Obliviate

Tonks always tended to get depressed around Halloween, and it seemed that the kids were more intuitive than she had thought. Harry watched her more closely when he wasn't at Quidditch practice. Hermione was inviting her to the library every night. Ron let her borrow Scabbers, because he apparently helped cheer people up on occasion. All Scabbers really did when she tried to hold him was run away squeaking in terror. She narrowed her eyes at the rat every time, liking him less and less, and hoping Crookshanks would eat him more and more.

"Hey, Dora, my uncle caved and signed my permission form for Hogsmeade, d'you want to go with me?" Harry said one day, looking a little pink-faced. Tonks looked at him confusedly for long enough that he explained what Hogsmeade was.

"I know what Hogsmeade is, Harry," she said carefully. "But...Harry...are du asking me to go to Hogsmeade...as a Freundin, or as a date?" She was really hoping the fact that there were now two girls and two boys in their little group didn't get the boys hormonally confused, but apparently it had.

"Well...you know, I was thinking..." Harry said with a crooked upper lip, scratching the back of his head with a red face. "I was just thinking that you'd seemed a little down lately, so...yeah, I guess it's like...a friend-date." Harry was so thoughtful.

"Das ist sehr gut of you Harry, but...I think I'm going to skip the trip out," Tonks said slowly, trying to choose her words carefully. She had been waking up to the worst kinds of headaches for the past two days. Harry looked shattered.

"Why aren't you going? You've never been to the village before, and you said you were looking forward to going!" he said. Damn, she had said that before she knew what day it was on. Well, she could settle for a stretched version of the truth.

"Harry..." she said slowly, looking down at her hands. "This is just a hard time für mich right now.... You see..." She impatiently pushed her hair out of her face. "My...Mutti und Vati...died on Halloween when I was drei."

"Dora, I'm so sorry I didn't realize..."

"Es ist OK, I didn't expect you to realize," Tonks quickly said with a smile. "I just haven't been feeling too gut lately." She looked at Harry out of the corner of her eye. "You've handled things much better than I have, I see." Harry's confused look made her heart want to break. Did he not know?

"I don't think I know what you're saying..." he said slowly. Tonks ducked her head, now ashamed of herself as her headache intensified with a single throb. "Dora, what do you know?"

"Harry...your Mutter und Vater...died on Halloween twelve years ago," she said, looking up to face him. He went white, and slowly dropped down onto the couch beside her.

"I didn't even know," he said with a tight voice. In a desperate action, Tonks reached out and grabbed Harry's hand in both of hers.

"Are you OK?" she asked in concern. Harry waved at her quickly.

"I'm just a little surprised at myself," he said slowly. "I mean, I've known that it happened on that day...I suppose I never really related the two in my mind though. I just saw it as every other day..."

"Vell, maybe das ist better then what I do, Harry!" Tonks quickly tried to amend. "I wallow in self-pity, you have a life! That is how your parents would have liked it, so you should just continue that way. It's too late for me, but you've still got a fighting chance!

"You go have a wonderful time in the village with Ronald and Hermione, OK? Here, I'll give you some money, could you get me something chocolaty in one of the shops?" She was hoping it would distract Harry enough, handing him a few small silver coins, and she was glad to see it worked. Inwardly, she let out a long sigh of relief.

"Yeah, of course I will Dora. Are you sure you won't come?" Harry asked her one final time. Tonks smiled and shook her head.

"Nein, I should really be studying a bit. But, there is one anderes thing I'll ask you to do für mich." She gestured for Harry to lean forward with a conspiratorial finger. "I heard that Professor Lupin is bringing a date to the village mit ihm. Tell me about her when you see her, ja?"

"Why do you want to know?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow. Tonks quickly fished for an excuse.

"Vell...he knew my Eltern. He's practically family. I have to make sure this Madchen he's bringing to the village is gut enough for him," she quickly invented. "And, if I am hier, I really can't do much spying. Will you please...?"

"Yeah Dora, don't worry about it. If anything I'll get a description of her, okay?"

