The Scavenger Hunt
Title: The Scavenger Hunt
Author: scarlett71177
Prompts: The Shrieking Shack, A Chocolate Frog, A Day of Want, Romance
Rating and Warnings: PG-13
Word Count: 4355
Author's Notes: Unbeta'd, and not really the direction I intended, but ah well.
Summary: After spending time apart, Remus thinks of a lighthearted way to let Tonks know he thinks of her while they're apart.
• Chocolate Frog
• The Shrieking Shack
• A Day of Want
• Romance
In times of war couples had to use what precious little time and resources they had, and learn to appreciate the brief opportunities life presented, even if they were a little unorthodox: grown adults snogging in broom cupboards, having whispered conversations in the dark recesses under the stairs, arranging dates via Owl Post. In addition to the havoc the war played on people’s love lives, for Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks there were astronomical occurrences as well…
Tonks blinked her eyes very slowly, yawned wide, and rolled over in bed, dragging the covers with her. She looked around her old room at the Hogs Head, the room she rented for all of last year. Her eyes swept the room, taking in its familiarities, and the sunlight filtering in through the mangled slats of the blinds. Surely it could not be morning already. She’d been on duty all night and had only hauled herself to bed at the hour of six. The moon was full the night before, and that always seemed the perfect time for an attack- just when everyone in Law Enforcement was stretched thin.
The full moon also meant worrying about Remus and whether or not the recently acquired Wolfsbane potion worked.
She yawned again. Remus… how long had it been since they’d spent an evening together that did not include sitting across from one another in a meeting at the table at number twelve Grimmauld Place? Too long, her foggy mind deduced.
But today was different- today she and Remus were going to have a date- a proper date with dinner, conversation (that did not include news of anyone’s death), and with any luck- a snog on the couch. He’d transformed at the Shrieking Shack, and she took a room at the in just to be closer to him.
A smile spread across her face as she thought about Remus and contemplated drifting back to sleep, but evidently her bladder had other plans for her this morning. Just a quick nip to the loo, back to dreamland, and then when she awoke again she’d feel rested and Owl Remus.
She sat up on the edge of the bed, stretching her arms high above her head, feeling the gentle tug and burn of her taut muscles before relaxing, and running her hands through her hair. Her eyes instantly fell upon the clock at her bedside table.
4:26.
“Bloody hell!”
Though shrouded in sleep, her mind rapidly began shifting gears. 4:26. She’d meant to be awake hours ago, not to slept her day away- the only day to spend with Remus in the foreseeable future. Surely she’d mucked the whole day up now.
The next instant, she had launched herself from the bed and began rushing about the room. Pyjamas flew over her head, landing on the desk, knocking a cold mug of tea to the floor as she flailed about the room, clad in only her knickers. Kneeling at the foot of the bed, she pawed through a colourful pile of clothing, flinging unwanted items aside, not paying any attention to where they landed.
Finally, near the bottom of the heap, was a pair of camouflage trousers and the black jumper with the bell sleeves Mrs Weasley knitted for her last Christmas. “Aha!” she exclaimed boisterously, rising from the floor and pulling the sweater over her head. Hurriedly, she inserted one foot into the pant leg of her trousers, wobbling precariously as she stood on one foot. She willed herself to keep her balance as her toe ring got caught in a stray thread, but her prayers were for naught, and she toppled over, swearing loudly when her bum hit the floor.
She slid the other foot into the leg of the trousers, arched her hips off the floor, and pulled them up, fastening them at her waist. Her eyes swept the room, locating her boots at the door, and her wand on the bedside table. Rising from the floor, she stood before the mirror and scrunched up her face, morphing the ‘bed-head’ away, resuming her pink, spiky locks.
Tonks grabbed her wand from the battered table and tucked in safely in her back pocket before opening the door to the corridor. At her feet were a yellow iris, a chocolate frog, and a folded up piece of parchment.
She bit back the smile that was aching to spread across her face as she stooped down and retrieved the three items, instantly pocketing the Frog. She brought the wildflower near her face, letting the soft petals rest against her lips as she inhaled the sweet fragrance. Unfolding the paper, she recognised Remus’ handwriting immediately, perfectly formed, neatly printed script.
Dear Dora,
Hello, my love. I hope your Dementor duty last night wasn’t too terrible- but in the event that it was, I thought to include some chocolate to cheer you up. You’ve been working much too hard.
My evening was as well as can be expected. Quiet. Pensive. My thoughts, as always, revolved around you. I missed you terribly last night, and I want you to know just how much.
Go to the place here in Hogsmeade where we had our first ‘unofficial’ date. Order from the proprietor the same thing you had that day.
My love always,
Remus
Tonks beamed. She knew immediately where to go.
~~*~~
She clomped down the stairs of the Hogshead, waving goodbye to a smirking Aberforth as she exited the small inn and stepped out onto the street.
Avoiding the other people milling about the lazy town that Sunday, Tonks crossed the high street, the gravel crunching underneath her black boots. She nibbled on the Chocolate frog, letting the chocolate melt in her mouth, savouring the rich taste. Twirling the stem of the iris between her fingers, she couldn’t help but think of how kind and sensitive Remus was. He was the only bloke she ever dated who worried about her emotional well-being after a night of fending off Dementors. Only he would think to send her chocolate.
She passed by two more storefronts before standing underneath the awning of Madame Puddifoot’s Tea Shop, peering inside.
