I do not own HP
Thanks to my beta Sharptooth for all his hard work!
Chapter 3 – Emotions
Harry stood there standing in the door way looking at his friend of a few years the wife of his last link to his parents. He remained standing in the doorway trying to figure out how to word what he was going to say to Tonks about her loss. If you looked closely enough you could see Harry sway from side to side very slightly. The adrenaline of the past twenty four hours was quickly fading and the physical pain of battle and actually taking a killing curse combined with the emotional strain of the responsibility he felt for all those that were lost weighed heavily on him.
His eyes red and face fatigued Harry stepped towards the stairs where Tonks sat hoping against hope that Remus was just injured and sent Harry to tell her that he would be fine. The door closed behind Harry and the sudden sound of the door caused Harry to turn around quickly with his hand half way to his wand. Andromeda looked at Harry for a moment and gave him a small sad smile. She walked towards the kitchen, but paused just long enough on the way to softly grab his shoulder before heading in to throw some more tea on and wait for what she knew was going to be a long hard day for her daughter.
Tonks looked at Harry approach the stairs, but she could not find the strength to stand. She had silent tears falling down her cheeks, but you could see the worry in her eyes. She regretted giving Remus her word that she would stay behind now. She knew that she could have helped out and made a difference and that was a guilt that would stay for her for quite some time in the next few months.
Harry made it to the foot of the stairs, but didn't look up at Tonks any longer. He rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably trying to gather his thoughts. What have I gotten myself into? I don't know the first thing about dealing with someone else getting the bad news. My whole life all I have dealt with is being on the other side of death and now I have to tell Tonks. It is probably not the best time for this thought, but I really hope she doesn't react like I did when I heard about Sirius.
Harry was broken out of his thoughts by a quiet desperate plea from further up the stairs. "Please. Please Harry, I have to know." Harry slowly raised his head noticing that the Tonks' had a carpeted staircase on his way to meet Tonks eyes.
Harry finally met the pinkish blue eyes of Tonks and sighed tiredly. "I'm... I'm... I am sorry Tonks. He didn't make it. Remus didn't make it. I am so sorry" Harry finally whispered out.
Tonks stood up so quickly that she startled Harry for a second. "Don't say that. It is not true. He went there to watch your back. He said he owed it to you to be there to watch your back, BUT YOU COULDN"T WATCH HIS?" she started out slowly and quietly, but by the end Tonks was shouting at Harry. "Why couldn't you save him? He LOVED YOU and you LET him DIE" she was crying now and shouting, though the words were still clear to hear.
Harry just looked at her, not saying anything, but if you looked in his eyes you could tell that her last comment had struck a deep chord with Harry. He always had the ability to blame himself for things that went wrong if he was involved even if there was no way possible for him to be at fault and Tonks was making it worse by saying things that he was already thinking sub-consciously.
Tonks was getting angrier now that Harry wasn't saying anything and started making her way slowly down the stairs one step at a time. "Don't just stand there Harry, say something. Why didn't you do anything sooner? Remus made me promise to stay because he felt that YOU would have been there for him, but where were you Harry? If I had known that you would have FAILED to look after Remus like he did for you then I would have gone and had my mother watch Teddy."
Everything was catching up to Harry now. The feelings that he promised himself to deal with later were coming to the surface and along with his guilt and physical exhaustion his eyes started to water again as he fought crying in front of an angry Tonks. Normally this would have been a sign for Tonks to stop and normally she would have. However there at times in one's life when all rationale thought has no place in your mind. Combined with being tired and angry, Tonks was scared and afraid of a future without Remus and the loss of something so knew that she was in agony and all those emotions just boiled up inside of her that they were fighting to get out all at once.
It was no excuse for her to act the way she currently was towards Harry, but Harry had felt similar emotions before and knew that Tonks needed this even if it was at some level hurting him. Harry's hope of Tonks verbal tirade ending was soon at hand only to be replaced by her right hand slapping him the face. He was in such shock that he didn't even see it coming back around for a second time. Harry just stood there not reacting except to wince to the contact because he was just unsure how he was supposed to react.
