair was even messier than normal. Zee smiled when he kissed her cheek before heading into the kitchen and pouring himself a tall glass of orange juice.
"How'd you sleep?" Zee asked.
"Good," Harry said. "Really good actually, once I finally settled."
"I'm glad. Did your settling have anything to do with the young woman I saw sneaking out of your room this morning?"
Harry froze, the glass of orange juice half-way to his lips. "Erm… she came over so we could talk."
"I gathered that," Zee said.
"It was just Ginny, I didn't think you'd mind," he said, drinking his juice.
Zee frowned. "I don't mind exactly, but I do mind you bringing people into our house in the middle of the night without me knowing."
"I'm sorry, Zee. I couldn't sleep and I called her and… we just talked and fell asleep."
"I know you're seventeen, Harry," Zee said, carefully. "You're an adult and there's only so much I can say and do, but Ginny isn't seventeen. She's sixteen and how do you think Molly and Arthur are going to take the fact that their sixteen-year-old-daughter snuck out of their house in the middle of the night to spend the night with her boyfriend?"
"We just slept," Harry said again.
"I'm sure that's true," Zee replied. "But between the articles they've been publishing about you and with what I know about how you and Ginny feel about each other… Harry, I think that we need to set some ground rules."
Harry scoffed. "Are you kidding?"
"No," Zee said. "When she comes to stay with us, she will be staying in my room, not yours."
Harry frowned. "Zee, come on. As you said, I'm seventeen, and Ginny and I can share a room."
"I don't think that her parents would be comfortable with you and her sharing a bed, Harry. And don't tell me that you've done it before because I don't want to know that." At his look, she merely stared him down. "And you're being safe, right? Sirius and Remus covered the whole contraceptive charms and potions with you?"
"Merlin, yes!" Harry exclaimed, his cheeks flushing.
"Good," Zee said. "Because Sirius and I were safe, too and yet here I am, the mother of twins. Not everything is one hundred percent foolproof."
Harry swallowed. "I know how to be safe. I'm… I'm taking the potion."
"Good," Zee repeated.
Harry opened to his mouth to protest before he promptly closed it again. He tapped his fingers on the counter behind him and cleared his throat. "So wait, are you saying that when she comes to stay with us, she has to stay with you?"
Zee pursed her lips. "Let me think about it, okay?"
Harry drank the rest of his juice. "Fine. I'm going to shower."
"Harry, I'm not trying to be the bad guy here."
"I know," Harry said. "I'm going to shower."
Zee watched him head upstairs and let out a frustrated sigh, turning to Mina and Leo. "You two can't date, okay? It's much too stressful on your mama."
"Ma-ma-ma!" Mina said as Leo clapped.
"That's right," Zee replied, kissing both of them in response.
She had a lot of thinking to do.
~ ASC ~
Remus didn't sleep much. He kept an eye on his wife, holding her close as she slept and keeping one hand on the bump of her stomach. He felt like it helped him comfort his son and his wife, even if it was only in his head. Tonks had slept through the night which surprised him, but he knew that she was tired.
She'd put in a full day at the DMLE only to come home and be given the worst news imaginable. When Kingsley had shown up at the cottage, Remus had known. He'd begged him to wait until Dora came home to tell her. He didn't want her to be alone at work when she heard the news. But watching his wife fall apart had been so much harder than he'd anticipated.
Tonks had sobbed herself hoarse for almost an hour before sleep had finally succumbed to her. He understood that grief and he knew how hard it was to bear, especially when it was senseless. Watching his own mother suffer and die from the illness that had taken her had been the hardest thing he'd ever done, but when his father had died a few years later, he'd felt truly alone. Losing Fee and Monty, then James and Lily and Sirius had made him almost want to give up on life himself. But he had kept moving forward.
Then Sirius had returned to him and with Sirius had come Harry and that child… that child had changed his life for the better. Now he had his amazing wife, a man he considered his son whom he loved more than he could put into words, and another son on the way. Not to mention Zee and the twins. His life was complete and yet watching his wife lose her parents, made his own grief come back in full.
