Tonks knocked on the door and a moment later Remus welcomed her inside.
"Hello," she said with a wave. Tonks looked over and saw Aurora standing looking rather grumpy picking up a broom. The girl didn't acknowledge Tonks at all.
Aurora's eyes went to Remus. "I just don't understand-."
"Sweetheart, I already told you I'm not going to argue with you about it. Please just do what I asked," he said.
"I told you I am, I just wanted-."
"Aurora, just do what I asked you. This is not a debate," Remus said firmly, seeming exasperated. She rolled her eyes and groaned.
"I already told you that I'm going," she said as she stomped down the hall. "You don't have to talk to me like I'm five." A second later there was a slamming door.
Remus let out a sigh and looked over to Tonks.
"Would you like a teenager?" Remus asked.
"Absolutely not," Tonks replied. "Everything all right?"
"I asked her to put her book down for 15 minutes so she can tidy her room and all of a sudden I've turned into a dictator," Remus said motioning for Tonks to sit.
"What a villain you are," she said sitting at the dining table.
"I'm sure she'll complain about how horrible I am to Harry when she talks to him later," he said. "Yet another reason she's irritated with me. I've temporarily confiscated the mirror."
When Aurora got home from school, Sirius gave her a two-way mirror. Harry had the other. It allowed them to talk unencumbered.
"You don't like them chatting?" Tonks chuckled.
"Of course I don't mind, but you saw how she was the first few days; it was nearly nonstop," Remus said. "I wanted to make sure she was sleeping and not sitting up all night chatting with Harry. And that she comes out of her room sometimes to speak to me or eat food."
"They've barely been apart for two weeks," Tonks laughed. "But I guess even a few hours feels too long when you're that age. Especially after—."
"I know, I know," Remus said. "But I figure at the very least a sense of routine would help her, and it has. But she was moody and irritable and obstinate before Voldemort ever got hold of her on account of her being a teenager. Those are the things that make it very hard to be patient with her some days."
His eyes flashed to the counter for a second. Tonks saw the mirror sitting there.
"I think someone's looking for Aurora," he said. "She'll probably be in a better mood if I let her talk to him before dinner."
"You think so?" Tonks asked.
Remus nodded and called out to his daughter. She dragged herself from the room and he held the mirror out to her.
"You can chat a little before dinner," Remus said. "Please come right when I call you this time."
"Merlin, Dad. I know," she said taking the mirror, not hiding the irritation from her voice. Then she took a deep breath. "Sorry. Thank you." She headed back to her room and closed her door much more gently this time.
"Wow, an apology and a thank you and you didn't even need to ask. You were right about him putting her in a better mood," Tonks said.
"At least he makes her happy," Remus said as though he were reminding himself. "I do wonder sometimes if it's not too much though. They're both so young for things to be so serious."
"You feel everything more when you're their age. Especially the good things," Tonks said.
"That's why I worry," Remus said. "Common sense tends to go out the window around now as well. Not that I didn't question their common sense before."
"Ah, I see. So when you say you're worried about how serious they are you're worried that they're sleeping together," Tonks said.
"I didn't say that," Remus said stumbling over his words.
"But you thought it in your head," Tonks said. "It's a standard worry to have about your daughter, isn't it? Especially when she's almost 16, and has a boyfriend she's obsessed with and who is obsessed with her. And Harry is oh so charming. I bet she never tells him no."
"Are you intentionally trying to wind me up?" he asked.
"You make it so easy," she replied. There was another knock on the door, but the door opened on its own and Sirius and Theo walked in. "There's Sirius. I wonder if he shares your opinion on the situation."
"I promise you he does not," Remus said.
"So we're talking about Aurora and Harry then," Sirius said knowingly. He sat a bottle of wine on the table in front of Tonks. "Did something happen?"
"Nothing has happened," Remus said.
"That you know of," Tonks said.
"Stop," Remus said giving her a stern look. She laughed.
