I'm chuffed at the reaction to Part 1, thank you all very much. Hope you like this follow-up, although be warned that it contains allusions to domestic violence.

Ted Talks: Part 2

Dumbledore was dead. It was all over the papers and the radio. Dumbledore was dead at the hand of Severus Snape- although the only reason Ted knew that second part was because Dora had told him so when she'd Flooed home for a brief, frenzied half-hour the evening afterwards to assure them that she was safe. She'd been jittery and exhausted, and she was going back to work straight after coming home. There was lots to be done at Hogwarts. Nobody could believe what had happened.

"Are they sure it was Snape?" Ted asked, white-faced.

"Of course we're sure. He ran past us on the stairs, Harry saw him kill him, he saw the body,"

"When's the funeral?" Dromeda demanded.

"Friday,"

"Will you be home after?"

"I don't know. Nobody knows. It's madness".


Dad,

Everything's fine but need to speak urgently. Is Mum still going to Poker on Sundays, if yes can I Floo over while she's out? All fine. Funeral OK. You've probably seen pictures by now.

Dora.

Ted gripped the letter in his hands and waited. He'd replied to confirm that Andromeda would be out from eleven until two, and Dora could come over any time then. It was eleven-thirty now and she hadn't turned up, which wasn't surprising, but Ted didn't want to wait in for her all day. He wasn't sure if he should be concerned- her letter had said everything was fine, but in the sort of way one said it when things weren't. It wasn't just Ted's daughter who was unpredictable these days- it was the world. Dumbledore, murdered. It still hadn't sunk in, despite the funeral coverage all over the newspapers and the radio.

There was a clunk and then a whirring noise, and then something bright pink started materialising in mid-air in the fireplace. After a moment the pink blurred downwards into a head and a body, and Dora toppled out of the fireplace into the front room

"Wotcher, Dad. What did I get you for your wedding anniversary last year?"

"A potplant. Who is my favourite Rolling Stone?"

"Charlie Watts,"

Satisfied, Dora hugged him, smiling like he hadn't seen her smile in months. And her hair...her pink hair was back. Ted felt even more perplexed.

"Hello, sweetheart. How was the funeral?" he asked, letting go of her. Dora's smile disappeared abruptly.

"Everybody cried buckets. The weather was beautiful but it was so sad,"

"I've seen the photos- the centaurs came, didn't they?"

"And the merepeople. So many people. But, listen, Dad, I need to tell you something". Her voice was urgent but she was beaming again. This was very strange.

"Yes. Okay," Ted nodded, unsure what to feel or prepare for.

"I'm getting married,"

Ted stared at her. He hadn't known what he'd been expecting, but it certainly hadn't been that.

"Remus and I are getting married next week. It's fantastic, isn't it, it's all happened so quickly and I-" Dora chirped.

Finding his voice, Ted cut her off. "What? Married? Next week?". She had to be joking. This was a trick, this was a daft joke and she was going to laugh herself silly at him in a minute.

"I know it's a shock, it was for me. We only agreed to at the funeral. Isn't it wonderful?" she sighed dreamily.

"You're kidding. Very funny, now what it is you really want to tell me?" said Ted, rolling his eyes. Perhaps she was trying to cheer him up after the news about Dumbledore.

Dora shook her head but didn't stop smiling, "Not kidding. Not a joke. I'd show you an engagement ring only we haven't sorted one out yet,"

Ted goggled at her again.

"For real, Dad. This is happening. I am marrying Remus Lupin next week and I want you to come,"

"Next week?" Ted echoed.

"Yes. Probably Scotland. I wanted a big do, but there isn't much time and he doesn't want a fuss. I don't even know if you'll have to give me away, but that's all a bit stupid, isn't it, Dad? Dad?"

She wasn't joking, and it was sinking in now. Getting married? Dora? Next week? She hadn't...she'd been heartbroken over this man all year and now all of a sudden they were getting married?

"You're happy, aren't you? You'll come?" Dora was saying.

"Yes. Yes, of course we'll- I- give me a minute," Ted stammered, moving to the sofa to sit down, "I suppose I should say congratulations," he added, because her elated expression had faltered into concern.

"Thanks, Dad. It's so exciting. It's amazing, he's amazing. Everything's sad and crazy, and then this has happened and it's..." she tailed off, glowing.

"Are you sure about this?" Ted asked. The grin was back, and the slight hysteria in her face was disconcerting.

"A hundred percent. A million percent. You know how much I missed him, Dad, and now I'm going to marry him,"

"But...next week?" Ted spluttered again. Seven days was no time to plan a wedding, even a quiet one. Surely she was busy at Hogwarts and with the Order?

