"Hello?" Nymphadora Tonks called quietly into the London flat. "Mum? Dad?"
She smiled when she got no response. Hopefully what she had to do would be quick and she wouldn't be caught... and her news wouldn't be what she feared it to be.
Taking another glance around she quickly walked over to the magically placed fireplace, knocking over only the hearth tools next to it in the process. She picked up some of the spilled Floo Powder, threw it in and stuck her head in.
"St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries Home Ward!" she cried out in the flames. She closed her eyes and braced herself against the dizzying effects the small travel took her through and opened them only when she knew it was still.
"Yes, how can I help you?" a pleasant female voice asked.
A small witch in Healer uniform was seated at a desk extremely close to the fire, but angled so she could see any heads that may be in it, as Tonks' was currently.
"I need a Healer for a house call," Tonks said. The witch began making notes on a piece of parchment.
"Reason?" she asked clearly.
"Just a small examination..." Tonks bit her lip, hoping the Healer wouldn't ask anymore, and thankfully she didn't.
"Name?"
"Nymphadora Tonks."
The witch smiled slightly as she paused a moment to write it down.
"Address?"
"Number four, Resident Alley, flat Q."
"All right, dear," the witch quickly glanced over the parchment for any more details she needed. "All right, that's cleared up. As soon as my associate, Healer Abberd, gets back in from an emergency, I will send him right over."
"Thank you very much," Tonks smiled.
"You're welcome."
Giving one last smile, she pulled her head from the fireplace and fell back on the floor of the flat. Too tired, too worried and too stressed she just remained there, staring at the ceiling. It actually wasn't a boring ceiling, which you might find interesting. Her mother thought it would be fun to try and do what Hogwarts did with the Great Hall and bewitch the ceiling to look like the sky outside... but since her mother didn't quite have the powers of the four founders of Hogwarts it didn't turn out as well as the one in the legendary school.
Instead of clouds on a cloudly day it was just swirly grey. Sunny day? Bright flickering yellow. Night? Black with moving little pin pricks of light, which was the closest it got to actually mimicking the outdoors. All in all it was a beautiful ceiling.
Tonks rolled on to her stomach, sick of thinking about the ceiling and needing to think about the topic at hand.
How could this happen? Well actually she knew how it happened, her mother was quite open about things like that. How could she let this happen, was the better question.
The roaring up of the fire broke Tonks out of the reverie she was slowly letting herself slip into. Jumping up a little too quickly Tonks fell back into a lamp stand, shattering the ugly ceramic lighting fixture her dad proudly boasted about making. Muttering a quick repairing charm, Tonks brushed herself off and changed her hair back to it's natural dark brown and shoulder length style in order to look a little more adult.
An older balding man came tumbling out of the fire, wearing the usual lime green robes of the Mungo's staff. The only thing different about his attire was the emblem of the bone and wand stitched into the robes, under it was a little black doctor's case, showing that the Healer was a House Calling Healer that dealt with wizards and witches with more simple maladies, typically outside the hospital.
"Hello," the man said, smiling brightly and brushing himself free of soot. "You must be Nymphadora Tonks."
"Yes," Tonks returned the smile nervously and shook his hand.
"I'm Healer Charles Abberd," he said. "Now, Miss Tonks, it says here," he read off the parchment the other Healer had been noting on earlier, "that you wanted a simple examination..."
"Actually," Tonks stopped him, "I... um... well, I was wondering if you... well, can you..."
She trailed off, wondering how to word this, but Healer Abberd seemed to know where this was heading. He studied her closely.
"Miss Tonks, are you wondering if I could perform an exam on you to see if you are with child?" he asked gently.
Tonks nodded slowly, a faint blush creeping up her face.
"Dear, I can do that without a problem," he smiled gently, pulling out his wand. "Now, hold still, this doesn't hurt and doesn't take long at all, you just need to let it work."
Tonks practically held her breath as Abberd said the charm ('Graviditas Percensere') and a jet of white light engulfed her. The light slowly shaped itself into an orb and began to grow smaller and smaller, continuing to center itself around Tonks's abdomen. Finally when it was the size of a basketball it floated slightly away from her body and began turning from white, to pink, and so on until it was finally a bright red.
Healer Abberd looked resigned and from the black bag he had brought with him pulled out several pieces of parchment and a quill. Tonks looked at him nervously until he made eye contact with her.
"I'm sorry," he stated simply, obviously knowing she didn't want to be pregnant.
"Oh, God..." Tonks muttered, stepping towards the sofa then falling heavily into it. Abberd sat down gingerly next to her.
"I need to ask you a few questions Miss Tonks. It is Miss Tonks, I'm assuming?" Tonks nodded and Abberd wrote something down on one of the pieces of parchment. "How old are you Miss Tonks?"
Tonks mumbled something into her hands.
"I'm sorry?"
"...twenty-three."
Scratch went the quill on parchment.
"Your birthdate?"
"June 8th, 1973."
Scratch.
"Do you know who the father is?"
"Yes..."
"His name?"
"You're not going to contact him are you?"
"We won't if you do not want us to, but it is highly advised you work closely together for the sake of the child, even if you are not going to keep it or-"
"I'm keeping it."
"Very well, but it's still advised, especially if you are planning on keeping the child, to remain in close contact with it's father."
Tonks nodded in resigned agreement.
"Very good, his name?"
"Remus Lupin."
The quill did not scratch this time, but instead hovered over the parchment, shaking slightly.
"Remus Lupin?" the Healer asked.