Ted and Andromeda had been two of the nicest people he had ever met. They had always treated him with respect, with open arms. They invited him to every family dinner, to every holiday without question and when he fell in love with their daughter, they had only welcomed him even more. Taking in those runaways, those witches and wizards and babies had been a monumental task; he couldn't imagine anyone else being so good at it. It had gotten them killed in the end, but the lives they saved made their sacrifice mean something.
He kissed her brow and carefully crawled out of the bed. She stirred, but didn't wake. He wrapped her up and made his way into the kitchen to make some tea and breakfast. He was just cleaning up his dishes when the knock on the front door startled him and he hurried over to open it, putting a finger to his lips as he did.
Charlie stood there with Aydin in his arms. "Hey, Remus."
"Charlie, hi. Come in," he said, gesturing the man inside. "She's sleeping."
He nodded. "I figured she might be. It's still early, but this one gets up when the birds do." Aydin giggled when he rubbed his nose into her neck. "Ginny told me what happened. Harry called her last night. You have plans today?"
Remus shrugged. "I have a few things to go over with Harry and for the Order, but it can wait."
Charlie shook his head. "No, go. I got her."
Remus hesitated. "She's a wreck, Charlie."
"I got her," Charlie repeated. "Go, do what you need to do. If she needs you, I'll let you know."
Remus rubbed his chin. "All right. Just give me a few minutes."
Five minutes later, he was dressed and Tonks was still sleeping. He kissed her brow once more before he headed out, eyes on where Charlie was in the living room.
"You'll send word if she needs me?"
"Yes. But she'll be fine. I'll take care of her."
"I know," he said. "I'd trust no one else with her."
Remus grabbed his cloak and headed out to Disapparate. He did have some things to take care of. He didn't want his wife to have to deal with any of it if he could avoid it. When he stepped into Black Cottage a few minutes later, it was to find Zee frowning as she fried up sausages and eggs.
"What's with the frown?" Remus asked, moving to make himself a cup of tea.
"Hmm? Oh, hi, Remus."
Remus lifted an eyebrow.
"I caught Ginny sneaking out of Harry's room this morning."
"Ah," Remus said. "You didn't know that she was here?"
"No," Zee said, looking up at the ceiling. "She said Harry called her because he was upset and they fell asleep talking."
"And you don't believe her?"
"No, I do," Zee said, quickly. "I know that Harry was upset last night over Ted and Andy and I get why he reached out to her. She's his source of comfort and I would never begrudge him that. But… she's only sixteen and I don't want Molly and Arthur to think I'm letting them be irresponsible."
Remus nodded. "Zee, they know their daughter and they… I don't think they've gone all the way yet."
Zee looked a little relieved to hear that. "I told Harry that when she comes to stay she has to stay with me in my room."
"Really?" Remus said, raising an eyebrow.
"It's wrong, isn't it? It's just making me look stupid like I know they haven't spent the night together."
Remus sighed. "It's a tough decision, but I think we should let them make it."
"Even if they want to share a bed?"
"Even then," Remus said. "They've been together for over two years, Zee, and with everything that's happened with the potion… he's going to marry her one day."
"I know," Zee said. "And I can't imagine a more perfect witch for him. They complete each other. They're soulmates."
"Do you believe in that?"
"Yes," Zee said. "Without question. I think that we all have that one person out there who we're destined to be with. I know that Sirius was mine."
Remus nodded. "I agree with you. They are soulmates. Neither of them is fully happy without the other. I watch them sometimes at school over meals or in the hall. The way they touch absently, a finger squeeze, a touch to the arm… the looks they exchange… its more than them just being in love. They complete each other."
Zee sighed. "I hate it that you're right."
He smiled. "I don't want to admit that I'm right either. He's on the potion, Zee. The two of them are careful and honestly, I wasn't a virgin at their age."
"Me neither," Zee admitted. "Okay, I'm being too much of a mum, I will be cool with it. They can share a bed."
Remus chuckled. "All right."