"Ah, danke schön, Harry!" Tonks hugged him very briefly but very tightly. She really wanted to know what Harry thought of the real her. Therefore, she hinted that his favorite professor was going on a date. With his curiosity, he would have spied without her asking him.

The next day, after she was sure everyone had cleared off to Hogsmeade, Tonks stood in front of her trunk as her twenty year old self. She gazed into the mirror, pink hair falling into violet eyes, and tried to think of something to wear. She finally settled on a navy blue camisole, her oldest and most worn out pair of jeans, and a white Weird Sisters T-shirt that was so worn out she couldn't wear it without something underneath. She looked down, puzzled, and saw that she had apparently lost some weight since she last wore these clothes. It didn't particularly surprise her, but she hadn't expected to lose so much so quickly. She pulled on a tattered brown coat, knowing it was windy out, and snuck off to Minerva's office to use the Floo.

***

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were just making their way into Hogsmeade, following the shabby cloak that could belong to none other than Professor Lupin. He was wrapped up against the harsh wind, wearing gray mittens that were worn out, fraying, and, according to Ron, looked to be one of his mother's creations by the 'RL' on the back of each mitten. They went along with little yellow hearts in the palms that showed themselves when he waved at them in greeting, affirming their suspicions.

"Where d'you think his date--?" Ron asked, but needn't finish his question. A young, bubbly-looking young woman with pink hair and violet eyes emerged from the Three Broomsticks and embraced their Professor warmly. She looked nothing like someone he would want to go on a date with.

"Whoa," Ron and Harry said simultaneously. Ron also let out a low whistle. This woman seemed ages younger than Professor Lupin, and looked positively cool. Somehow, she complemented their professor, though. Instead of looking older and shabbier beside this woman, he looked years younger.

"She's very young," Hermione commented quietly so as not to be overheard.

"I'll toast to that, she looks like she could have graduated the same year as our first!" Ron said, slightly in awe. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Don't you think we would have noticed a girl with pink hair? She's got to be at least seven years older than us," she said logically.

"That doesn't really matter at the moment," Harry cut in before Ron could turn red and start stammering. "Let's enjoy ourselves and get the dirt on Professor Lupin's mystery woman, eh?" With a nod of agreement, Ron and Hermione grinned and following his racing footsteps past the Professor and his date into the village.

"And they're off to the races!" they heard Professor Lupin's date exclaim as they raced past her. Harry couldn't help himself, he laughed. He was confident that he had never before laughed as hard at something as common as a sarcastic remark. He was free. The castle was amazing, of course, but he had never gotten out of those gates before, and now he was free to explore. There was just one more place in the world he could say he'd been besides Little Winging, The Burrow, Diagon Alley, and Hogwarts.

"Harry, you look like a madman!" Hermione cried loudly, though she was still running a few paces behind him. Ron had stopped at Honeydukes. There was suddenly a sharp downhill slope, and Harry was tumbling to earth and rolling. Hermione's telltale shriek was all he needed to know she had also been taken by surprise. He finally managed to stop himself, but Hermione rolled right on top of him. To ensure she didn't get hurt Harry grabbed her around the shoulders with his left hand, waist with the left, and held her against him.

"You okay?" he choked out with his lungs deflated under her deadweight. Hermione rolled off of him with a squeaky exhalation.

"Harry James Potter, that hurt!" she moaned beside him, reaching over and thumping him on the arm.

"Which part, the rolling part or the part where I stopped you from rolling any further?" Harry asked with a stifled laugh. He could hear a few people gathering at the top of the slope after hearing Hermione's alarmed shriek. He could have sworn he heard a bark of laughter, but it had been behind them where no one had been a moment ago.

"Both," was all Hermione said before giving in to her own laughter once again. Hearing laughter, the crowd dispersed with the exception of two.

"You two alright?" Lupin called down to them. Harry and Hermione quickly sat up, still chuckling behind their hands.

