Lady Tonks, Lord Potter

Winging it

Amelia Bones sat at the kitchen table, looking over the parchment that had just been delivered. Apparently there was a rather important meeting going on at Potter Lodge involving dignitaries from several countries and she hadn't been notified. Granted, she was one of the last vestiges of the old Ministry, and the Ministry didn't really exist anymore, but she felt a bit irritated being left out of the loop. The High Council did send her information, but that was usually relayed after the fact and in that stultifying prose that only career bureaucrats could compose. To make matters worse, if possible, Mad Eye had returned earlier from a discussion with Potter's goblin and had informed her that the Muggle girl that had appeared with Arthur Weasley's youngest son was staying with Auror Tonks on a technicality. She didn't mind that at all, really, as from what she had heard the girl was rather bright and seemed to have made friends amongst Potter and Tonks, but what she did mind was that Moody was...well, moody as all get out. He had been muttering to himself the whole time he had been in the kitchen to get a cup of tea and just waved off her questions in irritation.

It was while preparing to fix yet another cup of tea that Kingsley came into the kitchen, an official-looking scroll in his hand. "Amelia? I think this is for you."

"You think?" She glared up at him and took the scroll without another word, opening it to reveal a small piece of parchment lying on top of the official looking document, complete with official seal at the bottom. "Merlin's pants!" She quickly took up the smaller note and read it quickly, sitting back into her chair in shock.

"What is it, Melia?" Kingsley sat down next to her and pulled the chair closer. As she handed him the note without looking he quickly took it and scanned it, arriving to the same conclusion that had left his girlfriend in shock. "Albus named you as an emergency contact to the International Confederation of Wizards?"

"Apparently so. Old man never told me about it." She picked up the other parchment, the one with the seal, and began reading. Once she had finished reading somehow the document knew that she had completed digesting its words and flashed once with a pale, blue light. She sat the parchment down lightly on the table, as if it would bite her, and looked up at Kingsley. With a heavy sigh she gave him a determined look. "It appears that I have been notified of an emergency meeting of the ICW in America. Tomorrow. If that's not all, I'm required to bring Potter."

"Good luck on that, love."

"Thanks." She reached over and put a hand on his arm. "I'm going to need it. Now where's the parchment?"

-ooo-

After everything that had happened that day Harry needed a bit of time by himself. It was all a bit much, the dreams, the meeting with all those witches and wizards, not to mention the meeting with Andromeda and Ted about the wedding. That had been something, to say the least. For an hour or so they'd tried to figure out a way around the ceremonies and the stipulation that every witch and wizard would be sent and invitation. Tonks had a house elf fetch Daphne, and when she arrived with the book they all went over that several times. Well, Ted and Daphne did, anyway. Ted said that old ceremonies and legends were kind of his thing, which made Andromeda roll her eyes. It was kind of funny, how the two of them acted, it was almost as if it was a game that they both knew but couldn't quit, Ted teasing Andromeda while she acted put out regarding his comments. Tonks had whispered to him that they were always like that, and seemed somewhat embarrassed, but Harry found it funny. Funny and somewhat comforting. He hadn't been around too many couples, not really, not when the couples were being proper adults and such, so he found it fascinating.

It was while contemplating what he and Tonks would be like after they were married that he heard his name. He turned and saw Hermione, standing by the doorway. She didn't look well. He knew that she was still struggling with the death of her father and felt bad that he hadn't made time to talk with her. He didn't say anything, just motioned with his head for her to join him.