Unfortunately for him his silence and non-reaction was making Tonks even angrier and caused her to increase slapping him. Why is he just standing there? Say something damn it, don't just take it. Each blow was weakening Harry. Tonks finally stopped slapping and pounding him on the chest which reminded Harry that he had taken a killing curse only a few hours ago and the pain was still there. Harry staggered back a bit, but continued to let Tonks vent everything she was feeling on him. A few more moments passed and Tonks was still not done while Harry felt ready to pass out and could have sworn he felt a rib crack.
He finally caught Tonks wrist and stooped down so that she was looking him the eyes. Both of their eyes were red, but hers were still streaming quite heavily. "I'm sorry Tonks. I really am and I'm sorry I came here. I'll just leave and let you be, ok?" Tonks just stared at Harry not really thinking when he dropped her wrist and made to turn around. Harry had only turned part way around when he felt two small hands on his chest again.
It was at this time that Andromeda had come back into the living room when all the shouting had stopped and she was amazed that Teddy had not woken up when she saw her daughter grab Harry's shirt as he was about to turn and leave and give a shove. Normally this would not have been a big deal, but after a year on the run with little food not counting the few weeks at Shell Cottage and then basically fighting for his life for the past twenty four hours, Harry's energy finally gave out he fell backwards and to the horror of both women the back of Harry's head made contact with the edge of the coffee table in the living room.
Andromeda just stared at her daughter who was staring down at Harry in fear for what she had just done and before either of them could move Harry mumbled one last time before everything went black for the second time that day. "First the killing curse and now thi…" Tonks head whipped up to stare at her mother in shock and all that could be heard within 100 yards was, "WHAT" and the sound of a startled baby that started crying upstairs.
Hogwarts shortly after Harry Left
"I just can't believe that he survived another killing curse and not to mention that he got to speak with Dumbledore" Hermione whispered to Ron as they both were looking at where Harry had just disappeared underneath his invisibility cloak.
"Do you really think that he was between the worlds of living and dead or do you think it was all in his head like he asked Dumbledore Hermione?" Ron turned to look at Hermione who had a thoughtful expression on her face while he waited for an answer.
"I really don't know Ron, but the easiest explanation is usually the correct one and I am just going to have to say it was magic" she said with a slight smile.
Ron smiled back at her and laughed a little at her answer. She looked at him puzzled to see what he was laughing about and Ron laughed some more. "No offense Hermione, but that wasn't an answer I was expecting from you. Usually, if you don't know something you're off to the library until you know and well, I just…"
Hermione scowled at Ron for a minute then punched him in the arm before laughing herself, "prat." Ron put his arm around her shoulders and led her down the hall to make their way to the great hall. "Ron?" Ron who was lost in his thoughts looking at the damaged castle stopped to look at Hermione. "Do you think he will be okay after everything? Not only for what he had to suffer through today, but do you think that the public will give him a break after all of this?" she asked with worry in her voice.
"Hmm, I don't know Hermione, but I hope for their sake that they lay off of him. It may have taken me a long time to learn it, but I know that Harry never wanted any of this and after he di…died for all of us, they better. As for him being okay, I don't think any of us will okay for quite some time."
Hermione stopped walking and gave Ron a hug. "I'm sorry about Fred, Ron. We are all going to miss him, but I'll be here for you okay?" Ron gave her a weak smile and he stifled a sniff but nodded his head in return as he hugged her back.
While Ron hugged her he tried to push away thoughts of Fred for now and began to think of something he had wanted to do for a very long time. Is now the right time for it though? Waited since fourth year to do something about it and it is her that takes the initiative. Well, if I did then at least one or rather I could take two positives from this day and I know Harry would be happy for us along with the rest of the family and it might be something for them to think about at least for a little while day.
While Ron was busy lost in his own mind so was Hermione. I think once this week is through or at least after the funerals I will go and get my parents. Maybe I'll even stay down there for a bit just to get away for a while. I know Ron's family will want him near, but I wonder if he would be willing to come with me. I don't want to go alone and I definitely do not want to be apart from Ron now.
"Ron."
"Hermione." They both spoke at the same time.
"You go ahead." Again they said at the same time. They were both smiling now and you could see that they were both a bit apprehensive.