"Yes, do you know him?"
"I'm afraid I do... the werewolf..." Abberd muttered off handed.
"Is that going to be a problem? It's not inheritant is it?" Tonks began getting worried.
"No, no, don't worry. I happened to be the one who treated Mr. Lupin when he first recieved his bite, well I helped the Healer that was training me treat him," Abberd smiled slightly at the memory. "But no, there will be no complications or problems with the child. It might even escape inheriting any form of Mr. Lupin's lycanthropy."
"But it may?"
"It could. In the cases we've seen where werewolves have produced offspring, the symptoms vary. The most common is hyperactivity, especially around a full moon," the Healer reassured her. Tonks relaxed. "Do you know his date of birth?"
"September 2, 1960," Tonks blushed furiously. The only acknowledgement of the age difference from Healer Abberd was a slight lift of the eyebrows while writing the date down.
"Now, I've noted his lycanthropy in order to help you and I both for further examinations as well as keeping you and the baby healthy, but I need to ask if there are any medical disorders, oddities, or mutations you may have," Healer Abberd adjusted his parchments for easier writing.
"I'm a Metamorphmagus, but that's all," Tonks said nonchalantly, she always forgot, though rare that it was, how many people were amazed by it.
"Merlin's beard, are you?" Abberd practically snapped his quill in excitement.
"Yeah," Tonks nodded. Abberd looked suddenly flustered and shy.
"If... would you mind perhaps... after the baby is born... would you mind if I could just... well... study you, for lack of better words?" Abberd managed out. Tonks smiled.
"I think so, yes, but I may change my mind after the baby," she said. Abberd nodded.
"Yes, of course. You don't need to feel obligated, it's just that Metamorphmagi are quite rare and it would be nice to have references for future doctors, well you know," he smiled. Tonks nodded.
"Okay, this is all the immediate information I need as of now- well, except of course payment," he winked.
"Oh, yes, how much?" Tonks asked, jumping up and running into her unused room where she often kept extra money.
"Ten Galleons, six Sickles and nine Knuts," Abberd called back as he began organizing his information and putting it away.
Tonks quickly gathered the money up and gave it to Abberd who tucked it away in his black doctor's bag.
"Now, we'll need to schedule another appointment-"
"How far along am I? Did the orb-thing tell you?" Tonks interrupted.
"A little over a week," Abberd said with a raised eyebrow. "Ten days to be precise. But, I would like to make an appointment, at least once a month..."
"Well, I can do that, I think, yes," Tonks said thinking about how she would swing that around the Order of the Phoenix meetings and duties, as well as her regular job as an Auror; all of which was being made more difficult by the rise of the Second War.
Apparantly Tonks's hesitation was clear on her face for Abberd questioned what her job was.
"Well..." she began cautiously, unsure of how much she should tell him. But, he was basically going to be her obstetrician for the next nine months, and if you can't trust someone like that... well you can't trust anyone then. "I'm an Auror first of all, and with V- You-Know-Who back and all, it's pretty hectic there. I'm also a member of an exclusive group fighting in front-"
"The Order of the Phoenix..." Abberd stated in an awed whisper.
"What?"
"You're part of the Order of the Phoenix."
"Yes," Tonks smiled slightly, relieved she wouldn't have to make much of an explanation. There was a moment of silence where Abberd shook off his star-struck behavior.
"Well, Miss Tonks, a month from now would be August the 26th, will you be able to do that?" Tonks nodded and Abberd magicked her a card to remind her of the date. "Here again at the same time?"
"Um..." Tonks looked uncomfortably down at her feet. "Would it be all right if I contacted you later about where?"
"Yes, that would be fine," Abberd smiled. "Just not too much later. And another thing before I go, involving your work and your Metamorphmagi abilities. You may do strenuous work for the first couple of months, but I would advise cutting back month by month until you are entirely out of work, Order of the Phoenix as well, by your ninth month at the latest."
"But-"
"No, 'buts' Miss Tonks, this is for the safety of yourself as well as the baby. Ninth month at the latest you should be off your feet. I would recommend seventh month starting that, but you seem like a very head strong young woman that would not listen to a wise Healer's advice."
Tonks gave a sheepish smile.
"The biggest thing I must demand you not do anymore, is your Metamorphing."
"But that's what practically all my work is based around! I have to do it! People depend on me to do it-"
"No, Miss Tonks, I'm not sure how your abilities work, but I am sure they will affect the child, especially during the developmental stage such as now. We can maybe discuss allowing your abilities to be used in a few months, but for now, your baby could be in danger of mutations should you use your powers while it's developing." He finished his rant glaring hard at Tonks who could do nothing but shake her head in agreement. He made a good point and she didn't want to mess up her baby's future.
The only problem, she thought while bidding Healer Abberd goodbye, is telling people why I can't be a Metamorphmagus for the next nine months...
***
Tonks apparated into a tiny park area Dumbledore had said was okay to apparate to, as the only people usually in it were drunk Muggles. It was only a block away from Headquarters, now Tonks' home.
After Sirius' death the house was up for grabs since he was the last male Black left and had left no will stating what he wanted to have happen to 12 Grimmauld Place in the case of his death. Dumbledore, being the wise man he is, fixed the Black family tapestry to contain all the members, specifically those who had been blasted off, and now Tonks was on there, her mother having joined back on and the tapestry updated itself by adding Ted Tonks and their daughter Nymphadora Tonks. Making adjustments from Tonks' own Muggle flat in the center of London, she sold it and moved in to 12 Grimmauld Place to become the first female owner of it. She grimmaced upon thinking that Kreacher had to stay and take orders from her and the portrait of Mrs. Black would scream at her clumsiness and halfbreed blood.
