But one person was quicker than any of them; one person who had been watching her all the time, as she flew her lap of honour, and saw the Bludger coming towards her. Charlie Weasley, with unerring instincts, had realised the danger and rushed towards her as she toppled down unconscious. A few feet from the ground, he grabbed an arm, scooped her up and gently brought her back to earth.
“She’s hurt,” he yelled. “Her head’s bleeding. Get some help!”
Madam Pomfrey ran onto the pitch and conjured a stretcher for her. The crowd began to sit down. Remus stayed where he was, staring anxiously at her lifeless form.
“What happens now?” whispered Angelina to Oliver as they watched in horror. “Do we play on?”
“Yes,” replied Oliver bleakly. “The game doesn’t end until the Snitch is caught but I’m not sure if Hufflepuff will want to carry on with only six players.”
Madam Pomfrey began to levitate the stretcher towards the hospital wing. She whispered something to Charlie, who immediately flew to the commentary box.
He looked pale and his voice shook as he spoke to Professor Dumbledore.
“Madam Pomfrey is taking Tonks in now. She says she’ll be fine.” His voice sounded doubtful.
“Charlie,” said Professor McGonagall kindly, “she wouldn’t lie to you. I’m sure Nymphadora will be fine.”
Charlie Weasley, thought Remus shakily as he looked at the ashen faced boy. He obviously cares a great deal “ whatever Tonks might think.
Professor Sprout stood up. “I need to be with Nymphadora,” she said suddenly. “I...I.” she stuttered, and Remus could see she was trembling.
“Pomona, why don’t you sit with your House?” said Professor Dumbledore. “They need you too. I shall take your place and Remus,” he paused and looked towards the white, shaken man, “perhaps you can accompany me.”
Charlie started in surprise and nearly fell off his broom. So that is Remus Lupin, he thought. Remus looked at him wobbling on his broomstick and smiled tentatively.
“Mr Weasley,” said Professor Dumbledore, his eyes flickering from Remus to the boy hovering nearby. “I think you’ll find the match is starting up again and Gryffindor is one hundred points down.”
“Er...yeah, Professor. I guess I’d better get back.” He started to fly back, but then he stopped. “If...” he began.
“If we have any further news,” said Professor Dumbledore, “we’ll let you know.”
Remus watched as Charlie flew back to his team and began shouting at two red-haired boys, who were white-faced with shock.
“Are you two responsible for that?” he yelled furiously. “What the hell do you think you’re doing chucking Bludgers during a time out?”
“Mr Weasley...Charlie,” said Madam Hooch, “calm down. It wasn’t your brothers’ fault. They were practising during the time out and one of the Bludgers collided with another and veered off towards Miss Tonks.” She hovered alongside him and clasped his arm. “She’s tough, Charlie. She’ll be fine. Now, how about you show that scout over there just what you can do.”
Tonks came to about an hour later. The winter sunlight was flooding through the hospital windows. As she opened her eyes, she was hit by a wave of pain. There was a stray black lock of hair across her eye. She tried to push it off her face, but for some reason her right arm wouldn’t move. She could see a blurred outline sitting in a chair next to her.
“Did we win?” she said groggily.
The person sitting by her bedside chuckled. “Most people would say ‘Where am I?’ when they come round after a blow to the head.”
She squinted at the voice. “Remus,” she whispered. “It was you. Did you see me get James’ record?” she said.
“Yes,” said Remus, and she could see him smiling. “Nothing wrong with your memory, Tonks.”
She tried to move the lock of hair from her face again but couldn’t.
“Have I hurt my arm or something?” she mumbled.
“You dislocated it,” said Remus. “Charlie Weasley caught you by the arm, as you fell, but he wrenched your arm out of its socket. Madam Pomfrey has fixed it and your arm’s now in a sling.”
“Oh, okay.” She moved her other arm and pushed the hair off her face. It fell back over her eyes.
“Godric, how did Sirius put up with hair this ridiculous length?” she said. Remus could see her wince as she tried to morph back to pink spikes.