"You go first Ron." He smiled and looked at the floor for a minute.
"I know this isn't probably the best of times Hermione, but after everything we have been through, I figured it was about time I did something about it. Will you be my girlfriend?"
Hermione who had leaned back against the wall while Ron was speaking had a smile that could light up the room and then jumped into his arms to kiss just as she had earlier in the day. She like Ron knew that today was a day of loss and hope for the future and was hoping this was just one of those good things to come. "YES Ron, of course I'll be your girlfriend" and she kissed him again as he held her close to him.
It was just their luck that at the exact same time that they started kissing again, Dean and Seamus with a few other Gryffindor's were making their past them on their way to the tower to get some rest. "HA! It is about time you two. It only took you seven years" Seamus smiled at the two.
"Lay off them Seamus, well we better let Neville know that he won the pool once he gets away from all his newly acquired fan girls" was Dean's response to that. Ron sputtered as he broke way from the kiss with a look of indignation on his face, but Hermione just grabbed his face and kissed him again. The others smiled at their actions and continued on their way. They finally broke apart and continued on their way to the great hall. Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and that brought Hermione's mind back to what she was thinking before all that had happened.
"Ron I know that the next two weeks are probably going to be busy and extremely hard, but I was wondering if you would want to go with me to Australia to get my parents?" she finished her question very quietly not quite looking Ron in the eye.
Ron didn't answer right way and actually thought through the question. He knew his mother wouldn't be too keen on the idea, but he had gone off for over a year and was eighteen now and she wouldn't be able to stop him. He thought about George and knew that beside his mother or maybe even more than her, he was going to be struggle the most. He knew his other brothers would be there for him and Percy would especially look out for George after not being around for the last two years. He then thought about Hermione and how he didn't want her to go off on her own especially after finally getting together with her. He took off on her once this past year and he didn't want to do it again.
There was also the fact it would just be the two of them because he knew that Harry would stay to look after Ginny, Tonks and Teddy. Hermione looked on nervously as they walked when Ron finally came to his decision. "I'll go with you Hermione. It will be nice to get away for a while and I know how much your parents mean to you. Lets just wait until after the funerals and lets definitely hold off on telling my mom that we will be taking off again so soon after coming back."
Hermione gave Ron another hug and thanked him and mentioned to him that they could discuss how long to stay there over the next week. By the time that they had finished their discussion they had nearly reached the great hall. They looked inside and it was half as full as it had been when they had left with Harry. The bodies of the victims had been moved into another room across the hall that was next to the room that the dead death eaters had been thrown into. They looked at each other hand in hand and made their way towards the Weasley's who were sitting grouped together at a nearby table with Hagrid and Professor McGonagall standing around them.
Looking around they noticed that some of the professors were helping Poppy check on some of the injured or talking to the few remaining parents and their children at the other tables. They walked up to the table and joined everyone by sitting down. George seemed to be sleeping with his head on his arms with Molly rubbing his back. Arthur was sitting next to Percy who had a lost look on his face. Fleur was resting her head on Bill's shoulder and she seemed to be asleep as well and Charlie who had managed to show up at the very end of the battle had his arm around Ginny's shoulder whispering into her ear. Except for George and Fleur who was either too depressed and in pain or in Fleur's case, asleep.
Sad smiles were shared all around and it was Kingsley deep baritone voice that broke the silence of the group. "Hi guys, where is Harry?"
Hermione nudged Ron in the shoulder and he spoke up. "Um, he left."
Ginny's head shot up and all those within the great hall and a few floors above heard what came next, "WHAT?"
Tonks Cottage a few minutes after Harry had been knocked unconscious
"Nymphadora what did you do to the poor boy? Is that blood? By Merlin, how hard did you hit him? Take of his shirt dear and let's see if we can fix that up along with the back of his head."
Tonks was frantic now and now she had tears in her eyes for a different reason. She hadn't meant to hurt Harry and she definitely hadn't meant for him to fall and hit the back of his head on the corner of the coffee table. Tonks gently took off his shirt and gasped in shock with her eyes wide.
"What is it dear?" Andromeda asked.
