Chapter 46: Happy News and a Surprise
Remus waited with baited breath for Tonks to return. He did not know where she had gone, but only that she had gone somewhere dangerous. He'd only hoped that Sirius and Cassie's preoccupation with Harry's trial and little Remus, or "S.J," would keep them from finding where she had gone. Alas, he spoke too soon when Sirius and Cassiopeia, with little S.J. on her hip, came out to the hall.
"Sirius, Cassie! I didn't hear you come out," Remus said, startled.
"Aw, not daydreaming again, Remus?" Sirius teased.
"Shut up, Sirius," Remus grumbled.
"Darling, don't tease him," Cassiopeia said. "S.J. wanted to play with Auntie Nymphie."
"Oh, well, I'm afraid she stepped out for a moment," Remus said. "She'll be back later. In the meantime, I can play with S.J."
Remus stooped down to S.J.'s level. "Would you like Uncle Remus to play with you?"
S.J. nodded excitedly. "Yes, Uncle Remus, play!"
Remus took S.J. in his arms and spun him around.
"Well, we'll leave you to it," Sirius said.
"I do warn you, he's as mischievous as his father," Cassiopeia said with a grin. "And he's got my sense of humor."
Remus rolled his eyes. "I was afraid of that."
Cassiopeia and Sirius snickered as they left Remus with their rambunctious little son.
As the evening waned on, S.J. grew weary and eventually fell asleep, exhausted from his play with his "Uncle". Alas, Remus remained restless as Tonks had still not returned.
Tonks, where are you? Remus thought desperately.
To Remus' horror, Sirius and Cassiopeia had come out to the living room to collect their sleeping son.
"Well, it looks like someone had fun," Sirius laughed, picking up the limp S.J.
"Oh, yes, he wore himself out quick playing 'kitten,'" Remus said, "I almost didn't find him."
Cassiopeia smirked. "That's his favorite game. He's quite good at it."
"I noticed. Just like mum and dad," Remus said.
Cassiopeia looked around. "Auntie Nymphie still not back yet?"
"No, she's still busy," Remus said.
Cassiopeia smirked. "Sirius, can you take S.J. out?"
Sirius took S.J. away.
Once Sirius was out of the room, Cassiopeia gave Remus a dangerous look. "I know you're trying to stall. So, out with it. Where's Tonks?"
Remus held up his hands. "I don't know. I don't. She's out."
"Really?" Cassiopeia asked.
Cassiopeia grabbed Remus by the ear, forcing a scream out of Remus. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Cassie, I don't know where she is!"
"I know you're lying. Come on, Remus," Cassiopeia said, "Where did she go?"
"No, I promised!" Remus said.
"Calm down, Aunt Cassie, I'm right here."
Much to Cassie's and Remus' relief, a bruised and bleeding Tonks stood in the living room.
Cassiopeia let go of Remus and embraced her cousin. "Nymphie, thank God! Where were you? You gave me a fright!"
Tonks groaned as Cassiopeia crushed her. "Ow, okay, Aunt Cassie you're crushing me."
"Where were you?" Cassiopeia asked.
"I was taking care of some unfinished business," Tonks said. "That is all you need to know."
"Seriously? You expect me to leave it at that?" Cassiopeia asked, exasperated.
"Yes, for your own sake, I do," Tonks said.
"Cassie, I believe Tonks could use some healing potions," Remus said.
Cassiopeia wanted to press the matter, but she knew it was pointless. "You're lucky he's covering for you."
Cassiopeia ducked away to the kitchen to retrieve some healing potions. When she returned, she sighed as she treated Tonks' wounds.
"I'm sorry," she said. "You know how I feel. I have a son and with Voldemort and his cronies running about, it's hard. You're the closest I've got to a sister, Nymphie."
"I know, Aunt Cassie," Tonks said. "That's why I had to go and do what I did. For you, Uncle Sirius and S.J. I hope you understand."
Cassiopeia nodded. "Not really, but I will in time."
The next afternoon, Sirius and Cassiopeia paced in the study. They were anxiously awaiting the news of Harry's trial. They were on the edge of their seats. Unfortunately, Tonks and Remus were not there to quell their nerves as they were doing work for the Order.
"What's taking them so long?" Sirius asked.
"You know Fudge. He's a giant windbag," Cassiopeia said.
Sirius got a fearful look in his eye. "You don't think that Fudge would really convict a boy for underage magic, do you?"
"I doubt he'd be that stupid," Cassiopeia said. "What makes you think so?"
"You know he had no qualms about not giving us a trial," Sirius said.
Cassiopeia smirked slyly. "Well, pray he is that stupid, then I shall have to be a true murderer."
It was Sirius' turn to smile. "And that is why I love you."
Just as Sirius and Cassiopeia shared a loving embrace, Arthur came barging in. "He got off! He got off!"
"Arthur, what are you going on about?" Sirius asked.
"Harry!" Arthur cried. "Dumbledore went down to the Ministry and spoke up for him. They dropped the charges!"
"I knew it!" Cassiopeia cried, as she filled Sirius into her arms.
"Thank you, Arthur," Sirius said.
Arthur left the room as Sirius turned to Cassiopeia. "Speaking of getting off, why don't we go celebrate?"
"Another family member escaping the law? Why not?" Cassiopeia said.
Sirius and Cassiopeia escaped upstairs and locked the door.
"Silencio!" Sirius whispered. "Now no one will hear us and we won't be disturbed."
"Perfect," Cassiopeia said as she pushed Sirius on the bed and ran her hands along his wine-colored coat. "I love this coat, but now it belongs on the floor."
Cassiopeia wrested the coat from his shoulders and tossed it on the floor, then she wrenched his striped shirt untucked as their lips met. Cassiopeia freed the buttons as his shirt joined his coat then his slacks. Cassiopeia marveled at the lean, muscled, tattooed body and peppered his chest with kisses down to his abdomen and up to his neck. Unable to stand it, Sirius flipped her over and tortured her neck. He ripped open her gown as he kissed his way down her body, lingering on her abdomen. He planted kisses there before slipping his tongue in and around her navel. Cassiopeia jumped, making him smirk as he took her leg and massaged and kissed it from her ankle to her thigh. He continued on to the other leg before making his way back to her lips. Cassiopeia and Sirius lost themselves in their ecstasy until dawn.
The next morning, Cassiopeia found herself slumped over the toilet. Sirius had slept soundly and he could not hear her violent retching. Cassiopeia truly feared the worst as she quickly made her way to St. Mungo's. To her surprise, Tonks was there, too.
"Nymphie? What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I think I might have had an accident," Tonks said. "What are you doing here?"
"I think I have a hunch," Cassiopeia said. "I want to be, but I don't."
Tonks' eyes lit up. "You didn't?!"
"Well, Sirius and I were celebrating and things just...got away from us," Cassiopeia said.
Tonks shook her head. "You've got to be kidding me."
"Sadly, I'm not," Cassiopeia said.
The Witch nurse saw them both. Cassiopeia and Tonks took their tests and waited at least an hour, which felt like an eternity. After ages waiting in the ward, they both got their results back.
Tonks gave an excited sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God, I'm not! Oh, yes! Hey, Aunt Cassie, what about you?"
Cassiopeia's face was a white sheet. She looked as if she was smiling, yet terrified.
"Aunt Cassie, what is it?" Tonks asked.
"I...I'm pregnant," Cassiopeia said.
A/N: To the fans of this story, sorry it has been so long! I promise to try and update this story more. Roza Anne and I are still collaborating on this and giving it much love. Thank you for all your support! Enjoy!