“Ah, not working,” she sighed. She lay back on the pillows.
“I’m sure your powers will be restored soon, Miss Tonks,” said Professor Dumbledore benevolently. She looked over to the window where the Headmaster was standing. “But, for now, perhaps it’s your body’s way of telling you to stop.”
“Stop,” she said, surprised that the Headmaster was there. “Stop what?”
“Your search for the ‘truth’,” he replied in clear authoritative tones. He moved across the ward and stood at the end of her bed. “It seems to be putting you at risk.”
She opened her mouth to say something but Dumbledore’s upraised hand forestalled her. “I don’t mean danger, Miss Tonks, although your distraction on your broom today concerns me. I mean the risk to your future if you continue to follow this path.”
“I don’t know what you mean, sir,” she said stubbornly, but she couldn’t quite meet his eyes.
Dumbledore pulled up a chair alongside the bed. “Nymphadora,” he said gently. “The Ministry believe that Sirius Black is a Death Eater and a traitor. If your blind loyalty carries on you will never even be admitted to the Auror training programme, let alone qualify as an Auror.”
“I don’t care,” she said tearfully.
“Tonks,” said Remus. “Listen to Professor Dumbledore. I knew Sirius better than anyone alive today. If he’s innocent, he won’t want you ruining your life for him and if he’s guilty, he’s not worth it “ however much you loved him as a child.”
There was a silence in the ward; Tonks could feel hot tears running down her cheeks and tried to lift her injured arm again to wipe them away.
“Damn it!” she cried in frustration. She looked around the ward, desperately wanting to change the subject, conscious that both men were watching her.
“Why are you here?” she asked Remus at last.
Remus flushed. He was wondering when she’d get around to that.
“I was...er,” he began. He stopped and looked down at his feet. She could see him fiddling with his wand as he tried to think what to say.
“He was here to see me, Nymphadora,” said Professor Dumbledore, “and I invited him to see the match. Remus told me you had met him.”
She gulped waiting to face the Headmaster’s censure. She wasn’t exactly sure of the rules but bunking off school during term, nicking ingredients from the Potion Master’s storeroom to brew a controlled substance, and spiking someone’s drink would probably spell the end of her Hogwarts days “ at least.
“I...I can explain, sir,” she spluttered, and then caught Remus’ eye. He was shaking his head slightly, mouthing ‘It’s okay.’ She shut her mouth and forced herself to stare at the Headmaster, not at Remus.
“Yes,” continued Dumbledore after a while. “Remus has told me that you met up with him, quite by chance, in Hogsmeade over the Christmas holidays and that you asked him about your cousin.” His voice was laced with irony and Tonks knew he didn’t quite believe Remus’ version of events. “He wrote to me shortly after, expressing concern for your wellbeing and I invited him here today.”
“Oh,” she said quietly. She looked at Remus and smiled. “Did you enjoy the match?”
“What I saw of it was fantastic, Tonks,” he replied, and then a grin appeared on his face. “Sirius would have loved it.”
“Even though I took the record away from his best friend?” she said impishly.
Remus sat back in his chair and laughed. She could see he looked younger when he smiled.
“Especially because you took the record away from his best friend,” he replied. “James was a great player and he knew it. The number of times he went on about that record. It annoyed the hell out of us, so having a Black beat a Potter would have had Sirius crowing for years.” He laughed again but there was a sadder note in his voice now.
Dumbledore stood up to leave. “I’ll give you a few more minutes, Remus, but she needs her rest and Mr Weasley is outside waiting to see her.”
“Charlie’s here?” she exclaimed. “Oh, Helga, I bet he’s angry. I must have rotted up his chances with the scout.”
“I think that’s the last thing on his mind,” replied Professor Dumbledore. “He’s far more concerned about the interview he gave to The Prophet. Miss Tonks, I think you should know that Rita Skeeter has caught out many a wiser man than Charlie Weasley. I doubt he meant any harm when he talked of you.”
“I know,” she said and then sighed. “It was shock more than anything. Tell him it’s forgotten.”
