Moments

Andie had known him only in passing at Hogwarts; he was a muggleborn Gryffindor, she a pureblood Slytherin, and that had been enough to keep them from exchanging more than a few, empty words in the course of seven years. In fact, she wasn't absolutely sure this bloodied, bruised face actually belonged to Ted Tonks. Perhaps it had simply been too long a night, and she was seeing things.

"Get me some skele-gro potion," she muttered to the trainee healer as she ran her wand up and down the length of her patient's battered body. Gods, she thought anxiously, nearly every bone in his left arm is broken. Suddenly, she noticed the trainee hadn't moved from her side. "Didn't I tell you to get that potion?" she snapped at him.

Dazed, he nodded and hurried away. Andie rolled her eyes. Just her luck to get stuck with a complete flake on a night like this. Tonks, if it was him, had been the fifth patient in the last hour to arrive in the St. Mungo's emergency room looking more like a corpse than not. Four others had been dead on arrival, much to Andie's relief. As callous as it seemed, she'd rather these near-hopeless cases die before they got to her. Once in her care, she'd do everything in her power to keep them breathing, and as of late, her power simply didn't seem to be enough.

"Here's the potion," her trainee - what was his name? Mark, Mike? - said, handing her a beaker of smoking, black liquid.

"Give it to him, will you? I've got to work on these gashes across his chest."

"Something really strange must be going on, don't you think?" the trainee asked her as they worked.

Andie had to bite back a waspish retort. Her superior had already reprimanded her for scaring away several other trainee healers. Smiling inwardly, she supposed she possessed more of the Black family traits than her estranged parents realized.

"I mean," the trainee continued, obviously encouraged by her lack of angry rejoinder, "all of these guys have the worst sorts of hexes and curses on them."

Again, she said nothing, but silently she agreed with his assessment. This was dark magic, and although it was not uncommon to see a few cases of it in the St. Mungo's emergency room, it was rather frightening to encounter multiple cases in the course of a night.

"I heard the Aurors who brought him in talking," Mike/Mark added in a whisper. "They say there were smoky green skulls in the sky tonight."

She felt something heavy settle within her chest. Trying to focus on the man in front of her, she said, "I'm going to need a burn salve, and then I'll need you to help me with an anti-jinx incantation."

Apparently disappointed at her unwillingness to gossip, Mike/Mark sighed and left to do her bidding.

"You."

Her head snapped up at the sound of her patient's hoarse voice. Glancing at him in surprise, she saw that his eyes were fluttering open, and he was trying to lift his hand.

"It's you," he said again, obviously recognizing her. That heaviness within her chest tightened, and she felt almost as if she were suffocating. She'd wondered if this would happen. She looked too much like Bellatrix for it not to happen.

"Getting tattoos now?" she'd asked her sister when she'd last run into her at the Leaky Cauldron. "Aren't you worried about your precious skin?"

Bellatrix had sneered. "This, dear sister, is a sign of my loyalty, a concept I don't think you understand very well."

"I understand that following a lunatic is something a little beyond loyalty, Bella dear."

Her older sister's pouting red lips formed a cruel smile. "Think what you will. But what we're doing is for our survival. You'll thank us one day." She tapped a manicured nail on the tattoo, her finger almost lovingly tracing the snake that slithered out of the skull. "This sign will appear in the sky, proclaiming our ascendance, the return of the purebloods. Then you'll thank us."

"Pscyhotic rambling," Andie had muttered, leaving her sister and returning to her friends at the other side of the bar.

"You!" His voice was less raspy now, more certain.

She felt her breaths coming in quick, anxious gasps as she looked into his eyes. I want to explain, she found herself thinking, willing him to hear her thoughts. I'm not her, whatever she did to you, I'm not my sister!

But when she focused on his light, hazel eyes, she realized that he looked at her with neither accusation nor anger.

"You, from school," he said, his bloody, cracked lips trying desperately to form a smile.

She tightness in her chest dissolved into a long, quiet sigh. With the tiniest of smiles on her lips, she reached for his hand and squeezed. "Shhh, rest now, Ted, it's going to be okay."

His eyes fluttered closed, and she went back to work.

*

He passed by the Welcome Witch without a second glance.

