Listen to the Moon
Title: Listen to the Moon
Author: Lady_blythe
Format: ficlet
Rating: PG
Prompt: Listen; Dumbledore, Ron or Fred and/or George (or any combination of the four); Drama or Angst; Colloportus
Word Count: 1,288
Summary: Tonks receives good advice from a wise old man.
Author’s Notes: I took a bit of license and decided that Dumbledore would be one of the few to get away with “Nymphadora.” Also, thanks to the betas,
merlitongirl and lonelyflutterby as usual, whose suggestions may or may not have been heeded but are always appreciated.
Tonks stood on top of the astronomy tower and watched the November moon rise. It was bright and large and full and she told herself that she was watching for the first stars, but if she was really honest with herself, she was listening for him.
It was Moody who told her that he was in the area. Of course, Remus wouldn’t have told her himself. He hadn’t even returned an owl in three months and hadn’t been at an Order meeting in even longer. So there she stood, watching the moon rise to torture him, and waiting to hear the only howl he would make that night at the beginning of the transformation.
Tonks held her breath as the bottom edge of the luminous moon cleared the horizon. The wolf’s voice keened over the trees of the forbidden forest. That was him. She’d only heard that sound once before, at Number 12, but she would know it anywhere. He was alive, and at least strong enough to withstand the transformation. She let out her breath and said a small prayer to whoever might be listening that he would have the sense to stay in the shack, away from anything that might be lurking in the forest, until he gave his report tomorrow. She didn’t dare to hope he’d come to visit her before he left again or that he’d wait to rest and gather some strength.
“Nymphadora, what a lovely surprise to find out up here,” Professor Dumbledore’s voice interrupted Tonks’ musings and made her jump.
“Headmaster! How…I…I thought I sealed that door after I sent…a couple of students inside,” Tonks stammered, staring wide-eyed at the wizard who had appeared beside her.
“Yes, I came across Mr. Weasley and Miss Brown in the corridor. I believe they were arguing about how Ronald might know you,” the headmaster smirked. “I do hope your Colloportus is generally stronger than that,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
Tonks winced. “Yes, sir. Only I’m a bit…preoccupied tonight.”
“Ah, yes. Listening for the moon this evening?”
“Excuse me?” Tonks was confused.
“I assume you are here listening for Remus?”
“How did you know?” she asked, looking a bit startled. It was as if the old wizard read her mind.
“I once caught Black, Potter and Pettigrew up here. They told me there were listening for the moon. It didn’t take long to figure out that they were waiting to hear him howl. Of course, I sent them back to Gryffindor Tower once the moon was high.”
“I’m sorry, Professor. I know I shouldn’t be wandering school grounds for this,” Tonks looked very much like a student caught out of bed after hours.
“Miss Tonks, you’re no longer a student here, but a highly talented Auror, and you are welcome on school grounds any time you wish, for whatever reason you may have.”
“Thank you, sir,” the young woman answered sincerely.
“If I may be so bold, why are you here, listening for Remus, instead of waiting for him in Hogsmeade?”
Tonks shrugged. “I don’t think I’m supposed to know he’s here, actually.”
Dumbledore regarded her for a moment. “Was he trying to surprise you?”
Tonks shook her brown hair out of her eyes and leaned against the stones. “No, sir. He doesn’t want to see me. Says he’s old and poor and I ‘can do better,’ whatever that means. Moody told me he was here.”
Professor Dumbledore’s twinkling eyes took on a look of concern, but he said nothing.
Tonks sighed. “He doesn’t say he loves me any more, but he can’t tell me he doesn’t either. The last time I heard from him he asked if I’d ever give up and I told him no. Now, I’m wondering if I shouldn’t.” She shivered as the wind picked up. “I’m sorry, sir. You have more important things to worry about than Remus and me.”
The old man sighed. “Nymphadora, do you know why you were selected for the Order?”
Tonks snorted and ran her fingers through her dull hair. “Because you can use everyone on your side you can get and I make-made a useful spy?”
Dumbledore smiled sadly. “Well, yes, that, and you have passion and determination. You never give up on what you believe in. Or on those you love. That is how this war will be won, Nymphadora. With determination and love. Determination to love. You know, he tried to push James and Sirius away as well. They became Animagi. If you care for him and he cares for you, do not give up on him.”
Tonks nodded but didn’t answer and Dumbledore said no more. They stood in silence for a time before the Headmaster spoke.
