A Midnight Stroll

A Midnight Stroll

‘I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.' - Sarah Williams

It was days after they'd left the train station, sending Harry off with his Muggle family with a grand threat on Harry's behalf. Nymphadora Tonks stood gazing out of her bedroom window at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, a frown on her face. The cuckoo clock downstairs chimed loudly, acknowledging the 12 hour. It was now midnight.

She let her hand drop of the cool glass of the dirty window, they never really did clean them thoroughly. It seemed as if the grime was to stubborn to budge completely.

Deciding that instead of wallowing in her room because of insomnia, Tonks headed out the door. She had found a small alcove in the attic, a place where she had taken to sitting and staring at the lawn, hoping a delusive hope that Sirius would amble up the walkway.

Walking through the musty halls, the faces in the paintings watched her suspiciously, their accusatory eyes following her path to the rickety stairs that led to the attic.

"Pricks," she muttered, the paintings seemed to glow eerily at her as the light from the moon filtered through the grimy windows.

The rugs beneath her feet were still moth-eaten, as was much of the cloth in the house. They'd basically stopped cleaning after a certain amount of time passed, deciding now that there weren't any life-threatening objects or animals loose, it was safe and not worth the effort. Of course, Molly Weasley didn't agree with this. Besides this fact, Tonks enjoyed staying at the Grimmauld place for the mere reason that Sirius had been there.

Smiling sadly, she climbed the stairs that led to the attic. Once there, she glanced vaguely about the dusty room, not once had she ever really looked around up there.

"Hello?" Tonks gasped, attempting to step back to the stairs and promptly fell into a stack of boxes, smacking her hip into the hard wood floor. "Tonks?" Tonks was motionless for a moment, before she recognized the soft, calm voice.

"Oh, Remus! You scared me," she replied, her voice masked with relief. She stood up with a little effort and a wince. She narrowed her eyes through the gloom and pinpointed a shadowy figure at her alcove. "What are you doing up at this hour?"

"I should ask you the same thing," Remus said, though there was no soft humor that she was familiar with.

Tonks paused and eyed him suspiciously, rubbing her hip. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," he said quickly, turning from her to scrub at the dirty window for a better look.

"It's Sirius, isn't it?"

"What?" Remus turned back to her, but his expression was hidden. Tonks smiled sadly and sat next to him on the cushion in the small nook. Unfortunately, she managed to sit on an old quill.

"Ouch," Grimacing, she chucked the quill aside and also looked out the window.

"Sirius, he's – " But she was interrupted.

"Dead." Remus said with finality, with such coldness that Tonks turned to look at him with a surprised expression.

"Well yes, but that wasn't what I was going to say. I'd rather not think about that aspect of things, if you don't mind." Tonks said indignantly before her expression softened. "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine, Tonks. Now if you don't mind, I'd rather like some peace and quiet." Remus muttered, and Tonks was utterly amazed. This wasn't anything like the Remus she knew, who was kind and quiet.

"No you're not! And you want to know why?" she growled at him and with out giving him time to answer she spoke again. "Because you're acting like Snape."

Remus said nothing and simply stared rigidly out the window. After a moment, he sighed resignedly and spoke quietly. "I've always believed that everyone has one good quality that they are excellent at."

Tonks was silent, content to just sit and listen as Remus furrowed his brow and rolled a loose string from his robes between his fingers.

"You've managed to prove your own as being that of understanding people and archery, and you're quite good at it. Though not many people would believe the bit about archery, considering how…clumsy you are." Remus paused while Tonks blushed, though he did not notice in the gloom. "I've always thought my quality was as a good friend, being truthful and loyal – but in the end of things, it really has no importance. My worthless friendship abilities did absolutely nothing for anyone, and for that people I love have suffered."

"Oh Remus – " Tonks said, sadness evident in her voice, but Remus ignored her and went on.

"Even Severus has a talent worth commenting on. He has an indescribable talent at potions, and that's something that can help someone – something worthy of having. He may be ugly and a sarcastic git, but when it comes down to it he has the ability to save someone's life. While all I have is Lycanthropy and loyalty."

"I think you underestimate your own skills, Remus." Tonks said quietly, patting his arm and looking at her slippers. "I think you're the most wonderful person I've ever met, with a heart of gold and a mind of the most – well, the most something. Something great and wonderful."