"Wait! Where are you going?" she screeched at him.

Stopping, he flashed her a quick smile. "I'm going to see Healer Black."

The little old witch scooted off her stool and waddled over to him. She eyed the bouquet of flowers in his hands with suspicion. "Healer Black isn't sick."

He laughed. "I know that. These are a thank you," he said, clutching the tulips tightly.

With a frown, the Welcome Witch said, "They're very pretty ... don't think I've seen tulips looking that good before." Then she glared up at him. "What are you playing at, huh? It's dangerous times, you know."

He laughed again, though with a little less enthusiasm. "I promise, the flowers aren't cursed or anything. I'm a former patient of hers." At the woman's continued stare, he added, "I'm an herbologist. I know how to grow things."

"Tonks? Ted Tonks?"

He turned quickly at the sound of his name. She stood, unsmiling, at the entrance to the emergency room. Meeting her eyes, he felt the same stab of recognition he'd experienced only twice before in his life: in the emergency room several weeks before, and in the Great Hall at Hogwarts, some six years earlier. What had they been, third years, fourth years? He'd been running late for breakfast, she'd been leaving the Great Hall. They'd brushed shoulders, and as he'd looked back to apologize, their eyes had met and ... well, there was no logical way to explain it. He'd simply felt something pull at his gut. But as quick as he'd felt it, she had turned away, and he'd hardly noticed her for the rest of their years at Hogwarts.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, hands on hips. "If that medi-wizard screwed up your humerous regrowth, I'm going to murder him," she muttered, coming up to him. Grabbing his arm, she pushed up the sleeve of his robe and examined it. "Well, it seems to be doing fine ... if not, you should go to ..."

He offered her his other arm, the one holding the flowers. She gave the tulips a hard look before turning her gaze on him. "What are these?"

Ted cocked an eyebrow. "You people are quite suspicious of flowers around here, aren't you?" he asked, glancing over at the Welcome Witch, who was still glaring at him.

"These are dangerous times," Black said, her eyes flickering to his. "You should know that."

He smiled wryly. "Yes, but it's my first day back on my feet," he said. "I'd prefer to focus on the more cheerful aspects of my new lease on life."

She narrowed her eyes, and he wondered if "lease one life" was a muggle phrase that she didn't understand.

"And so you're carrying tulips around?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

He laughed. "No, these are for you. To thank you," he added, pushing them toward her.

She blinked, only once. She made no move to take the flowers. "Thank me? I was doing my job."

"Job or not, you did save my life, Andromeda."

She considered him for a moment, then, still unsmiling, she reached for the flowers. Her fingers brushing his, she said, "My friends call me Andie."

*

Glancing down at her bare legs, Andie wondered, yet again, what she was doing here.

"You look really good," Ted assured her. Keeping one hand on that odd driving wheel, he brushed the fingers of his free hand across her knee. "You should wear muggle shorts more often."

Ignoring the gooseflesh his touch raised, she muttered, "Tell me, again, why we couldn't have Apparated?" She glanced worriedly out the window, then back at Ted.

"It's no different than riding the Hogwarts Express, is it?" he asked, grinning.

"Yeah, well, you weren't driving the Hogwarts Express," she muttered.

Then, suddenly, he pounded his foot on the floorboard, and they came to a screeching halt. She glared at him, and he laughed.

"Sorry, almost missed the stop sign there."

"Aghhh!" she screamed, putting her head in her hands. "This is ridiculous! I want a robe, I want my wand ... how in Circe's name can you feel comfortable without your wand?" she demanded.

He shrugged. "It's in our luggage."

"It's in our luggage? That's your response? What good does it do us in our luggage?"

"Ah, for Christ's sake, Andie," he muttered, pulling the vehicle over to the side of the road. Turning to her, he said, "I know this tough for you."

She closed her eyes, suddenly ashamed. "It's tough for you, too," she murmured. She felt his hand cup the side of her face, and she leaned into the touch.

"I really appreciate you coming with me. I promise, they won't bite."

She opened her eyes and managed a grin. "I know." Then, with a gulp, she looked away. "Everything's just really ... strange."

"Yeah, I know." Then he smiled. "You know, it took me a week of wearing robes before I could walk without falling on my arse."

