Here, finally, is a new chapter. sorry about the wait.
Disclaimer: anything recognizable is not mine.
Tonks paced nervously outside of the courtroom, her unpausing tread echoing in the empty hall. She knew she should be sitting on the bench, provided for the use of those called to court, affecting an air of calmness. What did she have to be worried about after all? it was not she who was on trial. It was not her freedom in question. Yet she could not stop herself from feeling anxious.
Two days ago Moody had informed her that she would have to testify at Liam's hearing, as part of the team that had apprehended him. "Just tell them the facts," he had told her gruffly, upon seeing her trepidation. "Just what happened and nothing else. No one will question you too hard anyway, the ministry wants to look like it's trying to do something, for all the good it'll do when they're just pardoning people for any little bit of nonsense they'll spout," he had muttered under his breath, causing her to laugh.
She knew logically there was no way that Liam would be pardoned, there was too much against him; but she couldn't help feeling that if he pulled what Karkaroff had than the court would let him off. Like Moody said the ministry just wanted to look like they were doing something.
"Just the facts," she murmured to herself as she moved over the same spot for the 50th time. "For Merlin's sake," she thought wryly, "You have no problem barging off after murdering wizards but when it comes to speaking in front of a bunch of old witchs and wizards you turn into a sally." sighing she forced herself to sit. It wasn't really the questioning part she was worried about, she had never had a problem with shyness, it was the possibility that the case would get thrown out. She knew that she wouldn't be able to really be calm until Liam was tucked away in Azkaban. Then maybe she could worry about the other things in her life.
Reflexively she looked at her left hand even though she knew it would be bare. She and Remus had agreed that it would be best if she didn't wear the ring at the ministry, at least for the time being. Instead it was hanging from a thin chain around her neck and tucked safely under her Auror robes. She wished that she could just wear it out in the open, although she had told her mother she was fine with it when she had raised her slender brows the first time she saw the rings new residence. Her mother...no she didn't need to be thinking about her then either. Andromeda had reacted just like Tonks had said she would when she learned of her daughters engagement. It had been amusing to say the least. Of course now that she had had time to really digest the fact that her daughter was getting married, or rather the circumstances of it, her mood had dampened. Tonks could sense a long conversation coming. One that would probably involve a lot of tea.
The doors of the courtroom opened and an aid stuck her head out. "Nymphadora Tonks? We're ready for you."
Tonks stood, took a breath and followed the aid inside the room, the heavy door snapping closed ominously behind her. She could see Moody sitting to the side, along with Dumbledore who's eye twinkled encouragingly at her. Kingsley and Mark were also present. She was the last to testify then.
"Please have a seat," Crouch said without looking at her. A chair had been placed to the side of the one where the accused would sit and this is where Tonks sat herself.
"Please state your full name for the court."
Tonks resisted the urge to scowl. Of course they'd make her say it, as if she wasn't uncomfortable enough. "Nymphadora Cassiopeia Tonks." She was sure she heard Kingsley snort but when she glanced at him he had a straight face.
"And you are a second year Auror Trainee, is that right?"
"Yes."
The woman next to Crouch handed him a scroll which he took without a word of thanks and glanced at briefly before looking at Tonks. "You were part of the team that apprehended suspected Death Eater Liam Semple on May 15 of this year."
It sounded more like a statement but Tonks answered in the affirmative anyway.
"Tell the court what transpired that day if you please."
"We had been called to Cheltenham, there were reports of Death Eater sighting's there. We proceeded to the Finnegan home, knowing that one of the inhabitants of the home, was reported to be connected to Semple." She took a breath, just tell the facts she told herself. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Moody whispering to Dumbledore, although his eyes never left her.
"Ms. Finnegan let us in and I was ordered to search the upper level of the home. Upon searching the rooms I discovered Semple trying to escape out of a window. I set out in pursuit of him after alerting my fellow Aurors to his presence. Auror's Shaklebolt and Moody also joined in pursuit. Semple and I traded spells until he found himself cornered in a dead end. He then attempted to use an unforgivable curse against me."
"And what curse would that be?"
"Avada Kedava."
"Thank you. Please continue."
"The fight then became physical as Semple launched himself at me. We grappled until I was able to get the upper hand. Auror Shaklebolt was then able to disarm Semple and we restrained him for transport to Ministry holding cells."