She smiled slightly though, reminding herself that now she had a house to do with whatever she wanted, well, within reason since members of the Order were constantly coming, going, staying over... not to mention the Weasley's and Harry who would be staying the entire month of August. Which reminded her, August was only six days away and Harry's birthday was in five days.
Different present ideas floated through her head as she walked the short distance home, but by the time she walked into the front foyer she was still at nothing.
She glanced at the grandfather clock in the front hall. Five o' clock... okay so her whole journey to London for lunch and the appointment took a little longer than necessary, but she doubted anyone noticed her missing.
"Nymphadora Tonks!"
Tonks flinched, Molly must have been talking to her mother because she sounded uncannily like her.
Molly rushed at her, concern and anger (an expression only mother's seem to be able to do) written all over her face.
"Where have you been, Tonks?" she said, her eyes looking over Tonks for damage. "You took a lunch at two o' clock and here it is at five and you're just getting in! I Flooed St. Mungo's and they said you had a doctor come to your parents flat and check you over, is everything all right?"
Tonks cringed inwardly, while blinking in mild amusement outwardly. She should have known that Molly's motherly instinct would have set the alarm bells ringing when Tonks didn't walk through that door at the latest three-thirty.
"I just thought I needed a check... up..." the color of Tonks' face faded when Dumbledore appeared in the foyer behind Molly, giving Tonks a very pointed look. He knew. Of course he knew! He's Albus Dumbledore the most all-knowing man in the world!
"Molly you may finish interrogating Miss Tonks in a few minutes. I would like to have a word with her first though," he gave another look and gestured for Tonks to follow him.
She caught herself before she tripped over the umbrella stand, but her nerves caused her to, instead, fall into a candle stand that had been made from a vampire's arm and set Mrs. Black into a screaming frenzy.
"Vile-"
But Dumbledore was quick and cast a strong charm that silenced the mad woman in the portrait immediately. He gave Tonks a gentle smile.
A moment later they were entering the study and Dumbledore was casting an Imperturbable charm on the door.
"The Weasley's have arrived already," he explained.
"Yes, I was wondering why Molly was attacking and how she knew I had left at two," Tonks laughed, avoiding eye contact with Dumbledore.
"She does tend to mother most of those around her, though I never say 'no' to her food," he smiled. They shared a thoughtful moment until Tonks finally voiced her question.
"So, how did you know? When I didn't come back did you cast a charm telling me where I was, what I was doing, and who was with me, including the unborn and undeveloped?" she said poking fun at Dumbledore's vast abilities.
"Actually I was looking over the tapestry and I happened to notice two added people," Dumbledore admitted. Tonks looked up sharply, waiting for Dumbledore to say he was joking, but when he remained pofaced she ran over to the tapestry, tripping slightly over the carpet, and looked at it.
He was right. A simple black line had been connected to her name, a line coming from the name Remus Lupin. And coming off that line was another saying Child.
"This is quite an impressive spell this tree has on it," Dumbledore said conversationally. "Able to track every change and shift in a family and move accordingly."
"Why are the lines black, not silver or gold or..." she trailed off.
"Because you and Remus are unmarried."
"Then why is he on here? Shouldn't he only be added if I married him?"
"You are a Black heir, and when an ancestor on this tree has a child, the father or mother is added automatically because the child is a Black ancestor as well."
"Oh." Why didn't she think of that?
"Now, I believe we need to discuss the course of action you plan on taking now that you are with child," Dumbledore said seriously.
"Action for what? Nothing's going to change," Tonks said, but then remembered what Healer Abberd had told her. "Well, nothing except for my Metamorphmagus powers."
"And your relationship with Lupin, and whether or not I can allow you to fight with the Order-"
"Dumbledore you can't kick me out! I'm going to fight anyway, you won't be able to stop me!" Tonks yelled.
"Miss Tonks, I fear that if you fight you will be putting yourself and the child in danger-"
"So? Don't you think I've thought about that? That's why I consulted a Healer. He said I could fight until the ninth month!"
Dumbledore raised a white eyebrow in disbelief.
"Well... he said I had to start cutting back, but that I could still fight..." Tonks admitted.
"Yes, well, while I am in no position to tell you what you can and can't do in your job as an Auror, I can tell you what to do in your job in the Order," Dumbledore said, holding up a hand to stop Tonks from speaking up again. "So first off I'm going to order you to not use your Metamorphmagus abilities."
"Yes, I know, I'm not going to use them anymore until after the baby," Tonks rolled her eyes and flopped down on to a couch sending a cloud of dust up. She sneezed. Dumbledore remained standing, looking at the young woman quizzically.
"You're fine with losing your powers?"
"No!" Tonks gasped. "I hate it... but... well, I don't want to hurt the child."
"That's a very adult stance," Dumbledore noted. Tonks snorted.
"I'm twenty-three and having a baby... I imagine I'm going to have to grow up now," she muttered morosely. Dumbledore sat next to her.
"Yes, and no," he said. "You will have to grow up into a mother figure for this child, but you don't have to really grow up. I never did."
Tonks smiled.
"But it's like... a child... raising a child," she looked incredulous. "I have a life inside of me, a life I'm..." she trailed off in thoughtful wonderment.