He nodded and left the room. There was an awkward silence as Remus looked at the floor.
“Thank you for not telling him about the Veritaserum and everything. You have every right to be angry with me,” she said. As she moved her head, the hair flopped over her face again. “Damn it!” she muttered and tried to sweep it off her face. It fell over her eyes again.
Instinctively, Remus reached out and gently smoothed the long black tress round her ear, carefully avoiding the large bruise on her forehead.
Such a small gesture but it sent a tingle down her spine. His fingers stopped and seemed to dwell on her cheekbone. She held her breath.
He blinked rapidly and removed his hand. “You have a bruise there, Tonks,” he said and quickly looked away. He stood up. “I should go,” he said.
“I made something for you,” she blurted out. “I made some of that salve in Potions, it’s in my room, and...” she gulped. “Wolfsbane...I’m going to learn how to make that. It’s my term project with Professor Snape...if he approves it, of course.”
He smiled wryly. “After today, I don’t think your Potions Master will be quite so eager to create Wolfsbane, especially if he thinks you’re brewing it for me.”
“Why not?” she said, frowning at him.
“Snape was at school with me, with us, I should say. We… er… didn’t get on, I’m afraid,” admitted Remus. “He hated Sirius and James, although he had good cause on plenty of occasions. He discovered I was a werewolf in our fifth year.”
“Ah,” said Tonks. “So charging round a Quidditch pitch screaming Sirius’ name and changing my hair jet black isn’t the best way to get on his good side.”
He laughed, ruefully, “Not really, Tonks.”
“Probably just earned myself a Troll grade,” she said, sighing. “I can still send you the salve, if you like.” She didn’t want him to leave.
“That’s okay,” he said and pointed to her head and arm. “You probably need it more than me. Besides, I’m not sure where I’ll be for a while.”
“Why?” she said, suddenly worried. “Where are you going?”
“Away. Abroad to be more precise. Professor Dumbledore has suggested something to me and I’m going off to do some research.”
He looked round the ward, and then moved over to the window where he could see the grounds of Hogwarts.
“Apart from your injury, today has been wonderful. I was so very happy here.” She could see the happiness on his face that she’d glimpsed the morning he’d showed her the tunnel. He looked back at her, lying forlornly on a hospital bed. “You must take care of yourself, Tonks. Please don’t do anything rash.”
“I can’t give up on him,” she said bleakly.
“I’m not telling you to give up on him, Tonks,” he said, looking straight at her. “But who is better placed than an Auror to uncover the truth?”
“Do you have to go?” she said impulsively, and her fingers began pleating the sheet that covered her. She wanted to continue this conversation; to prolong her time with this man. She could feel him slipping away and wondered if this was the last time she’d see him.
He sighed. “Yes, I have things to do. Besides, your Gryffindor Seeker’s been waiting outside all this time. I think it’s only fair that your rescuer gets to spend some time with you.” He paused. “He’s a good lad, Tonks; perhaps you should give him another chance.”
“I know how good he is,” she said reluctantly, “but we’re better as friends.”
“Good basis for love,” he said softly.
“Not if there’s nothing else there,” she replied. “There’s no spark with Charlie.” She shook her head and then winced. “Sorry, you don’t want to hear all this. I sound like some silly teenager writing to the Witch Weekly agony witch.”
Remus looked down at her sad face. He had rather hoped to see her smile before he left. Putting his hand in his pocket, he pulled out a photo and sat down on the edge of the bed.
“I found this… if you want it,” he said.
She took it from him. It was a picture of the four Marauders accompanied by some girls. Sirius was ruffling James’ hair and had his other arm around a girl with blonde, unruly curls. She recognised Lily, who was sitting furthest away from James. She noticed how Lily and James seemed to be ignoring each other but occasionally their eyes would flicker sideways and meet.
“When was this taken?” she asked, a lump appearing in her throat.
“End of our sixth year. James and Lily were not officially going out then, but we strongly suspected there was something going on.” He laughed as he remembered those times. “Sirius has his arm round a lovely girl called Martha, they dated for a while. Peter and I were footloose and fancy-free, as they say.”
