Chapter 44: Order Meeting and a Rough Night
That night, Tonks tried to go back to sleep. She knew she had to be on guard duty in the morning. However, she could not sleep. The mate mark kept bothering her. When she tried to sleep, she saw herself tied up with Fenrir Greyback standing over her. The werewolf grinned as he stood over her with a knife.
"NO!" Tonks screamed.
Tonks woke up to find herself back in her room at Grimmauld Place. Just then, Cassiopeia came running up the stairs, wand drawn.
"Merlin's beard, Nymphie!" Cassiopeia said. "What was that?"
"Nothing," Tonks said. "just a bad dream."
"That must've been some nightmare," Cassiopeia said. "Sirius and I thought someone was dying."
"I'm sorry, Aunt Cassie," Tonks said.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Cassiopeia asked.
"I'll be fine. I just need to get back to sleep," Tonks said.
"Alright. Good night, Nymphie," Cassiopeia said.
"Good night, Aunt Cassie," Tonks said.
The next morning, Tonks was waiting down in the kitchen. She continued to think about her mate mark that continued to bother her. She did not know why the mark hurt because Remus did not want her for his mate. Tonks wanted to ask Remus about this. The first ones to greet her were Sirius and Cassiopeia.
Bugger, Tonks thought, He really is trying to avoid me.
Tonks did not have much time to dwell on these thoughts when she saw Cassiopeia and Sirius wake up.
"Good morning, Nymphie," Cassiopeia and Sirius said together.
"Morning, Aunt Cassie, Uncle Sirius," Tonks said.
"Have you seen Remus?" Cassiopeia asked.
"Do you mean S.J. or –" Tonks asked.
"Yes, we meant Remus," Sirius replied.
"Have you seen Remus?" Cassiopeia asked.
"Do you mean S.J. or –" Tonks asked.
"-Yes," Sirius replied. "We've been looking all over for him this morning."
"He's not playing kitten again, is he?" Cassiopeia asked.
"I haven't seen any little boys or kittens running around here," Tonks asked.
"Where could he have gone?" Cassiopeia asked, anxious.
"Calm down, Cassie, he couldn't have gone far," Tonks said.
Sirius looked nervous. "I have a hunch. I just hope I'm wrong."
All of them were interrupted when they heard a scream come from the hallway.
"FILTHY BRAT! SHUT IT! YOU ARE A STAIN ON MY FAMILY!"
"I hate it when I'm right," Sirius said.
Tonks, Sirius, and Cassiopeia raced down the stairs. They found S.J. sitting on the floor in front of Walburga Black's portrait, rubbing his eyes. He was sitting in a pool of tears. His face was red as a tomato as he wailed in horror of the ugly witch. Sirius quickly snatched up S.J. and tried to comfort him.
Walburga Black was still screaming at the toddler. "YOU PATHETIC, WHINING BRAT! YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BORN! YOU'RE A RAT! A FILTHY –"
"SHUT UP, YOU BATTY, OLD HAG!" Cassiopeia roared.
"YOU! YOU BROUGHT THAT FILTH INTO THE WORLD!" Walburga said.
"NO ONE TALKS TO MY SON THAT WAY!" Cassiopeia said.
She waved her wand and the curtains slammed shut. Sirius and Tonks could only stand in shock as Cassiopeia turned around to face them. Tonks had never seen Cassiopeia so furious. At least, she couldn't remember her being furious. Sirius was as white as a sheet as he tried to calm S.J.
"Cassie, remind me never to piss you off," Tonks said.
"That old bat never liked me, and the feelings were mutual. I hated the old banshee," Cassiopeia said.
"That's my girl," Sirius said proudly.
Cassiopeia took S.J. in her arms. "Shh, there, there, sweetheart. That mean, old witch can't hurt you. Mummy and Daddy are right here."
"How about some breakfast, little man?" Sirius said. "Porridge with chocolate milk?"