“I’ll leave you to your thoughts. I do hope you’ll consider the advice of an old man. Here’s a bit more: Be careful of the sweets you accept from any students. Molly and Arthur’s twins have been doing very good business by owl order at this school. I ended up with a Ton-Tongue Toffee last week and it took Poppy an hour to reverse it. I still don’t understand how they only achieved three OWLS each.” The Headmaster shook his head, his eyes twinkling again, and disappeared through the door.
Tonks stared out over the forest, digesting Dumbledore’s words and making a decision.
***
Remus slept fitfully after moonset. The transformation from man to wolf and back again drained him. He slept and dreamt of Tonks. He dreamt she came to him, in the earliest hours of the morning just before dawn, to help him to bed and dress his self-inflicted wounds, cooing comforting words. He dreamt of fire light when it should have been too dark to see. He dreamt of brown hair; hair that would have been beautiful if she had chosen it, but worried him, because some how, he knew she hadn’t done. And her
eyes. He dreamt of her eyes so dark with concern it made his own heart ache.
It was the sun, bright and high in the sky that woke him. He scrubbed his face with his hands and sat up on the bed. The bed. He’d fallen asleep on the floor, not having the strength to make it to the bed himself. He looked around the small room. The fireplace held glowing embers. The small table beside the bed presented a mug and a small scroll of parchment. He slumped back against the pillow. He hadn’t been dreaming. Apparently his Colloportus was strong enough to keep a werewolf in but not to keep a talented Auror out.
He reached out to take the parchment and unroll it.
Remus~
First of all, don’t you dare touch that bandage.
Remus noticed the bandage winding from his wrist to his elbow for the first time.
If there’s one thing my clumsiness has taught me, it’s that wounds don’t heal if you fiddle with them.
Even with out a charm on the letter, he could hear her voice scolding him and laughing.
You’ll have to heat the cocoa in the mug. You know my cooking charms are rubbish and I didn’t want to blow it up.
Please don’t be angry with me for coming to see you. Moody told me you were here and I spent the evening listening to the moon and a very wise Headmaster. I couldn’t stay away after the moon set.
Drink your cocoa, make your report and know that I’m not going anywhere, so you can stop pushing.
Love always,
Tonks
Remus sighed. “I could never be angry with you, Dora,” he whispered, rolling the parchment again. He heated the cocoa and drank it quickly, before dressing to make his report.
Author: Lady_blythe
Format: ficlet
Rating: PG
Prompt: Listen; Dumbledore, Ron or Fred and/or George (or any combination of the four); Drama or Angst; Colloportus
Word Count: 1,288
Summary: Tonks receives good advice from a wise old man.
Author’s Notes: I took a bit of license and decided that Dumbledore would be one of the few to get away with “Nymphadora.” Also, thanks to the betas,
merlitongirl and lonelyflutterby as usual, whose suggestions may or may not have been heeded but are always appreciated.
Tonks stood on top of the astronomy tower and watched the November moon rise. It was bright and large and full and she told herself that she was watching for the first stars, but if she was really honest with herself, she was listening for him.
It was Moody who told her that he was in the area. Of course, Remus wouldn’t have told her himself. He hadn’t even returned an owl in three months and hadn’t been at an Order meeting in even longer. So there she stood, watching the moon rise to torture him, and waiting to hear the only howl he would make that night at the beginning of the transformation.
Tonks held her breath as the bottom edge of the luminous moon cleared the horizon. The wolf’s voice keened over the trees of the forbidden forest. That was him. She’d only heard that sound once before, at Number 12, but she would know it anywhere. He was alive, and at least strong enough to withstand the transformation. She let out her breath and said a small prayer to whoever might be listening that he would have the sense to stay in the shack, away from anything that might be lurking in the forest, until he gave his report tomorrow. She didn’t dare to hope he’d come to visit her before he left again or that he’d wait to rest and gather some strength.
“Nymphadora, what a lovely surprise to find out up here,” Professor Dumbledore’s voice interrupted Tonks’ musings and made her jump.
“Headmaster! How…I…I thought I sealed that door after I sent…a couple of students inside,” Tonks stammered, staring wide-eyed at the wizard who had appeared beside her.
“Yes, I came across Mr. Weasley and Miss Brown in the corridor. I believe they were arguing about how Ronald might know you,” the headmaster smirked. “I do hope your Colloportus is generally stronger than that,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
Tonks winced. “Yes, sir. Only I’m a bit…preoccupied tonight.”
“Ah, yes. Listening for the moon this evening?”
“Excuse me?” Tonks was confused.
“I assume you are here listening for Remus?”