“Really,” she said sceptically. “That dark-haired girl seems to be looking at you quite intently.”
He took the picture and studied it. “Oh, her. Well, I guess she was an ex.” He frowned as he handed the picture back. “It’s one of the few pictures I have of all of us together. I destroyed a lot of them after...”
“You don’t have to give it to me,” she said, although she longed for one picture, one small reminder of Sirius in happier times. She also found herself desperately wanting to keep a reminder of Remus, too. “Don’t you want to take it with you?”
“I’ll probably lose it, Tonks. I’d like you to have it.”
“I can’t accept it, Remus. I know what it must mean to you,” she said, sniffing.
“Take care of it for me, then,” he compromised. “And when I come back and find you’re a top notch Auror, you can return it to me. Deal?”
“Deal,” she said and broke into a wide grin.
That’s what I wanted to see, he thought. That beautiful smile.
Waiting at the door, Charlie saw Remus slowly get up from Tonks’ bed. He watched as Tonks held out her hand in an attempt to make him stay and saw the smile on her face; the smile that could light up a room. He stayed where he was until Remus walked up to him.
“She’s all yours, Charlie,” said Remus lightly.
If only, thought Charlie sadly. He walked over to her bedside and sat on the chair.
“Wotcher!” said Tonks. “How did it go?”
“What?” said Charlie, distracted by the large bruise that was discolouring the side of her face.
“The scout, Weasley. How did it go with the scout?”
“Oh, that. I don’t know. I came straight here after the match and he went off somewhere with McGonagall. I don’t think he was that impressed, to be honest. You totally outclassed us today.”
“Are you telling me Hufflepuff won?” said Tonks excitedly. “Wow, that’s amazing. We beat the mighty Gryffs. YESSSS!”
Charlie snorted. “Sorry to burst your little Hufflepuff bubble, Nymphadora, but you didn’t win “ you just weren’t as comprehensively beaten as you usually are.” He grinned. “I meant that you outclassed us. Once you’d gone, Angelina got a goal back and, although Digby got you one more, I caught the Snitch, so it was one hundred and sixty against one hundred and ten to Gryffindor.”
“So the scout saw you make the catch then?” she said encouragingly.
“Mmm, but it wasn’t a particularly good catch. I nearly fluffed it,” he muttered. He sighed and looked around the room. Talking about the match was great but it wasn’t why he was here. He took a deep breath.
“Tonks, I’ve come here to say sorry about the article and...”
“Forget it, Weasley. I should have known you wouldn’t say anything rotten. You’re one of the good guys,” she replied.
He grimaced. ‘Good guys’ in his book didn’t win the girls.
“Not just about the article, Tonks. I’m sorry about that crack about Slytherin. I forgot about your mum. You’re right, you know, not all Slytherins are underhanded.”
“Not all Hufflepuffs are ‘duffers’ either,” she said, smiling.
“Nope,” he replied, “and Gryffindors certainly don’t have the monopoly on brave, reckless behaviour. I think you proved that today.”
There was a pause, and then she grinned mischievously, “Ravenclaws are still a stuck up bunch of smart-arses though, aren’t they, Weasley?”
“Yeah,” he laughed, “Sodding know-it-alls!” He looked at the photo in her hand. “What’s that?” he asked her, peering round to get a look.
“Oh, Remus gave it to me. It’s a photograph he found from his Hogwarts days. Look at them. They all look so happy.”
Charlie frowned. He wasn’t sure Lupin should be encouraging her like this. Black was guilty for Godric’s sake! He watched her engrossed in the photo studying Sirius from every angle. He noticed her thumb covering up a girl’s face. It was a dark haired girl sitting to the left of Lupin.
“Remus said that James and Lily weren’t together at the time, but they look very aware of each other, don’t they?” said Tonks. “Remus thinks they were probably secretly seeing each other. He said that Sirius was dating that blonde girl and he was single.” She paused in her reverie.
Charlie noticed that she seemed to be starting a lot of her sentences with the word Remus. Not Lupin now, he thought, yet I’m still Weasley.