The witch beside Crouch was writing quickly on the scroll she had previously handed to him. It was another moment before Crouch posed another question.
"You have encountered the accused before, yes?"
Tonks had not been sure if this would come up in their questioning but she was prepared with an answer non the less. "Yes sir, we attended school together and were in the same house. We also dueled in Hogsmead almost five years ago when he attacked me after his companions had abducted a local woman."
Crouch looked at another document offered to him by the witch opposite him. "Yes, the Fortuna case. That will be all Ms. Tonks. You may either join the gallery or exit the court room."
Feeling relieved, she had not left anything out she was sure, Tonks stood and moved to the gallery to sit beside Kingsley. He winked at her in reassurance and Mark nodded, if somewhat stiffly. Obviously his dislike for her hadn't lessoned.
"Bring him in."
The doors opened Liam Semple entered flanked by two Dementors. He was placed in the chair that had been beside the one Tonks had sat in and the chains automatically snacked around him.
"Liam Semple," Crouch's voice rang throughout the chamber. "You have been brought here before the council of magical law so this court may decide your fait. You stand accused of crimes against Muggles, including the use of the cruciatus curse on one such family, as well as assault to a ministry official. You are further accused of using the Imperious curse to extract information from a Ministry official."
Liam simply looked board, and his good eye cast about the room until it settled on Tonks. The look there was much the same as it had been the day he had been brought in. She looked steadily back at him, refusing to give into his attempts to scare her.
"I now ask the Jury," Crouch was saying, "to raise their hands if they believe that these crimes deserve a life sentence in Azkaban."
Every witch and wizard on the Jury raised their hands. "Take him away." The Dementors glided over to Liam and lead him away. He was able to cast one more piercing look before the doors thudded shut cutting him from sight.
The Witches and Wizards of the Jury filed out then as did Crouch and his aid.
Dumbledore and Moody were deep in talk and led the way out of the court room, Tonks, Kingsley and Mark behind them.
"I must take my leave now," Dumbledore said once they were in hall. He turned his twinkling eyes on Tonks, "You did well in there today. Of course it would have been much better if we did not have cause to be here at all today."
"Yes sir. Thank you."
Dumbledore nodded to them all and swept off down the hall and up the stairs that would take him to the lifts.
"This is going to be going on all week." Moody told her as they too headed toward the lifts. Kingsley and Mark were ahead of them. "I'm going to leave you with Shaklebolt, he'll handle things while I'm in court. Tomorrow should be interesting," he muttered mostly to himself as they rode the lift up to their floor.
"Why? whose case is up tomorrow?" Tonks asked curiously. Moody glanced at her briefly his black eyes sharp. "The Lestranges and Crouch's own son."
Tonks stared. "His son?" she asked disbelievingly. She chose to ignore the mention of her Aunt and her husband.
"His son. makes you wonder doesn't it." They're floor was bustling as always and Moody barked for people to get out of the bloody way, while Tonks trailed behind him.
It was Just after supper the next day when Tonks entered her parents home. Before going inside she had placed her ring back on her finger, not wanting to see the pointed look her mother would give her if it wasn't there.
"Dora!" Ted greeted her warmly with a brief hug when she entered the sitting room. He was playing with the knob on the wireless apparently trying to find something he deemed worth listening to. Andromeda was sitting on the couch, drinking tea and reading a book. "Ah that's the ticket!" he exclaimed happily settling on an account of a Quidditch game between England and Ireland. Tonks and Andromeda shared an amused look as she sat beside her mother.
"What brings you here tonight Darling?" Andromeda questioned as she summoned another cup and poured tea for her.
Tonks shrugged, "Just fancied a chat i suppose. " she hesitated, "I thought you might like to know that Bellatrix's case was up today."
"Oh?" Andromeda asked mildly, her expression not giving anything away, "two sugars darling?"
"Yes please," Tonks said giving her mother a quizzical look as she passed her the tea. Andromeda sighed, "Well, what was the verdict? Life I suppose."
