Tonks wasn't sure what to expect when she arrived at Levi Goldfinch's home. It was a large Tudor-style manor not far off from where her own parents lived. She'd seen it plenty of times growing up and heard all about the Goldfinches being one of those special, pureblood wizarding families who were somewhat tolerable, if not a bit odd.
Chester Goldfinch was the long-time patriarch of the family and was devastated by the sudden and accidental death of his only son and daughter-in-law. That left Chester to raise his granddaughter, Theodosia, and her older brother Levi. He passed when Theodosia was 16 years old.
Theodosia gave birth to her only child, Aurora Delphine Black (now Lupin) and she disappeared a year later and was presumed dead. Her brother also disappeared, though most people didn't assume anything nefarious had happened to him. Levi had been described as eccentric and flighty, though people found it strange when his sister disappeared and he did not return.
Until now.
Levi Goldfinch's spectacle at the Ministry the day before had sent everything into chaos and even after her brief reprieve from work following the inquiry, Tonks came back to work the next morning where Scrimgeour and Fudge all but shoved her out the door to speak to Levi as soon as possible.
So she was here. Knocking on his front door.
The door opened a minute later and she was greeted by a more casually dressed and relaxed-looking Levi Goldfinch.
"You must be the Auror Tonks," he said. "Please, come in."
"Thank you, Mister Goldfinch," Tonks replied, stepping inside, surveying things as she went.
"Please, call me Levi," he said.
Tonks didn't want to be too stuffy, so she gave a polite nod of her head. Anything to make him comfortable and talkative.
"Excuse the dust. Still making it livable in here again," Levi said. "It's been empty since Theo left it. Fourteen years untouched. I'm surprised its condition is this good."
"Magic helps I'm sure," Tonks replied.
Levi motioned for her to follow through the foyer into the vaulted living room just ahead. It wasn't quite as dusty in this room and there was a large fireplace lit. In front of them sat two chairs and a small coffee table where tea and biscuits sat out.
"Sit, please. I'm sure you have lots to ask," he said.
"Yes. We've been looking for you for some time now, obviously," Tonks said as she sat.
"You especially," Levi said, taking the chair across from her. "You are the one who was looking into me weren't you?"
"I was," Tonks said.
"Remarkably good at your job. I knew once MACUSA came sniffing around for me that someone over here must've gotten wind. Well done," he said. "You're not by chance related to the Blacks, are you? Tonks. That's one of the daughters, isn't it? Married a muggleborn."
"My parents," she said.
"Ah, see I'm quite keen myself," Levi replied. "And what do your parents call you?"
Tonks was in no mood to reveal her proper name to anyone in the most casual of circumstances, so she was not going to give it to the smooth-talking Levi right now either.
"Mister Goldfinch-."
"Levi," he corrected her, flashing her a smile.
She smiled back. "Levi, while I'm generally more than happy to sit around and talk about myself, I am here on business. I'd much rather talk about you."
"Of course. I'm sure you've got lots to do today," Levi said. "You'd like me to elaborate on my testimony."
"If you wouldn't mind," Tonks said. "I have some questions."
"Very well then. Let's get down to business," he said.
"So you were in the states, avoiding your sister," Tonks said.
"Avoiding my sister?" Levi asked.
"You kept talking about how you thought she was crazy. And you left right when she had a baby. You wanted space. Why else would you spend 15 years sightseeing?" Tonks said.
Levi shrugged. "Can't fault your logic there."
"You said that you decided to come back from your tour in America because it all seemed a bit silly, hiding from your niece and all that," Tonks said. "What about your sister? Assuming you're telling the truth, why go out of her way to hand over those pictures and help you if she was convinced before that associating with her daughter would lead to her death?"
"Theo has no plans to contact Aurora, but she made it easier for me since I wanted to. Not to mention that she might feel a little bad about letting Sirius Black sit in prison for all that time," Levi explained.
"And that's it?" Tonks asked.
"You don't believe me, Auror Tonks?" he asked.
"You've been in hiding for well over a decade. Did you expect to be welcomed back without being treated with the slightest bit of incredulity?" Tonks asked.
"Generally people find me too charming and good-looking for that," he said, flashing her a smile.
"Charm is wasted on me I'm afraid," Tonks said.
"What about the good looks?" Levi asked.
Tonks was starting to understand why Sirius and Remus tended to roll their eyes when reminiscing about Levi. Although, he wasn't entirely dissimilar to Sirius if she was being honest.