There was a noise behind them as a man, accompanied by Professor McGonagall, swept into the room.
“Mr Bloomsbury, you really shouldn’t be in here. Miss Tonks is not well,” remonstrated the Professor.
“Nonsense,” said the man breezily in his bluff, Yorkshire accent. “I’m a busy man and what I have to say concerns both of them.”
He strode forward to the bed. “’Ay-up lad, that was a pretty pickle of a match you got tangled up in then, wasn’t it?”
Charlie goggled at this brash looking man wearing a very loud jacket. He presumed Mr Bloomsbury was the Puddlemere United scout.
“Er...not one of my best, sir,” he replied, “but I caught the Snitch at the end.”
“Hmm, you nearly missed it though, didn’t you,” stated Mr Bloomsbury. “Your other catch was far more impressive.”
“Sorry,” said Charlie. “What other catch?”
“The lass here, Miss Nymphadora Tonks. Now that was a fine piece of flying,” he said with authority. “Shame she was on the other side, but I know what you Gryffindors are like.”
He paused and then reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a wad of parchment. “I have a contract here, ready for your signature, Mr Weasley. You’ll make a fine addition to our team at Puddlemere.”
With a stunned look on his face, Charlie took the contract from him. He stared down at the terms, the place for his signature, and saw the money being offered to him. It was a huge amount. Much more than Bill got at Gringotts and barely any less than his dad scraped together at the Ministry.
“Charlie,” whispered Tonks, “that’s brilliant.”
He looked at her smiling face. He could see she was impressed. He should sign now. It was his dream to play Quidditch professionally, wasn’t it?
“You’ll need to talk it over with your parents, Charlie,” said the calm, reasoned voice of Professor McGonagall. “Perhaps, Mr Bloomsbury, you can leave it with him?”
“I’ve not finished yet,” said the scout. “Miss Tonks, you were quite superb today. I don’t think I’ve seen such flying at your standard for years. I want to offer you a place on the team, too.”
“Oh,” said Tonks in surprise. She looked flustered and tried to sit up, but the pain in her head and shoulder shot through her like a hex. She sank back into her pillows.
“That’s an incredible offer and I’m very flattered but...” she started to say. He interrupted.
“I should have known it; you’ve been approached by someone else, haven’t you? Was it Gilligan from the Kestrals? He’s after another Chaser. Well, he can’t offer you any better than we can, lass.”
“N-no, it’s not another team,” she stuttered. “It’s not what I want to do, Mr Bloomsbury. I intend being an Auror “ as long as my grades are up to it.”
He looked at her for a long time, considering her. “You’ve got guts, Miss Tonks, I’ll give you that. There’s not many would go into that line of work, however good their grades, especially given your background.” He waved a copy of The Prophet in her face.
Tonks heard Professor McGonagall’s sharp intake of breath and saw Charlie react. Hastily, she grabbed his arm. “Perhaps my background is the reason I’ll be successful. Have you ever heard the phrase ‘It takes a thief to catch a thief’, Mr Bloomsbury?”
He chuckled. “I hope you change your mind. Puddlemere could do with someone with your spirit.” He looked at Charlie. “Think on, lad. I’ll give you till the end of this month to make up your mind.” Then he turned round and left.
“Godric, Tonks!” exclaimed Charlie. “Why did you restrain me? I wanted to hit him.”
“And see you get dropped before you’ve even taken off. Don’t be daft, Weasley.” She yawned, suddenly very tired after an eventful day.
“We should leave her, Charlie,” said Professor McGonagall. “She needs her rest. Miss Tonks, before I go, I’d like you to know that I fully intend on dealing with those members of my House who behaved so disgracefully towards you before the match.”
Tonks smiled weakly; it all seemed such a long time ago. “That’s okay, Professor, I always play far better when I’m angry.” She yawned again, struggling to keep her eyes open. “Sorry about Potter’s record.”
“I think, Miss Tonks, under the circumstances, that would have been one record James Potter would have gloried in seeing taken away from him.”
