Chapter 33: Auror's Morphine

Tonks had too much on her mind. She gave up arguing with Sirius for now. At the moment, she had to focus on protecting Baby S.J. Sirius was fearful for his family.

"You don't think that monster will come back, do you?" he asked.

"He might," Tonks replied.

"Dumbledore is still here. He'll know what to do," Sirius said. "Dumbledore!"

Albus Dumbledore appeared up the stairs as Sirius called him. "What can I do, Sirius?"

"We're not safe here. Where can we go, Dumbledore?" Sirius asked desperately.

"Did you ever consider your parents' house at number twelve, Grimmauld Place?" Dumbledore asked.

"Absolutely not!" Sirius exclaimed.

"What's wrong with that place?" Tonks asked.

"It was my parents' house," Sirius replied. "I grew up there. Not that it was much of a place to grow up. I can't take my son there."

"This arrangement is only temporary," Dumbledore said. "You know it is the safest place for your family."

. "Alright. We'll go to Grimmauld Place. Thank you, Dumbledore," Sirius said reluctantly.

"You're welcome, Sirius," Dumbledore said. "Miss Tonks, I shall send word when it is safe to move out. Take care."

With a pop! Dumbledore vanished.

"Glad you're thinking of your family, Uncle Sirius," Tonks said proudly.

"I'll endure anything for my family," Sirius said sincerely.

Sirius thought about his son sleeping in the nursery. "I think my son has more courage than I do. He was sleeping quite soundly before."

Tonks smiled. "I think he's a very brave baby. He gets that from both his parents."

"You're right," Sirius agreed. "Actually, it's not really him I'm worried about. It's Cassie."

"You don't say, Uncle Sirius," Tonks joked.

"Now, now," Sirius said. "I know how she'll react."

"I've only spent a few weeks with her, and I already know what she'll do," Tonks said. "She's going to make me mad as a hatter."

"Give her some pardon," Sirius said.

"Sirius, can I ask you something?" Tonks said.

"Anything."

"If she is stubborn, can I have permission to shut her up?"

"Nymphie!"

"What? She makes me crazy!"

"You only spent a few weeks with her."

"And that was enough!"

"Nymphie, please."

"Sirius, I beg you. I have too much on my mind right now. I can't think if Cassie is going to be stubborn."

Sirius sighed. "Alright, alright. Fine. Let's just check on her and Remus."

Sirius and Tonks entered the bedroom. Cassiopeia's bed was empty.

"Where'd she go?" Tonks asked.

"She's probably in the nursery," Sirius said wisely.

Tonks and Sirius looked in the next room. Just as Sirius predicted, Cassiopeia was there with Remus. Cassiopeia was sitting next to S.J.'s crib and singing a lullaby.

Catch a falling star, and put it in your pocket. Never let it fade away, Cassiopeia crooned.

Cassiopeia yawned as she sang her son to sleep. She looked depleted.

Remus took Cassiopeia's hand. "Cassie, please go to bed. You need to regain your strength after tonight."

Cassiopeia shook her head. "I can't take my eyes off him. I'm afraid what will happen if I do."

"Nothing will happen, Aunt Cassie," Tonks reassured her. "Just go to sleep. I'll watch him."

After her encounter with Greyback, Cassiopeia was extremely cautious. "I already failed him today. I can't-"

Cassiopeia stopped and yawned wide.

"Cassie, you didn't fail him," Tonks said gently. "But you will if you don't get sleep. You'll get sick and possibly die."

Sirius took Cassiopeia's hand. "Cassie, darling, please. Get some sleep. Tonks, Remus, and Aaron will be watching our boy. I promise."

Cassiopeia was still not satisfied. "What are we going to do, Sirius? We can't stay here."

"We're going to move you to a better place," Tonks told her.

"Where can we go? We're not safe! S.J. is not safe."

"You will be safe. We're taking you to Grimmauld Place."

"We have to go now."

"As soon as we are given word, we will take you there."

"No, we can't stay here tonight! We have to leave now!"

"Unfortunately, I am unable to make a move till I'm told, so we stay."

"Fine. Give me Remus, and I'll go."

"No. You are under my protection. You may not leave. Not till I do. Don't be stubborn on this, Cassie."

"I won't have that wolf maniac attack my son in the night," Cassiopeia argued. "I have to protect my son."

Tonks rolled her eyes. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm protecting. Going out now would be foolish. Besides, it's nighttime. You would never make it out of the forest in time. We stay. All of us. Do as I say, Cassie. Unless you want to die."

Cassiopeia turned to Sirius, asking his opinion. "Sirius?"

