Last chapter of this little fic. Hope it was fun to read, since it was fun to write.
Chapter 3- Lucky
Damn.
Remus didn't use profanity often, even in thought, but in this case it pretty much summed up what he was thinking. He said nothing out loud, but Dora apparently read his mind, and turned from gazing nervously at the kitchen door her parents had disappeared through. She gave him a sunny smile.
"Don't worry about Dad. He's just not getting what he doesn't want to. Mum calls it being selectively dense. It's not to do with you…he's like that with any guy…" she trailed off, and then started up brightly again. "Mum took it awfully well."
He gave her a startled look. He wouldn't call nearly fainting "awfully well."
"Oh, c'mon," she said giving his shoulder a cheerful shove. "You were best mates with Sirius. You've seen the Black temper. You would know if she was angry. They don't trouble to hide it."
Remus had to admit that was true, the Black temper involved shouting, and breaking things and curses flying. Dark curses. If Andromeda's temper was anything like her cousin's, he didn't want it directed at him. Actually, neither of them had made any attempt to curse him yet, and that, at least, was encouraging.
That optimistic thought was interrupted by Ted shouting "WHAT?" from the kitchen and Dora winced.
"Right, well at least he's figured it out."
The moment Ted and I emerged from the kitchen commenced one of the most awkward silences I have ever experienced. It would definitely make the top five most awkward silences of my life. In fact, it was probably second only to the awkward silence following my announcement to my family that I was going to marry Ted.
"Dora, breathe," I finally suggested, since she clearly wasn't, and having her pass out wasn't going to help the situation any. "Why don't we all have a seat?"
There, that was good. And I was completely out of things to say. Well, completely out of polite things that did not begin with "What the Hell...?" I looked at Ted for guidance, but he was no help, still looking faintly hopeful, as though he thought they were about to confess it was all a big joke.
"I'm sorry Remus, you must think us incredibly rude, but if Nymphadora had been a little more...forthcoming..." She cringed and sank down in her seat, whether from my use of her full name or the reprimand I didn't care. "Well, you must see we really weren't expecting this."
"I understand completely Andromeda, and that's my fault. I've been fairly reticent about...discussing this."
"For good reason," remarked Ted, under his breath. I kicked him.
"How did this start?" I began, and then remembered Molly Weasley's comment. "When did this start?"
They exchanged a look I couldn't read. Just where did he get off looking at my baby like that? Like they had some kind of connection?
"It's been in working for Dumbledore, Mum," she answered.
"Two years?"
"Well, no, I mean…we've been working for Dumbledore for two years, but it's only been in the last year…"
The last year, the year that she's been so unhappy, so lethargic and depressed. That in itself was enough to tell me it had not been a smooth romance.
"Darling, you know we want you to be happy, but you can't blame us for worrying, the last year has obviously been…difficult…for you."
"You can't blame Remus for that," Dora protested.
"I reckon I can manage," muttered Ted, under his breath again. I made to kick him again but he moved his leg out of the way. His reflexes have gotten quite good over the years.
"No, you should blame me for that," Remus said firmly. "I've known how Dora feels for some time, and I was trying to push her away. I felt…I still sometimes do…that she deserves more. Someone younger, someone who can give her everything, who will never be a danger to her…"
This was apparently not a new issue, since Dora scowled as he spoke.
She began something about "I've said a million times…" but I wasn't really listening to her, because I had only just processed something he had said- "be a danger to her."
I can't say I remembered Remus Lupin well from Hogwarts. He had been among Sirius's group of friends, but aside from the showy James Potter they had all rather blended together in my mind, as wrapped up as I was in those days in the emotional tug-of-war between Ted and my sisters. I did remember him well as Sirius's mate after they had graduated, when Sirius used to stop by to play with Dora, or perhaps just to feel like he had a family. Remus had always been quiet and polite. I suppose that's why we were both surprised when it came out that he had resigned a teaching position at Hogwarts when someone "inadvertently" revealed he was a werewolf. I had never met anyone else who was a werewolf, that I knew of, but he seemed entirely different from what I had unconsciously imagined. The only other one I'd heard much about was Fenrir Greyback, and that's not something you want to welcome into the family.
I glanced at Ted, and saw the same realization in his face. Dora, on the other hand was getting herself nicely worked up without any help from us.
"Dora, you can't simply dismiss those concerns," Ted said, looking a good deal more pleased at the prospect that Remus was actually on his side.
"I haven't dismissed them, I've spent the last year trying to make him understand that I don't care," she replied hotly.
"The reason I'm bringing them up now is so that you understand that I…we…didn't just dismiss them," Remus said patiently. "But in the end, I want her to be happy."
"I think that's what we all want," Ted said in a perfectly calm voice. "But Dora is very young."
"Dad, I'm not a child."
"No, but you can't ignore the age difference, or lycanthropy."
"I'm not ignoring it. I know the risks."
"And do you know what people are going to say? Can you handle how people are going to treat you, Dora? Not just Remus."
"I don't care," she said stubbornly.
"That's because you're not thinking ahead. Not everyone at the Ministry is going to be particularly open-minded. Have you considered your career? And if you think it won't have an effect, then ask your Mother."
"Ted," I began. "This is not about us…"
"No, Andy, she needs to realize that not everyone is going to accept that love conquers all."
"I would think you of all people would understand that," she snapped.
"Nymphadora…"
"May I say something?" Remus broke in quietly, and when no one objected, went on. "You should be proud, that Dora is so dismissive of the prejudices most people still cling dearly to. That's not only a credit to your values, but a credit to your raising her to think for herself. But she's not stupid, and she's not naïve."
Ted was shaking his head, and stood up then restlessly. "Remus, I like you. Always have. But liking you as Sirius's mate is a much different thing than liking you as Dora's…" he seemed to search for an appropriate word, and failed find one he liked, so he went on. "I don't want to see her get hurt."
"Dad, look at me," she said simply. He did, and I saw what she meant. After many months of looking at her and seeing her tired and gaunt and unable even to morph, it lifted my heart to see her with a smile, with the deep circles under her eyes gone, and with her hair a riot of pink ringlets. Ted blinked at her for a moment, and then nodded. He went on pacing, trying another route.
"Are you sure you're not rushing into this? There's a war, the world is uncertain. That leads people to do crazy things."
"Crazy things like… eloping at seventeen?" I suggested.
Remus smiled at me, and Dora stifled a laugh, making a most unladylike snorting sound. Ted froze for a beat, looked at me, and then started to laugh.
"Touché, Love, touché." He pressed my shoulder fondly, and then turned back to Remus. "Do you love her?"
"Yes, Sir."
"All right," Ted held out a hand. "But please never call me "Sir" again. It freaks me out."
The tension seemed to break, or at least to lessen, and I hugged Dora.
"If she makes you as happy as her mother has made me, you're a lucky man."
"I know how lucky I am."
"I was exceptionally nice," Ted announced as soon as they had gone, watching them make their way down the front path to the street. "Why don't they just apparate?"
I shrugged. "You know, a beautiful walk, a warm summer night…who knows where it might lead?"
"Rather not think about it."
"Oh please, you saw how he looked at her."
"Andromeda, don't make me go after them and kick his ass."
"Oh stop," I kissed his cheek. "You like him."
"I'll get used to it," he admitted. "As long as he doesn't get a nose ring."