The Professor sighed as she remembered the Chaser that James had been, and then shook her head; it did no good to dwell on these things.
Tonks was discharged on Sunday evening to a rapturous reception in the Hufflepuff common room.
“Wow!” she cried, looking at all the food and bottles of Butterbeer lined up on a table. “What’s all this for?”
“Celebration for the Tonks One Hundred!” answered Digby, giving her a rather slobbery peck on the cheek. “Thanks to you, Hufflepuff are currently in the lead for the House Cup.”
“Really?” Tonks replied.
“Yes,” said Aggie. “Professor Dumbledore awarded you fifty points and the team twenty for capturing Potter’s record. We’re now sixty points clear.”
Tonks grinned. She knew it was highly improbable that Hufflepuff would stay at the top of the board, especially given that the Quidditch Cup had yet to be decided, but being top was an amazing feeling.
“Who paid for all this food and Butterbeer?” she said. “Digby, I know how broke you are. Where on earth did you get the money?”
“You, Tonks,” replied Digby, “are a very popular witch all over Hogwarts. The food is courtesy of the kitchens and a house-elf called Frinkle, whereas the Butterbeer...” He paused. “The Butterbeer has been donated by Wood and the Weasley twins. Guess they’re feeling guilty.”
“Wow! Wow! Wow!” exclaimed a very excited Tonks. “Come on, guys, let’s get started.”
Next morning, Tonks had to be dragged out of bed by Aggie. The party had extended into the small hours which, now she thought about it, Tonks realised was not a good idea because she had Potions first thing.
Hastily knocking back some tea and toast, she dashed back to the dorm to get her books together. She glanced at the mirror. Her hair was still black as she’d been unable to change it yet. Mindful of Remus’ words, she scraped it back into a ponytail in an attempt to lessen its resemblance to Sirius’ hair. Then she meekly entered the classroom.
“Late again, Miss Tonks,” said Professor Snape coldly. “Five points from Hufflepuff and see me after class.”
She knew it was foolish to argue; she’d witnessed this side of him before although it had been a long time since he’d shown it towards her.
“Sorry, sir,” she muttered, and took her usual seat next to Melody.
There followed an exemplary lesson where they began more complicated antidotes, to lesser known snake venoms. Tonks leant forward so she could capture all the instructions he whispered in his sibilant voice. Keeping her head down, she brewed an almost perfect antidote and took it up to him to be marked. Snape looked at her coldly but accepted the potion. For one minute, as he glanced at her hair, she thought he was going to drop her vial on the floor, but instead he unstopped the bottle and sniffed it.
“Acceptable, Miss Tonks,” he said icily. “Your proposal, however, to brew Wolfsbane, is not.”
“B-but, sir. Professor Snape, please. I’ve done all this research and I don’t have time to look at another Potion,” she said desperately.
“That is not my problem,” he said, and his eyes bored into hers. “You should not have assumed that I would approve “ especially as you were not honest with me about the reasons you wanted to brew it.”
She thought of protesting that she didn’t know what he meant but she knew it was futile. An image of Remus, when she’d first met him, swam to the front of her head and suddenly, there was James lifting her up from Sirius’ chest and Lily looking on fondly.
Snape gasped and looked away suddenly. Remus had told her he’d hated James and Sirius, but she hadn’t realised how bitter he was. There was a long silence. Snape picked up a long, black quill and began marking essays. She decided to leave, but as she got to the door his voice stopped her.
“I was not aware you’d ever met your cousin, Miss Tonks.” he said quietly.
“Once, years ago,” she replied. “My mum told me to keep quiet about it.”
“Your mother is wise. Yet, on Saturday, you sported his hairstyle and shouted his name to the skies. That is not wise.”
She bit her lip knowing that it was vital she keep on good terms with this man. “Professor Snape,” she began. “I was upset by the article inThe Prophet, by the inferences that I would follow in their footsteps and...” she smiled tentatively at him, “I thought it was the best way of annoying the Gryffindors.”
He considered her carefully. “And Lupin?”