She laughed. "I'm not sure if that was due to the robes, darling."

He stuck out his tongue, then restarted the vehicle. After they had driven a ways, he said, "It's just that they've never really gotten used to my being a wizard."

"Then they're really going to love me," she muttered.

"Yes, they will," he said stiffly. "If they love me, they'll love you."

With a sad smile, she asked, "Do you really believe that?"

They pulled up to a house, a house that looked like almost every other house in the vicinity. "No," he said quietly. "No, I don't."

She reached over and brushed a lock of his shaggy blond hair from his eyes. He grabbed her hand and planted a kiss on the soft skin of her palm.

"Come on," he said bracingly. "Let's get this over with."

"Wait," she said. "I just want to say ... thank you, Ted. Thanks for bringing me here."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I mean," she continued, uncertain. She hated explaining herself. "I mean ..."

"I know what you mean," he said, leaning toward her. His lips against hers, he murmured, "Andie, I love you, too."

*

"What about Sarah?" he asked, staring up at the ceiling of their bedroom.

Andie groaned. "That's so plain! Come on, Ted, we have to be a little more creative than that."

"Nymphadora is beyond creative, Andie. She'll kill us when she gets old enough!"

"I think Nymphadora is perfect," she said, pouting. She began to roll over to her stomach, but he put his hands beneath her, keeping her from resting the wrong way. "Stupid belly," she muttered.

"Just how much do you like your own name, Andromeda?" he teased, raising himself up so that he could study her. Without waiting for an answer, he lifted the hem of her pajama top and kissed the bare, protruding belly she had just finished maligning.

"Andromeda is a very dignified name," she said, her stuffy tone at odds with the smile creeping onto her face. She ran her fingers through his hair as he continued to kiss her stomach.

"Hmmm," he murmured, moving up from her belly to her breasts. "Hmmm, very dignified," he agreed between kisses.

She wiggled beneath him, then slid her hands down his neck and back until her fingers came to rest on his ass. While one hand massaged his backside, the other slid across his hip, along his front, and between his legs.

"Hmmmmm," he moaned. "Andie ..."

"How about Nymphadora?" she asked, breathily.

"Hmmm, yes, Nymphadora it is."

*

"There they are," he said, pointing to the two figures, one tall and dark, the other short and fair, by the fountain.

Andie waved in their direction, but it was obvious their attention was directed elsewhere.

"I hope he hasn't been feeding her junk," she murmured as she and her husband made their way toward the fountain.

Ted laughed. "If that's all he's done with her, I'll be pleased."

They were close enough now to hear the bubbling of the fountain. Still, the two figures paid them no attention.

"Oh, look!" the tall, dark one said, pointing at someone in the distance. "There she is. Now, remember, cute pigtails, scraped knee, big fat tears, but no wailing, got it?"

The little girl at his side nodded seriously. Then, with a wrinkle of her nose, her short, spiky hair morphed into perfect pigtails, and the smooth skin on her knee suddenly appeared red and angry.

"Oh, Dora, poor thing!" the man said loudly, dropping to his knees to examine the now-tearful little girl. He made a show of examining the scratched knee, then looked around frantically. "Oh, Miss, Miss?" he called out to a young woman in form-fitting robes. When the witch saw the little girl's tears, her own blue eyes widened, and she raised a perfectly manicured hand to her sweet pink lips.

"Oh, my! What's happened to her?"

The dark man smiled gratefully, and Andie could almost feel the witch melting under his gaze. "She scraped her knee, poor clumsy thing. It's just ..." He bit his lip, and the witch - most likely without realizing it - flicked the tip of her tongue across her own lips.

"I'm not very good with healing charms. Would you mind ..." he asked, smiling up at her.

She hurried over to the two of them. "Of course! Is this ..." she paused and bent down before the girl. "Is this your daughter?"

"My daughter?" He laughed. "No, this is my baby sister. Dora, meet Miss ..." He paused, then smiled. "Sorry, Miss, what's your name?"

"Smooth, so smooth," Ted murmured beside Andie.

"Oh! I'm Elspeth Bradford." Elspeth took out her wand and pointed it at the scraped knee. "There you go, sweetie!" she said, giving Dora a bright smile.

