Just The Way You Are: A Ronks Story

Meet Remus

Tonks raced across the dark square, feeling a bit lost. The darkness felt like it was swallowing her, and she couldn't make out where the bushes ended and the houses started. She was also certain that there was no Order of the Phoenix headquarters visible. 

A hand clamped down on Tonks's shoulder. She screamed and jumped.

"Quiet," a low voice growled. "It's me! Do you want to wake the whole neighborhood up?"

Tonks, still incapable of speech, just shook her head.

"Well then I suggest you shut up!"

Regaining her voice, Tonks felt like the biggest idiot ever. "Well excuse me, cyclops, but you didn't give me any clue where to find this 'Order of the Phoenix'!"

"Hey, I've got two eyes!"

"Not really," Tonks muttered under her breath. 

Mad-Eye gave her a dark scowl. Tonks glared back.

A house pushed two of the houses apart and swelled up like a balloon. Number twelve. Mad-Eye gripped Tonks by the ear and dragged her over to the house. "In! Now!" Mad-Eye said in a loud whisper.

Dazed, Tonks jerked her head away and massaged her ear. She cautiously peered into the house. Mad-Eye gave her a push, and Tonks stepped in. She didn't go any farther, scared of making a mistake.

"Come on, we're going to miss the meeting!" Mad-Eye seemed flustered and he grabbed Tonks's ear again. 

Mad-Eye flung open a door in the hall, leading to a steep flight of stairs. Tonks prayed she wouldn't fall down them, because it looked like it would be a long fall.

"Where's Alastor?" a red-haired man sat back in his chair and checked his Muggle watch. "I'm still not exactly sure how to tell time on this, but I'm pretty sure he's late. This is an all new... wristclock."
Another man, this one with scars on his face and neck, wearing shabby clothes, spoke up.

"Arthur, that's a watch."

"Erm, yes, I knew that. I was just... quizzing you guys."

"We're right here," grunted Mad-Eye. "Had to fill out some more papers at the Ministry. Sorry."

"Well, you're here now," said Arthur cheerily. "That's all that matters."

"Who's we?" asked the scarred man. 

"Oh, her," Mad-Eye grumbled. "Nymphadora, what are you waiting for?"

Showtime, thought Tonks, as she stepped into the room, feeling her face redden. Everyone was staring at her. Tonks hated feeling like that. "It's Tonks," she said in a voice barely audible.

"This is Nymphadora," said Mad-Eye, gesturing for Tonks to take the seat between a man Tonks recognized as Sirius black, and the scarred man. "She's an Auror at the Ministry."

"Hey, Nym-Nymphadora," whispered Sirius, stumbling over Tonks's name.

"It's Tonks!" Tonks's already red face turned even redder. She slumped down in her seat, trying not to be noticeable. It didn't work. Everyone was still staring at her.

"Oh yeah, and speaking of Tonks, you're on sweeping duty today. The back porch. You'll have Remus to help you, since he missed his other day. Now to pair you guys up for Thursday's mission..." Mad-Eye droned on.

Tonks didn't pay attention to the rest of the meeting, but she hoped desperately that it would end soon. 

Even more embarrassing, at dinner, Tonks turned into a human chameleon. Her emotions just raced out of control, and so did her metamorphmagus powers. Tonks didn't know when she'd felt more miserable. She also didn't know if she had the guts to come back. She could just run back to her parents, right? Wrong. They had been so sure that she could be a help to the Order.