The door was pushing open by a young couple, clutching hands, and as Tonks stepped inside, she was flooded with memories.
She and Remus had just supervised the children’s return trip to Hogwarts from number twelve Grimmauld Place via the Knight Bus. They stood at the gates, waving to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and the twins, watching until they entered the castle.
“I don’t fancy going home yet,” Tonks offered, turning and looking toward Hogsmeade.
“Nor I,” Remus replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets, his eyes darting between Tonks and the town up ahead.
“Erm, fancy some tea then?” she questioned, her dark eyes twinkling mysteriously under the guise of a tall woman dressed in tweed with steel grey hair.
Remus smirked. “Only if you morph back to yourself. This current version of you makes me feel even older,” he said with a laugh. “Slightly less lecherous though.”
She elbowed him lightly in the ribs, laughing and closed her eyes, wearing an expression of utmost concentration while she morphed the grey hair away, letting the spiky pink locks return.
With a quick bit of magic she transfigured the tweed trousers into jeans and tailored the shirt and jacket to something more her own style.
“Better then?” she asked, taking Remus’ proffered arm as they set off toward Hogsmeade.
“Mm, much.”
“Funny,” Tonks said as they set off toward the tea shop, “I never figured you for the sort of bloke that would like the pink hair.”
He arched an eyebrow and grinned. “When it comes to you, I think I like every colour.”
She blushed and continued on the way to Madame Puddifoot’s.
Tonks found herself inside the familiar surroundings and, seeing Madame Puddifoot bustling around behind the counter, approached hesitantly, thinking back to what she ordered that day with Remus.
“Why it’s my favourite Auror!” the plump witch exclaimed, drying her hands off on the pinafore tied around her waist. “What can I get you Miss Tonks?” Madame Puddifoot asked with a knowing smile.
Tonks pressed her lips together and looked upward, as if that would help her remember. “Um, Earl Grey and two biscotti please.”
“Biscotti hmm?” the proprietor asked, busying herself by pouring a steaming cup of tea.
Tonks felt the warmth and colour drain from her face. I did have biscotti that day, right?
Before she knew it a cup and saucer and a small plate were placed before her. A frilly doily lay between the almond confection and the dessert plate. She could see Remus’ handwriting peaking out beneath the cookies and smiled. Another Chocolate Frog rested on the edge of the plate.
“Thanks!” Tonks offered excitedly, digging into her pocket to retrieve her money, but Madame Puddifoot quickly turned her sickles away.
“No, dear, it’s already been paid for.”
Tonks smiled and began munching on her biscotti as she meandered through the little round tables, taking the empty one by the window. She retrieved the paper doily from the plate and began to read.
Dora,
I hope you’re enjoying your little scavenger hunt, I thought you could use a little fun.
Despite the nauseating décor, this was undoubtedly the first place I was when I realised I was falling in love with you. I never had tea with anyone who laughed so hard at my awful jokes that tea came out her nose, yet managed to converse with such ease, and even held my hand in public- knowing full well what I am.
After you enjoy your tea, pop into the shop that the Marauders visited most frequently on Hogsmeade weekends. Purchase a small item that was a staple in their mischief-making.
Yours,
Remus
The Marauders, hmm? It could only be one shop.
~~*~~
Zonko’s had not reopened after the war, instead, the Weasley twins opened Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes second store.
It was odd how quiet the shop could be without swarms and throngs of Hogwarts’ students milling about the shop. However, it was not quite empty; local children scooted about, playing pranks on one another.
Tonks smiled at them and made her way to the counter where a red-haired young man stood grinning from ear to ear.
“Good afternoon, Tonks,” Fred Weasley offered, folding his arms across his chest. “Looking for something in particular today?”
Tonks racked her brain, thinking of the first time she visited Zonko’s with Remus.
“So, who was the ring-leader of your mischievous little quartet?” Tonks had asked as they stepped inside the shop, the bell ringing over the door.
Remus pursed up his lips and appeared to be deep in thought. “More or less we were a duumvirate. Sirius was often the one who thought of- whatever waywardness we were about to cause, James instantly agreed, I tried to talk them out of it- but went along anyway, and Peter didn’t much care either way.”
They began browsing the selection of gags and hoaxes, occasionally laughing, or shaking their head in disbelief.
“Ah, Dungbombs!” Remus declared, his voice laced with nostalgia. “Maybe one of us should have bought stock in the company to get some of the money back that we spent on these. We bought them by the case. We could find a reason to use them in almost any and every prank we pulled.
“Say, Fred, you wouldn’t have any Dungbombs by chance, would you?”
A smug smile spread across his face. “Why yes, I would. In fact,” he said, pointing at Tonks for effect, “I even happen to have specially marked package just for you.”
She brought her hand to her mouth, stifling a giggle and blushed as Fred reached below the counter, retrieving a small package of the stinky explosives.
He cleared his throat while standing in a poetic pose with one hand over his heart and began to read the attached note.
“My darling Nymphadora-”
Her brows knit together and her mouth fell open in indignation. “Oy! Can I read my own message please?”
Fred shrugged and tossed her the package over the counter. “If you must.”
She felt herself blush and rolled her eyes for effect. “What do I owe you?”
The red head beamed. “Anyone who had the audacity to call themselves the Marauders, and could pull of pranks that warranted an entire drawer in Filch’s file cabinet, and served twice as many detentions as my brother and I put together has earned a discount at Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes as far as we’re concerned. Remus doesn’t hold back their secrets- he’s been generous with his tips and tricks. Besides, he left a Chocolate Frog for you too, but George forgot to drop off my lunch, so I ate it.”