Zee finished making the eggs and sausage and served up three plates for them. "How's Dora?"
"She was still sleeping when I left," Remus said. "She cried herself to sleep last night. Charlie showed up with Aydin and told me to take off. He promised he'd take care of her."
"He's her best friend, I think that's a good call."
"Me too," Remus said. "It gives me time to get things in motion with the funeral. I don't want her to have to worry about any of it."
"Did Ted and Andy have wills?"
Remus nodded. "Yeah. Sirius helped them write them. We all made them up about ten years ago. I don't know if it's been updated since then. But I don't want Dora to have to worry about anything."
"Harry wants to help."
"I'd appreciate that," Remus said as Harry came into the kitchen.
"Hi, Uncle Rem. How's Tonks?"
"Sleeping. I left her with Charlie and Aydin."
Harry nodded, letting Remus engulf him in a warm hug.
"How are you?"
"All right," Harry said, hugging Remus a moment longer before he moved to sit down to breakfast as Zee made up some toast for Mina and Leo. "What can I do to help?"
"Everything should be taken care of," Remus told him. "We'll just have to follow the guidelines they set up. But I could still use some assistance."
"Done," Harry said.
Remus patted his arm and thought it was going to be a very long day.
~ ASC ~
Tonks woke up alone. She reached out and the coolness of the bed made her frown. It wasn't like Remus to not be there. She sat up slowly, trying to remember where he could be when it all came back to her. Her parents… she placed a hand over her heart as her bottom lip trembled. It was a dream, a bad dream… it had to be.
Tonks slowly climbed from the bed. She was dressed in one of Remus' jumpers that was a nightgown on her and her knickers. She hurried into the living room.
"Remus? Remus?"
"Hey, Beautiful."
Tonks' eyes narrowed in on where Charlie was sitting in the middle of her living room floor with Aydin standing at the coffee table. She was banging a toy dragon on the wood, a big smile on her face.
"Charlie?"
Charlie stood up, moving across the room to engulf her in his arms. "Hey. Did you sleep okay?"
Tonks' face pressed against his chest and the familiar scent of firewood made the sob break loose. "Charlie."
"I know, love," he said, kissing her temple. "I'm so sorry."
Charlie steered her towards the sofa, tucking her into his side.
"Where's Remus?"
"He had some things to take care of. I told him to go."
Aydin waddled over to them, the toy dragon in her hand and Charlie lifted his daughter up into his lap.
"Say hi to Auntie Tonks, Aydin."
"Hi," Aydin said, crawling into Tonks' lap.
Tonks let out a little half-sob.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought Aydin," Charlie said quickly. "I just wanted to get over here as quickly as I could. I'll call my mum and have her pick her up."
"No, babies bring joy," Tonks said, wrapping her arms around Aydin. "They're so innocent and beautiful and pure. The world needs a little happiness right now. I need a little happiness right now. She's gorgeous, Charlie, and I love her."
Charlie kissed her temple again. "Okay. Aydin, Auntie Tonks needs a hug."
Aydin rested her cheek over Tonks' heart. "Hi."
Tonks' hands brushed Aydin's soft cheek. "Hi, baby."
Charlie smiled. "She's getting into everything now. With her walking, it's like I can't turn my back for two seconds. The dragons are actually crazy good with her. They know she's innocent and I don't know… it's like they protect her or something. There's a little nursery on the reserve and she spends her time there with some of the other kids while I work. I miss having her with me all the time." His hand slid over Tonks' bump. "I know we both can't wait to meet this guy."
Tears spilled down Tonks' cheeks. "Mum and Dad were so excited."
"I know," Charlie said, his hand still resting over her bump. "They were very excited to be grandparents. They would have been the best grandparents."
"Teddy's not even going to know them."
"Teddy?"
She nodded. "That's what we're going to name him. Edward after my dad, but we're going to call him Teddy and… we were going to tell my parents at Sunday dinner tonight and now…"
"They know, Dora. They know."
Tonks let her head fall onto his shoulder. "What am I going to do now?"
