Azkaban Justice
Chapter Three: We're off to see Goblins
"Thank you for joining us Amelia," Charlus said to the older witch as they perused through Diagon Alley. They had placed a small notice me not charm around their group which consisted of the Potter twins, their girlfriends, Amelia, the Grangers, Bill, and Fleur. Fred, George, and the girls had left for the joke shop not too long after breakfast since they had to deal with a few orders that were high priority. They did, however, promise to meet back up at Black manor after they were done. Charlie promised the same after he was finished sorting out a few things at Prewitt manor. "I wasn't sure if you would be able to."
"I really needed a break," Amelia admitted with a tired sigh. "The damn Ministry has been in chaos since last night. The department heads have been trying to keep all the fire calls and howlers at bay but since there is a general sense of mistrust going around, no one is too eager to help anyone."
"Understandable, but I'm sure that will all be rectified soon enough," Charlus said firmly twirling his wolf head cane. He and Harry had transfigured their weapons into canes and their shields into watches so they could carry them wherever they went. The old laws stated that they could walk around with their weapons in the open but they decided that having canes wouldn't induce any form of panic since that wasn't what they were aiming for. The goblins wouldn't care if they brought them into the bank as long as they didn't use them for anything but self defense.
"For now though..." Charlus trailed off as his eyes flickered to the steps of the goblin bank and he smiled. "So they did come." He jerked his chin towards two people. There was a woman with a heart shaped face and black hair. And a man with a kind face and brown hair. Both looked around nervously but tried to remain calm.
"You invited Andy and Ted Tonks?" Amelia raised an eyebrow at him. She was slightly surprised as she knew that their daughter was not someone that was thought of highly by Charlus. Amelia didn't think that highly of her either, to be honest, so it wasn't difficult to release her from her auror contract along with the others in Dumbledore's vigilante group despite their talents.
"Of course," Charlus nodded regally, still looking forward. "My first official act as the head of the family is to reinstate Andromeda back into the family and formally welcome her husband and daughter. Its what Sirius would have wanted," He went quiet for a moment and he took a deep breath before looking at Amelia directly. "While Nymphadora is not my most favorite person at the moment, I am not going to take that out on her parents." Amelia nodded her head in understanding. He opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped as he heard his brother hiss in both delight and anger.
He looked over to Harry who was glaring at something in front of him. Charlus turned to where he was looking and growled, "Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear." He spat as the pink haired metamorph made her way over to her parents. The order and the old man trailed behind her, glancing around the alley. They stopped at a respectful distance from the Tonks family but were still close enough to hear what was being said.
"The old man looks surprised," Harry said coldly. "I suppose he wasn't expecting us to move this quickly."
"Yeah well, once we get on to those steps it won't matter." Charlus murmured, his voice just as cold. He sneered at Ron and Ginny - one looked sullen and the other looked hopeful. Mad-Eye could see through the charm but made no move for his wand when his fake eye landed on Amelia.
The others said nothing, but they grew tense as they edged closer to the stairs. As they did, they could see Dumbledore perk up and look over to their general direction while hearing Tonks plead with her parents.
"...I don't know what they promised you, but-"
"That is enough Nymphadora," Andromeda interrupted her daughter who winced at the use of her name. "unlike you and them," She gave the order a rather pointed look which most ignored. "Your father and I have no reason to fear any form of retribution from the young lords as we were not apart of any group that besmirched their name and cried for them to be kissed - I believe that was you and the morons who followed you here."
The order bristled but said nothing as they heard someone slow clapping but couldn't see the source of it. Harry and Charlus shared a glance before nodding at one another.
"Play along," Charlus muttered to Susan before dropping the charm around the two of them only. "Its so nice to hear that people outside my rather small circle of friends actually had faith in my brother and I." Out of the corner of his eye, his saw Dumbledore stride forward along with Molly and Arthur Weasley. The younger children flanked them. The rest of the order watched with glee or grim looks at the sight of him. He turned his back to them but was ready to fight if need be. "Although, its actually rather sad that those who claimed to care about us didn't feel the same way." He paused before smiling softly at Andromeda, "Hello Mrs. Tonks."