Tonks laughed. “All right, thanks then. Tell the family I said ‘hi’.”
“Right-o,” Fred answered with a wave as a gaggle of children approached the counter.
After seeing herself outside, Tonks sat on a greying wooden bench, complete with split beams and began to read the third note.
My darling Nymphadora,
I never felt quite so comfortably with someone as I have with you. You’ve changed my outlook on life. I have burdened you with some of my worst memories, but I also wanted to show you that I wasn’t always a fuddy-duddy. I can’t imagine sharing the Marauder escapades with anyone but you. You mean the world to me.
I fear I will always regret the year long separation I forced upon us, but please return to the place where I confessed I still loved you on the night of Dumbledore’s passing.
Remus
Hot tears pricked at the corners of Tonks’ eyes. What he always failed to understand was that she never found his memories burdensome; sharing was what love was all about. They had moved past the issues surrounding their separation ages ago, and had begun to create a life together.
She’d never forget that night that Dumbledore died, and the events that set hers and Remus’ relationship in motion once again.
She walked slowly toward the train station, Hogwarts castle looming in the distance. The memories began flooding back.
After she’d embarrassed herself by embarrassing Remus in the hospital wing on the night that Dumbledore died, she had left the castle, trudging slowly down the hill back toward Hogsmeade.
“Bloody idiot. I bloody ruined everything,” she grumbled, smearing her tears away, and kicking a rock, sending it rolling down the hill.
She vaguely wondered how the night could be so still when there had been a tear in the fabric of their lives. How could that seam ever be sewn up again?
And Remus. Tonks sniffled loudly, a thousand thoughts running through her head. Have things truly ended between us? What happens tomorrow? Should I stop fighting? Does he love me at all? I wonder if Aberforth knows? I wonder if he’d sell me a bottle of Firewhiskey?
The castle gates were open like a hungry mouth, and from what Harry said, had swallowed Snape, her cousin, Draco Malfoy, and the rest of the Death Eaters whole, letting them Disapparate to only Merlin knew where.
She crossed through gateway, flanked by the winged boars and sighed. Behind her, light spilled out across the lawn as the castle doors opened once again, but she didn’t look back. It didn’t matter.
The sound of crunching gravel was growing louder, and for a moment she wondered if there was a stray Death Eater escaping the castle. Just when she contemplated drawing her wand, she heard her name being called.
The voice was recognised instantly, sending shivers through Tonks’ body. She couldn’t bear rejection again.
He called out a second time, prompting her to dry the tears off her cheeks again and look ahead to the dim lamp lights of Hogsmeade station flickering in the night. Tonks shoved her hands deep into her pockets as hit footsteps grew nearer.
His hand closed around her arm, shifting her momentum, causing her to lose her footing and fall into his arms.
“Dora,” he whispered, tucking a dishevelled lock of hair behind her ear, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t,” she replied, shaking her head and trying to wriggle out of his grasp. “You have nothing to be sorry for. If that’s really the way you feel- I can’t change it. I can’t make you love me again.”
Remus shook his head and drew the back of his hand down her cheek, wiping the last tear away. “I still love you; I’ll always love you. You never even had to try, maybe that’s why I was so terrified of hurting you.”
His lips had descended on hers and she was fighting him no more. They spent the rest of the evening sitting on one of the benches at the train station simply talking- something they hadn’t done in a year.
Tonks walked along the platform, feeling oddly out of place without anyone else around, but as soon as she saw the card and bouquet of yellow irises setting atop the bench she and Remus had sat on that night- she didn’t feel alone anymore.
She grasped the bouquet, instinctively drawing them to her nose and inhaled deeply. A smile broke out across her face as she sat down on the bench and reached for the envelope, tearing it open.
Dearest Dora,
My scavenger hunt is done, but I desperately wanted you to know that I see you everywhere- you’re always with me.
Meet me at the Shrieking Shack. I’ll be waiting…
Remus
Tonks didn’t return to the high street, preferring instead to traipse across the moor, occasionally tripping over rocks, or tangling her boots up in the tall grass. She pocketed the letters and Chocolate Frogs from Remus and the Dungbombs from the joke shop, carrying the bunch of yellow wildflowers.
She shielded her eyes from the sun with the bouquet, watching the swallows swoop and sail through the air, their tails like little kite tails, searching out the insects swarming in the summer sunshine.
The rickety, old, greying edifice sharply contrasted against the colourful horizon, but it was a welcome sight because Remus was waiting there.
A rusted, wrought iron surrounded the property and suddenly Tonks found herself wondering however on earth she was going to get in. After all, people had been trying to get inside the Shrieking Shack for nearly two decades.
The garden was so severely overgrown that the front porch was completely obscured, and the grass brushed up against the boarded up windows, further hiding the house from prying eyes.
Tonks stepped up to the gate, stood up on tiptoe and peered through the iron bars hoping for some sign of Remus’ presence. Not finding one, she slowly circled the house, startled when she heard the distinct slam of a wooden door.
Even though she knew ‘the story’ of the Shrieking Shack, she still felt the hair on her arms raise in apprehension when she heard a gate squeak open. She stopped at the back corner of the perimeter just as Remus rounded the corner, and stopped to beam at her.