Aydin stayed on Tonks' lap, holding the toy dragon in her hand as she made more baby talk. Tonks' fingers gently brushed her red hair as Charlie watched her.
"You're going to keep going," Charlie said. "You're going to keep working and help hunt down the SOBs who hurt them. You're going to let your husband take care of you and you're going to take care of Teddy. When he comes in a few months he's going to want to hear all about his grandparents."
She continued to stroke Aydin's hair.
Charlie kissed the top of her head. "Can you keep an eye on your goddaughter? I'm going to whip you up some scrambled eggs."
"I'm not hungry," Tonks murmured.
"Tough," Charlie said. "Mums need to eat."
"When's Remus coming home?"
"Later," Charlie assured her as he stood up. "He has some things to take care of."
"What could he have to… the funeral? Oh Merlin, he's… I need to go help."
"Sit down," Charlie said, pushing her back onto the sofa. "He has it under control. All you need to do is sit here with your goddaughter and let me make you some breakfast. He'll be home later."
"But he shouldn't be —"
"— Dora," Charlie said, making her eyes meet his. "Let him do this. You rest."
Aydin's fingers went into her brown curls and she nodded.
"Okay."
Charlie kissed her forehead and then kissed Aydin's cheek. "You know what the first thing I remember about your parents is?"
"No," Tonks mumbled, turning to look over at him.
"Summer before second year, you invited me over," Charlie said as he moved into the kitchen to start looking for eggs. "I walked in and I said 'thank you Mrs Tonks.' Your mother stared at me for a full two seconds before she said, 'It's Andy. Are you hungry?' I thought she was the coolest mum ever."
Tonks snorted. "You only liked her because she was constantly feeding you."
"Nah, my own mum did that. I thought yours was just sexy. Mums weren't supposed to be sexy."
"Ew, Charlie," she said.
He grinned at her over the island as he began to crack eggs into a bowl. "Then your dad came in, pulled her into his arms and kissed her before he smiled at me and asked if I would help him grill the chicken. I liked that it felt like home."
"Dad always liked you," Tonks said.
"I'm very likeable," Charlie replied. "I was the son your dad always wanted, he only accepted you by default."
"Arse," Tonks said, moving to carry Aydin into the kitchen.
"An arse who made you smile," Charlie corrected as he scrambled eggs.
"I knew there was risk," Tonks admitted. "They were careful and Kingsley was there with backup and they still… Bellatrix killed my mum, Charlie. She took Sirius and now she…"
"I know," he said. "But they were so proud of you, Tonks. The day we found out you got accepted into the Academy, remember I was there when you told them? Your dad cried and your mum was jumping up and down in excitement with you. Her little pixie, an Auror, and how she always knew you could do it."
"They were the best parents a girl could ask for," Tonks said. "They always wanted a big family, but there were complications with me and… Mum and Dad said that they were gifted with me."
"No," Charlie corrected. "I was the gift, you were merely the wrapping."
Tonks threw the magazine on the counter at him and he laughed.
"They knew that you would be an amazing Auror and now you're going to be an even more amazing mum. Remus makes you happy and that's all they ever wished for you, Tonks. They just wanted you to be happy."
"I know," she whispered as she watched him cook the eggs. "I just can't believe they're gone."
Charlie gave her a soft smile as he continued to mosey around the kitchen until she had a plate of scrambled eggs with toast and jam before he took Aydin from her.
"Eat up. You'll need your strength."
"Charlie?" When his eyes met hers, she picked up a fork. "I kinda love you."
His grin lit up his face. "Yeah, well I kinda love you, too."
And when she took her first bite of scrambled eggs, she thought she felt a little better. Even if it was just wishful thinking, Charlie was right, her parents had been proud of her and they loved her. But they had not only been the best parents she ever could have asked for, but they had been heroes. It was because of them that those witches and wizards had been given a safe place. It was because of them that those witches and wizards were still alive. It was because of them that those witches and wizards had been given a second chance. Their death hadn't been for nothing and that was a thought she desperately clung to.
They had been heroes.