"Thank you, Miss!" Dora gave her best smile, which, even with the two missing teeth, was charming. "Miss, you're really pretty!"

The man said, "She's a very smart girl, isn't she?"

Elspeth blushed. "Why, thank you, Dora!" Then, looking up at the man, who had now risen to his feet, she said, "And I don't believe I caught your name?'

He held out a hand, gallantly helping Elspeth to her feet. "Sirius Black, Miss Bradford, so happy to make your acquaintance."

Elspeth smiled, then reached inside her handbag and pulled out a small scrap of paper. "You don't happen to have a quill, do you?"

"A quill?" Sirius asked innocently.

She smiled prettily. "I'd like to give you my floo connection."

He gazed into her eyes. "Just tell me, Miss Bradford. I promise, it's not something I'm likely to forget."

Giggling, Elspeth murmured the connection number, then waved at Dora. "It was nice to meet you, dear."

After the young witch had left their view, Sirius looked down at his first cousin once removed. "Dora, you are brilliant."

Andie watched as her daughter grinned up at Sirius. "Can I have that lollipop now?"

Sirius laughed. "And mercenary!"

"I see," Ted said loudly, walking over to them, "that you've decided to corrupt my daughter in more ways than one?"

"Daddy!" Dora cried, running into her father's arms.

Sirius laughed and said, "Ted, Andie, thanks for loaning her to me!" He started to walk off, then turned and called out, "Hey, Dora?"

The little girl looked over at her cousin. "Yes, Sirius?"

"Remember, you're my only true love!" he said, blowing her a kiss.

Dora giggled and said, "Mummy, isn't Sirius the best?"

Andie shook her head. "Unfortunately, darling, he is indeed."

*

Hearing their voices in the next room, she crawled out of bed and padded to the door. Tripping on her blanket, she stuck out her lip and prepared to burst into loud, angry tears, but she stopped when she heard her mother's voice cry out, "No! No, I absolutely refuse to believe it!"

Cracking open her bedroom door, she peeked into the living room. Her mother's dark head was buried in her father's chest, just like Dora liked to do when she was feeling scared or upset. "No," came her muffled voice. "He wasn't like the rest of them. He and I were different! We were different!"

"Shhh," her father soothed, running a hand over her mother's thick, black hair. "Shhh," he said again, rocking her just like he rocked Dora, even though her mother was so much bigger. "Shhh."

"Daddy," Dora whispered, coming into the room. "What's wrong with Mummy?"

Both of her parents looked up suddenly, and Dora thought they looked very tired, her mother especially.

"Mummy, don't cry," Dora said, her lower lip wobbling. "Don't cry."

Her mother slid off her father's lap and rushed over to Dora. "Of course not, darling, of course not." She scooped Dora into her arms and nearly crushed her with a hug.

Her chin resting on her mother's shoulder, Dora sniffled and looked at her father. He gave her a weak smile and said, "What are you doing up, sweetpea?"

"I heard your voices," she said, sniffling again. "What's wrong?"

Neither of her parents said anything for a moment. Then her mother said very quietly, "Just some bad news, darling. Don't you worry yourself about it tonight." Giving her one last squeeze, her mother put her down and ruffled her hair.

Dora smiled up at her mum, then ran over and gave her father a hug. As she wriggled out of his arms, she spotted a picture of Sirius on the coffee table. He was laughing and screaming at the same time, and Dora blinked rapidly as she watched him make those horrible faces at her.

"Why does Sirius look so mean?" she asked, scooting away from her father and pointing at the picture.

Her mother gasped, muttering, "The newspaper, Ted, get the newspaper out of here!"

Her father grabbed the paper and hurried into the other room, while her mother grabbed her hand and pulled her back to her bedroom. With a quick kiss on her forehead, her mother whispered, "Sleep, darling, sleep." And she would have, but she kept seeing Sirius's face in the dark, and he wouldn't stop screaming.