"I've been winding him up," Tonks said. "Aurora's being exceptionally obstinate today it seems."
"She's being exceptionally a teenager today," Remus said. "You can take her home with you if you like if you feel like you're missing out."
"I don't want her back if she's being difficult," Sirius said. "I'm difficult enough to live with as it is."
"Thank you for that," Remus said, rolling his eyes.
Down the hall, Aurora's bedroom door opened and she walked down the hall and put the broom back in the small cupboard just off the kitchen.
"I've finished if you want to inspect," she said.
"I will tomorrow," he said.
Aurora frowned. "Why did you have me do it now if you weren't even going to bother to check?"
"I don't have to have a reason," he said. She groaned. "Are you going to say hello at all? Bit rude to ignore our dinner guests."
"Sorry, hello," she replied tossing a wave to Theo, Sirius, and Tonks. "And anyway, Tonks is here nearly every day. I don't think she qualifies as a guest anymore. It's almost weirder when she's not here if I'm being honest."
The comment seemed pointed, but she started to walk away casually as if she hadn't said anything at all. But she turned around.
"Sorry, that came out wrong," Aurora said. She walked over and hugged Tonks from behind. "I don't want you to think I don't like you hanging out all the time Tonks, because I actually love it and Dad is way less annoying when you're here."
"The same cannot be said for you," Remus retorted.
"See, he's like this all the time when you're not here," Aurora said. Tonks was startled when Aurora kissed her on the cheek before she retreated to her room.
The room was silent except for the sound of Remus retrieving dinner from the oven.
"So," Sirius said uncorking his wine, "you're 'here nearly every day' then Tonks?"
"She's exaggerating," Tonks said, as heat crept into her cheeks. Out of the last seven days, she probably had come by to visit with Remus for six of them. It was not an exaggeration.
"Sure, sure," Sirius said dismissively. He pulled wine glasses from the cabinet and sat them out. "But honestly, I'm tired of the charade."
"Sirius, leave them alone," Theo said.
"Oh, come on now. As if everyone hasn't noticed the two of them noticing each other all year," Sirius said as he filled their glasses. "I've given you both my thoughts about it, repeatedly, but since Aurora brought it up, I might as well just let everyone involved know that everyone in this room is on the same page and that you're all anyone talks about at the Order meetings when you two aren't around."
Tonks did nothing but stare at the glass in front of her as Sirius filled it. She couldn't even move to grab it and drink it. She was frozen. So there it was. Out in the open. Kind of. Tonks was out of her mind over Remus. He was all she thought about day in and day out. Of course she came to see him every day. And every time Tonks left Remus he always said "See, you tomorrow, Dora."
And not only did she not hex him for using her name, even in an affectionate diminutive form, but she always saw him the next day. Because she always came to see him. She was here so much that Aurora didn't even acknowledge her because she was a fixture in their home.
Theo elbowed Sirius roughly. He hissed.
"What?" he asked.
"I think you're the last person on the planet who should be dispensing relationship advice, Sirius Black," Theo said.
Tonks finally managed to grab hold of her wine and drank two large gulps of it. She couldn't imagine meeting Remus' eyes right now. She wanted to flee.
"I'm very good at giving out relationship advice," Sirius protested.
Theo scoffed. "You've never even been good at being in a relationship. Keep your opinions to yourself. Let them figure it out on their own."
Tonks and Remus looked at each other and then quickly looked away. They would talk. They'd have to now. Aurora's inability to be tactful was clearly genetic.
"Aurora, dinner!" Remus called out, expertly making sure the conversation was put to an end.
"Fine, I have more interesting relationships to examine anyway," Sirius said.
Theo helped Remus set plates out just as Aurora emerged from her room.
"And how is Harry?" Sirius asked.
"Fine," Aurora said simply. She took her usual seat beside Remus. "He told me about this girl his cousin is interested in. It's very one-sided though, so Dudley is always texting her and I guess she sends back very firm and clear rejections and he's not taking no for an answer."