"Mum, look in the middle of the bruise right above his heart and tell me that isn't what I think it is." Andromeda leaned over Tonks shoulder and had to put her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from gasping. Taking up a large section that covered a large portion over the left part of Harry's chest was the nastiest bruise that either of them had ever seen. That was not what intrigued them and frightened them the most. Directly in the middle of the bruise right over his heart was a lightning bold scar that matched the one on his forehead.
They both just stared at it when Andromeda took in the rest of his condition. He looked horrible in general. Bruises all over and thin as a rod. His ribs were nearly sticking out and he had a few too many cuts on his face with hair that was everywhere. His breaths were short as if he had a broken rib or two and was struggling to pull in a breath.
"Nymphadora see if you can clean him and then close that wound on his head. I'm going to see if I can fix his ribs and close that wound on his chest."
Andromeda checked on Teddy who she had gone upstairs to get and placed him in his rocker in the living room after their shouts had woken him up. Seeing he was playing with a rattler she and Tonks got to work on Harry.
Tonks was able to heal the scratches and fix up the bump on his head and clean his shirt while her mother worked on the ribs. Andromeda was having a little more trouble because while the ribs healed pretty quickly she was unable to lessen the bruise or heal the cut on his chest. After a few more moments she gave it up as a bad just a little bit aggravated.
Tonks who had finished by now asked the question that they were both wondering since Harry had been knocked out, "Do you really think that is from a killing curse mum?"
Andromeda bit her lip thinking and then nodded her head. "I think so dear. It looks remarkably close to the scare on his forehead, but it is just so hard to imagine it happening twice." Harry was mumbling in his sleep and seemed to be uncomfortable as the ladies stopped talking. He acted as if he was in pain and having a nightmare and as Andromeda left the room for a quick second, Tonks sat on the edge of the couch and ran her hand through Harry's head trying to soothe his discomfort away and began whispering to him.
"I'm sorry Harry. I know it is not your fault and I didn't mean anything I said. I was just scared and angry, well I still am, but I'm sorry I took it out on you after everything you been through" she finished with regret in her soft voice.
Andromeda came back into the living room at this time carry a blanket. "Nymphadora dear, I know you are hurting, but you are far from the only one who lost someone they love. We all have and I know me saying this won't make it better or change the pain, but you have to remember that everyone is hurting sweetie" Andromeda lightly scolded.
"I know mum. I was just telling Harry that now."
Andromeda smiled slightly at her daughter and put the blanket she had retrieved from the closet over Harry. "I just suggest we let him get some sleep dear. If the news from yesterday is true then he hasn't slept since breaking into Gringotts and we can find out what happened from him when he wakes up." Tonks nodded at her mother and went to pick up Teddy from his rocker. She headed upstairs with Teddy to feed him and Andromeda headed outside to gather some fresh year.
Hogwarts Great Hall moments after Ron and Hermione arrived
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron and elbowed him in the side. "Did you ever learn tact Ron?" He just stared at her like he had no idea what she was talking about and was just standing there completely oblivious to Ginny's yell and Mrs. Weasley's worried looked.
"What do you mean he left? Why would he just take off and not see me, I mean come and see us beforehand?" Ginny asked in her most demanding tone which sounded frighteningly like Mrs. Weasley's rants.
"Why is everyone getting upset?" asked a clueless Ron who was look around the great hall with a sad look on his face.
"What Ron failed to mention to you," Hermione said, "is that Harry didn't just up and leave. He actually went to see Tonks and let her know about Remus. I imagine he will be there for a little while seeing Teddy as well." This seem to placate Mrs. Weasley who shook her head in understanding and wiped away a few tears from her face and sat back down.
"Why did HE go and not someone else?" asked a still furious Ginny. Hermione looked at her a little funny, but no one else really noticed her tone and you couldn't blame them with all that had happened in the last day.
"Do you know when he plans on coming back Hermione? I think we plan on staying here for the rest of day and sleeping in the guest room and you kids can probably find room in Gryffindor tower." Everyone shook their head to Mrs. Weasley's idea either in agreement or they were just too tired to disagree. Mrs. Weasley got up from her seat again and walked over to where Ron, Hermione and Ginny were standing and talking. "Is Harry alright you two?"