Remus said nothing, but Tonks gave a small laugh.

"I'm not all that great at picker-uppers, even my mother will vouch for that." she said quietly, a small smile on her face. "Your friendship did so much for Sirius, and I'm not sure you quite understand how much that was. You were there when he had nothing, and for that loyalty that you've shown him, he was a new man. Sirius would have never made the decisions he's made without your influence, and for that I am very glad. He sacrificed not only for the Order, but for the people that loved him dearly and you, Professor, are one of those people."

Remus was silent for a moment, before she heard him take a noisy, quivering breath.

"Nymphadora Tonks," he said with resolution. "you are by far the best pick-me-up I've ever had."

"Well, thank you Remus." Tonks said brightly. "I believe you're the bestest friend I've ever had. Even with your Lycanthropy, and especially with your loyalty."

"You know, he always talked highly of you and your mother. Even your father," Remus said after a moment, attempting again to rub the grime off the windows.

"We were the only family he had that didn't support You-Know-Who, so that's not surprising. But we thought very highly of him as well." Tonks said, before standing up. "Here, let me find something to help you with."

Tonks started to rummage in the boxes that she'd knocked over for a scrap of cloth, muttering about the dust that would cloud about her with every box opened. She'd completely forgotten about her wand and cleaning charms.

"I swear, who ever cleaned up here is going to get a severe beating," she muttered angrily.

"That ought to be Sirius," Remus said quietly, and Tonks paused before she started to rummage a bit slower. "He never was much for cleaning though, so I'm not surprised."

"No, no he wasn't. Once, my mum asked him to help her with the bathroom – you know, cleaning and that sort, so he helped her. Or tried to, anyway.." Tonks grinned as she opened the last box. "He managed to turn the entire bathroom pink. I'm not talking about baby pink, but this bright, obnoxious pink. Even our toothbrushes were pink. In fact, if I do remember, the mirror was an iridescent pink color and we couldn't get it right for a month. My mum's friends all thought she'd gone senile."

Remus opened his mouth to reply when Tonks let out of a shriek of what seemed to be fear and surprise. She toppled over onto the boxes she'd stacked behind her, invoking another cloud of dust.

"Tonks?"

"Blimey, talking about me as if I'm not even here." It was definitely not Tonks' voice. Remus stood up immediately, reaching for her arm to pull her away from whoever it was.

"How did you get in here? Who are you?" Remus demanded, pulling Tonks from the boxes to stand next to him.

The voice laughed. Tonks seemed shocked, her mouth was gaping open and shut, and her clear blue eyes were wide.

"It's – It's – " Tonks stuttered, pointing towards the last box.

"Who?" Remus asked, narrowing his eyes. Normally, his keen wolf senses included excellent night vision, but so far he saw nothing but old boxes and books in the room.

"It's me, old man!" The voice said happily. Remus couldn't help but feel that it was a very familiar voice.

"Remus, it's Sirius!" Tonks whispered as though she'd been offered the position of Minister of Magic.

"Serious about what?" Remus asked angrily, Tonks punched his arm, though there was a decidedly delighted grin on her face. "Tonks! What was – "

"Remus, it's Sirius," she said flatly, glaring at him as though he were a first year student.

"Tonks – "

"Sirius Black, you nitwit." she said, cutting him off. Remus was silent for a moment before turned to Tonks in anger.

"If this is your idea of some kind of joke, Tonks, I am severely disappointed in you. I had thought better of – "

"She's not lying, Moony. And it's not a joke." Remus stopped abruptly, spinning around.

"Sirius?" It was a quiet, hopeful voice that Tonks, though she was standing half a foot away, could barely hear.

"That's right," The voice confirmed, and Remus hurried forward.

"Where are you?" Remus demanded, pulling the boxes apart from each other in a desperate search.

"Tonks, would you be so kind?" Sirius asked, and Tonks smiled, moving happily forward, managing to step on Remus' foot three times before she bent over the last box and pulled out a painting.

"Sirius?" Remus whispered, staring at the painting in avid concentration.

"Yes well, I'm a little dusty but I'm in all right shape otherwise. I'm rather surprised that mother didn't burn me," Sirius said, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. Remus snatched the painting from Tonks, who uttered a surprised ‘oh!' "Be careful, Moony!"

