Chapter 57: The Happy Couple

Sirius and Regulus stood in what was, for the present moment, companionable silence as Dumbledore arranged a Floo service for them to travel to St Mungo's Hospital to visit Andromeda Tonks and meet her new baby daughter.

"I can't wait," said Sirius keenly.

Regulus didn't dignify him with a response but was sporting a small smile showing his own eagerness to meet his cousin once removed.

Narcissa duly arrived escorted by Professor Slughorn.

"Sorry I had trouble finding Miss Black, Albus. She was up the Astronomy Tower, looking a little under the weather. I offered her a potion, but she declined. Anyway, she is ready for the journey!"

"Very good," replied Dumbledore cheerfully, "thank you, Horace."

Slughorn exited the office and the three relatives watched as Dumbledore forewarned St Mungo's of the incoming visitors.

"Don't forget to speak clearly, now, and do send my regards to the happy couple," said Dumbledore heartily.

Sirius was the only one to verbally respond and with cheery familiarity.

"Yes, sir, we will!"

Narcissa went first, as she was closer a relative than the Black brothers.

"St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries!"

With that clear declaration, Narcissa vanished into the green flames. Regulus followed and Sirius went last with a keen wave to Dumbledore in farewell.

The three of them were greeted warmly by Ted.

"Hello, you three! Nice to see you again so soon!"

Ted looked glazed over with joy and love. He was practically walking on air as he led the three relatives to the ward where Andromeda was resting.

"She's asleep at present, but we can wake her, then we'll have Nymphy out for feeding time, I think!"

Sirius grimaced at the image of 'feeding time' and shook it from his mind. Narcissa on the other hand looked more uplifted with every step that brought her nearer and nearer to her niece. Regulus was also looking slightly more cheerful, but still glared at intervals when his eyes caught his brother walking slightly ahead.

The small party arrived in Andromeda's ward in five minutes, though had to walk sideways to keep a distance from a ward where patients were suffering a highly contagious virus of some kind.

"Killed almost 30,000 witches and wizards worldwide, we should consider some of those Muggle antidotes," Sirius heard one Mediwitch saying.

"Those chemicalists in London don't know their arses from a Boil Solution already prepared by an alchemist!" retorted a very snooty Healer.

After ensuring they were perfectly healthy by a Maternal Healer with several diagnostic spells, Ted led the children over to Andromeda's bed.

Andromeda stirred as her ever affectionate husband kissed her forehead.

"Teddy," she whispered with a voice as euphoric and as happy as their wedding day.

"The others are here now, sweetheart," said Ted heartily.

"Oh, Merlin!"

Andromeda immediately sprang up with a bit of colour in her cheeks.

"Hey, Andie!" smiled Sirius keenly. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Siri," replied Andromeda as she stretched after her snooze.

"Where's your little baby?" asked Regulus shyly.

"Hello to you too, Reggie," said Andromeda.

"Sorry," he whispered.

"Oh, honestly! Come here!"

Regulus rushed over and hugged his cousin, and he finally let out some emotion with a shed tear or two.

"You sound like you've had better days, Reggie. Is Mel still not talking to you?"

"His own conceited fault, Andie," said Sirius.

"Hush, you!"

"Sorry," said Sirius contritely.

"Now, Reggie, you just need to give her some time and I'm sure she will warm up to you again, but maybe, if push comes to shove, let Sirius help you with that."

"That dick is why I lost her in the first place," snapped Regulus.

"You know it's more your fault, Regulus Arcturus! Now stop using your brother as an excuse, and cheer up, cos I don't want this the day after I give excruciating birth to my beautiful little girl!"

Changing the subject and trying to show the enthusiasm she had been gaining upon arrival at St Mungo's, Narcissa spoke up.

"So, um….where is she?"

"Cissy…you came too."

Andromeda looked very happy and emotional.

"I came."

"I was a little worried that you…"

Narcissa said nothing. She knew what her sister meant and still wasn't entirely sure where she stood with the fact that her first niece was a Half-Blood. But right now, her primary concern was being there for her sister, just as she had been there for her when she got disowned by their parents.

The younger Black sister approached the bedridden woman before her and collapsed onto the bed cuddling her, and before the men in the room knew it, both sisters were in tears. Whether they were tears of sorrow, joy, delight or relief, or a mixture of all of them, they couldn't tell.

Eventually, the two sisters came apart, both with a look of understanding; uncomfortable but loving nonetheless.