“Hi,” he said quietly, hooking his thumbs in the pockets of his trousers.
She bit back a smile before rushing to him, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing a kiss to his mouth. “Wotcher, how’re you feeling?”
“Mm,” he growled softly, smiling against her lips and grasping her hand. “Much better now. C’mon,” he whispered, nuzzling her nose with his. “I’ve been waiting all day to see you.”
“Thank you for today, but what’s this all about?” she asked with a giggle, wading through the waist-high grass.
“Do I need a reason to show you how much I love you and miss you when we’re apart?” he questioned, casting a glance over his shoulder.
Tonks blushed as they entered the back gate. “Oy, what’s the secret to get in this place anyhow?”
A mischievous smile flashed across his face. “Marauder secret,” he replied, the gate squeaking shut behind them.
A delicious smell wafted out the open door at the back of the house, catching Tonks by surprise. “That smells lovely!”
“I’m not done spoiling you yet.”
The Shrieking Shack was, by far, the most curious place she’d ever been in. The unparallel sidewalk gave way to a dark doorway, shrouded in spider webs, but as soon as they past through the threshold of the house, it seemed to be an entirely different dwelling. While it was nowhere near chic, it was neat and tidy, and had a very ‘Remusy’ feel about it.
The back door opened into a small kitchen with an old aga stove, an ice box, and a small round table in the middle of the room laden with food. However ‘rustic’ the house looked, the dead giveaway that something suspicious had taken place here was the deep gouges in the walls, tearing away the faded wallpaper.
“Sorry,” Remus said, gesturing to the state of the décor.
Tonks shook her head. “No, don’t be- you went through so much trouble! No one has ever done anything like this for me,” she whispered, stepping up to the table, looking down at the chilled bottle of wine, and dinner spread out before her.
~~*~~
Remus took Tonks’ hand in his own, giving it a gentle squeeze as they strolled down the High Street, past the shops in Hogsmeade on the way back to her room at the Hogs Head. Dusk had fallen, the lampposts had been illuminated, lighting their way.
“Thank you- for everything today: the flowers, the chocolate, the letters. It was lovely. I thought about you last night too.”
“Did you?” Remus asked, raising his eyebrows, a hint of playfulness in his voice.
Tonks laughed and bumped him with her hip. “Feeling rather eager today, are we?” She waggled her eyebrows.
“It has been a while,” he answered softly, dropping his voice and steering clear of an older gentleman stumbling out of the pub.
She covered her mouth with her hand and whispered. “Thirteen days.”
A deep, loud laugh tore through him. Even in the faint light she could see the laugh lines that she loved so much on either side of his mouth, and the faint wrinkles at either temple when he smiled or laughed. It made him devilishly, roguishly handsome. She felt a fluttering in her stomach, and smiled as the stirrings of lust coursed through her.
She waited until the bumbling old codger tottered down one of the side streets and disappeared before she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him toward her, pressing her lips to his in a searing kiss.
He met her mouth with an insistent hunger, letting his hands settle on her waist, slipping beneath the hem of her jumper.
Tonks inhaled sharply, cupping his face with both hands and moulding her body against his. He broke the kiss, leaving her feeling bereft of his lips until he whispered against them, “I want you.”
She sighed and stood on tiptoe to capture his lips again, threading her fingers into the jagged ends of his hair at the nape of his neck. His lips trailed down over her jaw to the juncture of her neck and her shoulder. She took in a breath of air through her teeth and stepped away from him abruptly, and offered him her hand. “C’mon, let’s go.”
He smirked and took her extended hand and wrapped it around his waist while his arm settled on her shoulders.
They walked back to the inn, stealing occasional kisses, and letting their hands drift to any place where skin was exposed: the insides of wrists, earlobes, and the napes of necks.
When they arrived at the Hogs Head, Aberforth was wiping the bar down, and if he noticed Tonks crooking a finger and leading Remus up the stairs- he didn’t say anything.
She stopped in the stair way and licked her lips, waiting for him to join her.
Remus shook his head, chuckling faintly. “You’re such a little minx,” he declared, settling his hands on her hips, smoothing them over the dip of her waist and over the swell of her breasts.
“And you just love it, don’t you?” she inquired, arching against his hand.
He growled low and guided her backward up the stairs, and to her room at the end of the corridor. They stopped at the door and kissed again, their mouths meeting in an impassioned fury. His hands ducked under her jumper again and smoothed over her skin, travelling up, but stopped abruptly when his hands came into the gentle rise of her chest.
“Wait a minute- you aren’t wearing a-”
Tonks bit her lip and shook her head.
“And you haven’t been wearing one all day?”
She felt her face flush. “Nope.”
His hands slid down over her back to her bum and quickly retrieved the wand stowed in her back pocket. “Please open your room.”
Taking the wand from him she quickly opened the room and flicked on the lights when she stepped inside, instantly regretting it.
“What in the name of Merlin happened here today?” Remus asked, stepping inside the room, looking around at the laundry draped from the lamps, hanging from the bedposts, and covering the floor.
Tonks forced a smile. “I had a difficult time choosing my wardrobe,” she admitted, hastily plucking a pair of pink knickers off the desk chair next to the door.
He laughed, closing the door behind him. Tonks tossed the knickers away and stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Thank you for the scavenger hunt today, I had fun.”
He began nibbling on her neck and tangled his fingers in her hair. “You’ve very welcome, love, but I think the scavenger hunt I’m about to go on is going to be much more fun.”