"If your sister doesn't want to reveal herself to her daughter, that's her business, but if she's alive, she can corroborate your story which would make this whole business a lot easier," Tonks said, moving their conversation back on track.
Levi sighed and sat back in his chair. "You're underestimating how paranoid my sister is. She's been a recluse this whole time. And she doesn't trust the ministry."
Tonks didn't blame her for the latter.
"Then can you tell me why she was lurking around You-Know-Who? If Peter Pettigrew is one of his supposed followers, what's she doing with him?" Tonks asked.
"No clue," Levi said.
Tonks grimaced. "Your sister is lurking around someone who you suppose is a death eater, who murdered 12 people and that doesn't strike you as a red flag at all?"
"Everything my sister does is a red flag," Levi said.
This conversation would've been a red flag had Remus not debriefed her last night. But it still didn't sit right with Tonks that Theodosia had this photograph of Peter Pettigrew. It was too easy, too convenient. Even if Theodosia was lurking around to get something from Voldemort, a photograph seemed risky. And right when Pettigrew was transforming?
Tonks didn't like this one bit.
"You know this all sounds rather convenient right? And we can't confirm any of it without your sister," Tonks said.
"If you manage to round up Black, I'm sure he'll confirm the details as well," Levi said.
"You're hiding something," Tonks said.
Levi stared at her for a moment before picking up a mug of tea from the table. He took a long, slow drink and sat back in his chair. He crossed one of his legs over his knee and then continued to stare at her.
"Do you always just level baseless accusations against people?" he asked.
"Baseless?" Tonks asked, nearly laughing. "Do you think you can just unload all of this information without being questioned about it? You somehow believed that we'd take everything at face value and not ask any questions?"
"Perhaps you're not asking the right questions," Levi said.
"I'm not here to play games, Mister Goldfinch," Tonks said. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
He took another drink of his tea. "No, I don't think there is. Tell Rufus Scrimgeour I'll be happy to entertain you again once you've authenticated the photographs—and you will by the way."
Tonks was ready to leave, having deemed this a hopeless case, but then she thought of something and realized she wanted to ask him one more question.
"What happened to the girl?" she asked.
"Pardon?" Levi asked.
"You said you went off to the states because of some girl and that you stayed there after you ended things. But where did she go? Who was she?" Tonks asked.
"Why does it matter who it was?" Levi asked.
"To corroborate your story of why you left, of course. You ran off with some woman to an entirely different country to be away from your sister, and stayed away even after things were finished. If that's all true, who is she?" Tonks asked.
For the first time, Levi did not have an answer. He had no way to smooth talk his way out of the question. A simple question. Tonks just needed a name.
"It's not important who she was," Levi said.
Tonks nodded. "Interesting. Why don't you want me to know who she was?"
"Would rather leave that all in the past," he said.
Tonks rose to her feet. "Very well then. I found you, I can find her as well. Until next time."
"Have you met the girl?" Levi asked.
Tonks raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"
"Aurora, have you met her?" he asked. "I did last night. Had dinner with her and Remus Lupin. She's delightful. At the end of the day, she's the reason for all of this, isn't she? Never mind Sirius Black or You-Know-Who or any of that. The whole reason my sister left in the first place is because of Aurora, and she's the reason I'm back now."
Tonks gave Levi a nod, completely unsure of where this was going.
"What I'm saying is, it doesn't matter. The rest of it doesn't matter. It's all about what's best for Aurora," Levi said.
At least there was that, Tonks thought.
"Enjoy the rest of your day, Mister Goldfinch," Tonks said. "I expect we'll be speaking again soon."
"Looking forward to it," he said, flashing her a smile.
Tonks resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She was not looking forward to their next meetings.
Tonks returned to Grimmauld Place that evening, still sour from her meeting with Levi Goldfinch. In the dining room, Ron and Hermione were bickering while setting the table for dinner. Their arguing ceased when she entered the room. Hermione smiled.
"Hi, Tonks. Are you staying for dinner?" she asked.
"Yes, thanks," Tonks said. "You two are alright?"
"This is their natural state," Ginny said walking into the room, and setting a pile of silverware on the table. Ron rolled his eyes. "You're less annoying than the world's most hot and cold couple at least."
"Oh, they're fine," Hermione said dismissively.
"For today," Ron scoffed. "Sometimes I wish they'd break up already."
"Ron!" Hermione scolded him, whacking him on the shoulder. He winced nearly dropping the plate in his hand.