"Please milord," She murmured, curtsying and offering a hand towards him despite her daughters protest. Her husband followed her lead and bowed. "Call me Andromeda."
"Hello Andromeda," Charlus took her offered hand and placed a kiss between her first two knuckles. He saw several people from the crowd glance their way but no one made any overt moves to come near him and Susan. "Sir." He offered his hand to Ted who shook it firmly. "This is my intended, the lady -" He paused as he felt a hand clamp onto his shoulder before he was spun around to see the furious face of Molly Weasley.
"Charlus Potter! How dare you speak to Dumbledore the way you did last night! I did not raise you that way-"
"And if you did, I would have hung myself from the rafters of the Burrow with those jumpers you love to make," Charlus hissed at her, cutting off the rest of her tirade. Susan jabbed her wand into Molly's throat and Charlus did the same with his cane but to Ron instead. He jabbed his hand toward Dumbledore while lighting it with green fire. Ginny drew her wand and aimed it at Susan while Arthur held his hands up in a sign of surrender.
The order drew their wands but a hand being raised by Dumbledore stopped them. All of them lowered their wands except for Tonks who aimed hers at Charlus' head and Moody who didn't even touch his wand.
"Now Charlus," Dumbledore began with a serene expression, ignoring the hand in front of him. "That wasn't very nice, especially from one of your status."
"This bitch dared to put her hand on my man without his permission and you're chastising him?!" Susan hissed in his direction but her eyes were on Molly. "Not to mention the dragon shit she spouted was entirely uncalled for."
"This does not concern you Miss Bones." Dumbledore dismissed her with a wave of his hand as Molly's face now resembled a tomato. Dumbledore looked over to Charlus and realized that he had made a grave error since the young mans green eyes now glowed with green fire.
"Her name is Susan Amelia Bones, the lady Bones from an ancient and noble line," Charlus growled at the old man. "I am the lord Black of an ancient and noble house, do not chastise me for not following protocol when you have done that yourself by addressing us improperly. You will address my intended and I with respect that our station demands and call off your dogs starting with the delusional harpy in front of me. Failure to do so with result in the arse kicking of your lives."
Several order members snorted, forgetting that he could easily over power them but Dumbledore nodded.
"My apologies to you, Lord Black, and to you, Lady Bones." He said solemnly then looked at the two of them expectantly. Charlus merely looked at the Weasley's with an unimpressed look before raising and eyebrow at Dumbledore. The old wizard nodded once more.
"Step back please." He murmured to the Weasley's and slowly they moved back.
"You'll pay for that Potter," Ron glared at Charlus who merely smiled indulgently.
"Fourth year traitor," Charlus said softly. "Fourth year."
Ron flushed and he tried not to wince as he remembered when Charlus smashed his head into the wall of the staircase that lead to the Gryffindor common room. Mind you, Ron did try to curse Harry in the back while he was walking down the stairs and didn't see Charlus behind him. Charlus waited until the stairs were clear to throw Ron down it. Some of Gryffindor house had stood by Charlus as they saw Ron attempt to harm Harry but the others had ratted on him as they thought that Harry was a cheat and Ron was in the right.
Ron spent more than two weeks in the infirmary due to the fractures to his skull and the rest of his body. Charlus ended up with detention for the rest of the year. Molly had sent him a howler which he smothered in the school porridge as he wasn't in the mood to deal with her shit.
When Ron was released, Charlus cornered him and said that if he every attempted to harm Harry again, he would never be able to hold a wand when Charlus was finished with him. Since Charlus had given him the look of death, Ron thought he meant that he would be killed. Charlus had more creative ideas in mind.