Author: scarlett71177
Prompts: The Shrieking Shack, A Chocolate Frog, A Day of Want, Romance
Rating and Warnings: PG-13
Word Count: 4355
Author's Notes: Unbeta'd, and not really the direction I intended, but ah well.
Summary: After spending time apart, Remus thinks of a lighthearted way to let Tonks know he thinks of her while they're apart.
• Chocolate Frog
• The Shrieking Shack
• A Day of Want
• Romance
In times of war couples had to use what precious little time and resources they had, and learn to appreciate the brief opportunities life presented, even if they were a little unorthodox: grown adults snogging in broom cupboards, having whispered conversations in the dark recesses under the stairs, arranging dates via Owl Post. In addition to the havoc the war played on people’s love lives, for Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks there were astronomical occurrences as well…
Tonks blinked her eyes very slowly, yawned wide, and rolled over in bed, dragging the covers with her. She looked around her old room at the Hogs Head, the room she rented for all of last year. Her eyes swept the room, taking in its familiarities, and the sunlight filtering in through the mangled slats of the blinds. Surely it could not be morning already. She’d been on duty all night and had only hauled herself to bed at the hour of six. The moon was full the night before, and that always seemed the perfect time for an attack- just when everyone in Law Enforcement was stretched thin.
The full moon also meant worrying about Remus and whether or not the recently acquired Wolfsbane potion worked.
She yawned again. Remus… how long had it been since they’d spent an evening together that did not include sitting across from one another in a meeting at the table at number twelve Grimmauld Place? Too long, her foggy mind deduced.
But today was different- today she and Remus were going to have a date- a proper date with dinner, conversation (that did not include news of anyone’s death), and with any luck- a snog on the couch. He’d transformed at the Shrieking Shack, and she took a room at the in just to be closer to him.
A smile spread across her face as she thought about Remus and contemplated drifting back to sleep, but evidently her bladder had other plans for her this morning. Just a quick nip to the loo, back to dreamland, and then when she awoke again she’d feel rested and Owl Remus.
She sat up on the edge of the bed, stretching her arms high above her head, feeling the gentle tug and burn of her taut muscles before relaxing, and running her hands through her hair. Her eyes instantly fell upon the clock at her bedside table.
4:26.
“Bloody hell!”
Though shrouded in sleep, her mind rapidly began shifting gears. 4:26. She’d meant to be awake hours ago, not to slept her day away- the only day to spend with Remus in the foreseeable future. Surely she’d mucked the whole day up now.
The next instant, she had launched herself from the bed and began rushing about the room. Pyjamas flew over her head, landing on the desk, knocking a cold mug of tea to the floor as she flailed about the room, clad in only her knickers. Kneeling at the foot of the bed, she pawed through a colourful pile of clothing, flinging unwanted items aside, not paying any attention to where they landed.
Finally, near the bottom of the heap, was a pair of camouflage trousers and the black jumper with the bell sleeves Mrs Weasley knitted for her last Christmas. “Aha!” she exclaimed boisterously, rising from the floor and pulling the sweater over her head. Hurriedly, she inserted one foot into the pant leg of her trousers, wobbling precariously as she stood on one foot. She willed herself to keep her balance as her toe ring got caught in a stray thread, but her prayers were for naught, and she toppled over, swearing loudly when her bum hit the floor.
She slid the other foot into the leg of the trousers, arched her hips off the floor, and pulled them up, fastening them at her waist. Her eyes swept the room, locating her boots at the door, and her wand on the bedside table. Rising from the floor, she stood before the mirror and scrunched up her face, morphing the ‘bed-head’ away, resuming her pink, spiky locks.
Tonks grabbed her wand from the battered table and tucked in safely in her back pocket before opening the door to the corridor. At her feet were a yellow iris, a chocolate frog, and a folded up piece of parchment.
She bit back the smile that was aching to spread across her face as she stooped down and retrieved the three items, instantly pocketing the Frog. She brought the wildflower near her face, letting the soft petals rest against her lips as she inhaled the sweet fragrance. Unfolding the paper, she recognised Remus’ handwriting immediately, perfectly formed, neatly printed script.
Dear Dora,
Hello, my love. I hope your Dementor duty last night wasn’t too terrible- but in the event that it was, I thought to include some chocolate to cheer you up. You’ve been working much too hard.
My evening was as well as can be expected. Quiet. Pensive. My thoughts, as always, revolved around you. I missed you terribly last night, and I want you to know just how much.
Go to the place here in Hogsmeade where we had our first ‘unofficial’ date. Order from the proprietor the same thing you had that day.
My love always,
Remus
Tonks beamed. She knew immediately where to go.
~~*~~
She clomped down the stairs of the Hogshead, waving goodbye to a smirking Aberforth as she exited the small inn and stepped out onto the street.
Avoiding the other people milling about the lazy town that Sunday, Tonks crossed the high street, the gravel crunching underneath her black boots. She nibbled on the Chocolate frog, letting the chocolate melt in her mouth, savouring the rich taste. Twirling the stem of the iris between her fingers, she couldn’t help but think of how kind and sensitive Remus was. He was the only bloke she ever dated who worried about her emotional well-being after a night of fending off Dementors. Only he would think to send her chocolate.
She passed by two more storefronts before standing underneath the awning of Madame Puddifoot’s Tea Shop, peering inside.