"Don't tell me you haven't thought about how much easier it would be keeping up with them if they weren't arguing half the time and getting along the other half?" Ron asked.
"I'm sure Rory and Harry know what they're doing," Hermione said.
Ron nodded. "And you definitely didn't tell Rory to break up with him."
Ginny and Tonks both gasped.
Hermione was momentarily flustered and seemed very irritated with Ron.
"What I said to her was that if it was me dating Harry, I'd have broken up with him," Hermione said. "And I told you that in confidence."
Ron seemed to dismiss this last point and went back to setting the table.
Tonks had all but told Rory the same thing, but it was a little shocking to hear Hermione had said it as well being that she was Harry's best friend.
The door behind Tonks opened and Bill walked in.
"Hey, Tonks. How'd your meeting go?" Bill asked.
Tonks sighed. "It went. I'll leave it at that."
Molly emerged from the kitchen, carrying a pot of food, with Rory and Harry following close behind also carrying food.
"That method will work for basically everything except sourdough. If you overproof sourdough there's basically no coming back from it," Rory said. "That's a one-way ticket to dense bread town."
"Why do you know so much about bread?" Bill asked.
"Because it's the best food," Rory said.
"You're not wrong," Ron agreed as Sirius and Remus entered the room.
"Any luck?" Molly asked.
"No," Sirius said with a pout.
"What's wrong?" Tonks asked.
"Can't find Kreacher," Remus replied.
"I think we've literally looked everywhere," Sirius said.
"I told you," Rory started.
"Don't say he climbed into one of the walls and died again, please. I don't want to think about it," Sirius said.
"Well, you'd smell him eventually," Tonks said.
"Can we please find a more appropriate dinner topic, thank you," Molly said. "And where have the twins-?"
Just as she said this they apparated into the dining room.
"You rang, mother?" Fred asked.
Molly let out an exasperated sigh. "Must you?"
"Yes, we must," George said.
Rory was trying to eavesdrop on Tonks' conversation about her meeting with Levi, but she'd been drawn into a completely different conversation.
"No one fancies me. Everyone thinks I'm crazy because I'm dating this one," Rory said motioning to Harry.
"How does dating me make everyone think you're crazy?" Harry asked.
"Crazy by association," Ron said. "Because everyone thinks you're crazy because you're always going on about Voldemort."
"Exactly," Rory said.
"But not everyone thinks you're crazy, Rory," Hermione said. "Who's that annoying boy in sixth year?"
Rory groaned. "You must be talking about McLaggen."
Even down the table Fred and George groaned.
"That guy is a prat," Fred said.
"Total wanker," George said.
"Pretty sure he just hits on anyone he finds remotely attractive or interesting," Fred said.
"I think he was going to try out for the Quidditch team this year but was in hospital because he poisoned himself or something," George said.
"Not surprising," Rory said. "He took Ara to the ball last year and she was like he's a total himbo, but I think you have to be nice to be a himbo."
"What on earth is a himbo?" Harry asked.
"When you're good looking, but an idiot," Rory said.
"Viktor was a himbo," Hermione said.
Rory nodded in agreement.
Harry was making a face, probably mildly uncomfortable with the subject.
"Not to worry, Lovey. Himbos and idiots, in general, aren't really my type," Rory said.
"And Rory's too smart. Most boys are too intimidated to speak to her anyway," Ginny said.
"Hermione too," Rory said.
"No they're not," Hermione said, dismissively, her cheeks going red.
"Everyone is intimidated by you," Ron chimed in, which made Hermione blush even more.
"I think it's good to be so smart people are afraid of you," Ginny said. "No need to be jealous of anyone as smart as you are."
"I don't think being jealous and being smart are mutually exclusive," Rory conceded.
"Well that's obviously true," Harry said casually. There was a beat of silence where Harry seemed to realize what he said and Rory mentally took a breath so as not to immediately ask him what he meant by that. Instead, Harry cleared his throat. "I just meant, with Cho and all."
Rory took a drink from her water to prevent herself from going on an embarrassing tirade about how much she disliked Cho and what an idiot Harry was currently being.
"I don't think Cho really counts," Hermione chimed in. "It feels like she goes out of her way to get under Rory's skin. I don't think she's said more than two words to Rory all year even when she's standing right next to Harry. I for one think it's incredibly disrespectful."
"Going a bit far isn't it, to say it's disrespectful," Ron said.
"You don't think it's disrespectful to blatantly ignore someone while you flirt with their boyfriend who is standing directly beside them?" Rory asked.