"My dear, you are holding the world's oldest and most raw magic inside of you," Dumbledore said very seriously. "The forming of life was the first magic ever known, and it is a gift bestowed to you. And I worry not that you will be a bad mother. My dear, though I'm sure you would have held it off for another couple of years, I would have not asked it for any other person."
"Except, Molly," Tonks piped up. Dumbledore thought for a moment then nodded in agreement.
"Yes, except Molly-"
"But she's had her fun."
"I would hope she's-"
"Is this why witches are often more powerful?"
"Not neces-"
"Because, we hold the best magic ever in our hand... er... wombs?"
Dumbledore just smiled at Tonks.
"If that's what you would like to think," he finally said. "But you should also be thinking of something else..."
Tonks blinked at Dumbledore, confused.
"What?"
"You need to think about what you are to tell the rest of the Order-"
"Shit."
"-and Remus."
"Double shit."
Dumbledore smiled inwardly, Tonks and Moody were the only two wizards, ever, to have the guts to swear in front of him.
"I would advise telling Remus first, then the Order, and then your boss at the Ministry," Dumbledore said vaguely as to not put too much pressure on Tonks, while pulling out a tin of chocolate. "I smell that dinner is almost complete, would you like me to send Remus up so you can tell him before dinner, allowing you to tell the rest of the Order then?"
Tonks only stared at Dumbledore's omniscient attitude.
"Very good!" he smiled warmly, and left the room.
Tonks put her head in her hands, and while waiting for Remus, allowed her mind to drift back to the event that took place ten days ago to put her in such a position...
"Remus?" Tonks knocked gently on his door. "Remus, I brought you some food since you weren't at dinner..." The door drifted open as she leaned on it slightly.
Her heart broke as she saw Remus sitting at a chair in front of the window, with only the light of the quarter moon shining on his face with tears drifting down it.
"Oh, Remus," Tonks nearly moaned, quickly setting down the tray on a small table (which incidently caused the glass of pumpkin juice to tip over, on to a fork which went sailing across the room, and soil the rest of the food). She hurried over to him, pausing only to untangle her foot from the bed cover on the floor.
Tonks knelt in front of Remus and tried to catch his gaze.
"Oh... Remus, are you all right?" she asked, foolishly catching her statement too late. "Oh, that was stupid, I'm sorry. Of course you're not okay, I mean with Sirius- oh, shit, I'm sorry. Shutting up now."
Remus slowly turned his head and looked at her, pain etched in his eyes making Tonks' heart break.
"I'm the last one," his tear-filled voice finally spoke. "You know that?"
Tonks nodded.
"Everything was falling back into place!" he exclaimed, standing up.
"But things aren't supposed to go back to the way they were. They never fit," Tonks said gently. He walked over to the bed and sat down, his head in his hands.
"Why am I always the one left behind?" he finally asked. Tonks didn't know what to say, so instead she walked over and sat next to him, her hand rubbing his back soothingly. "But he's not coming back this time. I'm alone."
"You're not. Don't ever think that... don't say it, either," Tonks added as an after thought. Remus laughed slightly, catching her joke.
"You're right," he said more to himself, and patting Tonks on the knee as to almost to reassure himself that she was there. "I have Harry, the rest of the Order... it just hurts not having him here anymore."
"And it's going to hurt. But that's good," Tonks said earnestly, ducking her head to catch his gaze and bringing it back up with her, "it means you can still feel things..."
Her breath hitched. Remus was looking at her with such an intensity, one that she had never felt before. She racked her brain to think when the next full moon was... it didn't start until the 29th, there was no extraneous reason for him looking at her like this.
"Remus-" his lips cut her off.
Remus was kissing her! Remus Lupin... was kissing her! And what a kiss! She couldn't help but respond, kissing him back harder and more earnestly, wrapping her arms around him and raking her fingers through his long greying-brown hair.
He slowly broke away and she looked at him curiously. What had just happened-
No more time to think, Remus was back at kissing her with much more ferver then before. He pulled his hands away and grabbed the bottom of her shirt and began tugging up at it. She understood what he meant and raised her arms in the air where they broke their kisses to get it off.
The shirt was just the first article of clothing to come off, and soon there was nothing, just sweat, skin and passion.
The stale air was made alive again, electric, thick with heat and love. Emotion fell heavily everywhere, lonliness, need, want, survival... raw emotion.
It seemed like it had just begun when it ended. Both of them were breathing heavily, quiet, letting what they just had done sink in... and then shock joined it.
"Nymphadora..."
"Oh, God..."
"I'm so sorry..."
"Remus, I really shouldn't have..."
"...just there..."
"...took advantage..."
"You should go."
"I should go."
And she put her clothes on, and left...
They had not spoken since. Either it was the awkwardness both feared facing, or it was just because they were too busy. But tonight would be the first night they would be speaking since...
"Dumbledore said you had something to tell me?" Remus poked his head in. Tonks jerked her head up and smiled slightly nervous.
"Um... yeah... come sit down," she patted the spot next to her on the couch causing puffs of dust to fly up.
"Is everything okay?" Remus asked, concerned, as he sat next to her.
"Yes... and no," Tonks admitted.
"This is about that night, isn't it?"
"Yes it-"
"And, I would just like to really apologize to you, Tonks. It was unprofessional, and... well, I'm a lot older than you and I don't think-"
"Remus, shut up."
His mouth snapped shut.
"This is about that night, but I don't think apologies are going to stop what the consequences are."
"What do you-"
Quick and direct, like pulling off a band-aid was always the way to go...