She placed a hand over her baby bump. She would make sure her son knew that.
~ ASC ~
Pansy woke instantly to the sound of Grayson crying. She jumped out of bed, startled to realize that she wasn't in her own room before she remembered.
She was at Wiltshire Manor.
Draco and Blaise were alive.
She moved to her son, picking him up from the cot as she kissed his chubby cheeks.
"Good morning, darling. I know, you miss your own room. Me too."
She sat in the chair to feed him and when he latched onto her breast, she held him close, cradling him carefully.
She was worried about Greg. The Aurors who had brought her here had been nothing but kind and Auror Kane had promised that she would be safe as would Grayson, but Greg was still at the DMLE. She didn't know how long they were going go keep him there, but she had to admit that she was worried it meant they wouldn't bring him here at all. Would he go to the Azkaban Crypt? The thought made her stomach clench nervously and she felt sick to her stomach.
If Greg went to Azkaban, what was she going to do? She didn't know if she could raise this baby by herself. Not to mention her shop was… Merlin, Pansy had no idea what was going to happen to Sophistication by Pansy. She wouldn't be able to work there now. She would have to stay here and just… suddenly it felt like her dreams were disappearing before her eyes and a sob tore through her.
Grayson's blue eyes looked up at her as a tear fell on his cheek. Pansy quickly wiped it away with her thumb. She would do this, she thought. She could do this. She and Grayson would be fine. They would be safe. Just because her shop had been… what, she wondered. What had happened to do it? Was the building still there? Had the Dark Lord ordered his followers to destroy it? She was almost afraid to find out the answer.
The old abandoned bank had been everything she had ever dreamed of and more. The turquoise door that Greg had found and helped her put into place, marble counter, the mannequins… she and Greg had made it into everything she'd ever wanted and now she'd given it all up. And for what? For Lockhart to escape and for the man she loved to be arrested? It didn't seem fair.
By the time Grayson finished feeding, she'd wiped her tears, still wondering what she was going to do. She fixed her nightie, closing her robe tightly as a knock sounded on the door. Pansy put Grayson on her shoulder as she moved to answer it, staring into the dark eyes of Blaise Zabini.
"Zabini."
"Parkinson," he said, moving into her room and making himself comfortable in the sitting room.
"Sure, come on in."
He smirked. "Don't mind if I do. Sit."
Pansy sat across from him. "What do you want?"
"A blow job would be fantastic."
"Piss off!"
"Didn't say from you," he continued. "How was your first night?"
"Fine."
"Don't say fine to placate me. I get it. First night in a new place with a baby, it's an adjustment."
"I'm worried about Greg," she admitted.
"Goyle is dumber than a post. They'll figure that out soon enough and let him go."
"You don't know anything!" Pansy hissed. "We've been the ones living it and Greg knows more than he should! He's been… the Dark Lord has centred him out, Blaise! He's been doing all sorts of missions and tasks. He's not stupid!"
"Maybe he's not," Blaise admitted. "You love him."
"Is that so shocking?" she asked.
"That you're in love with Goyle? Not so much as you being capable of it."
Pansy glared at him. "Were you always this much of an arsehole?"
"Pretty sure, yeah," he said, making her smile. "Look, Pansy. You and Grayson will be safe here. If there's anything you need, you need only ask for it."
"I'm going to need baby stuff. All I have is what I packed in his day bag," she admitted.
"We have some things here already that you can use, but we can send my house elf to grab some stuff."
"Oh Merlin, Mitzy!" Pansy exclaimed. "My elf! I never even thought to warn her! She must be frantic wondering why we didn't come home!"
"Call for her," Blaise suggested.
"Mitzy!"
It was only a moment before a bloody elf landed on the floor of the master bedroom suite. Mitzy coughed, blood spraying the carpet. The elf was covered in cuts, blood seeping out. Part of her skin looked like it had been cursed off and one of her ears was missing. The sight was horrifying and made the tiny elf look monstrous with so much blood.
"Oh, Mitzy!" Pansy exclaimed, her eyes wide in shock. "Mitzy, what happened?"