"She's in the unit with the other infants. I'm a little worried though," said Andromeda with a hint of fear in her voice.

"Why?" asked Sirius.

"The Healer said she underwent a change upon birth. They're in the middle of diagnosing the issue now," said Ted.

"What kind of change?" asked Regulus.

"Her hair grew out and her nose shrunk," said Andromeda weakly.

"That's odd," said Narcissa.

"But is it dangerous?" asked Sirius, a tad nervously.

"Well, for a newborn baby, less than a minute old, to suddenly change her appearance like that…it could be dangerous, but we do not know for certain. The Healer will inform us in due course," said Ted with a tone of patience yet uneasiness.

The family sat together, anxious and heavy-minded. As they waited, Sirius found something to be annoyed about.

"I see that nobody else from the family has bothered to visit or send you congratulations," he remarked, pointing to the almost empty bedside table.

"Nope, no-one would congratulate the disgrace of the family, let alone the disgrace who's been plucked from the family," said Andromeda mournfully.

"At least my parents care," said Ted to lighten the mood.

"Yes, at least they've accepted me," said Andromeda, though she looked far from appeased.

Narcissa sighed deeply and held Andromeda's hand.

"You're not alone…we've all been disowned here," she murmured, partly in shame, but also with the determination to brighten her sister's spirits.

"That's true, Andie," added Sirius, "we'll just be a new family! They're the Black family! So we'll be the brighter shade...the Grey family! Or the White family! Or maybe Red for Gryffindor!"

"Why not Green for Slytherin?" retorted Regulus.

Andromeda smiled thankfully for her family's union despite their circumstances, and their desire to make her feel better about things.

Not long after that, Healer Alena Sanderson came in, cradling a bundle of blankets in her arms. A tiny little arm was just visible, rising from the top.

"Nymphy," said Andromeda, sitting up straight, "is she okay?"

"She's absolutely fine, and a very talented little baby," said Healer Sanderson.

"How do you mean? What's the verdict?" asked Ted.

Healer Sanderson smiled and placed the bundle into Andromeda's outstretched arms.

"Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Tonks," she said, "you have birthed a Metamorphmagus!"

"A-a what?!" gasped Andromeda and Narcissa in unison.

"A rare gift, indeed, especially considering yourself and your husband have no such talent," said Sanderson cheerily, "she must be destined to be a very powerful witch one day!"

"M-my daughter's a…wow!"

Andromeda was staring at her baby girl with such awe, that it rivalled the joy in her eyes when she first held her the previous day.

"So, there's nothing the matter with her?" asked Ted. "She won't be endangered by this…skill?"

"Oh no, no, no! You've nothing to worry about, Mr Tonks! Metamorphmagi tend to show their talents at birth and further on into infantry! Of course, she won't be able to do more than she has already, until she is old enough to fully understand what she wants to look like and then initiate it. For now, she'll likely only change her skin colour briefly, or her hair colour or the shape of a part of her body to suit that of what she likes the look of, but beyond that, she'll be like any other baby girl!"

The immense relief was only contested by the joy that the Tonks and the disgraced Blacks felt at the sight of this gifted and very special little girl who had managed to bring some light into their shadowed lives.

Meanwhile, Severus was slowly walking towards the office of his stepfather. He felt the need to talk to him about Eileen and how he had reacted to his being the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. There was a time that he resented people such as Lupin and Lockhart for getting the job he so desired, but this was more personal to him, as he had expected Robin to stay home to care for his grieving mother. But after Dumbledore had informed him of the mental and physical strain that Robin was putting himself through to sustain both roles in his life, Severus felt abashed and wished to bury the hatchet with him.

He knocked hesitantly at the door.

"Come in?"

Severus did so and Robin was surprised to see that it was his stepson coming in.

"Hello, Severus, are you alright?"

"I guess," mumbled Severus shyly, "Sirius' cousin's just had a baby."

"Yes, I know," said Robin, "Professor Slughorn and I were looking for Miss Black this morning to get her to Dumbledore's office to go and visit the child."

Severus nodded and fell into silence. The tension in the room was thick and when neither of them could bear it any longer, Robin spoke again.

"Severus, I know how you feel after all that has happened, but I-"

"I know, Dad," said Severus swiftly.

Robin smiled at the term he had just been addressed.

"Dumbledore told me how you still take time out of your schedule here to spend time with Mum," continued Severus, "I should have known you wouldn't just leave her to her mourning."