Remus ignored him. "Sirius, I – "

"Yes, I know – I'm not human or anything, I'm just paint. But hey, I've been living with that spider – " Sirius pointed up to the right hand corner where a fat spider sat. – "for the past some-odd years."

"I – I didn't think you're mother had any paintings of you." Remus breathlessly said a few moments later. "We weren't so hopeful, though we did look."

"Yeah, I always supposed she'd have done something horrible to them if she'd had any." Tonks piped up, leaning over Remus' shoulder to get a better look.

The Sirius in the portrait was healthier look with shiny black hair and bright blue eyes, his cheeks a mild rose color and a large grin on his face. He seemed to be around twenty years old with a backdrop of the Quidditch store in Diagon Alley.

"Your mother, Andromeda, had my portrait done and gave it to my mother for a present on Christmas. I always figured she'd either have burned it or used it as a family dart board." Sirius said, shrugging his shoulders. "Of course, there are no other portraits of mine so I can't wander or anything."

"And that's why we never knew you were here." Remus said, though his hands shook so badly that the painting itself was rattling a bit.

"Well, I – the real me – found me in the attic when he was cleaning up and had a bit of a discussion. He told me all about Harry and the Order and whatnot before he was called to dinner. He covered me up, the bastard, and never returned." Sirius seemed angry. "I never took myself to be so conceited as to forget about myself."

Remus and Tonks exchanged a look before smiling. "We'll have to give you to Harry, then."

"Whatever for? Isn't the real me good enough for him?" Sirius-the-painting asked, cocking his head the side and raising an eyebrow.

"Well – erm – " Remus glanced nervously to Tonks, who rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry Uncle Sirius – "

"I'm not your uncle, Nymphadora."

"Good enough for one," Tonks replied, sticking her tongue out at him. "Anyway, you're dead."

There was a shocked silence as the Sirius-in-the-painting's mouth dropped open and his head leaned forward in exaggerated surprise.

"Excuse me, but did I just hear – my hearing must be bad. You had to have said that I'm in debt."

Remus smiled and Tonks let out an irritated ‘hmph!"

"No, you're dead. You fell I the veil at the Ministry."

"The veil? I may be rather careless at times, but I'm not stupid." Sirius said indignantly, crossing his arms and glaring at them.

"No, you're not stupid." Remus agreed placidly. "You were dueling Bellatrix in the Ministry after the Death Eater's came to take away Harry's Prophecy.. And you fell into the veil after Bellatrix's spell hit you."

"Well, I can't say I'm proud of myself." Sirius said angrily, before rolling his eyes and turning to look at Tonks. "Why am I being given to Harry?"

"Harry is heartbroken that you're gone as you're his only family. And you loved him like your own son, he basically was." Remus explained calmly, though his eyes were alight like it was Christmas. "The relationship you to had was beyond words, rather like the Marauder's time only you're more the ‘adult figure.'"

"Ah yes, he told me as much. Harry's a great lad, isn't he?" Sirius said, smiling. "Defeated the Dark Lord, I remember him as a child. He was always tugging at my hair. Did you just call me an ‘adult figure?'"

"That's our Harry, and yes I did." Remus said fondly. "But I'm sure that Sirius has told you everything about him, hasn't he?"

"Yes, regaled me for an hour about his great achievements at Quidditch and school, as well as a good many other things. He also told me all about the Dursley's," Sirius' face darkened. "How dare they treat Lily and James' child as if he were a common House-Elf?"

"We've talked to them about that, so no need to worry." Remus said, while Tonks nodded enthusiastically.

"You should have seen it! They were terrified of old Moody," Tonks said excitedly, exaggerating her arm movements and accidentally smacking Sirius' nose. "We did a lovely job of threatening them!"

"Watch it!"

"Sorry," Tonks blushed and crossed her arms tightly while Remus sniggered.

"I'm sure even Lord Voldemort would be terrified of Moody if he caught him at a bad time," Sirius said, rubbing his nose. "It's not funny Moony!"

"We'll send you over to him as soon as possible, after you get to meet to the rest of house. They'll be delighted to talk to you again," Remus said, not bothering to hide a wide grin.

Tonks looked up at Remus with a small, knowing smile. "I told you your quality was worth something."

Remus smiled widely and nodded.

"Than – "

"Remus has qualities?" Sirius asked suddenly, as if someone just told him Severus Snape was getting married to one of the Weird Sisters.