The door was pushing open by a young couple, clutching hands, and as Tonks stepped inside, she was flooded with memories.
She and Remus had just supervised the children’s return trip to Hogwarts from number twelve Grimmauld Place via the Knight Bus. They stood at the gates, waving to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and the twins, watching until they entered the castle.
“I don’t fancy going home yet,” Tonks offered, turning and looking toward Hogsmeade.
“Nor I,” Remus replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets, his eyes darting between Tonks and the town up ahead.
“Erm, fancy some tea then?” she questioned, her dark eyes twinkling mysteriously under the guise of a tall woman dressed in tweed with steel grey hair.
Remus smirked. “Only if you morph back to yourself. This current version of you makes me feel even older,” he said with a laugh. “Slightly less lecherous though.”
She elbowed him lightly in the ribs, laughing and closed her eyes, wearing an expression of utmost concentration while she morphed the grey hair away, letting the spiky pink locks return.
With a quick bit of magic she transfigured the tweed trousers into jeans and tailored the shirt and jacket to something more her own style.
“Better then?” she asked, taking Remus’ proffered arm as they set off toward Hogsmeade.
“Mm, much.”
“Funny,” Tonks said as they set off toward the tea shop, “I never figured you for the sort of bloke that would like the pink hair.”
He arched an eyebrow and grinned. “When it comes to you, I think I like every colour.”
She blushed and continued on the way to Madame Puddifoot’s.
Tonks found herself inside the familiar surroundings and, seeing Madame Puddifoot bustling around behind the counter, approached hesitantly, thinking back to what she ordered that day with Remus.
“Why it’s my favourite Auror!” the plump witch exclaimed, drying her hands off on the pinafore tied around her waist. “What can I get you Miss Tonks?” Madame Puddifoot asked with a knowing smile.
Tonks pressed her lips together and looked upward, as if that would help her remember. “Um, Earl Grey and two biscotti please.”
“Biscotti hmm?” the proprietor asked, busying herself by pouring a steaming cup of tea.
Tonks felt the warmth and colour drain from her face. I did have biscotti that day, right?
Before she knew it a cup and saucer and a small plate were placed before her. A frilly doily lay between the almond confection and the dessert plate. She could see Remus’ handwriting peaking out beneath the cookies and smiled. Another Chocolate Frog rested on the edge of the plate.
“Thanks!” Tonks offered excitedly, digging into her pocket to retrieve her money, but Madame Puddifoot quickly turned her sickles away.
“No, dear, it’s already been paid for.”
Tonks smiled and began munching on her biscotti as she meandered through the little round tables, taking the empty one by the window. She retrieved the paper doily from the plate and began to read.
Dora,
I hope you’re enjoying your little scavenger hunt, I thought you could use a little fun.
Despite the nauseating décor, this was undoubtedly the first place I was when I realised I was falling in love with you. I never had tea with anyone who laughed so hard at my awful jokes that tea came out her nose, yet managed to converse with such ease, and even held my hand in public- knowing full well what I am.
After you enjoy your tea, pop into the shop that the Marauders visited most frequently on Hogsmeade weekends. Purchase a small item that was a staple in their mischief-making.
Yours,
Remus
The Marauders, hmm? It could only be one shop.
~~*~~
Zonko’s had not reopened after the war, instead, the Weasley twins opened Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes second store.
It was odd how quiet the shop could be without swarms and throngs of Hogwarts’ students milling about the shop. However, it was not quite empty; local children scooted about, playing pranks on one another.
Tonks smiled at them and made her way to the counter where a red-haired young man stood grinning from ear to ear.
“Good afternoon, Tonks,” Fred Weasley offered, folding his arms across his chest. “Looking for something in particular today?”
Tonks racked her brain, thinking of the first time she visited Zonko’s with Remus.
“So, who was the ring-leader of your mischievous little quartet?” Tonks had asked as they stepped inside the shop, the bell ringing over the door.
Remus pursed up his lips and appeared to be deep in thought. “More or less we were a duumvirate. Sirius was often the one who thought of- whatever waywardness we were about to cause, James instantly agreed, I tried to talk them out of it- but went along anyway, and Peter didn’t much care either way.”
They began browsing the selection of gags and hoaxes, occasionally laughing, or shaking their head in disbelief.
“Ah, Dungbombs!” Remus declared, his voice laced with nostalgia. “Maybe one of us should have bought stock in the company to get some of the money back that we spent on these. We bought them by the case. We could find a reason to use them in almost any and every prank we pulled.
“Say, Fred, you wouldn’t have any Dungbombs by chance, would you?”
A smug smile spread across his face. “Why yes, I would. In fact,” he said, pointing at Tonks for effect, “I even happen to have specially marked package just for you.”
She brought her hand to her mouth, stifling a giggle and blushed as Fred reached below the counter, retrieving a small package of the stinky explosives.
He cleared his throat while standing in a poetic pose with one hand over his heart and began to read the attached note.
“My darling Nymphadora-”
Her brows knit together and her mouth fell open in indignation. “Oy! Can I read my own message please?”
Fred shrugged and tossed her the package over the counter. “If you must.”
She felt herself blush and rolled her eyes for effect. “What do I owe you?”
The red head beamed. “Anyone who had the audacity to call themselves the Marauders, and could pull of pranks that warranted an entire drawer in Filch’s file cabinet, and served twice as many detentions as my brother and I put together has earned a discount at Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes as far as we’re concerned. Remus doesn’t hold back their secrets- he’s been generous with his tips and tricks. Besides, he left a Chocolate Frog for you too, but George forgot to drop off my lunch, so I ate it.”