"I'm pregnant."
She smiled when she got no response. Hopefully what she had to do would be quick and she wouldn't be caught... and her news wouldn't be what she feared it to be.
Taking another glance around she quickly walked over to the magically placed fireplace, knocking over only the hearth tools next to it in the process. She picked up some of the spilled Floo Powder, threw it in and stuck her head in.
"St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries Home Ward!" she cried out in the flames. She closed her eyes and braced herself against the dizzying effects the small travel took her through and opened them only when she knew it was still.
"Yes, how can I help you?" a pleasant female voice asked.
A small witch in Healer uniform was seated at a desk extremely close to the fire, but angled so she could see any heads that may be in it, as Tonks' was currently.
"I need a Healer for a house call," Tonks said. The witch began making notes on a piece of parchment.
"Reason?" she asked clearly.
"Just a small examination..." Tonks bit her lip, hoping the Healer wouldn't ask anymore, and thankfully she didn't.
"Name?"
"Nymphadora Tonks."
The witch smiled slightly as she paused a moment to write it down.
"Address?"
"Number four, Resident Alley, flat Q."
"All right, dear," the witch quickly glanced over the parchment for any more details she needed. "All right, that's cleared up. As soon as my associate, Healer Abberd, gets back in from an emergency, I will send him right over."
"Thank you very much," Tonks smiled.
"You're welcome."
Giving one last smile, she pulled her head from the fireplace and fell back on the floor of the flat. Too tired, too worried and too stressed she just remained there, staring at the ceiling. It actually wasn't a boring ceiling, which you might find interesting. Her mother thought it would be fun to try and do what Hogwarts did with the Great Hall and bewitch the ceiling to look like the sky outside... but since her mother didn't quite have the powers of the four founders of Hogwarts it didn't turn out as well as the one in the legendary school.
Instead of clouds on a cloudly day it was just swirly grey. Sunny day? Bright flickering yellow. Night? Black with moving little pin pricks of light, which was the closest it got to actually mimicking the outdoors. All in all it was a beautiful ceiling.
Tonks rolled on to her stomach, sick of thinking about the ceiling and needing to think about the topic at hand.
How could this happen? Well actually she knew how it happened, her mother was quite open about things like that. How could she let this happen, was the better question.
The roaring up of the fire broke Tonks out of the reverie she was slowly letting herself slip into. Jumping up a little too quickly Tonks fell back into a lamp stand, shattering the ugly ceramic lighting fixture her dad proudly boasted about making. Muttering a quick repairing charm, Tonks brushed herself off and changed her hair back to it's natural dark brown and shoulder length style in order to look a little more adult.
An older balding man came tumbling out of the fire, wearing the usual lime green robes of the Mungo's staff. The only thing different about his attire was the emblem of the bone and wand stitched into the robes, under it was a little black doctor's case, showing that the Healer was a House Calling Healer that dealt with wizards and witches with more simple maladies, typically outside the hospital.
"Hello," the man said, smiling brightly and brushing himself free of soot. "You must be Nymphadora Tonks."
"Yes," Tonks returned the smile nervously and shook his hand.
"I'm Healer Charles Abberd," he said. "Now, Miss Tonks, it says here," he read off the parchment the other Healer had been noting on earlier, "that you wanted a simple examination..."
"Actually," Tonks stopped him, "I... um... well, I was wondering if you... well, can you..."
She trailed off, wondering how to word this, but Healer Abberd seemed to know where this was heading. He studied her closely.
"Miss Tonks, are you wondering if I could perform an exam on you to see if you are with child?" he asked gently.
Tonks nodded slowly, a faint blush creeping up her face.
"Dear, I can do that without a problem," he smiled gently, pulling out his wand. "Now, hold still, this doesn't hurt and doesn't take long at all, you just need to let it work."
Tonks practically held her breath as Abberd said the charm ('Graviditas Percensere') and a jet of white light engulfed her. The light slowly shaped itself into an orb and began to grow smaller and smaller, continuing to center itself around Tonks's abdomen. Finally when it was the size of a basketball it floated slightly away from her body and began turning from white, to pink, and so on until it was finally a bright red.
Healer Abberd looked resigned and from the black bag he had brought with him pulled out several pieces of parchment and a quill. Tonks looked at him nervously until he made eye contact with her.
"I'm sorry," he stated simply, obviously knowing she didn't want to be pregnant.
"Oh, God..." Tonks muttered, stepping towards the sofa then falling heavily into it. Abberd sat down gingerly next to her.
"I need to ask you a few questions Miss Tonks. It is Miss Tonks, I'm assuming?" Tonks nodded and Abberd wrote something down on one of the pieces of parchment. "How old are you Miss Tonks?"
Tonks mumbled something into her hands.
"I'm sorry?"
"...twenty-three."
Scratch went the quill on parchment.
"Your birthdate?"
"June 8th, 1973."
Scratch.
"Do you know who the father is?"
"Yes..."
"His name?"
"You're not going to contact him are you?"
"We won't if you do not want us to, but it is highly advised you work closely together for the sake of the child, even if you are not going to keep it or-"
"I'm keeping it."
"Very well, but it's still advised, especially if you are planning on keeping the child, to remain in close contact with it's father."
Tonks nodded in resigned agreement.
"Very good, his name?"
"Remus Lupin."
The quill did not scratch this time, but instead hovered over the parchment, shaking slightly.
"Remus Lupin?" the Healer asked.
"Yes, do you know him?"