Ron would have done anything to never be on the receiving end of that look so he backed off. He felt sorry for Seamus Finnigan during fifth year when his fellow Gryff received said look and a right cross from Charlus when he called Harry insane.
"Now, as to your accusations ," Charlus turned to glare at Molly. "As I said last night, my name is Charlus Ichabod Black. Sirius left a lot of things, including the title of Lord Black, to Harry and I. Despite being half bloods, we were able to inherit what he left due to a combination of having Black blood from our grandmother Dorea and the fact that Sirius was never convicted of any crime - not even for being an unregistered animagus. Before any of you cry foul, I have the title now because the goblins recognize the truth of the matter - my brother and I are innocent of any wrong doing despite you arseholes letting us go to prison."
Charlus tried not to smile as nearly everyone in the immediate are flinched.
"They need sworn testimony via the truth serum as there is no way to be resistant to it without taking the antidote before hand. Not even being skilled in mind magics will spare you from falling under its influence. Since no one from the ministry provided that, they let us keep what we inherited.
"As for the rest of what you said," Here the young lord's visage became rather feral. "I dared to speak to this old fucker the way that I did because I neither like nor trust him. This man, if I can even call him that, is single handedly responsible for condemning myself, my brother, my godfather, and Sirius to over a decade of hell!" He roared at Molly who flinched away from him and half hid behind Arthur who was eerily reminded of Charlus' namesake and grandfather from when his own father, Septimus, brought him to a Wizengamot session to watch. Charlus the elder had a more refined approach to how he dressed someone down but this Charlus had the severity in his face and righteous anger in his stance that his grandfather had down pat.
He wasn't the only to feel that way if the looks on the older order members were any indication. Now Dumbledore was starting to think something was wrong as he was sure that he felt more than just the two young magicals in front of him. The problem was he couldn't think of a reason for them to be hiding except maybe to spring a trap. He glanced at Moody whose face was rather pinched and then and there he knew something bad was going to happen.
Before he could speak, however, the young lord Black continued after taking in a few deep breaths.
"How dare I?!" He snarled at Molly. "How dare You?! You didn't raise me? No shit! My brother and I were raised by a vile, bitter, horse faced bitch and her fat bigoted husband no thanks to him!" He jabbed a finger at Dumbledore who looked slightly ashamed but also very disapproving at Charlus' words. "You have no right to chastise me Mrs. Weasley for you are not my mother. The fact that you thought you could do that just shows how delusional you really are."
He glared at those who started to protest before turning back to Molly.
"What you did was not only done without tact, it was also an insult to my parents. Never make that mistake again."
He spun around and eyed the wand in front of him.
"Put it down Tonks," He murmured. "before you make things worse." He raised a hand and snapped his fingers, causing the notice me not charm to drop.
"I'd do as he says Ms. Tonks," Amelia barked and those who were so focused on Charlus to turn to her. Several people paled at seeing her along with the purple crystal from the night before.
"Bugger," Kingsley Shacklebolt muttered, eying the crystal with trepidation.
"Yep," Moody grunted. "bugger is very apt."
"That's why you never reached for your wand," Hestia Jones grimaced when Moody just nodded. He caught the eyes of Harry Potter who gave him a smirk. Moody smirked back and inclined his head in appreciation.
Slowly, Tonks lowered her wand but she still glared at Charlus. He merely looked at her impassively before he gestured for Amelia, Andromeda and Ted to follow him and Susan.
"Since this indirectly involves you, Tonks, you may as well come along," He muttered and offered his arm to Susan before they began walking up the steps to the bank. The rest of the group minus the order made to follow.
"Harry, my boy." Dumbledore zeroed in on the older twin who ignored him and continued walking to the bank. "Harry," He tried again but an even louder voice interrupted him.
"Hermione!" Ron shouted when he noticed her and his ears turned red when he saw how close she and Harry were. "Get away from her Potter!" He snarled. "She's mine!"