Tonks laughed. “All right, thanks then. Tell the family I said ‘hi’.”
“Right-o,” Fred answered with a wave as a gaggle of children approached the counter.
After seeing herself outside, Tonks sat on a greying wooden bench, complete with split beams and began to read the third note.
My darling Nymphadora,
I never felt quite so comfortably with someone as I have with you. You’ve changed my outlook on life. I have burdened you with some of my worst memories, but I also wanted to show you that I wasn’t always a fuddy-duddy. I can’t imagine sharing the Marauder escapades with anyone but you. You mean the world to me.
I fear I will always regret the year long separation I forced upon us, but please return to the place where I confessed I still loved you on the night of Dumbledore’s passing.
Remus
Hot tears pricked at the corners of Tonks’ eyes. What he always failed to understand was that she never found his memories burdensome; sharing was what love was all about. They had moved past the issues surrounding their separation ages ago, and had begun to create a life together.
She’d never forget that night that Dumbledore died, and the events that set hers and Remus’ relationship in motion once again.
She walked slowly toward the train station, Hogwarts castle looming in the distance. The memories began flooding back.
After she’d embarrassed herself by embarrassing Remus in the hospital wing on the night that Dumbledore died, she had left the castle, trudging slowly down the hill back toward Hogsmeade.
“Bloody idiot. I bloody ruined everything,” she grumbled, smearing her tears away, and kicking a rock, sending it rolling down the hill.
She vaguely wondered how the night could be so still when there had been a tear in the fabric of their lives. How could that seam ever be sewn up again?
And Remus. Tonks sniffled loudly, a thousand thoughts running through her head. Have things truly ended between us? What happens tomorrow? Should I stop fighting? Does he love me at all? I wonder if Aberforth knows? I wonder if he’d sell me a bottle of Firewhiskey?
The castle gates were open like a hungry mouth, and from what Harry said, had swallowed Snape, her cousin, Draco Malfoy, and the rest of the Death Eaters whole, letting them Disapparate to only Merlin knew where.
She crossed through gateway, flanked by the winged boars and sighed. Behind her, light spilled out across the lawn as the castle doors opened once again, but she didn’t look back. It didn’t matter.
The sound of crunching gravel was growing louder, and for a moment she wondered if there was a stray Death Eater escaping the castle. Just when she contemplated drawing her wand, she heard her name being called.
The voice was recognised instantly, sending shivers through Tonks’ body. She couldn’t bear rejection again.
He called out a second time, prompting her to dry the tears off her cheeks again and look ahead to the dim lamp lights of Hogsmeade station flickering in the night. Tonks shoved her hands deep into her pockets as hit footsteps grew nearer.
His hand closed around her arm, shifting her momentum, causing her to lose her footing and fall into his arms.
“Dora,” he whispered, tucking a dishevelled lock of hair behind her ear, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t,” she replied, shaking her head and trying to wriggle out of his grasp. “You have nothing to be sorry for. If that’s really the way you feel- I can’t change it. I can’t make you love me again.”
Remus shook his head and drew the back of his hand down her cheek, wiping the last tear away. “I still love you; I’ll always love you. You never even had to try, maybe that’s why I was so terrified of hurting you.”
His lips had descended on hers and she was fighting him no more. They spent the rest of the evening sitting on one of the benches at the train station simply talking- something they hadn’t done in a year.
Tonks walked along the platform, feeling oddly out of place without anyone else around, but as soon as she saw the card and bouquet of yellow irises setting atop the bench she and Remus had sat on that night- she didn’t feel alone anymore.
She grasped the bouquet, instinctively drawing them to her nose and inhaled deeply. A smile broke out across her face as she sat down on the bench and reached for the envelope, tearing it open.
Dearest Dora,
My scavenger hunt is done, but I desperately wanted you to know that I see you everywhere- you’re always with me.
Meet me at the Shrieking Shack. I’ll be waiting…
Remus
Tonks didn’t return to the high street, preferring instead to traipse across the moor, occasionally tripping over rocks, or tangling her boots up in the tall grass. She pocketed the letters and Chocolate Frogs from Remus and the Dungbombs from the joke shop, carrying the bunch of yellow wildflowers.
She shielded her eyes from the sun with the bouquet, watching the swallows swoop and sail through the air, their tails like little kite tails, searching out the insects swarming in the summer sunshine.
The rickety, old, greying edifice sharply contrasted against the colourful horizon, but it was a welcome sight because Remus was waiting there.
A rusted, wrought iron surrounded the property and suddenly Tonks found herself wondering however on earth she was going to get in. After all, people had been trying to get inside the Shrieking Shack for nearly two decades.
The garden was so severely overgrown that the front porch was completely obscured, and the grass brushed up against the boarded up windows, further hiding the house from prying eyes.
Tonks stepped up to the gate, stood up on tiptoe and peered through the iron bars hoping for some sign of Remus’ presence. Not finding one, she slowly circled the house, startled when she heard the distinct slam of a wooden door.
Even though she knew ‘the story’ of the Shrieking Shack, she still felt the hair on her arms raise in apprehension when she heard a gate squeak open. She stopped at the back corner of the perimeter just as Remus rounded the corner, and stopped to beam at her.
“Hi,” he said quietly, hooking his thumbs in the pockets of his trousers.