Ron frowned. "Well, when you put it like that."
"You mean the way she's been putting it all term?" Hermione asked.
"Look, I told Cho off. It hardly matters anymore. I doubt she'll be wanting to speak to me again, so can we come off it now?" Harry said.
Rory wanted to point out that Harry had been the one to bring Cho up in the first place, but she kept quiet. She didn't want to talk about Cho anymore either.
Hermione expertly moved the conversation away from Cho, asking about Quidditch. Rory ate her stew quietly, avoiding glancing across the table where she had no doubt her Dad had probably overheard the whole conversation. She was not in the mood for another lecture about Harry tonight.
"Fish," Harry said, startling her from her thoughts. She looked over at him. "I just… Sorry. I don't even know why I brought it up in the first place."
Rory shrugged. "It's whatever."
"It's not whatever. I was being a jerk. And it's not like you were wrong about Cho at all," he said. "I'm sorry."
Rory sighed. She would rather not be upset with him in the first place, but at least he was better about apologizing now.
"Well, like you said. You did tell Cho to leave you alone," Rory said. "And I was being a bit jealous."
"You had every right to be upset with the way she acted. The way I acted," Harry said. "No fault on anyone here except me."
Stupid, handsome, charming boy. How could she not forgive him?
She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Water under the bridge then."
After the children went to bed, Tonks was helping clear up for dinner. It was mostly silent as they cleared the plates, stacking them neatly so they could be carried down to the kitchen where Molly insisted on washing the dishes "so they actually get clean."
Sirius and Remus were unusually silent, and Tonks knew why.
"That was super uncomfortable right?" she finally said. "Like, after Harry said that to Aurora things became and remained uncomfortable, right?"
"Super uncomfortable. I wanted to climb under the table so I didn't have to witness it," Sirius said. He shook his head in pity. "I mean, I have said many a dumb thing to many a girl, so I completely understand. But it went from Aurora being obnoxiously gooey about Harry, to him saying 'it's a shame you're jealous of that girl you hate.' Read the room."
They both looked to Remus who was still gathering dishes.
"You can't possibly be silent on this," Sirius said.
Remus let out an exasperated sigh. "I have a lot of things I want to say, but if I try to talk to either one of them about it, Aurora will no doubt find a way to make me into the bad guy for asking. She's already going out of her way to speak to me as little as possible. I've decided to save any more discussions about Harry until after Christmas."
"So your chat about their little late-night rendezvous didn't go well then?" Sirius asked.
"Don't call it that," Remus said. "But no, it did not go well. There was a lot of 'I'm fifteen, not an idiot' and 'I'm tired of people telling me that withholding the truth is the same as lying.'"
"Really dove into the cliches there. Wouldn't expect that from her," Sirius said.
"I'm sure you used plenty of cliches on your own parents," Tonks said.
"Nah. Life would've been more pleasant if my mother was angry with me over a girl. Most of the time I said things like 'People would like you more if you weren't such a bigot' and 'You really love Salazar Slytherin a lot in spite of him being a bigot' and 'Do you have to be a bitch literally all the time?'" Sirius said.
Tonks nodded. "I think you have some emotional trauma you've not dealt with, Sirius."
"I'm sure it's fine," he said dismissively. He sighed "Teenagers. Glad that part of my life is over. People say it's supposed to be the best years of your life, but really, you don't know anything, but you think you do, and hormones."
"Agree with you there," Tonks said.
"I feel a bit blindsided by teenage Aurora if I'm being honest," Remus said. "She was always stubborn and fiercely independent, but she was more inclined to think her actions through, to think her words through. She was less impulsive, and I kind of thought she'd stay that way."
Sirius scoffed. "With fifty percent of my DNA you thought she would think about things and not be impulsive? As the youths say, 'you played yourself.'"
"I think it's less to do with genetics and more to do with what you said before," Tonks said before Remus could hex Sirius for annoying him. "You think you know everything, but you don't. And hormones. You're bound to do something impulsive..."
Then Tonks had a thought. "Sirius, do you know who Levi went to the states with?"
Sirius was taken aback by the subject change. "Uh, no. He was hardly around and he almost always had one or two girls on the hook so it wasn't worth anyone's time to keep track. It wasn't even all that surprising that he ran off with one of them."
Tonks continued thinking. "He wouldn't tell me the name of the girl he left with."
"Why not?" Remus asked.
"I'm wondering the same thing," Tonks said. "But, I was able to find him in the states. I'm sure I can find her."