"My daughter is not your property you little shit, so watch your mouth." Jacob hissed, stomping his way over to the ginger. His daughter, however, was faster than he was and made her way to her former friend and balled her fist.
"Stay out of this you useless muggle!" Ron yelled at the man, ignoring Hermione.
WHAM!
Hermione's fist had collided with Ron's face and the ginger's head snapped back from the force. Blood began to trickle out of Ron's nose as he landed flat on his back. Breathing heavily, Hermione turned to Arthur.
"My apologies sir, but he had no right to speak to me or my father that way," She forced the words out through her teeth but a loud shrieking voice made itself known.
"You bitch! How dare you attack my son!" Molly's wand came up and she sent a bludgeoning hex at Hermione. Ginny sent a piercing hex in Hermione's direction to help her mother but not because of what happened to Ron. It was mainly due to the fact that she didn't like any female, not even Hermione, to be near Harry. Ever since she was a child, her mother had put it into her head that she would marry Harry.
"It would be like having James and Lily back." She used to say, ignoring the fact that Harry held no romantic feelings for her daughter or that he had a say in the matter. To her and Ginny those matters were trivial so when she saw Hermione and Harry holding hands, she decided to teach the bitch a lesson.
The spells never reached their target as a wall of green fire erupted in front of Hermione and intercepted them.
"Nothing would please me more than to cut you down for what you attempted to do," Harry said softly, calmly though his blazing green eyes were narrowed in rage. "but my blade has already drawn the blood of slaves - I doubt killing traitors would be a step up from that. So instead, I will do this." He summoned Molly's wand, Ginny's wand, and Ron's wand. He snapped all three of them and burned the remains.
"Mr. Potter," Dumbledore began sternly.
"Lord Potter," Harry snapped back as he grasped Hermione's hand and healed the bruise that began to form. "My status hasn't changed sir, regardless of what you and your pets seem to think." Many people bristled angrily as Harry glared at Dumbledore.
"Very well Lord Potter," Dumbledore said neutrally. "was that really necessary? The penalty for snapping someone's wand -"
"Is a hefty fine if you cannot provide a legitimate reason as to why you have done so," Harry interrupted him, and Dumbledore was beginning to feel a little flustered at all the interruptions. "and I'm sure that verbally attacking someone who is under the protection of my house-"
"-and mine-" Charlus added cheerfully.
"in the case of Jacob here," He patted the older man on the arm and received a grunt. "is one. The other is the attempted assault of my intended."
"WHAT?!" Molly, Ron, and Ginny yelled though Ron's was slightly garbled as he stood up.
"I don't believe that is possible Lord Potter," Dumbledore said with his patented grandfatherly visage. "Ms. Granger is under my guardianship-"
"Was under your guardianship," Jacob snapped. "my wife and I accepted Lord Potter's offer of protection and gave our blessing for our daughter to marry Harry. The marriage proposal came first before the offer of protection just in case any of try to accuse us of selling our daughter off."
"They would have to be idiots to think that," Harry said with a thoughtful look. "But then again..." He trailed off meaningfully.
"But Lord Potter, what of the outstanding marriage contract?" Dumbledore asked, hoping to get at least one point in. This was, so far, the only thing he could think of to try and influence the young man he had come to view as his successor.
"You wouldn't happen to be talking about this illegal contract that isn't worth the parchment its written on do you? The one you left in my family's vault?" Harry inquired as he pulled out a scroll and unfurled it. He held it out to Amelia who blinked slightly in surprise when she heard about this.
"What do you mean illegal?" Molly demanded as Amelia began to read it. "Everything is properly filed and you will follow it to the letter and stop this foolishness now young man." Arthur looked at her like she was mad but said nothing.
"You presume to tell me how to run my house?" Harry hissed at her before turning to Amelia. "Could you please read who this is supposedly for?"
