Weasley Twins - A Fate You Can't Escape

Chapter 66 - Toasting Tonks

Mid October comes around and on the fifteenth, I can't help but think about Remus and Tonks.  The curiosity is killing me!  Are they actually getting together?  Thankfully I don't have to wait too long to satiate my curiosity.  The seventeenth is an order meeting.

I had had to give Dumbledore the artifact.  It was a bit hard.  I had grown attached to it in the... fifteen minutes it was in my possession.  Maybe it was a good thing that he took it.  I apparently was a bit attracted to the power it held.  I am hoping that there will be some information about it at the meeting.  Once again, something I am curious about.

I arrive at the headquarters as the sun sets in the sky.  After the normal grilling at the door, I step into the dark halls of the house.  I wonder why it was never redecorated.  It wouldn't be too hard to do considering everyone here has magic.  Alas, not my place in more than one way.

I arrive just as the meeting is about to start.  Unfortunately the only empty chair is between Severus Snape and George Weasley.  Giving both men an awkward smile in greeting, I sink into the creaky wooden chair.

"Perfect timing Hazel!"  Dumbledore stands at the front of the room, clothed in a set of outrageous purple and orange robes.  "Hello everyone.  I am grateful to be able to make it tonight.  Things at the school are... tense.  Things with Harry are coming along well.  He should be ready for the next steps in due time."

I don't know what he's talking about.  And I'm not sure anybody else does either.  Dumbledore isn't very good at disclosing important information.  I glance over at the black clothed man beside me.  His jaw is clenched, like the very thought of the Potter kid angers him.  I never understood is personal vendetta against Harry.  Sure Harry was a bit of a smart mouth at times, but nothing enough to cause this sort of reaction from a full grown adult.  

I wonder if the wizarding world has ever heard of therapy.  I feel like it would do wonders for a lot of them.  Maybe I need therapy too?  I think about this for a moment before coming to the conclusion that I definitely need therapy.  I'll have to look into it when I get the time. 

"In other news, the recent excursion by Mr. Lupin and Miss Taylor was quite the success.  The divination artifact was retrieved in just the nick of time.  And with some quick thinking by Miss Taylor, they were able to protect the muggle woman in possession of it."

Everyone glances at me, and I blush.  It wasn't really my thinking.  The mirror was channeling so much energy into me, giving me answers before I had even asked the questions.  All I did was go with it.

The meeting continues on with discussions about the ministry's failures, the situation with the muggle killings, and the Order's next steps.  I'm trying very hard to focus as this is life and death information.  But all I want to know is what's in Tonks's head.  I manage to catch her eye where she sits across the table and a few seats down.  I do note that she is sitting next to Remus.  I pointedly look at him and raise an eyebrow.  Tonks gives the smallest of nods in confirmation.  

I can't keep the smirk off of my face.  I subtly raise my cup of tea to her, toasting her new relationship.  Tonks blushes, but smiles, hair tinging a bit on the pink side.  I hope that they have long happy lives.  But a clenching feeling in my stomach makes me worry it won't be.

***

A few days later, Mia and I meet up for some long overdue friend time.  We decide to stick to Muggle London as I would like a change of scenery.  Besides, Diagon Alley isn't much to look at these days.  We take the tube to head towards the more busy part of London to do some retail therapy. 

Mia tells me how things have been going for her.  She's been living with her parents after graduation, and works at Madam Puddifoot's in Hogsmeade.  Apparently she saw me pass by when I came with Tonks a while back.

"How are things with Draco?  Are you guys still dating after everything?"  I cautiously approach the subject.

"Yeah.  He's been acting really weird though.  Really stressed.  He comes to the shop whenever he can though.  I just wish he'd tell me about whatever is happening to him.  I'm worried."  Mia frowns, looking down at her boots.  "I know he's not considered one of the "good guys" but he doesn't want to be death eater or anything.  He's just stuck in a bad position."

"Unfortunately kids often have to fight in their parents' battles."  I shake my head sadly.  Honestly it feels like all of us are just "stuck in a bad position."  Thankfully I'm just stuck on the side I believe in.  I can't imagine being forced into some weird pureblood cult by my parents.  

We enter into a shopping center.  I had forgotten about Halloween until this moment.  Posters are hung in display windows advertising holiday sales and costumes.  Muggles celebrate Halloween differently than the magical community.  I remember as a kid my dad insisted on taking me trick-or-treating.  My mother thought it was stupid and refused to come.  Then after, dad convinced me that it was the law that I had to give him half of my candy.  I believed it until I was nine, giving him half every year to avoid going to jail.  After I figured it out, I still gave him half.  It seemed to be important to him.

"Did you hear about Snape finally getting the Defense job?"  Mia changes the subject as we wander around the brightly lit hallways.

"Vaguely.  I bet he's thrilled."  I tug on Mia's sleeve to get her to follow me into a store.  Some cozy fleece leggings are advertised in the window, and those would be great under my quidditch uniform. 

"Draco says that the replacement teacher, Slughorn, has quite the flair for the dramatic."  Mia runs her hands over the clothing on the racks.

"Draco said that?  Wow, he must be a lot then."  I tease, quickly dodging out of the reach of Mia's swatting hand.  "Don't hate me for being right!" 

"I do what I want."  Mia narrows her eyes.  "Watch out Hazel."

"Oooh, I'm so scared."  I taunt, sticking out my tongue.

"You better be."  Mia rolls her eyes.  "Do you think this would look good on me?"

She holds up a green cropped sweater up to her body.  It would look super cute on her, but I decide to tease her.

"Turning Slytherin for your boyfriend?"  I grin and she blushes.

"No!  It's just a sweater!"  She protests, going to put it back.

"I was just messing."  I put a hand out to stop her.  "You'd look amazing in it."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely!"  I nod, convincing her.

"Alright, I'll get it.  What did you want?"  She hooks the hanger on her wrist and gestures to the store.

"I want some of those warm leggings.  My legs always freeze during winter practice."  It was already chilly in late October.  Merlin knows I'll be freezing when the January snow hits.

"I'm glad you tried out.  I know that all the stuff with your mom made you not want to.  But you're really good.  You should be proud."  Mia says this causally as if it didn't shoot me in the heart.

"Yeah?"  I feel the beginnings of tears beginning to form behind my eyes.  Mia, of course, senses this and wraps me in a hug.

"Absolutely.  I'm so proud.  My best friend is a professional quidditch player.  That's super cool!"  She kisses the top of my head before releasing me.

"Thanks.  I needed that."  I sniff a bit.  I managed to keep the tears in, but my nose still stuffed up a bit.

"Come on, let's go make sure you don't freeze your cute butt off."  She smiles and grabs my hand, pulling me to the correct display.

"You think my butt is cute?"  I laugh, letting her drag me along.

"Yeah.  Best on the Hufflepuff quidditch team."  She promises.

"That's oddly specific."

"Well, during one of your games last year, me and a few others decided to rank your guys' butts.  Yours won.  Unanimously, too!"  Mia hands me a pair of the black leggings.  "How many pairs do you want?"

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