Ron looked at her Hermione and she slightly shook her head no for him not to go too deeply into an explanation on how Harry was or what he had been through. "He's alright mum. Well, he is doing as well as one can be after going through what we all did." Mrs. Weasley nodded her head in agreement and then gave Ron and Hermione big Molly Weasley style hugs before turning around and sitting back down next to Mr. Weasley.
Ginny poked Hermione in the arm and indicated for her to follow her. Hermione and Ron followed Ginny to just outside of the entrance hall where Ginny stood with her arms crossed over her chest looking unpleasant. "So why didn't he come by and see us before he left and why did he feel the need to personally go let Tonks know about Remus when anyone could have done it?"
Ron who had always and would always be protective of his little sister actually came to the defense of his best mate. "Relax Ginny. Harry knew that if he came by to see you all first that none of you would have let him go and more importantly, Harry felt like it was his responsibility to tell Tonks. Remus was like and uncle to Harry in addition to the fact that Teddy is his godson."
Hermione nodded to what Ron was saying and at the disgruntled look on Ginny's face added more. "Ginny! Harry told me to tell you personally that he would be talking to you as soon as he got back and he seem excited to, but what Ron said was true" she took a breath for a second then continued on. "Why are you so upset by this Ginny? What is really bothering you?" Ron looked interested in this answer to because to him it seemed like Ginny was acting out of character.
"Do you want to know why I am upset? I am upset because Harry tried keeping me out of the battle. He tried treating me like a little girl that couldn't defend herself and now he takes off before I get a chance to talk to him about or tell him how much I missed him and let us not forget that he pretended to be dead and what that did to me."
Ron turned to Hermione with a concerned look on his face, but he wasn't sure where to begin so he left it to the smartest witch that he knew to explain. "Ginny I think you are way off base here. There is no way Harry tried to keep you out of the battle because he didn't think you could fight. You remember the Ministry right? As him taking off before he talked to you, you have to put yourself in his shoes. How would you have liked it if you were at home waiting with no answer when the battle of all battles was going on? Of course he went over there as soon as he remembered. Remus was his family and if anyone is going to miss him more than him it is going to be Tonks and Teddy. He scared us all with what he had to do Ginny and I think he will be willing to explain that in a few days after everything calms down." Ron nodded in agreement and Ginny finally seemed to calm down and accept what they were trying to tell her. He threw his arm around her shoulders and started walking towards the great hall with Hermione in tow. "Come on sis; let's go see how everyone else is."
Tonks Cottage several hours after Harry had fallen asleep
Harry woke up several hours later to an unfamiliar setting. He sat up slowly and looked around the room. Taking it all in he tried to figure out where it was when he realized that he had woken up in this room before. The living room was much less crowded now than it had been back last summer. He assumed the death of Ted Tonks had something to do with that. He also at this time realized that his shirt was off and folded up on an end table.
He quickly put it on and got up and headed into the kitchen. There he met Andromeda Tonks who was sitting at the table looking out in the window seemingly lost in thought nursing what appeared to be a tea. "Excuse me, umm, Mrs. Tonks?"
Andromeda must have heard him come into the room because she slowly turned around and gave him a smile. "Good to see you up Harry. Please call me Andy. It seems that you had yourself quite the day. You'll have to forgive Nymphadora, I'm afraid that you were her outlet for everything she was feeling. It was no excuse, but I hope you won't hold it against her." Harry gave her a weak smile and put his hand on her shoulder real light. Andromeda looked him in straight in his bright green eyes.
"Of course not Mrs." She gave him a pointed look. "I mean, of course not Andy, I understand as well as the next person. There was something I wanted to tell you though. I know that you and your family weren't close, but I thought it right that you should know that Bellatrix died this morning."
Andromeda nodded her head. "And Narcissa?" she asked with a tinge of worry in her voice. "She made it through. She didn't even fight. She actually saved my life during the fight too. I'll say what I can to make sure that they take things easy on her if the Ministry tries to punish her." She patted his hand and turned to look back out the window.