"We've wasted so much time," she explained, "Over a year. We're not going to wait anymore,"

The repeated Ws forced another thought into Ted's mind: "And you're...he's still a, you know- a werewolf,"

Dora's mouth tightened into a line. She folded her arms and eyeballed him. "Yes. He is,"

"And you're sure? You're absolutely sure- look, can't I meet this man before you run off to Scotland to marry him?" Ted asked. He'd promised her he was alright with it but he hadn't expected this to happen. Could he be alright with this? Would Andromeda? Would anybody?

"We're not running off. That's you two who did that. Which is why I'm here, inviting you to our wedding," Dora said stiffly, "I want him to come round here tomorrow. For dinner. And I want you to be nice to him,"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah. You'll see, Dad, you'll see what he's really like. I promise you'll like him, I promise you don't have anything to be afraid of,"

"Right. I- well, if it's- yes, of okay. Of course we'll have him over,"

Ted looked at his daughter, sitting beside him pink-haired and ecstatic, jiggling her legs excitedly.

"Just one thing, Dora," he added nervously, "How on Earth are we going to tell your mother?".


The conversation with Andromeda was one which Ted would have preferred to forget, but knew he never would.


"Hello!" Ted chirped, and winced at his overly cheery voice.

"Hello, Mr Tonks. I'm Remus. It's very nice to meet you,"

The man standing on the porch was a little taller than Ted and a lot thinner. He was wearing a shabby grey suit and a moth-eaten burgundy jumper, and holding a bunch of white flowers. Dora was standing beside him bouncing nervously on the toes of her neon yellow Dr Martens. The man didn't look like he'd ever owned anything neon yellow in his life. He held out his hand to shake in a manner which, like his greeting, seemed rehearsed.

Ted plastered on a smile as rehearsed as the other man's. "Hello, Remus. Pleased to meet you, too,"

They shook hands and, Ted noted, Remus' palms weren't hairy. Ted stepped side to allow them both into the house (it seemed an uncomfortable thing to do for your daughter, but probably not the most uncomfortable thing that would happen this evening) and led the way into the sitting room. Andromeda was sitting on the far side of the sofa staring out of the window as if trying to memorise the view. She'd tied her dark hair up in a tight bun, which reminded Ted of Professor McGonagall.

"Good evening, Mrs Tonks," said Remus, in the same practised tone, "Lovely to meet you,"

Andromeda didn't move. "Hello," she said tightly. Ted saw Dora's smile flicker.

"You didn't ask a security question," Andromeda said to Ted.

"I did the common room knock on the front door," Dora interjected. Then there was silence.

"Remus has bought some flowers, isn't that nice," he said loudly (goodness, it wasn't going to be like this all evening, was it? He didn't know if he could handle constantly changing the subject away from Remus' condition and Dromeda's disapproval), "Peonies, Dromeda, your favourite,"

Ted had no idea if the flowers were peonies, or if peonies were his wife's favourite flower. "I'll get a vase," he declared, "Would anybody like a drink?"

"You've got that white wine Uncle Bobby bought at Christmas, don't you?" said Dora.

"Yes, excellent. Remus?"

"Yes please, Mr Tonks," said Remus timidly.

"Dromeda?"

"Yes," she snipped.

Ted escaped to the kitchen, performed a cooling spell in the wine bottle, uncorked it and poured four glasses. After a moment's consideration, he drained one glass and refilled it for himself. He was going to need all the help he could get tonight.


"Remus taught Shay Kelly's little brother," Dora announced, "You remember him, Mum, he couldn't say his Rs properly. Bit unfortunate considering his name was Rory,"

"Hmm," said Andromeda. She hadn't might eye contact with anybody all evening.

"He was a lovely lad," Remus nodded, gulping down a chunk of chicken. Andromeda had refused to cook this evening, leaving Ted to sort out the food. His wife was considerably better in the kitchen than he was, so tonight's dinner was chewy and soggy. From the look of Remus Lupin though, Ted suspected that he'd eaten a lot worse.

"And did he know you were a werewolf?" Andromeda asked.

"Mum," growled Dora.

Ted stiffened, ready for an explosion from either end of the table.

"No," said Remus mildly, "None of the students knew,"

He had a soft, gruff voice with a slight accent. He was so polite it was almost unnerving, and he was managing to deflect Andromeda's sub-zero coldness with surprising dignity.

"Well they all know now, don't they?" Andromeda insisted.

