News From the Burrow

I'm blushing as I write this. It's a Harry Potter fanfic. I'm hopelessly obsessed with Tonks and Lupin.

“Now, you’ve done this before?” Arthur questioned standing next to her, though his eyes weren’t focused on the subject at hand.

She had rented a muggle flat and all of the electrical appliances were begging, pleading for Arthur Weasley to take them apart and figure them out. Tonks had known him for years, they were family friends. Not to mention that most of her time during her last years of Hogwarts were spent in empty classrooms with his second eldest, Charlie. Over the years, she became well aware of his passion for muggle objects. He might have even suggested coming to her flat after work just to admire her gallery of muggle artifacts.

“’Course, these are nearly finished, just need a final touch so Molly can make them knit in the letters.” Tonks said setting two knitting needles down on her cluttered kitchen table. She rambled on, turning pages idly in her copy of Spellbound Housewife. “When I saw this flat, it seemed a shame to pass it up. The problem was that they don’t rent for younger people. Luckily for me, I don’t always have to be a young person.

“The woman next door, she saw the sweater Molly made me when Charlie and I--, well I was a tad arsefaced. I promised her that I’d make her one with a little “E” for Erma. I’d hate to see what’d happen with me and two large needles, so I bewitched some. Ah,” she stopped and pointed at a drawing of knitting needles. “see? The only thing is, it doesn’t include any of the fancy stitches that Molly so adores.”

Arthur had wandered over to her new microwave oven. Words and numbers decorating the front of it, and a small door, what could this be?

“Fascinating, what does this?” Arthur began and gestured at it. “Is it a new form of muggle transportation?”

“It cooks food quickly,” Tonks brushed it off, concentrating on the spell.

“Oh, how anti-climactic,” Arthur nevertheless continued to play with the oven.

“Turn around, would you?” she warned over her shoulder. When Arthur heeded, she continued. The needles danced on their points and thudded back down on the table. “You can look. Last time, there was a bit of a tussle and Riley, my cat, he got the brunt of it. I had to get him stitches of his own.”

“You’re sure they’ll knit?” Arthur ignored the last bit and gathered up the needles.

“I’m sure,” she nodded, looking at the needles. “It’ll certainly help her out since you’ve been collecting children.”

“Too right, Molly needs a bit of a rest.” He added. “Thanks, Nymphadora-,” she winced. “don’t have the time anymore, what with my new position. Few years back, I would’ve loved to sit around and charm some needles for her.”

“Well I do hope she likes them,” Tonks said and smiled at Arthur. “Oh, Mum and Dad send their regards.”

He nodded.

“You want some butterbeer? Tea?” she offered walking to the refrigerator.

“Tea’d be lovely, thanks.” Arthur slid the needles into his briefcase and took a chair at the table.

“So, how’s life at the Burrow?” Tonks said attempting to make conversation. “Bill, Charlie, Percy, the twins, Ron, Ginny?”

“Bill’s great, still off in Egypt, Charlie’s due back to Romania, doing good as well. Uh, let’s see, you know about Percy, all twelve OWLS, incredible. The twins, much to Molly’s worry, are making prank material secretly in their bunks. Can you imagine Molly?” he laughed and accepted the glass of tea from Tonks. “Ron’s fine, being Ron, nice having a normal boy. And little Ginny, she’s quite taken with Harry Potter. Ron’s best mate, he is. Kind boy, too.”

“Oh yeah?” she was always curious to meet “The Boy Who Lived”. She supposed that the whole rest of the wizarding population was pretty mutual on that interest, though.

“Looks like his dad, a bit less obnoxious, more grown up for his age. For his life though, he’s got to be, poor Harry. Molly’s sort of taken him on; she’s got worry-lines for him now, too.” Arthur explained and smiled.

“Like Molly needs another son,” she joked. They both took a sip from their glasses.

“Have you heard what happened to Remus Lupin? I’ve heard he gave you lessons a few years back, still in touch?”

“Nah, stopped owling each other in my third year, I think.” Tonks took a deep breath and continued. “Great teacher, in fact, that’s the last I’ve heard about him, I reckon. It was in the Prophet that he had landed a job at Hogwarts, hmm? Bet he loved that, teaching a large group of kids. His name has been floating since school let out, did he do well?”

“Oh, of course, and he probably adored it. He was a first year when I was about to finish my schooling, he would always try and help his friends, well, any student really, with school work.” Arthur agreed, swishing his tea. “No, sadly, he had to resign.”

“Resign? For what? Remus Lupin is exactly what that school needs, what with the annual Defense Against the Dark Arts post being up for interview. He’d do well there, I only wish that he had come sooner!”

“For his condition, it was leaked to the students.” Arthur frowned. He gave a sad look over his glasses. “I suppose he’s just used to the discrimination, false-fear, by now.”

“Condition?” she asked simply and cocked on of her red eyebrows.

“You didn’t know?” Arthur looked puzzled. “Thought you would’ve, being in Auror training, Nymphadora, he’s a werewolf.”

“A werewolf?”

“Bitten when he was young, he said. Doesn’t really love to chat about it though, I don’t blame him.” Arthur took another drink.

“That’s terrible.” She was shocked, her childhood tutor; a werewolf. Kind, calm Remus Lupin couldn’t possibly be a werewolf. If anything perhaps a weresheep if there was such a thing. Textbook examples of werewolves flashed through her head, murders, Fenrir Greyback, always portrayed to be monstrous, tempered, and violent.

She reasoned that Remus hadn't told her so that she didn't think he was dangerous. Though, she couldn't help but feel a bit betrayed. He had been a very important friend to her when she was little. She would tell him things about her morphing and about the loss of her cousin, Sirius Black, that she wouldn't have dreamed about telling her parents. Of course, an adult isn't nearly as chatty as a child. Then he had to be the most secretive person she'd known. Remus having more walls around himself than any other person she had encountered even now. She had never had secret like this one. Being a werewolf justified being that shielded.

“—what with all of the new laws, Umbridge gaining power in the Ministry,” Arthur shook his head.

The clock started to chime; it was already seven in the evening. Arthur was due home.

“Well, it was delightful to see you again. You must find a way to the Burrow sometime. Molly’d love the company. How much would you like for the needles?” he got up from his chair. She rose with him.

“Oh, nothing at all, Arthur it was nothing. Send Molly and the kids my love, I’ll try to get around there.” she smiled. “See you soon?”

“I’ll see you soon, Nymphadora.”Arthur gave her a quick hug and left her with thoughts of a new Remus Lupin.

Author's Note

Seeing as this was my first fanfic since the ripe age of twelve, give me a break:D

Reviews

[Nova]

This was great. I never see fanfics about Tonks and Lupin and the few that I've seen i say this is the best.
Good Job!