“How did you know?” she asked, looking a bit startled. It was as if the old wizard read her mind.
“I once caught Black, Potter and Pettigrew up here. They told me there were listening for the moon. It didn’t take long to figure out that they were waiting to hear him howl. Of course, I sent them back to Gryffindor Tower once the moon was high.”
“I’m sorry, Professor. I know I shouldn’t be wandering school grounds for this,” Tonks looked very much like a student caught out of bed after hours.
“Miss Tonks, you’re no longer a student here, but a highly talented Auror, and you are welcome on school grounds any time you wish, for whatever reason you may have.”
“Thank you, sir,” the young woman answered sincerely.
“If I may be so bold, why are you here, listening for Remus, instead of waiting for him in Hogsmeade?”
Tonks shrugged. “I don’t think I’m supposed to know he’s here, actually.”
Dumbledore regarded her for a moment. “Was he trying to surprise you?”
Tonks shook her brown hair out of her eyes and leaned against the stones. “No, sir. He doesn’t want to see me. Says he’s old and poor and I ‘can do better,’ whatever that means. Moody told me he was here.”
Professor Dumbledore’s twinkling eyes took on a look of concern, but he said nothing.
Tonks sighed. “He doesn’t say he loves me any more, but he can’t tell me he doesn’t either. The last time I heard from him he asked if I’d ever give up and I told him no. Now, I’m wondering if I shouldn’t.” She shivered as the wind picked up. “I’m sorry, sir. You have more important things to worry about than Remus and me.”
The old man sighed. “Nymphadora, do you know why you were selected for the Order?”
Tonks snorted and ran her fingers through her dull hair. “Because you can use everyone on your side you can get and I make-made a useful spy?”
Dumbledore smiled sadly. “Well, yes, that, and you have passion and determination. You never give up on what you believe in. Or on those you love. That is how this war will be won, Nymphadora. With determination and love. Determination to love. You know, he tried to push James and Sirius away as well. They became Animagi. If you care for him and he cares for you, do not give up on him.”
Tonks nodded but didn’t answer and Dumbledore said no more. They stood in silence for a time before the Headmaster spoke.
“I’ll leave you to your thoughts. I do hope you’ll consider the advice of an old man. Here’s a bit more: Be careful of the sweets you accept from any students. Molly and Arthur’s twins have been doing very good business by owl order at this school. I ended up with a Ton-Tongue Toffee last week and it took Poppy an hour to reverse it. I still don’t understand how they only achieved three OWLS each.” The Headmaster shook his head, his eyes twinkling again, and disappeared through the door.
Tonks stared out over the forest, digesting Dumbledore’s words and making a decision.
***
Remus slept fitfully after moonset. The transformation from man to wolf and back again drained him. He slept and dreamt of Tonks. He dreamt she came to him, in the earliest hours of the morning just before dawn, to help him to bed and dress his self-inflicted wounds, cooing comforting words. He dreamt of fire light when it should have been too dark to see. He dreamt of brown hair; hair that would have been beautiful if she had chosen it, but worried him, because some how, he knew she hadn’t done. And her
eyes. He dreamt of her eyes so dark with concern it made his own heart ache.
It was the sun, bright and high in the sky that woke him. He scrubbed his face with his hands and sat up on the bed. The bed. He’d fallen asleep on the floor, not having the strength to make it to the bed himself. He looked around the small room. The fireplace held glowing embers. The small table beside the bed presented a mug and a small scroll of parchment. He slumped back against the pillow. He hadn’t been dreaming. Apparently his Colloportus was strong enough to keep a werewolf in but not to keep a talented Auror out.
He reached out to take the parchment and unroll it.
Remus~
First of all, don’t you dare touch that bandage.
Remus noticed the bandage winding from his wrist to his elbow for the first time.
If there’s one thing my clumsiness has taught me, it’s that wounds don’t heal if you fiddle with them.
Even with out a charm on the letter, he could hear her voice scolding him and laughing.
You’ll have to heat the cocoa in the mug. You know my cooking charms are rubbish and I didn’t want to blow it up.
Please don’t be angry with me for coming to see you. Moody told me you were here and I spent the evening listening to the moon and a very wise Headmaster. I couldn’t stay away after the moon set.
Drink your cocoa, make your report and know that I’m not going anywhere, so you can stop pushing.
Love always,
Tonks
Remus sighed. “I could never be angry with you, Dora,” he whispered, rolling the parchment again. He heated the cocoa and drank it quickly, before dressing to make his report.