"Apparently its between you and one Ginerva Molly Weasley," Ginny looked smug as did Ron but their father looked pale.
"Oh Molly, what have you done?" He groaned.
"What I needed to do," Molly stated.
"And who signed said contract?" Harry asked Amelia, ignoring the others while Amelia smirked.
"Albus Dumbledore and Molly Weasley." She turned to glare at the two aforementioned people. "Supposedly Mr. Dumbledore was acting as your guardian in this matter as was Molly for Ginerva."
Arthur kept muttering the word no under his breath and the smug looks on the other three Weasley's were joined by some of the order. They thought that Potter had lost a bit of steam here. Dumbledore began to speak.
"Yes, so you see Lord Potter-"
"What makes this illegal," Amelia cut him off. "is that it is not signed by the head of house Potter or house Weasley. In order for this to have been legal prior to today, James Potter or one his sons and Septimus Weasley had to sign this contract. Lord Potter is right, this contract is worthless."
No one looked smug right now, not even Harry even though he had every right to. The other people in the alley either moved on because they thought the confrontation would grow violent or they tried to act nonchalant so they could tell their friends the news later. The journalists decided to wait and see what would happen as this was getting juicy.
None of them needed to worry about missing a thing though as the purple crystal was still on.
Harry took the scroll back and spat on it before crumpling it. When it was sufficiently crumpled up into a ball, he threw it at Dumbledore's feet. He turned to Arthur and said, "I'm sorry Arthur, but I'm afraid that I'll need to involve your father in this."
Arthur merely nodded but his son began to scream abuse at Harry. Well as best as he could since his nose was still busted. Molly an Ginny began to join in as they both realized that their plans were no longer valid except they started screaming at Hermione. Harry waved a hand and all three disappeared in a flash of green fire.
"They're at the Burrow," He told Arthur before turning back to the old man. "I'll say this with as much respect as I possibly can: retire before things get worse for you."
"Is that a threat?" Dumbledore asked idly. He was sure he could take the twins by himself but he didn't want any harm to come to the others.
"Advice; nothing more, nothing less." Harry replied. "But keep this in mind, had you filed that in Gringotts as you were supposed to," He gestured to the parchment. "you would have endangered the entire Weasley family and yours. Leaving it in my vault is sure to get you in trouble though not as much as you should be. Really old man, half of the Potter fortune was to go to the Weasley family, including a dowry and several of the properties before we married? What the hell would you have left my brother had I died, nothing? You do realize that this is nothing short of line theft and the penalty is death right?"
Dumbledore said nothing but it was clear from the expression on his face that he hadn't thought that far ahead. The order looked ready to dispute these allegations but Amelia spoke up.
"You are incredibly lucky and incredibly stupid Albus," She snapped. "since this is a matter for Gringotts to settle, I can't touch you. This will be brought up for review at the next Wizengamot session however."
Dumbledore merely nodded though he was sure that he could talk his way out it.
"My apologies," He began but Harry snorted.
"There is no need to lie headmaster," He said. "you and I both know that you're not sorry in the least for pulling this stunt."
"Watch yourself boy," Daedalus Diggle couldn't hold back anymore. "Albus Dumbledore is-"
Harry and Charlus both waved a hand and the order along with Dumbledore disappeared. Harry switched off the crystal and slipped it into his pocket.
"Where did you send them?" Arthur asked hesitantly.
"To Hogwarts." Harry smiled slightly at the older man. "You may want head home Arthur. Expect a letter from your father in a few days time."
Arthur hesitated and opened his mouth before nodding and apparating away.
"Well come on then," Charlus called his brother over. "we've got things to do." He lead Susan and the others away and Harry began to follow.
"Why didn't you tell me about that marriage contract?" Hermione murmured to Harry.