"Yes." was all Tonks said, although she did put her hand over Andromeda's. She knew she would pretend she wasn't affected, but that wouldn't change the fact that someone whom she had loved, someone whom she had once been close to had just been sentenced to spend their life in a place that induced madness almost right away. Tonks was very glad that her mother had gotten away from her family when she did. Despite the similarity in appearance, she could never fathom her mother ever considering to be like her sisters. it just wasn't in her nature.
"I see you've taken to wearing your ring again." Andromeda said, changing the subject. Tonks resisted the urge to roll her eyes, of course she'd want to hook on to that. You did know this conversation was coming, she reminded herself. "Yeah well, it's okay to wear around here, i would get some funny questions if i wore it to work though." she said easily. Andromeda frowned and this time Tonks did roll her eyes. "Can we go into the kitchen mum? it might be easier to talk if we didn't have to shout to be heard over the game."
Andromeda assented and they went into the kitchen and sat at the immaculately scrubbed table. "Nymphadora," she paused and seemed to study her daughter for a moment then reached across the table and took the hand that rested there. "You know i think very highly of Remus."
Tonks glanced at her mother disbelievingly. "Do you?"
"Of course i do darling. He is a very good young man, he's always seemed so much older than he is, and i must say that i have never been worried about your future together," again she paused. "Until now that is."
They looked at each other for a moment, the look in Andromeda's eyes willing Tonks to hear her out. "Go on mum. What's got you worried?"
Andromeda smiled slightly, glad that her daughter wasn't already jumping to defensive. "I worry about how hard your life is going to be, and i don't just mean financially. What will happen when people find out that you've married a werewolf? I can't tell you how much it upsets me that you have to hide this. You shouldn't have to make that decision."
Tonks sighed, "And you think it doesn't upset me? I'd love to be able to do this all out in the open, to actually get married. I know it won't be easy mum, but nothing good ever is. I know that if it was found out suspicion would fall on me for associating with a dark creature," she shuddered at having to use that phrase, it just didn't apply to Remus, "Not many people know Remus is a werewolf. I mean honestly most of the people who do know are either dead, in prison or too good to reveal it. At least for now i think we're okay on that front. Besides i don't really want to associate with people who would look down on me for who I married." she gave her mother a significant look. "As to the financial situation, its not mandatory for Remus to tell employers about his condition. I know he doesn't like lying, but given the alternative i know he will if it comes to that. He's too good to sponge off of me, which is what you really mean."
Andromeda didn't protest and Tonks was glad. She wanted to get this all out so that her mother would stop bringing it up once and for all and she didn't want a reason to be angry with her.
"But really, how is it any different than dad working and you staying home? i know it's unorthodox but this is the 1980's mum not the 1950's. We're never going to be rich, but we won't starve."
They were quiet for a time, simply drinking their tea and then Andromeda said, "What if you have children? It's one thing to be willing to take on a stigma your self, but a complete other to subject a child to it."
Tonks snorted derisively. "Says the pure blood witch who ran off with the muggle born. Did I ever complain because I had you and dad for parents? it doesn't matter Mum."
Andromeda sighed, "It's not the same thing darling. Your father and I..."
"Did you know that for the first two years I was at school, no one wanted to really be friends with me because of who I was related to. Because of what I am? I wasn't trusted. I never held that against you and dad, because I'm proud to be your daughter, because I know who you are, no matter what anyone else says. If one day Remus and I do have children, if we raise them as well as our parents raised us, then we'll at least have done one thing right."
She looked in earnest at her mother then, searching to see if there was any other doubt there. "Please Mum," she said quietly. "You have to believe that I know what I'm doing. I don't want to have to choose between my Mum and the man that I love. You know what that's like, don't make me have to do it too."
Andromeda for once was at a lose for words. What could she say? she had never wanted to hurt Nymphadora, and yes she did know how hard it was to have to choose between what you wanted and what your family did. She could never be like her parents and force her child to make a choice like that. She loved her too much for that. And As she had said, she really did like Remus, he would always to be good to Dora she knew, no matter how strained their lives became. Getting up she went around the table and wrapped her arms around her daughter, who held her back tightly as if she didn't want to let go.
"How did I miss it?" she asked quietly, "It's like I blinked and you became a woman. I love you Nymphadora, so very much. Perhaps more than you can ever really know. All I want is for you to be happy and loved. I trust you to know what's right for you."
"I love you too Mum."
A/N:Next chapter they will get married, I promise. ;)