“I met him, years ago, at Black’s place. Then, last month, I bumped into him in Hogsmeade. I talked to him about my cousin,” she said earnestly.
“What on earth could you possibly want to know about Black?”
Sorry Sirius, she thought as she looked her Potions Professor straight in the eye.
“I wanted to ask him,” she began, “why Black had betrayed them? It’s not nice coming from a family condemned for dark magic and betrayal. I needed some answers.”
“And Lupin furnished you with the answers?” asked Snape.
“He told me that Black was the Potters’ Secret Keeper and only he could have given away their location to You-know-Who.”
“And your sudden interest in Wolfsbane?” he questioned her. “Does this have anything to do with anyone in particular?”
She hesitated. The truth would stop her proposal dead but an outright lie would not help either.
“I remembered a conversation between Lily Potter and Lupin about werewolves, they thought I was asleep,” she began. “For some reason, it popped into my mind when you gave us the assignment. After all, it is a complicated potion. But, sir,” she hesitated, “I handed in my initial proposal long before I’d met Remus Lupin in Hogsmeade.” She reached into her bag and brought out reams of pages full of notes. “Please, Professor Snape, I really have done a lot of research on this.”
He looked at her face, at the black hair she was so desperately trying to make unrecognisable, and then looked at the pages and pages of notes she’d made. It was rare to find a student so committed “ could he really afford to say no?
“I will allow it,” he said finally, “providing it is brewed under my strict supervision and you are not to take any samples out of the Dungeons.”
She breathed deeply, only then realising quite how tense she’d been.
“Thank you, sir,” she said, and left quickly before he could change his mind.
There was another Hogsmeade weekend at the end of January. Tonks decided to go alone. Aggie had invited her to come along with her and Gregor but she didn’t want to play gooseberry. She walked slowly along the path, not wishing to intrude on Oliver Wood and his girlfriend. She smiled to herself. Oliver had been profuse in his apologies, as had Fred and George, and the Gryffindors no longer ignored her. She paused to wave to Hagrid, who was tending his pumpkins.
“Tonks, wait a minute,” said Charlie, who she hadn’t seen standing behind Hagrid. He came over to her. “Do you mind if I walk into Hogsmeade with you? I need to talk to you about something.”
“Er...sure,” she replied nervously, hoping he wasn’t going to ask her out again.
They walked for a while in silence, and then he stopped. “I haven’t given Bloomsbury my answer yet,” he said.
“Oh,” she replied. This was the last thing she thought he’d be talking about. “Why not?”
“I don’t know, Tonks. I’m undecided. I know what a great opportunity it is but...”
“What do your parents think?” she asked.
“They just want me to be happy. They realise what a great opportunity it is and, with the wages, I could really help them out… although Mum’s concerned about injuries.”
“But it’s not what you really want, is it, Charlie?” she asked.
“I thought it was,” he replied. “It’s been my dream for so long. And Puddlemere United “ that’s big time.”
He walked on, kicking stones with his feet and then looked back at her.
“I watched you turn down his offer…” he began.
“Charlie, don’t say this. You’re not turning it down because I won’t be there, are you?” she said in horror.
He laughed. “No, don’t worry, it’s not that. What I was going to say, was that I watched you turn down his offer because you knew it wasn’t what you wanted, and suddenly I found myself wondering if it was what I really wanted to do.”
“But you love Quidditch, Charlie,” she exclaimed.
“Yeah, I do, but what I really love is the flying. I hate the competitive stuff and flying professionally will only increase that,” he said determinedly.
“So what do you want to do?” she asked.
He grinned and looked back at Hagrid.
“Oh my good Godric, Weasley!” she cried. “It’s dragons, isn’t it? You want to work with dragons.”
He laughed loudly. “I knew you’d guess,” he said. “Sometimes, I think you know me better than anyone and that includes Bill. What do you think?”
“It’s brilliant, Charlie. I’m so pleased for you. However, if your mum’s worried about Bludgers, what in the name of Helga Hufflepuff's best nightie is she going to say about dragons?”