"Boys have a hard time taking no for an answer," Theo replied.
"Harry's cousin does at least. I've never had that trouble," Aurora said. Then she groaned. "Except for Zach Smith of course."
"That Hufflepuff boy?" Remus scoffed.
"Yes! He's the only Hufflepuff I've ever met who's a complete ass," Aurora groaned. "He asked me out to the Yule Ball right in front of Harry in fourth year. And has asked me out twice since. Of course, he all but ignored me after we'd broken up."
"Would you have gone out with him?" Theo asked.
"Absolutely not," Aurora said with a shudder. "We would have our DA meetings and he would refuse to work with anyone but me, and the one night I didn't show up, he set the bloody room on fire. He's an idiot. Gives all the Hufflepuffs a bad name." She turned to Tonks as Remus sat a plate of food in front of her. "Hufflepuff is my favorite house, you know?"
"I recall," Tonks said with a smile.
Theo expressed her shock as Aurora listed her reasons. Tonks recalled perfectly the first time she met Aurora. She'd proclaimed that Gryffindor was the worst and Hufflepuff was the best. Tonks was taken with Aurora from that first meeting. She was funny and sweet and smart. More than anything, she'd softened Remus. He teased Tonks, of course. Everyone in the Order did because she was young. But seeing Remus with his daughter made Tonks see him differently. He was doting and protective. Aurora adored him deeply. Tonks loved her dad, but the way Aurora looked after Remus, making sure that he was healthy and safe after every transformation, the way Remus wished she wouldn't worry. It was endearing. It was the first time Tonks had seen him not trying to keep up with Sirius and be vulnerable.
She really needed to stop thinking about Remus right now. She took another drink of her wine.
"How's work, Tonks?" Aurora asked.
Tonks managed a laugh, happy for the change of subject, but also trying to stay positive about the shit show her job was at the moment.
"Well," she started, "it's pretty fucked."
"I'm up to nine people now," Tonks complained. "Nine! Two of them in Magical Law Enforcement. A trainee Auror and a full-fledged Hit Wizard."
Rory got to hear Tonks complain about her job a lot because she'd been over to their flat almost every single evening since she'd gotten home from school.
The Ministry had been thrust into chaos after Fudge had been ousted. Rufus Scrimgeour, the former head of the Auror Office, was the new interim Minister of Magic, with Gawain Robards taking over the position as head of the Auror Office.
With Lucius Malfoy being imprisoned, the Ministry was cracking down and investigating everyone to ensure there were no more Death Eaters amongst the high-ranking Ministry officials. Tonks, who had been in charge of the Servants of Pythia investigation had very minimally started looking into Ministry officials affiliated with the cult before things hit the ceiling and was promoted to being a Lead Auror. Robards had given her a small team and she'd spent the last two weeks investigating the Ministry.
Hence her current complaining.
"Do you think you've found them all?" Rory asked.
"I hope so but it's hard to say," Tonks sighed, she speared a piece of broccoli with her fork. "The trainee was stupid because they volunteered to be on my team as if the people investigating the SOP weren't the first people I was going to look into."
It was still unclear how Levi managed to give some people what was being referred to as The Sight with Theo's visions. But the vast majority of Levi's followers had not been gifted with The Sight, and his death was not a surprise. It was in their manifesto that Rory was supposed to either learn from Levi and help him achieve greatness or be the cause of his death and come into power in her own right. Levi being dead just fulfilled part of a prophecy that Rory knew nothing about.
"The most troubling thing about the SOP is that no one knows what they actually want," Tonks said. "I don't think they intend to hurt you, but I don't think they have any good intentions."
"Hard for them to manage anything now that Levi is dead though, isn't it? They're kind of just floating in the wind," Sirius said.
