Houses

Chapter II:

Miss Nymphadora Tonks Plays the Guitar; Several People Listen.

She usually slept late on Sunday mornings, but she had had trouble getting used to a new room, someplace familiar yet so completely different from the flat she had just left, and no longer her own. After Molly's bothering, Nymphadora was acutely aware that the house belonged to Remus, belonged to him as much as anything could, lacking only his name on the deed. Even if Molly and Arthur had slept here, it was still Remus' room, just as every room was Remus'.

Her guitar was one of the first things she'd unpacked, and it sat in the corner of her new room patiently. She came to it, and took it out, and, after carelessly smoothing her blankets over the bed, sat in her nightclothes and played. At first, she just strummed chords, soothingly and softly, up and down, in and out, until the rise and fall of keys matched rhythm with her breathing and became just like sleeping, nearly like dreaming. Then, she began to fit them into a song; not one she'd written herself--she didn't write music. After a few revolutions, she started to sing.

I live on a chain,

The sun had just begun to rise outside of her window, over the tops of run-down houses and sick trees; it was spring still, not even July, though the others already called it "summer," because they hadn't seen this light. It was clear and direct, not distorted by heat or the thunderclouds of July and August.

I was waiting over here for life to begin

She could hear Luna stirring in the room next to hers, and stopped singing, returning to the soft progression of chords as before. She played through the song several times before there was a light tap at her door. She called as quietly as she could, and it opened to reveal Arthur Weasley.

"Morning, Tonks dear. Molly wanted you to know she'll have breakfast up in a few minutes. We didn't know you were up until Luna came down and told us you'd been singing. Is that a Muggle-made instrument?"

Tonks smiled, and nodded, and held it out to him. He handled it as if it would come apart in his hands if he moved too quickly.

"Hm, hum, I see--they used glue on that part, yes, I imagine they must have needed clamps for that. Funny things, clamps. Do you play Muggle music on it?"

"Sometimes," she answered, laughingly.

"Well, bring it down and play something for us. I'd like to hear some Muggle music."

Arthur had a secret dream that he thought Nymphadora wasn't aware of, in which the girl, as stylish and free-spirited as she was, would marry a Muggle boy, and together they would provide him with endless tidbits of Muggle culture and science and life. Nymphadora had realized he harbored these hopes the first time he had mentioned, "I ran into the most pleasant young Muggle man on the way here--" as they switched off for guard duty.

"No thanks, Arthur. I want a little time on my own, if you don't mind."

"Well, that's perfectly alright. Remus is taking his tea in the library, and the children won't go in there, even when they do wake up. Just sit and play to him. One other person's as good as alone, and Remus seems quiet this morning."

"Remus is quiet every morning," she said, but rose with a smile still in place.

"Good girl. I'll come with some tea in a bit, and listen too."

As soon as Arthur had closed the door, Tonks dragged on trousers and pulled a jumper over the flimsy shirt she'd slept in. She looked in the mirror briefly, to remember what color her hair was, then Changed it to a dusky blue, close to the faded denim of her jeans. Her eyes became a plain brown, and she considered the look complete. She'd need tea before anyone could convince her to make any other early-morning morphs. She washed her face, refreshed her deodorant charm, remembered socks at the last moment, and walked out into the corridor of the first story of 12 Grimmauld Place, guitar slung by the strap over her shoulder.

When she entered the library, Remus wasn't alone. Luna Lovegood sat in the armchair next to the side of the sofa where he was seated, and she was leaning forward intently. Remus was the first to look up.

"Good morning, Tonks. Luna was just telling me about Romania. She was there for a week before she became ill, and then her father sent her here."

"Nice to see you, Tonks," said Luna, a little uncertainly.

"Morning," she replied, a little unsteady herself. Arthur had made her think she'd be practically by herself in the library, but here she was intruding on a conversation. How did one explain Mister Weasley told me to play Muggle music to you because you were so quiet you'd not bother me once one was actually face-to-face with her intended audience? Tonks was at a loss.

"That's a lovely guitar. Would you like to play something for us?"

Luna nodded, more sure now, and said, "Do."

"Alright then." Tonks sat opposite the two nervously, suddenly aware that her new landlord was going to hear her sing. "Any requests?"

Remus shook his head amiably, and Luna remained silent, so Tonks played the first thing that came to mind. She had begun the first chords when she realized it was entirely the wrong song to sing for her current audience. If she were with her friends from work--friends she'd seen less and less of lately--or with her family--now gone into hiding--she would've laughed an apology and started again with a different song. This was different. She felt as though she were performing a concert of sorts; performance code required she finish what she'd started, and pretend as though she hadn't made a huge mistake in beginning at all.

Come a little bit closer
Hear what I have to say
Just like children sleeping
We could dream this night away.

Tonks' voice shook a little, but she breathed deeply and exhaled her tension. There was no stopping the song now; she saw Remus' face change expression, and knew he'd recognized it.

But there's a full moon rising
Let's go dancing in the light
We know where the music's playing
Let's go out and feel the night.

Remus smiled in a small way, like he always did, and leaned back in the couch. Luna imitated his attitude, but she stared at her own knees, instead of directly at Tonks as Remus did. It was a harmless phenomenon that children should always be embarrassed when another does something artistic competently, if not with complete grace.

Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon.

Arthur entered with Nymphadora's tea, and stopped short when he heard her song. He looked at Remus, and the man, instead of ignoring the look, returned it and smiled reassuringly. Arthur took his seat as quietly as he could, and rested his elbows on his knees, and listened.

When we were strangers
I watched you from afar
When we were lovers
I loved you with all my heart.

But now it's getting late
And the moon is climbing high
I want to celebrate
See it shining in your eye.

Tonks strummed the chords and tried a clumsy improvised solo before she returned to the refrain for the last time. The closer she came to it, the more she wanted to resist it, and the less she wanted to sing it in front of this man. She felt she had no right to.

Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon.

After all, she wouldn't want him to think she was singing for him as he sat there, hearing her voice and watching her hands on the old worn-down strings.

Luna and Arthur rose when they realized she wouldn't play a second song for them. Suddenly the idea of being alone in the library with Remus became terrifying.

"Lovely, Tonks."

"Thanks Arthur. I think I'll take my tea back to the kitchen and have it there with you. But first," and she hefted her guitar, "I have to put this away."

Remus' friendly gaze followed her out to the door and warmed her skin like sunshine in May. She didn't shake the feeling until she was safely ensconced at the kitchen table between Luna and a yawning, rumple-haired Ron. These things were real; the library was too dim and cool for anything but unnecessary muddles, like inappropriate songs or thoughts of spring.