"Mistress!" Mitzy squeaked, her eyes wide. "Mistress is alive? The young master?"
"Grayson's here. He's safe. What happened?"
"Mr Crouch, Mistress. He… is at the house."
Blaise frowned. "Forget getting Grayson's things. We can't send anyone in there. They're waiting for it."
Pansy was pale as she stared into Blaise's dark eyes. "They know."
"We know," Blaise told her. "You showing up wasn't the only surprise we received yesterday. Millie showed up as well along with Crouch's second wife. The Dark Lord knows Draco and I are alive."
Pansy trembled and Blaise reached for Grayson as she fell into the chair. "That means… I need to see Greg."
Blaise shook his head. "He's in the middle of the Auror office, that's not happening."
"Blaise… if they know we're all alive, if they know what I did…"
"What did you do exactly?" he asked, shifting Grayson onto his shoulder with surprising ease.
"I outed Lockhart who had taken up residence in my shop."
Blaise stared at her for a long moment. "You always did have balls. Come on. We'll get Lia to look over Mitzy until we can get a healer here. You need to get some food in you and we need to check out your arm. Draco and I will fill you in on who else is staying here. Welcome to Wiltshire. Where there's always a crying baby and no one gets laid. I call it Hell."
Pansy rolled her eyes. "It's nice to know some things haven't changed."
Blaise handed Grayson back to her. "Come on; let's get some breakfast."
Pansy accepted Blaise's arm and wondered just how many other witches and babies were living in the Malfoy mansion. She had a feeling that she was going to have a lot of questions.
~ ASC ~
Harry thought the day actually went by rather quickly. It took the three of them a surprisingly short amount of time to get everything together. The funeral was set for the next day and Ted and Andromeda had set everything up themselves so it took very little for them to do.
Tonks was like a zombie. Her hair was her original mousy brown and the black dress she wore made her look pale. She leaned into Remus' side, her hand holding onto his in a way that told Harry she wasn't entirely standing on her own. Her pregnant belly was showing now that she was five months and she held a hand over it.
Harry stood on the other side of Tonks, his arm around her as she seemed to constantly be rotated between him, Charlie, and Remus. She nodded if spoken to and answered in yes or no, but she wouldn't speak otherwise. It worried Harry more than he wanted to admit, but Charlie and Remus both assured him that she would be fine.
The funeral had a bigger turnout than he'd expected. A lot of Aurors and friends of Tonks and of her parents were there along with the Weasleys, some Order members, Misha and Sorcha, and Theo. The ceremony was short, but lovely and when their bodies were lowered into the ground, Tonks finally let out a loud sob and buried her face into Remus' chest.
They had decided not to have an open house, but to let Remus take Tonks home to sleep. Harry kissed Tonks' cheek and hugged her tight and when she whispered that she was okay, relief tore through him. Remus hugged him goodbye and he watched them head out, hand in hand. He knew that Tonks was going to be okay, but she also needed the rest.
Ginny's fingers found his and he smiled. "Hey."
"Hey," he said. "Thanks for coming."
"I wouldn't be anywhere else," she told him. "Who is taking care of Mina and Leo?"
"Grandma and Grandpa," Harry said.
Ginny's eyebrow rose. "As in…"
"Yeah. They were a surprise I forgot to mention the other night."
"Well, you had other things on your mind," Ginny said.
"Are you coming to spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa?"
"I'd love to," she said. "Let me just talk to my parents, okay? See what the holiday plans are. Angelina wants to do lunch tomorrow. It was supposed to be today, but with the funeral, we postponed it. I think that's all we have lined up so far."
Harry pecked her lips. "Okay."
He watched her head across the cemetery towards her parents, a soft smile on his face. No matter how much darkness there was in the world, Ginny was his light. She lit up everything and it made all the difference. In everything.
End Author's Notes:
(French) Qu'est-il arrivé = what happened?
(French) Merde = shit
(French) Oui = yes
(French) n'est pas = isn't that so?
Thanks for reading and please review!