Harry took this as his cue to leave and headed back towards the living room when Andy's voice reached his ears and he paused. "Thank you Harry. I haven't spoken to either of them in a long, long time, but family is family regardless of how evil they turned out" she paused for a second, "and if you are looking for Nymphadora dear, she is up stairs."
Harry made his way out into the living room and headed upstairs to find Tonks. The first room he looked into was empty and so he kept on searching. It was the next room that he found something interesting. In it there was only a rocking chair, a crib and a changing table. The room had turquoise painted walls that oddly matched the baby in the crib's hair. There alone looking up at the ceiling which had painted stars on it was the wide eyed Teddy Lupin who had a look of wonder on his face.
Harry smiled at him and he got a toothless grin in return. "Hey Teddy, I am your godfather, Harry." Harry walked over to the crib and put his hands on it to stare down at his godson. Teddy seeing the hand grabbed on of Harry's fingers and started gumming on it. "Hey buddy that's mine" Harry said chuckling. Harry just stared at Teddy for the longest of times. He was honored for being named godfather, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out why he was chosen. Granted he had made it through the war, but at the time he was the most hunted man in England and wasn't exactly the safest bet. He was glad he got the chance though. It made him feel closer to Sirius and unlike Sirius he was going to be there for Teddy whenever he needed him.
He looked back into Teddy's eyes and saw a matching pair of bright green eyes looking back at him. "I promise you this Teddy. I am going to be there for you no matter what. My godfather wasn't able to be there for me and I won't allow that to happen to you. I definitely won't you grow up like I did. You know will know love throughout your whole life. Some people are going to judge you on the fact that you are a metamorphmagus and the son of a werewolf, but you'll realize that those people don't matter." Teddy gurgled and made the noises that babies make and then continued sucking on Harry's finger as he stared up at him.
"I'll never replace your dad and I will never try, but I'll always be there for you Teddy. Along with your mum and your grandma Andy and me you'll never go without. I have to warn you though little buddy. It won't be easy for a while. It is actually going to be very hard on all of us, but especially you mum and your grandma. They are going to be hurting with the loss of your dad and grandpa, but you will hear all about them as you grow. I promise I will be there for you mum as well Teddy. She is going to need our support so our job will to be there for her and cheer her up and that is where you will come in." Teddy did one of those baby laughs at the face Harry made when he said that and just sat there making unintelligible noises that babies make while it sounds like they are talking when Harry heard movement behind him.
Tonks point of view from right before Harry enters Teddy's room
Tonks had just left Teddy's room to head into the bathroom to clean herself up. Ever since Harry had showed up she had not been able to stop crying. It was such a change from her normal spunky upbeat personality that those who saw her at this moment would not recognize her as the same person. Her multicolored hair which was normal pink and spiked was her natural mousey brown and lanky and her eyes which were always full of mischief were now their normal pinkish blue, but it was not the color of the eyes that mattered it was the misery that one could see deep in her soul through them.
She was thoroughly washing her face trying to clean her face in the bathroom sink when she heard a floorboard creak outside in the hallway. She turned of the facet and slowly opened the locked bathroom door to hear who had come upstairs. She was surprised to hear Harry's voice coming from Teddy's room. She was intending on apologizing when she heard him promise Teddy that he would be there for him no matter what.
Tonks, who was tired of crying started to cry again, but this time silently. She was moved listening to Harry speak and by the promises he made in promising to take care of Teddy and to take care of her. Listening to him she knew that Remus and she had made the right decision in picking Harry as godfather. It was a big risk they were taking in naming Harry godfather, but they wanted to give him one more reason to try and make it through this war. There was no other choice for them as Harry was their only choice as godfather and it wasn't lost on them either that this would connect him even more with Sirius.
She was thankful to Harry to for what he said to Remus to get him to come back to her. As miserable and in pain as she was, she knew that if not for Harry that Remus would have never met his son and that would have ruined their relationship beyond all repairs. She smiled reluctantly when Teddy started laughing at Harry while chewing on his finger and it was that action that caused her to draw Harry's attention to her.