"I'm afraid I do... the werewolf..." Abberd muttered off handed.
"Is that going to be a problem? It's not inheritant is it?" Tonks began getting worried.
"No, no, don't worry. I happened to be the one who treated Mr. Lupin when he first recieved his bite, well I helped the Healer that was training me treat him," Abberd smiled slightly at the memory. "But no, there will be no complications or problems with the child. It might even escape inheriting any form of Mr. Lupin's lycanthropy."
"But it may?"
"It could. In the cases we've seen where werewolves have produced offspring, the symptoms vary. The most common is hyperactivity, especially around a full moon," the Healer reassured her. Tonks relaxed. "Do you know his date of birth?"
"September 2, 1960," Tonks blushed furiously. The only acknowledgement of the age difference from Healer Abberd was a slight lift of the eyebrows while writing the date down.
"Now, I've noted his lycanthropy in order to help you and I both for further examinations as well as keeping you and the baby healthy, but I need to ask if there are any medical disorders, oddities, or mutations you may have," Healer Abberd adjusted his parchments for easier writing.
"I'm a Metamorphmagus, but that's all," Tonks said nonchalantly, she always forgot, though rare that it was, how many people were amazed by it.
"Merlin's beard, are you?" Abberd practically snapped his quill in excitement.
"Yeah," Tonks nodded. Abberd looked suddenly flustered and shy.
"If... would you mind perhaps... after the baby is born... would you mind if I could just... well... study you, for lack of better words?" Abberd managed out. Tonks smiled.
"I think so, yes, but I may change my mind after the baby," she said. Abberd nodded.
"Yes, of course. You don't need to feel obligated, it's just that Metamorphmagi are quite rare and it would be nice to have references for future doctors, well you know," he smiled. Tonks nodded.
"Okay, this is all the immediate information I need as of now- well, except of course payment," he winked.
"Oh, yes, how much?" Tonks asked, jumping up and running into her unused room where she often kept extra money.
"Ten Galleons, six Sickles and nine Knuts," Abberd called back as he began organizing his information and putting it away.
Tonks quickly gathered the money up and gave it to Abberd who tucked it away in his black doctor's bag.
"Now, we'll need to schedule another appointment-"
"How far along am I? Did the orb-thing tell you?" Tonks interrupted.
"A little over a week," Abberd said with a raised eyebrow. "Ten days to be precise. But, I would like to make an appointment, at least once a month..."
"Well, I can do that, I think, yes," Tonks said thinking about how she would swing that around the Order of the Phoenix meetings and duties, as well as her regular job as an Auror; all of which was being made more difficult by the rise of the Second War.
Apparantly Tonks's hesitation was clear on her face for Abberd questioned what her job was.
"Well..." she began cautiously, unsure of how much she should tell him. But, he was basically going to be her obstetrician for the next nine months, and if you can't trust someone like that... well you can't trust anyone then. "I'm an Auror first of all, and with V- You-Know-Who back and all, it's pretty hectic there. I'm also a member of an exclusive group fighting in front-"
"The Order of the Phoenix..." Abberd stated in an awed whisper.
"What?"
"You're part of the Order of the Phoenix."
"Yes," Tonks smiled slightly, relieved she wouldn't have to make much of an explanation. There was a moment of silence where Abberd shook off his star-struck behavior.
"Well, Miss Tonks, a month from now would be August the 26th, will you be able to do that?" Tonks nodded and Abberd magicked her a card to remind her of the date. "Here again at the same time?"
"Um..." Tonks looked uncomfortably down at her feet. "Would it be all right if I contacted you later about where?"
"Yes, that would be fine," Abberd smiled. "Just not too much later. And another thing before I go, involving your work and your Metamorphmagi abilities. You may do strenuous work for the first couple of months, but I would advise cutting back month by month until you are entirely out of work, Order of the Phoenix as well, by your ninth month at the latest."
"But-"
"No, 'buts' Miss Tonks, this is for the safety of yourself as well as the baby. Ninth month at the latest you should be off your feet. I would recommend seventh month starting that, but you seem like a very head strong young woman that would not listen to a wise Healer's advice."
Tonks gave a sheepish smile.
"The biggest thing I must demand you not do anymore, is your Metamorphing."
"But that's what practically all my work is based around! I have to do it! People depend on me to do it-"
"No, Miss Tonks, I'm not sure how your abilities work, but I am sure they will affect the child, especially during the developmental stage such as now. We can maybe discuss allowing your abilities to be used in a few months, but for now, your baby could be in danger of mutations should you use your powers while it's developing." He finished his rant glaring hard at Tonks who could do nothing but shake her head in agreement. He made a good point and she didn't want to mess up her baby's future.
The only problem, she thought while bidding Healer Abberd goodbye, is telling people why I can't be a Metamorphmagus for the next nine months...
Tonks apparated into a tiny park area Dumbledore had said was okay to apparate to, as the only people usually in it were drunk Muggles. It was only a block away from Headquarters, now Tonks' home.
After Sirius' death the house was up for grabs since he was the last male Black left and had left no will stating what he wanted to have happen to 12 Grimmauld Place in the case of his death. Dumbledore, being the wise man he is, fixed the Black family tapestry to contain all the members, specifically those who had been blasted off, and now Tonks was on there, her mother having joined back on and the tapestry updated itself by adding Ted Tonks and their daughter Nymphadora Tonks. Making adjustments from Tonks' own Muggle flat in the center of London, she sold it and moved in to 12 Grimmauld Place to become the first female owner of it. She grimmaced upon thinking that Kreacher had to stay and take orders from her and the portrait of Mrs. Black would scream at her clumsiness and halfbreed blood.