S.J. nodded his head with a big smile on his face. Cassiopeia and Sirius turned to Tonks.
"Nymphie, would you like some breakfast?" Cassiopeia asked.
"No, thanks. I'm not that hungry," Tonks replied. "I'm gonna go catch up on some sleep."
That afternoon, another Order meeting was held. All of the Order was in attendance, even Severus Snape. Snape and Sirius glared at each other from across the long table. Cassiopeia placed a calming hand on Sirius' hand, hoping to take his mind of his adversary. Cassiopeia bounced S.J. on her knee as the Order sat at the table. Snape stared at S.J. as Cassiopeia bounced him.
"Is there a problem, Severus?" Cassiopeia asked.
"It was my knowledge that we were not allowing children in these meetings, Cassiopeia," Snape said.
"If its secrecy you're worried about, I hardly think a nearly two year old will go blabbing the secrets of The Order," Cassiopeia said calmly.
"Oh, he's just jealous because my kid is better looking than him," Sirius said.
Sirius whispered to S.J. "I'll give you 10 quid if you go vomit on him again, son."
"Sirius!" Cassiopeia gasped.
"How charming. I see it's a family trait," Snape said.
"Oh, Severus is being witty. Should we do the same?" Sirius asked S.J. in a baby voice.
S.J. nodded excitedly, as if he were playing a game with his father.
"Tell Severus to bugger off," Sirius said. "Say 'bugger off, Snivellus.'"
"Bug off, Snivelly," S.J. said.
Sirius burst out into uncontrollable fits of laughter. He laughed so hard that his face turned as purple as a grape and there were tears in his eyes. "That's my boy!"
"Sirius! Now you got him saying it!" Cassiopeia said. "Don't teach our son that."
"I see where the boy gets most of his charm," Snape said coolly.
"Don't be angry with my boy, Severus. It's not his fault," Cassiopeia said.
"Bug off!" S.J. said with a happy grin.
Sirius nearly fell out of his seat and turned purple due to his fits of laughter. Cassiopeia was not smiling."Remus! Don't say that."
Snape was glaring impatiently at Cassiopeia and Sirius. "If I may, Mrs. Black, were you ever going to explain why he's at this table at all?" Snape asked.
"Look, if you must know, the reason he is at this table is because he had a horrible encounter with Sirius' gargoyle of a mother and she frightened the life out of him. Are you satisfied?"
"That's a sufficient explanation," Snape said.
"Good. Now can we focus on the important issue?" Cassiopeia asked. "We need to do something about Harry's case."
"Do you think we've done nothing, Cassie?" Mrs. Weasely asked. "We're trying to help Harry all we can, but it's too dangerous."
"Then let us handle it," Cassiopeia said.
"You'll do no such thing!" Mr. Weasely said. "We can't afford to lose anyone else."
"It was just a joke," Cassiopeia said.
"This is no joking matter," Molly said. "We have valuable assets here and we need everyone we can get."
"Then what will we do about Fudge?" Cassiopeia said. "If that man sends Harry to Azkaban, I'll kill him!"
"Are you off your head, Aunt Cassie?" Tonks said. "You don't really want to go back to Azkaban, do you?"
"I agree with Cassie," Sirius said. "I would rather suffer Azkaban all over again than let my godson suffer for telling the truth."
"You're both bloody mad!" Tonks said. "You'd be willing to leave your son just because of a grudge?"
"At least we'd be doing something," Sirius said.
"And S.J. wouldn't be alone because he has people to love him," Cassiopeia said.
Tonks rolled her eyes. "Spare me the dramatics. We do not have any orders to say anything to anyone about Voldemort's return. And no one is going to Azkaban because they can't keep their mouth shut."
"As long as Harry's trial goes our way, I won't say a word," Cassiopeia said.
"I agree," Sirius said.
"Good," Tonks said.
"In the meantime, we shall wait until after Harry's trial to decide our next move," Arthur said. "Until then, we are adjourned."