"They have some sort of power structure," Theo said. "But they won't talk to outsiders, and they've closed ranks now so that no one can infiltrate them while the ministry is cracking down."
"They don't have a paper trail anywhere. They're a lot like deatheaters that way. Except Voldemort's followers still have to meet in person to communicate and Levi didn't have that problem because he could make his followers 'see'," Tonks said.
Rory had thought about Levi's ability to give people The Sight a lot lately. The pieces that Rory had been able to put together said that Levi would be her guide or she'd destroy him. Obviously, with her uncle being dead, he hadn't taught her a single thing, but she wondered what he'd intended to show her.
The thing Rory noticed when she first met Levi was that she could not read him at all. He was blank. Even Voldemort, a master of Legillimency, was not a blank piece of paper. Somehow, he'd managed to make himself completely invisible to her. Maybe Rory would be able to do it as well. Would've been a nice skill to have before she had Voldemort slithering around in her head in the ministry.
That's what had set her thinking about it. How could she avoid ever having to endure something like that again? The torture curse was horrific enough. But she couldn't even let herself mentally check out from the pain because Voldemort was there too. She'd mentioned it to Harry in the simplest terms that it had happened. She knew that everyone in the Order assumed Voldemort had tried to turn her brain into mince meat for the sake of getting information and didn't dare ask her about it.
She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to think about it. But her mind found itself going back to it anyway.
"Aurora," Sirius said.
She looked over at him. "What?"
"You still with us?" he asked.
"Yes, sorry," she said. She didn't have to see their faces. She could feel their concern. And why wouldn't they be concerned? She was constantly checking out in the middle of conversations thinking about being tortured by Voldemort or thinking about how to avoid being tortured by Voldemort.
"Anything planned for your birthday?" Theo asked. It was a very obvious subject change. Stop talking about the Servants of Pythia and the Auror office so she would stop thinking about Voldemort. Find a safe subject.
But there weren't any safe subjects because Voldemort and the SOP had invaded every facet of her life. She had no distraction from it.
"No," Rory replied. "Voldemort and the cult really put the kibosh on me doing things that don't involve me being heavily, constantly supervised."
"Oh, I hadn't thought about that," Theo said with a frown. "Well, I'm sure you'll get to see Harry at some point at least."
"Yep. Another summer hanging out with my boyfriend and both my dads and the entire Order of the Phoenix. Very special," she said. "You know, I've never been on an actual date with Harry? We had two horrendous dates in Hogsmeade, and one other date to Hogsmeade where a reporter and photographer stalked us the entire time. Sometimes I wonder if we'd have gotten on better if people would just leave us alone sometimes, but we're literally never alone."
Rory ate the last bite of food on her plate and sighed.
"Anyway. No. No real plan. Just hanging out with you fine people and the Weasleys I expect," Rory said.
"If you wanted to do something with Harry, we could probably arrange that," Sirius said.
"I appreciate the offer, but getting a coffee with one or more members of the Order sitting across from us does not really sound like a good time," Rory said.
"Going out just for a coffee doesn't sound all that exciting either," Sirius said.
Rory shrugged. "Harry and I are actually very boring as it turns out. I don't know why people think otherwise. We don't really do anything."
"You don't do anything?" Remus repeated, giving her a knowing look.
Rory rolled her eyes. "No one's getting pregnant if that's what you're implying."
Sirius nearly choked on his drink.
"Famous last words," Theo replied.
"Well, you have to actually be having intercourse for that to happen, and I am not, so I think I'm pretty safe," Rory said. "Can I be excused?"
"Going to talk to Harry again?" Remus asked.
"If I am?" she asked.
"You talk to him every single day and you write him every single day. You haven't run out of things to talk about?" Remus teased.
"Well, I get to tell him all about this wonderful and not at all uncomfortable conversation," she said standing from the table.
"Try to keep it short this evening," Remus said. "I don't want you staying up all night again."
Rory rolled her eyes. "Fine."