"Yes,"

"So do you think it was a good idea, then, keeping it a-"

Dora interrupted before Ted could.

"That was three years ago, it's none of your business," she snapped.

"If he's marrying you I think it's definitely my business,"

"Dromeda-" said Ted quietly.

"Mum-"

"I was advised that discretion was the best policy, although in hindsight perhaps that was rather naive," said Remus.

"Advised by who? The Werewolves In Schools Council?" Dromeda taunted.

"By Dumbledore, actually,"

That shut everyone up.


Andromeda stormed off after Dora and Remus left and was pretending unconvincingly to be asleep by the time Ted had come up later. He'd left her to it, and she'd got up early for work the following morning and found some errands to run after. Lying in bed together that night was the first time Ted had had a chance to speak to his wife properly since the marriage bombshell had exploded. Except they weren't speaking to each other. Andromeda was glaring at the ceiling in pointed silence.

"Dromeda," Ted prompted, "Talk to me,"

She huffed. "What is there to say?"

"Well, what did you think of him?"

"I believe I made that clear," Andromeda said coldly.

"You made it clear to him, at great upset to your daughter. But what about me. Come on, tell me, honestly,"

Dromeda pushed her hair out of her eyes. It always spilt across her face at night, and Ted usually liked seeing her disordered like that. Then she sighed. "Well, he's clearly as poor as a church mouse. He was very clinical. He looks older than you, and you're her father. And he turns into a monster every few weeks. How's that, Ted? How's that?"

"He wasn't clinical," said Ted, after a pause, thinking that this was the point he had the most chance of persuading her against, "He was being polite,"

"Polite, my cauldron bottom. You know what werewolves are like; foraging in bins, eating roadkill off the floor, living in woods and squats,"

"Dromeda, the man we met last night struck me as the type of person who doesn't know what a squat is,"

"Where d'you suppose he lives?" she pushed, half disdain, half lurid fascination.

"He's staying in one of Kingsley's safehouses until he moves in with Dora,"

"Silly me, I forgot you know everything about him," Dromeda snarled.

"No, I don't. I met him yesterday, same as you,"

"But you've keen keeping this a secret for months. I was worrying myself sick about her and-"

"Can you blame her for wanting to keep it a secret if this is your reaction?"

Andromeda rolled over in bed to face him. "Ted, can you honestly say you're pleased about this?"

"Of course I'm not pleased! Of course I'd prefer her to marry someone with a job and a house and a sickle to his name. Of course I'd prefer not to have been at school with my son-in-law. Of course I'd prefer him not to be a-" Ted cut himself off.

"She's not here, Ted. You can say it," Dromeda challenged, "Say you know he's a monster, he's a freak. We're going to have to spend the rest of our lives trying not to say it in front of Nymphadora, I think we can allow ourselves the liberty of being honest about it when she isn't here,"

"Mad-Eye said he's a nice man," Ted pointed out for what felt like the fiftieth time in twenty-four hours, "You trust Mad-Eye, don't you?"

"Of course, but- how do we know he isn't dangerous? How do we know he's not going to jilt her in five minutes' time?". Andromeda, Ted noted, still refused to call Remus by his name.

"Look, I know exactly what you're thinking because I've been through this all as well," he told her, "I've had months to digest this and you've only had a couple of days. But in the months I've had to fret about it I didn't expect him to be half as pleasant as the man we met last night,"

There was a point, Ted knew, to be made about himself and Dromeda, and everything their family had thought about him. But Dora had made that point several times in increasingly pointed and furious ways, so Ted didn't think it was worth pushing.

"He'll show his true colours sooner or later," Andromeda warned, then her voice changed, melting into a frightened shudder as she whispered, "I kept seeing him hurting her,"

"What do you mean?"

"I couldn't stop imagining it. Couldn't you? She didn't tell me about him before, what if she doesn't again? You know she can morph away bruises,"

"Dromeda, have you forgotten that our daughter is an Auror?" Ted pointed out. He glanced sideways at her, and then back up at the eves.

"But he'll know how to duel too,"

"Why don't you speak to Mad-Eye? If I can't reassure you perhaps he can,"

"Hmm," Dromeda mumbled. There was silence for a moment, and then she said abruptly, "What on Earth do you suppose they talk about? They've got nothing in common,"

"The Order's pretty all-encompassing,"

"He doesn't talk like her. He doesn't dress like her. He doesn't look as if he likes any of things that she likes,"

"One minute you're scared he's a violent lunatic and now you reckon he's too boring," Ted said wearily.

"He can be both," Andromeda snapped, "Why are you so naïve?"