*

Dear Mum and Dad,

Well, don't be too mad, Mum, but I'm a Gryffindor! Though, the sorting had said I could have been a Hufflepuff, but I thought then you'd really be mad. I really like Hogwarts so far, except for all the staircases because they have these trick steps and so I keep falling, which I do even on staircases without trick steps so I really, really, really don't need trick steps. I've met some really nice people here, too, and I think I'm going to like most of my subjects. Well, except potions. The professor, who is also Head of Slytherin, really scares me. But I love defense and herbology (thanks Dad for all the tips!) and flying lessons are the best! Next year, maybe I can join the Quidditch team, though I doubt it because I'll probably fall off my broom during a game! Okay, well, I'm going to dinner now. Love to you both!

Dora (who goes by Tonks here because it sounds cool, don't you think?)

PS - Oh, forgot to mention, I had to go to the infirmary when I tripped on the staircase yesterday, but Madame Pomfrey did a pretty good job cleaning me up (not as good as you, Mum!)

PPS - I love you!

PPPS - Can you send me some new socks? My friend Hestia and I accidentally burnt all mine when we were practicing a levitation charm on my sock drawer. Thanks!

"I won't even ask how a levitation charm turned into a fire," Ted muttered. Then his chest began to shake until loud, hearty laughs burst from his mouth.

Andie sighed. "Well, a clutsy, troublemaking Gryffindor," she said, the sparkle in her dark eyes belying her serious tone. "We know who she takes after."

*

Tonks couldn't stop grinning. She tried to frown and look appropriately dignified, but she caught a glimpse of her parents waving from the audience, and all attempts to appear serious disappeared. She only just managed to keep from waving back at them.

"These young men and women," Amelia Bones was saying at the podium, "will be the first line of defense, society's protectors, the guardians of justice. Let us give our newest batch of Aurors a big round of applause!"

Touching a hand to the badge that now graced her robes, Tonks smiled into the sea of clapping people, then turned and shook the hands of her classmates. "Can you believe it?" they kept asking each other, grinning like fools.

As she fought her way through the crowd on the stage, Tonks felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Why, Professor Dumbledore!" she exclaimed, seeing his warm, blue eyes twinkling down at her.

"Miss Tonks," he said with a smile. "Rather, Auror Tonks. Congratulations."

"Thank you, sir!"

"Though, I'm not at all surprised to see you among this honored group."

Tonks laughed. "Well, I am! I nearly failed stealth, I'm so clumsy!"

Dumbledore smiled. "But I've heard that you've got quite a sharp mind on you." He paused, then added, "And an open one, as well."

There was something about the way he said that last remark that made Tonks blink. "Open, sir?"

He only smiled again, reaching out a hand. "Again, congratulations."

She shook his hand and was surprised to feel a slip of paper pass from his palm to hers. Glancing down at the paper, which said only Number 12, Grimmauld Place, she heard him say, "I look forward to seeing you, say next Tuesday evening? Good day, Auror Tonks."

Five days later, she walked along the rundown, muggle street, murmuring the address he had given her. "Number 11, number 13," she said, biting her lip. "Where the hell is Number 12 Grimmauld Place?" she muttered, looking back at the slip of paper he'd given her. The next time she looked up, she saw it, an old, worn house with a rusty No. 12 on the front door. Taking a deep breath, she climbed the steps and rang the bell.

"Scum! Blood traitors!" she heard from behind the door. Eyes wide, Tonks pulled out her wand. What the hell had she gotten herself into?

The door swung open, and a smiling Dumbledore met her gaze. "Oh, you won't need that," he said, nodding to her wand. The high-pitched screams of "Half blood scum! Mudblood polluter!" made her think otherwise.

"Don't mind her," Dumbledore said, ushering Tonks into a dark, dank hall. He pointed up at a portrait. The woman was screaming, her eyes nearly rolled back in her head, and she looked as if she'd like to jump out of the frame and wring both Tonks' and Dumbledore's necks. "Mrs. Black is just a little grumpy."

"Black? As in ..."

"Come on down to the kitchen," he said fondly. "It's cozier down there."

Tonks gulped, but followed her old headmaster down the dark stairwell. Again, she wondered what she was doing in this odd, somewhat frightening place. Still, she wasn't an Auror and a Gryffindor for nothing.

"Tea?" Dumbledore asked her, going to the stove in the corner of the cavernous kitchen. The room was empty, except for a large, black dog.