She smiled slightly though, reminding herself that now she had a house to do with whatever she wanted, well, within reason since members of the Order were constantly coming, going, staying over... not to mention the Weasley's and Harry who would be staying the entire month of August. Which reminded her, August was only six days away and Harry's birthday was in five days.
Different present ideas floated through her head as she walked the short distance home, but by the time she walked into the front foyer she was still at nothing.
She glanced at the grandfather clock in the front hall. Five o' clock... okay so her whole journey to London for lunch and the appointment took a little longer than necessary, but she doubted anyone noticed her missing.
"Nymphadora Tonks!"
Tonks flinched, Molly must have been talking to her mother because she sounded uncannily like her.
Molly rushed at her, concern and anger (an expression only mother's seem to be able to do) written all over her face.
"Where have you been, Tonks?" she said, her eyes looking over Tonks for damage. "You took a lunch at two o' clock and here it is at five and you're just getting in! I Flooed St. Mungo's and they said you had a doctor come to your parents flat and check you over, is everything all right?"
Tonks cringed inwardly, while blinking in mild amusement outwardly. She should have known that Molly's motherly instinct would have set the alarm bells ringing when Tonks didn't walk through that door at the latest three-thirty.
"I just thought I needed a check... up..." the color of Tonks' face faded when Dumbledore appeared in the foyer behind Molly, giving Tonks a very pointed look. He knew. Of course he knew! He's Albus Dumbledore the most all-knowing man in the world!
"Molly you may finish interrogating Miss Tonks in a few minutes. I would like to have a word with her first though," he gave another look and gestured for Tonks to follow him.
She caught herself before she tripped over the umbrella stand, but her nerves caused her to, instead, fall into a candle stand that had been made from a vampire's arm and set Mrs. Black into a screaming frenzy.
"Vile-"
But Dumbledore was quick and cast a strong charm that silenced the mad woman in the portrait immediately. He gave Tonks a gentle smile.
A moment later they were entering the study and Dumbledore was casting an Imperturbable charm on the door.
"The Weasley's have arrived already," he explained.
"Yes, I was wondering why Molly was attacking and how she knew I had left at two," Tonks laughed, avoiding eye contact with Dumbledore.
"She does tend to mother most of those around her, though I never say 'no' to her food," he smiled. They shared a thoughtful moment until Tonks finally voiced her question.
"So, how did you know? When I didn't come back did you cast a charm telling me where I was, what I was doing, and who was with me, including the unborn and undeveloped?" she said poking fun at Dumbledore's vast abilities.
"Actually I was looking over the tapestry and I happened to notice two added people," Dumbledore admitted. Tonks looked up sharply, waiting for Dumbledore to say he was joking, but when he remained pofaced she ran over to the tapestry, tripping slightly over the carpet, and looked at it.
He was right. A simple black line had been connected to her name, a line coming from the name Remus Lupin. And coming off that line was another saying Child.
"This is quite an impressive spell this tree has on it," Dumbledore said conversationally. "Able to track every change and shift in a family and move accordingly."
"Why are the lines black, not silver or gold or..." she trailed off.
"Because you and Remus are unmarried."
"Then why is he on here? Shouldn't he only be added if I married him?"
"You are a Black heir, and when an ancestor on this tree has a child, the father or mother is added automatically because the child is a Black ancestor as well."
"Oh." Why didn't she think of that?
"Now, I believe we need to discuss the course of action you plan on taking now that you are with child," Dumbledore said seriously.
"Action for what? Nothing's going to change," Tonks said, but then remembered what Healer Abberd had told her. "Well, nothing except for my Metamorphmagus powers."
"And your relationship with Lupin, and whether or not I can allow you to fight with the Order-"
"Dumbledore you can't kick me out! I'm going to fight anyway, you won't be able to stop me!" Tonks yelled.
"Miss Tonks, I fear that if you fight you will be putting yourself and the child in danger-"
"So? Don't you think I've thought about that? That's why I consulted a Healer. He said I could fight until the ninth month!"
Dumbledore raised a white eyebrow in disbelief.
"Well... he said I had to start cutting back, but that I could still fight..." Tonks admitted.
"Yes, well, while I am in no position to tell you what you can and can't do in your job as an Auror, I can tell you what to do in your job in the Order," Dumbledore said, holding up a hand to stop Tonks from speaking up again. "So first off I'm going to order you to not use your Metamorphmagus abilities."
"Yes, I know, I'm not going to use them anymore until after the baby," Tonks rolled her eyes and flopped down on to a couch sending a cloud of dust up. She sneezed. Dumbledore remained standing, looking at the young woman quizzically.
"You're fine with losing your powers?"
"No!" Tonks gasped. "I hate it... but... well, I don't want to hurt the child."
"That's a very adult stance," Dumbledore noted. Tonks snorted.
"I'm twenty-three and having a baby... I imagine I'm going to have to grow up now," she muttered morosely. Dumbledore sat next to her.
"Yes, and no," he said. "You will have to grow up into a mother figure for this child, but you don't have to really grow up. I never did."
Tonks smiled.
"But it's like... a child... raising a child," she looked incredulous. "I have a life inside of me, a life I'm..." she trailed off in thoughtful wonderment.