She'd hissed that to him a lot, back when they were teenagers and he didn't realise what the Blacks were like. He'd often wondered, then, how long it would be before her patience with him wore too thin.

It was Ted who needed patience now. "You're determined to expect the worst of him," he sighed.

"It's not expecting. I know. I know," Dromeda hissed.

We're going round in circles, Ted thought exasperatedly. He held out his arm to her.

"Hey. Come here,"

Dromeda huffed and looked irritated, but shuffled up to him anyway.

"It'll be alright. You and I always work things out, don't we?" Ted coaxed, kissing her on the forehead.

Andromeda didn't reply.


Ted rapped on the inn room door.

"Come in," said a hoarse Welsh voice.

Ted opened the door and stepped inside. The man who would be his son-in-law in an hour's time was standing in front of the mirror in a black suit (which was sharper, Ted observed, than anything he would have expected Remus to own). He'd already put on his jacket and tie, but only had socks on his feet.

"Hello, Ted," said Remus.

"Wotcher. You look nice," said Ted, then grimaced at the stupid compliment. To change the subject, he pulled two pint-bottles of Firewhiskey from his pocket and handed one to Remus.

"Thought you might fancy one of these," he said.

Remus took it, thanked him, and both men performed uncapping spells on their bottles before taking a swig. Ted swallowed and wondered what to say. Remus didn't supply a conversation-starter, so Ted commented vaguely, "Nice place, this,"

"Yes,"

"Have you been here before?"

"Nearby. On holiday when I was a boy," said Remus. He hesitated, then said, "My mother thought it very pretty"

"Pretty cold," Ted joked feebly.

"Yes, I suppose," Remus agreed. Ted got the impression he wanted to say something else, but he didn't, and they lapsed into silence. Ted looked out of the window for a moment, then back at Remus. He wondered if the man in front of him was goodlooking or not. Dora probably thought him the most handsome man in the world, and Andromeda believed him the vilest. Ted knew that the truth was somewhere between, but he wasn't sure where. Remus was, as far as Ted could see, rather plain. He was the sort of man one would walk past on the street without glancing at.

The silencing was threatening to smother them. "Been to any other weddings recently?" Ted asked.

"Not for a long time. But Bill Weasley's is on the first of August,"

"Oh yes. I expect Molly's making a song and dance about that". Ted hoped this observation would get a smile out of Remus, and it worked because the other man chuckled.

"You're probably right,"

Another silence descended, although this one was slightly more companiable than before.

"Thank you for this," said Remus unexpectedly, holding up his bottle, "And thank you very much for coming today. I know this isn't..." he tailed off embrassedly.

This isn't what? thought Ted, Ideal? Good timing? As much fun as the Wealsley wedding will be? The sort of wedding I would want for my only child? The sort of groom I'd want for my only child? All of the above, and Ted would be lying if he said that this all wasn't a disappointment.

"No, it isn't," Ted acknowledged. He glanced up at Remus, who was looking at him through the mirror with a guilty expression on his face. You're not like they say you are, Ted thought, you're not like Dromeda believes you are. You're alright.

"But let's concentrate on what it is, eh son?" he said.


"Wonder how the Weasleys are getting on," Ted remarked to from behind his newspaper. It was a couple of weeks later, a few days after Harry Potter had crash-landed in their garden with Hagrid and a dead owl. Ted and Andromeda had got them away safely and received word that Nymphadora and Remus were safe too, but that Mad-Eye Moody had been killed. Ted knew that Dora would be taking Mad-Eye's death hard, and it stung a bit that she hadn't been round to see them since. She had her husband for comfort now, Ted supposed. It was hard to imagine that the old Auror was dead; he'd seemed indestructible. Missing half his face but still hard as nails. Ted had felt safer about Dora at work knowing she was with Mad-Eye.

"I heard they've invited Xeno Lovegood- imagine," Dromeda laughed. It was a cruel, mocking laugh which reminded Ted that although his wife had appeared to have lightened up in the last few days, she was ready to flare up at a moment's notice.

"His daughter's friends with Ginny and what's-his-name, the youngest boy," Ted explained.

"George?"

"No, George is one of the twins I think,"

"Ah yes, you're right. Gosh, there's so many of them it's difficult to keep track of-"

BANG!

The end of Andromeda's sentence was lost under the sound of a shout from outside, as the front door was blasted off its hinges.


To be continued. Thank you for reading, please drop me a review. Andromeda didn't come across so sympathetically in this chapter, so if you'd like to see a more generous depiction of her, please check out Chapter 9 of my story Magpies. Thanks a lot.