"A new pet?" Tonks asked, taking the mug of tea from Dumbledore.

The old wizard smiled at the dog, who moved in quick, bounding steps toward Tonks.

"Oh!" she said in surprise, dropping the mug of tea as the dog put his front paws on her chest and licked her face enthusiastically. "Have you considered obedience school?" she asked Dumbledore when she'd managed to get the creature off her.

At this, the headmaster chuckled. "Have a seat, dear. I'd like to ask you some questions, if I may?"

"Uh, sure," she said uncertainly. Then she blinked in surprise, noticing that the cup she had dropped was unbroken and full of tea. Deciding that this was not the strangest thing to happen so far this evening, she shrugged and reached for the steaming mug. Only when she brought it halfway to her lips did she look up at Dumbledore and say, "You're not trying to drug me, are you? Veritaserum?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Ah, the newly trained Auror, suspicious of everything."

"Well, you have to admit," she said, setting down the tea, "this is a pretty suspicious evening so far."

"And yet, you're not nervous."

Her eyes widened. "Well, should I be?"

"No, Tonks, you shouldn't. And I haven't put anything in your tea, though I'd understand if you didn't trust me."

Tonks bit her lip, feeling almost as if she were being tested. She took a huge gulp of the tea and said, "You have questions."

"What do you know about Voldemort?"

Her eyes widened. "He ... he's supposed to be dead."

"Supposed to be?"

"Well, they never found a body, there was no real proof ..."

Dumbledore nodded. "Hmmm. Yes." He was silent for a moment, then asked, "And Sirius Black?"

"Sirius?" she squeaked. "He ... my mother and I told the Aurors last year that we had not heard from him. I haven't seen him since I was seven and a half!"

"You misunderstand me, Tonks. I'm not accusing you of anything."

Tonks frowned. "Sorry. We're ... my mum and I are a little defensive about it, that's all."

"Naturally. My question wasn't very clear, in any case. I should have asked, what do you remember about Sirius Black, before Voldemort?"

Shivering at the monster's name, she tried to focus on the rest of his question. Running a nervous tongue across her lips, she said, "I loved him."

Dumbledore smiled, then turned and nodded at the dog, who was panting almost anxiously.

"What...?" Tonks began, her heart beating madly. She nearly jumped from her seat as the dog morphed into a tall, rather ragged-looking man. "Sirius?" she breathed, not sure she could believe her eyes.

He said nothing, only nodded. Keeping eye contact, he held out a hand.

She stared at it for a moment, then said, "You expect me to believe ... you're innocent?"

"Well, Dora, that's what I hope you'll believe," he said, his voice rather hoarse. But she could still hear the young man in that sound, she could still see him in those shadowed eyes. Without another thought, she threw her arms around him and began to laugh.

*

"Bloody hell!" Tonks muttered, picking herself up from the floor. "That stupid umbrella stand ..."

"Filthy half blood! How dare you contaminate my house!"

Tonks looked over at her relative's portrait. "Good evening to you, too, Mrs. Black," she said with a wink.

"Oh, dear, you've set the portrait off," a short, plump woman said, hurrying into the hall. "Help me get this curtain over her, dear."

When they'd managed to shut up old Mrs. Black, Tonks cast a wry smile at the woman. "Sorry about that. I'm Tonks," she whispered, holding out a hand.

"Molly Weasley, dear. Good to meet you. We're down in the kitchen."

"Dora!" Sirius cried, bounding up the kitchen stairwell as she and Molly were headed down.

Tonks laughed at her cousin's exuberance, then said, "Oh, good, you've showered today," as she hugged him.

"I don't remember you being this saucy as a little girl."

"I was too stupid to recognize you for the rogue you were back then!"

"Come on," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the kitchen. "I want you to meet an old friend of mine. Remus," he said, "meet my favorite cousin, Nymphadora Tonks."

She wrinkled her nose at his use of her full name, then turned her attention to Remus. Meeting his warm, gray eyes, she felt something inexplicable tug at her gut.

"Nice to meet you, Nymphadora," he said, his voice soft and deep. He held out hand.

She considered him for a moment, then took his hand in hers. "My friends call me Tonks."