"Yeah we're fine!" Hermione called up, adding another wallop to Harry's shoulder.

"I'm sorry okay!? I didn't know there was a hill!" Harry laughed with her. A woman's voice now rang down the slope to them.

"Now that we know you're okay...was that fun!?" she shouted down. Harry looked up and saw the pink haired woman again. She grinned and waved. Harry and Hermione shared a look of silent conversation and agreement.

"Yeah!" they shouted in unison. They could then hear snippets of conversation above them.

"Well that settles it Remus."

"No."

"But those two--!"

"No."

"A bit of laughter's good for--!"

"No!"

"You look like you need a spot of f--!"

"For the millionth time Nymphadora, no!"

"You dare call me by the dreaded first name!? That settles it, you're going!"

The next thing they knew, Harry and Hermione were forced to dive out of the way to avoid a rather nasty collision. Harry burst into uncontrollable laughter to see Professor Lupin picking himself up off the ground with a mock scowl on his face as he helped the woman named Nymphadora to her feet. She was swaying dizzily and grinning broadly.

"You were right, that was fun! Didn't I tell you it would be fun Remus?" she said excitedly holding a hand to her head to steady herself.

"You are insane," Lupin said bluntly.

"I'm only insane because I've been cooped up inside for far too long!" Nymphadora said. Her white faded shirt and torn jeans were now covered in grass-stains. All Harry and Hermione could really do, stunned by seeing their professor rolling down a hill with a pink haired woman, was stand by and listen to their conversation.

"It's your own fault you've been cooped up, it's your job," Lupin reminded her sternly. Nymphadora sighed grandly.

"Yes, but I love my job Remus! I just hate being cooped up!" she laughed, holding onto Lupin's hands and swinging them back and forth. He stared at their hands for a moment.

"What exactly are we doing?" he asked dryly. Nymphadora dropped her hands and put them to rest at her hips.

"Remus John Lupin, I thought you were the most intelligent man in the world at one point in my life!" she reprimanded lightly. She then lifted his arm and placed it around her shoulders. "We're here to distract ourselves from gut-wrenching grief and spiraling depression."

"Gut-wrenching grief?"

"Spiraling depression?"

Harry and Hermione had spoken at the same time. It seemed to finally register in Lupin's mind that his conversation was not exactly what one would call private. He turned quickly on his heel--blushing, surprisingly enough--and stared at Harry with his mouth hanging slightly open. Nymphadora looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze.

"You're Harry Potter, aren't you?" she asked. Harry blushed as he nodded; expecting her eyes to go to his scar promptly, but she kept her eyes on his and thrust out her hand for him to shake.

"Then, Mister Potter, it is my delight to meet you." Harry expected her to go on about his 'defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,' but again he guessed wrong. "We knew your parents. They were two of the most amazing individuals I ever had the pleasure to meet." Harry looked to Lupin.

"You knew my parents?" he asked. Lupin smiled sadly.

"I knew them very well, Harry," he said hoarsely, pain reflecting in eyes that were aged beyond his years. "Your father was one of my best friends at school."

Harry hesitated before blurting out his first thought. "...D'you think you could tell me about them, Professor?"

He spoke so quietly, he was sure Lupin had to read his lips to understand. Again, he smiled, but this time put a hand on his shoulder.

"Of course, Harry. Why don't we go to the Three Broomsticks and sit down with some drinks? It's getting chilly out here," Lupin said. They all voiced their consent and walked back up the hill to the pub, where they met Ron again. He glared half-heartedly at Harry and Hermione as if they had tried to step on Scabbers, but then soon became his old self again.

"So Harry, what would you like to know about your parents?" Lupin asked, clasping his hands together in a way that was far less formal than in class.

"Well..." Hermione reached under the table and squeezed his arm, "...anything, really."

"Anything, really? Alright, where to start..." Lupin said thoughtfully, trailing off. His date snapped her fingers as a thought hit her.

"I've got one!" she said victoriously. "Okay, when I was five years old--"

"Oh dear Merlin, not this one," Lupin groaned jokingly. Nymphadora thrust out her hand again and covered his mouth.