"Because I didn't believe they would have been stupid enough to mention it in public." Harry murmured back. "Nor did I think that they were stupid enough to think that it was valid. I mean for crying out loud, its protocol for marriage contracts to be signed by the lords of the house especially if they are of the same status. Which both of our houses are even if the Weasley's aren't as wealthy as they used to be. Its such an amateurish mistake that I didn't think Dumbledore would do what he just did."
Hermione nodded thoughtfully as they entered the bank.
"My apologies for our tardiness master goblin," Charlus said to Bloodfang as they entered his office. "We had a bit of a domestic out front."
"Yes," Bloodfang growled. "I know all about that. Shame we couldn't deal with Dumbledore right now." He peered at the twins. "So, what is the nature of this visit Lords Potter and Black?"
"I would like to claim the Gaunt vault and all it entails as I defeated its heir in combat," Harry replied and Bloodfang raised an eyebrow.
"If that is what you wish. I will return in a moment." He stepped out of his chair and left through a side door.
"He doesn't seem enthused," Susan observed while Amelia kept mouthing the name Gaunt to herself as she was sure that she had heard that name before.
"Well the vault hasn't technically been active for awhile," Harry admitted.
"Then why are you asking for that specific vault?" Charlotte asked curiously.
"Because it was inherited by Thomas Riddle III," The others in the room blinked at Harry's answer except for Charlus. "Riddle's mother was Merope Gaunt, daughter of Marvolo and sister of Morfin."
"That's how I know that name," Amelia blurted out. "It was an old case file that labeled a young woman as missing and presumed dead. Her name was Merope."
"She died not too long after giving birth to her son," Harry said flatly. "She lived long enough to name him to the attending physician at the orphanage - which he lived in and burned down during the first blood war."
"We had Dobby and Winky look up any information on the Riddle family," Charlus added before anyone could ask. It wasn't a lie per se as they did ask the elves to do so, but it was after Fawkes had given them the information. They wanted to double check to see if he was right. He wasn't going to mention that last bit in front of Tonks though. "and it was from them that we learned that Thomas Riddle II married Merope for a few months, before divorcing her while claiming to have been 'hoodwinked'."
"Merope was an uneducated woman, who the neighbors called the most defeated person they ever saw," Harry picked up the story again. "Her father and brother were described as vile, and prison did not do them any favors. Neither did the sibling marriages."
"Sibling marriages?" Ted Tonks asked, green around the gills.
"For a lot of purebloods, incest is best." Harry and Charlus deadpanned. Andromeda and Amelia winced but nodded when the elder Grangers looked their way. "That's why I called her deranged - all the inter family relations had essentially destroyed her mind." Harry added.
Any further part of this conversation as stopped when Bloodfang reentered to room with a large file in his hand. He set the file on his desk as he sat down. He opened the file and read over its contents. He peered at Harry in between each sentence before he waved Harry over, his brow furrowing.
"Sign here after you read it," He handed Harry a blood quill and gestured to a dotted line on a contract he pulled from the file. "Then initial here, here, and here." He pointed to several lines. "And finally sign your full name here and stamp your signet ring right next to it." He pointed once more.
Harry began reading each part while Bloodfang turned to Charlus, "Is there anything else?"
"I want to reverse the decision of Orion Antares Black to remove Andromeda Cassiopeia Black, now Tonks, from the family." Charlus firmly intoned and Andromeda stood up straighter. Ted looked weary and their daughter scowled slightly. "I would like to see if he left any stipulations for her to come back."
Bloodfang nodded and opened a side drawer to retrieve another file. Harry had finished reading his contract and began to sign, ignoring the pain on the back of his hand. Bloodfang gave Charlus what he wanted and the young lord looked it over.
"May I?" He gestured absently towards his intended and her aunt. Bloodfang nodded his approval. He picked up the parchment and read it over. "Huh, nothing overt from what I can see but what do you expect from an ex-Slytherin? What do you think?" Both Amelia and Susan read it over and nodded in agreement.