"My dear, you are holding the world's oldest and most raw magic inside of you," Dumbledore said very seriously. "The forming of life was the first magic ever known, and it is a gift bestowed to you. And I worry not that you will be a bad mother. My dear, though I'm sure you would have held it off for another couple of years, I would have not asked it for any other person."
"Except, Molly," Tonks piped up. Dumbledore thought for a moment then nodded in agreement.
"Yes, except Molly-"
"But she's had her fun."
"I would hope she's-"
"Is this why witches are often more powerful?"
"Not neces-"
"Because, we hold the best magic ever in our hand... er... wombs?"
Dumbledore just smiled at Tonks.
"If that's what you would like to think," he finally said. "But you should also be thinking of something else..."
Tonks blinked at Dumbledore, confused.
"What?"
"You need to think about what you are to tell the rest of the Order-"
"Shit."
"-and Remus."
"Double shit."
Dumbledore smiled inwardly, Tonks and Moody were the only two wizards, ever, to have the guts to swear in front of him.
"I would advise telling Remus first, then the Order, and then your boss at the Ministry," Dumbledore said vaguely as to not put too much pressure on Tonks, while pulling out a tin of chocolate. "I smell that dinner is almost complete, would you like me to send Remus up so you can tell him before dinner, allowing you to tell the rest of the Order then?"
Tonks only stared at Dumbledore's omniscient attitude.
"Very good!" he smiled warmly, and left the room.
Tonks put her head in her hands, and while waiting for Remus, allowed her mind to drift back to the event that took place ten days ago to put her in such a position...
"Remus?" Tonks knocked gently on his door. "Remus, I brought you some food since you weren't at dinner..." The door drifted open as she leaned on it slightly.
Her heart broke as she saw Remus sitting at a chair in front of the window, with only the light of the quarter moon shining on his face with tears drifting down it.
"Oh, Remus," Tonks nearly moaned, quickly setting down the tray on a small table (which incidently caused the glass of pumpkin juice to tip over, on to a fork which went sailing across the room, and soil the rest of the food). She hurried over to him, pausing only to untangle her foot from the bed cover on the floor.
Tonks knelt in front of Remus and tried to catch his gaze.
"Oh... Remus, are you all right?" she asked, foolishly catching her statement too late. "Oh, that was stupid, I'm sorry. Of course you're not okay, I mean with Sirius- oh, shit, I'm sorry. Shutting up now."
Remus slowly turned his head and looked at her, pain etched in his eyes making Tonks' heart break.
"I'm the last one," his tear-filled voice finally spoke. "You know that?"
Tonks nodded.
"Everything was falling back into place!" he exclaimed, standing up.
"But things aren't supposed to go back to the way they were. They never fit," Tonks said gently. He walked over to the bed and sat down, his head in his hands.
"Why am I always the one left behind?" he finally asked. Tonks didn't know what to say, so instead she walked over and sat next to him, her hand rubbing his back soothingly. "But he's not coming back this time. I'm alone."
"You're not. Don't ever think that... don't say it, either," Tonks added as an after thought. Remus laughed slightly, catching her joke.
"You're right," he said more to himself, and patting Tonks on the knee as to almost to reassure himself that she was there. "I have Harry, the rest of the Order... it just hurts not having him here anymore."
"And it's going to hurt. But that's good," Tonks said earnestly, ducking her head to catch his gaze and bringing it back up with her, "it means you can still feel things..."
Her breath hitched. Remus was looking at her with such an intensity, one that she had never felt before. She racked her brain to think when the next full moon was... it didn't start until the 29th, there was no extraneous reason for him looking at her like this.
"Remus-" his lips cut her off.
Remus was kissing her! Remus Lupin... was kissing her! And what a kiss! She couldn't help but respond, kissing him back harder and more earnestly, wrapping her arms around him and raking her fingers through his long greying-brown hair.
He slowly broke away and she looked at him curiously. What had just happened-
No more time to think, Remus was back at kissing her with much more ferver then before. He pulled his hands away and grabbed the bottom of her shirt and began tugging up at it. She understood what he meant and raised her arms in the air where they broke their kisses to get it off.
The shirt was just the first article of clothing to come off, and soon there was nothing, just sweat, skin and passion.
The stale air was made alive again, electric, thick with heat and love. Emotion fell heavily everywhere, lonliness, need, want, survival... raw emotion.
It seemed like it had just begun when it ended. Both of them were breathing heavily, quiet, letting what they just had done sink in... and then shock joined it.
"Nymphadora..."
"Oh, God..."
"I'm so sorry..."
"Remus, I really shouldn't have..."
"...just there..."
"...took advantage..."
"You should go."
"I should go."
And she put her clothes on, and left...
They had not spoken since. Either it was the awkwardness both feared facing, or it was just because they were too busy. But tonight would be the first night they would be speaking since...
"Dumbledore said you had something to tell me?" Remus poked his head in. Tonks jerked her head up and smiled slightly nervous.
"Um... yeah... come sit down," she patted the spot next to her on the couch causing puffs of dust to fly up.
"Is everything okay?" Remus asked, concerned, as he sat next to her.
"Yes... and no," Tonks admitted.
"This is about that night, isn't it?"
"Yes it-"
"And, I would just like to really apologize to you, Tonks. It was unprofessional, and... well, I'm a lot older than you and I don't think-"
"Remus, shut up."
His mouth snapped shut.
"This is about that night, but I don't think apologies are going to stop what the consequences are."
"What do you-"
Quick and direct, like pulling off a band-aid was always the way to go...
"I'm pregnant."