Robin's smile persisted, mixed now with relief.

"I'm sorry that I seemed to have let you down, Severus, but I promise I would never abandon your mother without her full desire for me to do so. I love her more than life itself, and I would do anything for her and for you."

Severus looked up at his stepfather and saw the sincerity in his eyes. He fully believed in him.

"Forgive me, Dad," he whispered.

"Severus, of course I forgive you! Now perk up and go and spend your day doing something productive! Such as revision or even a lovely Spring walk with Lily Evans!"

"Yes, um, alright, Dad…um, bye for now!"

Severus left the office and went on his way feeling much better about things.

But of course, it had to be spoiled, what with his kind of luck.

"Hi, Severus," said a voice.

It was Remus and he was looking pale due to the approach of the full moon.

"Hi, Remus, just gonna find Lily and do some studying," he said politely.

"That's cool," said Remus, though his enthusiasm for his friend was limited in appearance.

Severus couldn't help but notice that Remus' expression looked more curious than friendly.

"Something the matter, Remus?" he asked.

"Well, I'm more…puzzled, I guess," said Remus.

"About what? Sirius' new family member? They said it was a girl, didn't they?"

"No, no, not that! Though I'm sure we in Gryffindor are going to hear all about it later on," said Remus with a smile, "no, it's more to do with…um…the other night."

Severus froze worriedly for a second then continued the walk.

"What about it?" he asked, trying not to sound defensive.

"I, um, I lingered a little, to wait for you so we could walk back to our common rooms and have a chat-"

"You were listening in on me?!"

Severus looked both livid and frightened. Remus scarcely saw such an expression before. He had noted that Severus looked pale just before he had been dismissed, but whatever his Boggart was, it must have been very strong to affect him this much.

"I-I was but not intending to be rude, Severus, or-or intrusive…I just got curious when you shouted out the Charm so loudly and so forcefully. You sounded terrified and yet murderous all at once…if that makes sense. And then, yeah, I kind of listened in after that…but only to hear if you were okay, once it was over!"

His attempts to soothe Severus were clearly not working, as the young Ravenclaw looked more pale and frightful than ever.

"I…I heard you say it changed…and I have never heard of a Boggart changing forms several times before…and then Dumbledore said you were double-minded and um, that you had great knowledge and experience in Defence Against the Dark Arts. And what has made me all the more…curious…is that he didn't speak to you as if you were a student. It was almost like he was talking to an equal, like maybe, Professor McGonagall and-"

"STOP!"

Severus had bellowed and was shaking in fear. What for, Remus was unable to comprehend, but he knew that his unintentional intrusion had severely affected Severus, and in turn, made him worry that it had cost him their friendship…and Severus' promise some years before to brew him the Wolfsbane Potion upon their adulthood years.

"I get it! You were curious and you still are," panted Severus as he leaned against a wall, "but you'll just have to keep your curiosity to yourself!"

"I…I'm so sorry, Severus…" said Remus pathetically, "I really am, please don't…please don't hate…"

Severus realized that Remus' mistake made him fear heavily that he would be abandoned by Severus and maybe even sold out as a werewolf to the whole school. For a moment, he felt immense guilt for his alarming reaction, but also needed Remus to keep quiet. He maintained his newfound feelings of remorse and placed his hand on his shaking friend's shoulder.

"We're still friends, Remus, just…please don't talk about that night to anybody else or approach me any further on the subject…until I am ready."

He only said those final words to appease Remus' curiosity for the time being and hopefully it will be forgotten about by the end of term, failing then, the summer.

"Okay," promised Remus, "and once again, Severus, I am so sorry! I'm so glad we're still friends!"

"And just so you know, Remus," promised Severus in return, "even if we were to stop being friends and part ways, I would still keep my promise to Dumbledore and to you to never reveal your condition to anyone."

Remus smiled thankfully and the two friends separated after a more pleasant farewell. Severus was going to do some heavy breathing in his common room to exert some stress mingled with temporary relief at Remus' near miss with his past, whilst Remus himself was heading up to the Gryffindor common room to very likely come across some fresh news on Nymphadora Tonks' birth or to hear it straight from Sirius' mouth if he had already returned.

A/N: I am so sorry for the short chapter and after this long wait. I have been struggling with creativity as well as mental health issues due to the stress of COVID-19. My doctor has given me sound advice however and I aim to be more prompt for the next update. Thank you for reading and for waiting patiently! Please review!