"I'd say follow what Tonks says. She is an Auror, after all," Sirius replied.

Cassiopeia nodded. Finally, she agreed with Tonks. "I'm sorry."

Cassiopeia tried to stand, but fell down.

"Hey, you need sleep. Come on," Tonks said.

"No," Cassiopeia said stubbornly.

"Cassie, you need to sleep. If you don't, you will get sick," Tonks advised her.

"I can't risk it. I can't," Cassiopeia said.

Tonks had heard enough. "If you do not take care of yourself, I will take the child from both of you. I refuse to leave the child with parents who can't take care of themselves."

"I can't. I can't…" Cassiopeia said wearily.

Finally, Cassiopeia was overtaken by sleep.

Tonks sighed. "Well, at least she's sleeping. Sirius, make sure she sleeps through the night. Remus and I will take turns watching S.J."

"I will, Nymphie," Sirius said. "Thank you. Both of you consider our offer. It would mean so much if you accepted."

"I will," Tonks and Remus said.

Sirius turned his attention to Cassiopeia. "Moony, get Poppy for Cassie. I want to make sure she's alright. I think her cuts might be infected."

Tonks disregarded Sirius's words and knelt by Cassiopeia. "She's fine. There's no infection. However, those bandages could use changing. I'll do it. I might have a potion that could help. Hold on."

Tonks pulled out her bag and rummaged through it.

"Help her, Nymphie," Sirius said.

"She's fine. It's just exhaustion. She needs sleep," Tonks said calmly.

Tonks pulled out a bottle from her bag. "She's not going to like this."

"I'll hold her," Sirius said.

"I mean she is going to hate me for making her drink this. It's Auror's Morphine," Tonks explained.

"Do it. If it saves her, she'll understand," Sirius said.

"Calm down, Sirius. Cassie isn't in any danger," Tonks reassured him. "What she needs is rest. That's what this is for. Specially formulated Auror's Morphine. It knocks you out. I'm going to make her rest not matter what. That is why she is going to hate me. She doesn't want to sleep."

"I agree, but answer me this: would you want to sleep if your baby was attacked?" Sirius questioned.

"I think my body would make me," Tonks replied. "There is another reason why she'll hate me: this stuff is beyond foul."

"She'll get over it," Sirius said.

Tonks shoved the bottle under Sirius's nose. As soon as he had a whiff of the awful potion, Sirius gagged.

"Sorry, Cassie. This is for your own good," he said.

"She has to drink about half the bottle. That will make her sleep through the night. Then I'll change the bandages," Tonks said.

Sirius nodded. "Do it."

Before Tonks could do anything, Cassiopeia woke up. "Sirius? Ow, my head."

"Sorry about this, Cassie," Tonks said.

Tonks poured the liquid down Cassiopeia's throat.

Cassiopeia coughed. "What did you do?"

Tonks smiled slyly. "Well, let's just say you are going to get some well needed rest. Your bandages need changing. Hold still."

Tonks quickly hurried to the restroom and back to the nursery. Then she wrapped clean bandages around Cassiopeia's head. Cassiopeia knew she was not going to win against Tonks. She decided it was best to give in.

"I don't like this, but I can see I have no choice. Just two favors," Cassiopeia said.

"What's that?" Tonks asked.

"Let me stay in here with my baby, and let Sirius stay with me," Cassiopeia said.

"Well, I can't let you hold the baby while you sleep for fear you might drop him," Tonks reasoned. "But I can get the crib and have in it in your room. You and Sirius get some sleep. Remus and I will watch for trouble."

Cassiopeia nodded. "That will do. Sirius, will you stay with me?"

"Of course," Sirius replied.

"Good. Then both of you get to bed," Tonks said in relief.

"Good night, Nymphie," Sirius and Cassiopeia said.

"Good night," Tonks replied.

"Come on, Sirius," Cassiopeia beckoned.

Hand in hand, Sirius and Cassiopeia crawled into bed. Remus and Tonks carried S.J. and his crib into the bedroom. Cassiopeia anxiously eyed the crib with her baby.

Sirius wrapped his arms around Cassiopeia and kissed her. "Hey, go to sleep. Remus and I will be here when you wake up."

"If you say so," Cassiopeia said wearily.

"I do," Sirius whispered. "Dream about the Riviera and the day we go there with our boy."

Cassiopeia was already asleep before Sirius said another word. Sirius kissed Cassiopeia's head and drifted off to sleep next to her.

A/N: Thank you to all of my lovely reviewers! I appreciate it. I hope you all had a lovely holiday. Thank you to my best friend, Roza Anne. I appreciate you. Thank you!