"Ignore him, this is a great story," she said in a business-like tone. "So when I was five years old, I was in that little girl 'I want a pony for my birthday' phase. But, I didn't want a pony. I wanted a...purple flying unicorn. That shot rainbows out its mouth. Of course, my dear old mum told me they didn't exist, and I threw a crying fit right in front of your parents when they were over helping babysit me.

"So, what do your parents do? Your mother, Mister Potter, makes me a giant purple plush unicorn that is so big I could sit on it comfortably. And then, to add on to it, your dad stuck a child's toy broomstick up inside of its stuffing so it would fly. He also stuck rolls upon rolls of crepe paper up in its head, so that whenever I pulled on its horn it would shoot out of its mouth like a rainbow. The crepe paper ran out within about five minutes, and we were still digging it out of the couch months later." She was giggling from the memory by the end.

"Nnd?" Lupin said in a muffled voice, his date's hand still over his mouth. He was fighting a laugh along with Nymphadora.

"Right, well, I was a bit overzealous in my obvious delight," she added on. "You know that the toy broomsticks only levitate about a foot off the ground, and I was really short, so the unicorn's feet were brushing the floor but I was up in the air a bit--"

"James really should have fixed that, it was a disaster waiting to happen," Lupin cut in, ducking out from behind her hand. "She can't go more than twenty paces without dropping, breaking, knocking or tripping over anything."

"I can so!" she protested. "Anyway, I was dashing through the house on my flying unicorn, spitting crepe paper at everyone and everything I saw, and who comes in the door just as I'm going to fly by? None other than this fellow, Remus Lupin!"

"I will never forget that. It was the strangest thing I'd ever seen in my life," Lupin chuckled. "Imagine walking in the door, being instantly blinded by rainbow colored crepe paper, and then run over by a five year old on a flying purple unicorn."

"He shrieked like a banshee!" Nymphadora added through her giggles.

"...It was a very manly banshee!" Lupin objected. Harry, Ron, and Hermione burst into gales of laughter. Their professor shrieking like a manly banshee was unimaginable to them.

"You were the girliest banshee I had ever seen in my life!" Lupin's date argued. "Harry, your mum and dad could not breathe they were laughing so hard. I was just in the middle of the room on my unicorn, wondering what I'd done that was so funny, because I didn't know that he was underneath me!"

"That was the most humiliating day of my life," Lupin laughed with a red face, most likely knowing his pupils would not be able to look at him without laughing for weeks.

"It was one of the best of mine...I miss them so much," Nymphadora said with overly bright eyes. She seemed to be looking a million miles away from them instead of around the room, as if she were searching for the people in her memories. There were traces of tears in her eyes suddenly, and she quickly put her face in her hands. To cover up, she ran her hands through her hair and sighed with a sniff.

"You alright?" Harry asked quietly as she resurfaced with red eyes.

"Oh, Merlin, yeah I'm fine...being silly," she murmured, wiping her eyes quickly. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all noticed Lupin's hand brushed hers under the table. His eyes were slightly wet as well, and Harry was beginning to regret asking them to tell him about his parents.

"Come on, we're supposed to be cheerfully distracting ourselves from the misery! We need more cheerful reminiscences!" Nymphadora finally said, clapping her hands.

"Alright, alright, I've got one," Lupin finally said. "I remember when I was thirteen years old, your father..."

Harry had no idea how long they sat cooped up in the Three Broomsticks while their peers ran about the village cheerfully. He didn't even care that he hardly saw any of the village. He just sat and listened to Lupin and his girlfriend talk about his parents and tell stories, and get pensive for a moment after each story, but then jump into another more cheerful one. Lupin's girlfriend had even helped babysit him once when she was younger, and had apparently been extremely possessive of him, saying he was 'her baby.'

All in all, it was a really nice day. Harry learned about who his parents were, and was comforted to know that, at least at one point in life, his family had been loved very much.