Harry turned around and saw Tonks standing in the doorway trying to wipe away her tears. She looked at him wanting to say something, but looked past him staring at Teddy shuffling her feet. They both went to say something to one another after a moment, but stopped and tried to let the other go first.
Finally Tonks got tired of the silence. "Harry I'm sorry. I'm so sorry hitting you and all those things I said to you earlier. I didn't mean them. I'm just so angry and so scared and you were there, but I swear to you I didn't mean any of it" she sobbed out the last bit of it.
"No Tonks, I'm sorry. I just kind of dropped the news on you and it is perfectly understandable." Tonks walked towards Harry and grabbed him into a hug as she sobbed onto his shirt. Harry not the most comfortable with crying in general, never mind crying females just held her close and rubbed circles on her back. He held her for quite some time as Tonks cried herself out. Harry wasn't aware how much time passed, but the sun was setting and still Tonks cried.
It was finally Teddy making some noise that drew Tonks breakdown to a close. She looked at Teddy then looked at Harry and got an idea to try and lighten the mood just a bit. She looked up at Harry who was quickly wiping his when she smiled at him. "You know Harry, you won't hurt him if you pick up you know. I believe that falls into godfather type duties."
Harry got a deer caught in headlights look like on his face and tried to back away, but Tonks wasn't having any of that. Tonks urged and egged Harry on until he finally picked up Teddy, but the way he was holding him was enough to make Tonks laugh out loud. Harry held him up by the armpits and held him away from him as if he was going to explode.
Tonks couldn't help but keep giggling. "You know Harry that he isn't going to explode right? That is definitely not how you hold a baby unless they went number two and you are trying to keep the smell away." Even Harry was laughing now at how foolish he must look held him as he sat down in the rocking chair like Tonks had showed him. She stood behind the chair making the weird faces she likes to do for jokes at Teddy when she noticed that Teddy had changed his eyes to Harry's and she smiled at that.
She was staring at Teddy lost in thought when Harry's voice broke in to her reverie. "You know Tonks, as godfather I don't think I can call you Tonks anymore. It might confuse Teddy, so I think I'm going to call you Nym…" Scowling at him, Tonks interrupted Harry from finishing. "Don't even think of finishing that thought Harry. Only my mum can call me Nymphadora and that is because she won't listen to me."
Harry smiled at her as he rocked Teddy in the rocking chair when something caught his attention. "I'm going to call you Nym, Tonks. I'll only do it when it is the people in this house though and I won't take no for an answer" he finished with a triumphant smirk as Teddy clapped along with him.
Tonks smiled ruefully at him and scowled at him before speaking again. "Fine, but not outside of present company and I mean it." Harry got up and handed Teddy over to Tonks. "I don't trust myself holding him heading downstairs and I feel it is time that I told you and your mum what happened and I imagine that you both want to know."
Tonks nodded at the change of subject and the whole atmosphere in the house seemed to become colder with it. Andromeda was already sitting on a chair in the living room so Tonks and Harry joined her by sitting on the couch. The three of them looked around the room and finally Harry began his tale. He talked about what he, Ron and Hermione had to do and what they had gone through. To mention that Nym and Andy were shocked would be putting it mildly. They couldn't believe half the things that Harry said they had done and the looks of surprise were basically glued on their faces.
Finally Harry reached the part of the story that he was dreading and that was the Battle of Hogwarts as it would later be called. "You have to believe me, it was never our intention to fight a battle there or get anyone involved. We only went there to get another horcrux. What we didn't know when we arrived was that Neville had used the DA coins that Hermione had created in our 5th year to contact the rest of the DA and they contacted the Order. We just wanted to grab the horcrux before Riddle showed up and then leave. However when time started running out I ran into McGonagall and she was willing to lock down the school and prepared to defend it. It was when I got back to the room of requirement when I saw everyone there. There wasn't much we could do then to change people's minds about fighting. It was like they had waited for a long time to final fight it out."
Harry stopped there for a minute when Nym interrupted him. "Harry, it is not your fault that everyone wanted to fight. They wanted to do something. Everyone basically had to watch everything they did and hide the whole year and they realized this was the best chance to achieve something."
"Nymphadora is right Harry, you can't blame yourself over what happened there" Andromeda smiled kindly at him.