He turned to Andromeda and handed the parchment to her, "You knew Orion better than anyone here, maybe you'll catch something that we missed." She nodded her head and took the parchment even though Tonks tried to stop her.
"There's nothing," She said after a moment. "He probably left it open to whomever became the new Lord Black." Or he just didn't think that I would ever be back. She added silently to herself.
"Well then allow me to bring you back into the family," Charlus murmured cheerfully before pulling out a pen from his pocket. He walked back to Bloodfang's desk and asked for some parchment.
"That's it?'
Tonks' question caused Charlus to pause in what he was doing. Her mother shot her a warning glare.
"Were you expecting a blood sacrifice to be paid?"Charlus asked coldly, resuming his task. He refused to look at her right now. "I bet you were expecting something like that, hmm? Did the old man put that thought in your head?"
"Dumbledore would never-"
"Nyphmadora!" Her parents hissed with Andromeda carrying on. "Be silent," She turned to Charlus who still didn't look up. "I apologize my lord-"
"Do not apologize for her behavior," He interrupted her with a cool tone of voice. "That will only give her more of an excuse to try this again. I do not wish for an apology either as I know that she would not mean it. I do have a few questions for her, however."
He signed the parchment then stared over at Andromeda and Ted. He waved them over and gestured to the parchment.
"Please read it over," He murmured as Harry asked for a blank parchment. "Tell me this, former auror Tonks," Charlus grunted, glaring at the young woman. "what is the protocol for someone who has been exposed to the Cruciatus curse?"
"Excuse me?" His question took her off guard.
"You know what I said, I won't repeat it."
"You need to ease their pain as much as possible until such a time that a healer can take over."
"Then perhaps," He all but snarled. "you can explain to me why no one decided to do that with a man by the name of Remus John Lupin?! Or better yet, where were the warriors of the light? Where was your precious order? Were they too busy sucking Dumbledore's cock to help him?"
With each question, he took a step towards her until Harry moved in front of him. Harry grasped his brothers shoulders and stared at him. To the outside world, it seemed as if the two had become statues, but Harry had drawn his brother into his mind to calm him down.
After a minute, and a final glare towards Tonks, Charlus turned around and walked back to Bloodfangs desk. Harry turned back to a paling Tonks.
"This whole time you have been scowling and were probably thinking you were the right," He said. "whether that is because you hang around the old man I have no clue but it ends now. All of you seem to think that Dumbledore is infallible but he is a man; a man capable of making many mistakes. Mistakes he has already made in regard to my family. It is for that reason that what has transpired here will not reach his ears after were are finished. Am I understood?"
Tonks regained her composure and nodded reluctantly.
"Why didn't you help Remus?" Harry asked her.
"Dumbledore said-"
"What, that he wasn't worth helping if he couldn't see reason in regards to Chuckie and I?" Tonks flinched at Harry's question. "That you shouldn't blow your cover because of your feelings for Remus?" Tonks flinched again but looked at him in askance. "Yes Tonks, we know about how you felt for Remus. And we know how he felt for you. Did you know that Sirius, Chuckie, and I thought that you two being together would have been brilliant despite the age difference?"
Tonks looked shocked and her eyes filled with tears.
"You would have been a great counterbalance for him, had you not immediately jumped onto Dumbledore's bandwagon." Harry's voice was emotionless as he spoke. "You two would have been great parents to however many fur balls you may or may not have had. My brother and I may get repetitive when we throw Remus back in your face but damn it, we did more for him than you did - we bought him time. You let him die that day."
Harry spun around and walked back to Bloodfangs desk while Tonks began to cry. No one really felt the need to comfort her, the twins especially. Forgiveness was not a forth coming thought as they continued their business with Bloodfang - and it probably never will.
My apologies for the lateness of this part. This chapter was really fighting with me - especially a lot of the confrontational stuff. Next chapter will focus on Hogwarts and hopefully it is more cooperative than this one.