She bit back a smile before rushing to him, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing a kiss to his mouth. “Wotcher, how’re you feeling?”
“Mm,” he growled softly, smiling against her lips and grasping her hand. “Much better now. C’mon,” he whispered, nuzzling her nose with his. “I’ve been waiting all day to see you.”
“Thank you for today, but what’s this all about?” she asked with a giggle, wading through the waist-high grass.
“Do I need a reason to show you how much I love you and miss you when we’re apart?” he questioned, casting a glance over his shoulder.
Tonks blushed as they entered the back gate. “Oy, what’s the secret to get in this place anyhow?”
A mischievous smile flashed across his face. “Marauder secret,” he replied, the gate squeaking shut behind them.
A delicious smell wafted out the open door at the back of the house, catching Tonks by surprise. “That smells lovely!”
“I’m not done spoiling you yet.”
The Shrieking Shack was, by far, the most curious place she’d ever been in. The unparallel sidewalk gave way to a dark doorway, shrouded in spider webs, but as soon as they past through the threshold of the house, it seemed to be an entirely different dwelling. While it was nowhere near chic, it was neat and tidy, and had a very ‘Remusy’ feel about it.
The back door opened into a small kitchen with an old aga stove, an ice box, and a small round table in the middle of the room laden with food. However ‘rustic’ the house looked, the dead giveaway that something suspicious had taken place here was the deep gouges in the walls, tearing away the faded wallpaper.
“Sorry,” Remus said, gesturing to the state of the décor.
Tonks shook her head. “No, don’t be- you went through so much trouble! No one has ever done anything like this for me,” she whispered, stepping up to the table, looking down at the chilled bottle of wine, and dinner spread out before her.
~~*~~
Remus took Tonks’ hand in his own, giving it a gentle squeeze as they strolled down the High Street, past the shops in Hogsmeade on the way back to her room at the Hogs Head. Dusk had fallen, the lampposts had been illuminated, lighting their way.
“Thank you- for everything today: the flowers, the chocolate, the letters. It was lovely. I thought about you last night too.”
“Did you?” Remus asked, raising his eyebrows, a hint of playfulness in his voice.
Tonks laughed and bumped him with her hip. “Feeling rather eager today, are we?” She waggled her eyebrows.
“It has been a while,” he answered softly, dropping his voice and steering clear of an older gentleman stumbling out of the pub.
She covered her mouth with her hand and whispered. “Thirteen days.”
A deep, loud laugh tore through him. Even in the faint light she could see the laugh lines that she loved so much on either side of his mouth, and the faint wrinkles at either temple when he smiled or laughed. It made him devilishly, roguishly handsome. She felt a fluttering in her stomach, and smiled as the stirrings of lust coursed through her.
She waited until the bumbling old codger tottered down one of the side streets and disappeared before she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him toward her, pressing her lips to his in a searing kiss.
He met her mouth with an insistent hunger, letting his hands settle on her waist, slipping beneath the hem of her jumper.
Tonks inhaled sharply, cupping his face with both hands and moulding her body against his. He broke the kiss, leaving her feeling bereft of his lips until he whispered against them, “I want you.”
She sighed and stood on tiptoe to capture his lips again, threading her fingers into the jagged ends of his hair at the nape of his neck. His lips trailed down over her jaw to the juncture of her neck and her shoulder. She took in a breath of air through her teeth and stepped away from him abruptly, and offered him her hand. “C’mon, let’s go.”
He smirked and took her extended hand and wrapped it around his waist while his arm settled on her shoulders.
They walked back to the inn, stealing occasional kisses, and letting their hands drift to any place where skin was exposed: the insides of wrists, earlobes, and the napes of necks.
When they arrived at the Hogs Head, Aberforth was wiping the bar down, and if he noticed Tonks crooking a finger and leading Remus up the stairs- he didn’t say anything.
She stopped in the stair way and licked her lips, waiting for him to join her.
Remus shook his head, chuckling faintly. “You’re such a little minx,” he declared, settling his hands on her hips, smoothing them over the dip of her waist and over the swell of her breasts.
“And you just love it, don’t you?” she inquired, arching against his hand.
He growled low and guided her backward up the stairs, and to her room at the end of the corridor. They stopped at the door and kissed again, their mouths meeting in an impassioned fury. His hands ducked under her jumper again and smoothed over her skin, travelling up, but stopped abruptly when his hands came into the gentle rise of her chest.
“Wait a minute- you aren’t wearing a-”
Tonks bit her lip and shook her head.
“And you haven’t been wearing one all day?”
She felt her face flush. “Nope.”
His hands slid down over her back to her bum and quickly retrieved the wand stowed in her back pocket. “Please open your room.”
Taking the wand from him she quickly opened the room and flicked on the lights when she stepped inside, instantly regretting it.
“What in the name of Merlin happened here today?” Remus asked, stepping inside the room, looking around at the laundry draped from the lamps, hanging from the bedposts, and covering the floor.
Tonks forced a smile. “I had a difficult time choosing my wardrobe,” she admitted, hastily plucking a pair of pink knickers off the desk chair next to the door.
He laughed, closing the door behind him. Tonks tossed the knickers away and stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Thank you for the scavenger hunt today, I had fun.”
He began nibbling on her neck and tangled his fingers in her hair. “You’ve very welcome, love, but I think the scavenger hunt I’m about to go on is going to be much more fun.”