"Then let's give Harry the best advice that we can," Cassiopeia said.
Later that day, Sirius and Cassiopeia Harry came down to join them before his trial. He looked as if he'd seen a ghost.
"What's the matter, Harry?" Sirius asked.
"I heard shouting this morning. That portrait on the wall. Who is that?" Harry asked.
"My sweet old mum," Sirius asked. "She always hated me because I never agreed with her pure-blood mania. She hated me for marrying Cassie because she's a half-blood. Apparently, she doesn't like my son either."
"She was shouting at S.J.? That's horrible!" Harry said.
"You don't have to tell me twice," Cassiopeia said. "Don't worry. I took care of her."
"You certainly did," Sirius said proudly, kissing Cassiopeia.
"Anyway, it's time for you to get ready for your trial," Sirius said.
Molly. Arthur, and Tonks came down to help prepare Harry for the trial.
"In a few hours time, you'll be cleared," Arthur said. "The hearing's on my floor, in Amelia Bones' office. She's Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and she'll be questioning you."
"Amelia Bones is okay, Harry," Tonks said. "She's fair, she'll hear you out."
"Don't lose your temper," Sirius said. "Be polite and stick to the facts."
"Don't let Fudge try anything," Cassiopeia said. "He'll do everything he can to discredit you, but don't lose your patience. You're right, and he's wrong."
"The law's on your side," Arthur said. "Even underage wizards are allowed to use magic in life-threatening situations."
Harry nodded grimly. Molly began running a wet comb through Harry's hair. Despite her best efforts, Harry's hair was very stubborn.
"Does it ever lie flat?" she asked.
Sirius and Cassiopeia laughed. They fondly remembered James' hair being very similar.
"He's his father's son," Cassiopeia said.
"He wouldn't be a Potter if he had flat hair," Sirius said.
"I think we should go now," Arthur said. "We're a bit early, but it's better than being here."
"Alright," Harry said.
Tonks patted Harry's arm. "You'll be okay, Harry."
"You'll be back to Hogwarts in no time," Sirius said.
"Harry, just in case things go wrong, which I know they won't, but you should know if Fudge tries to send you to Azkaban, we'll have no problem making him disappear," Cassiopeia said slyly.
"Thanks, Cassie," Harry said weakly.
"Anything for my godson," Cassiopeia said.
Harry headed out the door with Arthur. Cassiopeia felt a chill run down her spine. Sirius put his arms around his wife.
"Don't worry. He'll be fine," Sirius said.
"I hope you're right," Cassiopeia said.
Tonks slipped into the library after Harry left to read. She needed an escape from the nightmares haunting her. Last night had been horrible, and with her shifts at the ministry and the order, sleep was precious. As she flipped the pages through some obscure fantasy novel, she found herself drifting to sleep.
She was running. Greyback was chasing her, taunting her, calling her name.
"You can't run forever Nymphadora Tonks. Your days as the Subduer are over. " He sneered. "You know it's going to give me great pleasure to take away his mate. You think he'll morn you. The pup will have no choice but to come to my side. Don't worry about Remus. I'll get to him soon enough." He was growing closer and closer. She couldn't out run him for long. In a cruel twist of fate her klutziness got the better of her and she tripped and fell. Grey back approached her as she scrambled to get away, slamming down and breaking her leg. She screamed out in pain, a sound which made the werewolf smile and laugh at. He was going to kill her she knew it.
As she looked up at the death-eater werewolf before her she felt nothing but terror. She wanted to call out but to whom should she call. Only one name came to mind in this situation. She called to the one person who could help
"REMUS!"
A/N: I want to apologize for my long hiatus. Last year I had a terrible family tragedy that shook me up and took me out of writing for a while. I am just now trying to continue my stories. I appreciate your patience. Thank you for your continued support of this story. Thank you very much to my best friend, Roza Anne. This story is for all of you.