Harry nodded his head in half hearted agreement. As much as he wanted to believe he could have done more, he knew that they were right and so he continued with his story. "Eventually we found the diadem and it was destroyed. It was at that time that we realized where Riddle was and we went out to get Nagini. At the time we believe that the snake was the last horcrux, but what we found there surprised us. I hate to ask this of you two because I trust both of you, but is it possible for you to give me an oath that you won't reveal what I am about to say until I say it is okay that you?" Nym and Andy looked at one another and silently agreed that they could trust Harry and gave him a magical oath agreeing to what he asked.
"Have you heard of the story 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'?" at their nods he continued on. "It is just not a story. It is true. I am actually related to the youngest brother. Those Three objects in the story are called 'The Deathly Hallows' and Riddle had the Elder Wand. Harry went on to describe what happened in the shrieking shack and what Snape had given him.
Andy and Nym were shocked and appalled to hear what Harry told them in how Snape died and the fact that he was friends with Harry's mother. They were both horrified to find out that Harry was the last horcrux. Harry paused when he came to the resurrection stone and wasn't sure how to tell it. Andromeda noticed the pause and difficultly Harry had in bringing it up and decided to stay quiet.
Harry looked at Nym and finally came to a decision. "Nym there is something I have to tell you, but it would be easier for you to see it and understand if you saw it in a pensieve. If you are willing Hermione, Ron and I were planning on telling the Weasleys, Kingsley and the Professor's our mission in the middle of the week and if you come I will take you up to Dumbledore's pensieve."
Tonks looked at Harry questioningly, but when he didn't go on she nodded hesitatingly. "Just know this Nym, Remus loved you very much and all he wanted was your happiness." This brought more tears to her eyes and she laid her head on Harry's shoulder as he continued with his tale. He gave a brief synopsis of what happened in the forest, skating over talking with Dumbledore, but mentioning to Andy how Narcissa had risked a lot to save his life even if it was only to see Draco. He finally arrived to what happened in the great hall and mentioned to Andy that it was Molly Weasley who killed Bellatrix after she had almost killed Ginny.
Nym was shocked that Molly had fought so well, but Andy looked grateful for the news that her psychotic sister was finally put down. Nym gave him a one arm hug when he mentioned he had defeated Riddle and that the war was finally over. Harry had talked for hours and when Andy noticed the time she volunteered to grab Teddy and put him to bed.
When Andy went upstairs, Nym finally asked the question she had been wondering all day. "Harry" she said with hesitation, "Who killed Remus?"
Harry blew out a breath and his mouth seemed to dry out. Finally realizing that Nym deserved to know he answer with pain in his voice. "It was Dolohov Nym. I'm not exactly sure how it happened because I wasn't there, but from what I heard he got Remus when he was distracted trying to help out one of the other fighters. The only bright side, if there is a bright side in this day is that Dolohov met his end by Flitwick towards the end of the battle."
Nym wiped some more tears away, but nodded in reassurance that the man that killed her husband had met the same fate. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Kingsley has been named temporary Minister of Magic."
Nym actually laughed at that interrupting her tears, "I'm sure Kingsley is enjoying that right about now." They both laughed about that for a few minutes when Harry decided it was time for him to go. As he made to get up Nym grabbed his arm and pulled him back down. She swallowed and then said in a thick voice, "Harry if you wouldn't mind, I know it is late, but could you sit here with me and talk to me for a little while longer? I'm just not ready not to go to bed yet and fear what will happen when I do." So Harry sat back down and he and Nym talked late into the night sharing stories about Remus and Sirius and just mourning for all that they lost. It was early when the stories stopped and both had fallen asleep. Harry had leaned against the arm of the couch with Nym leaning on his shoulder and that is how they were discovered the following morning. It was a long day for those all around and an even longer day for a red headed Weasley who sat up the whole night waiting for Harry to return and talk to her.
Sorry for the long delay, but I bought a 47 inch flat screen and that gathered my attention and then I got sick. I am hoping that I feel well enough this week to finally gather my notes and start working on the next chapter which is outlined, but just not written! THanks for the review!!!