Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Forever and Always	By : cls2256 Category: HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters > Het - Male/Female Views: 6832 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Harry Potter or any of its characters or details, nor do I make any money from this fanfic.

Chapter List
- 41
- 42
- 43
“Mia!” Delphinus called from inside her office.
Mia set down a stack of files that she was making copies of and trotted over to Delphinus’s office. She cursed at herself in her mind, wondering if she messed up her coffee order again.
Troll sized latte with 2 pumps butterscotch, 4 pumps dark chocolate, 2 sugar cubes, 3 shots of espresso steamed twice and absolutely no foam.
No, it had to be correct— Calista herself of Calista Calderon’s coffee shop now knew her by name, as well as both of them could probably recite Delphinus’s order in their sleep.
Mia poked her head inside the doorway, looking at her boss reading a purple letter that was once folded into an airplane. The back of the paper had the Ministry of Magic logo stamped on it, as well as in large gold writing ‘interdepartmental memo”.
“I’m here”
“They need you as a scribe during high court today; they have 3 cases and the usual scribe is ill” Delphinus said “those files will be there tomorrow, go ahead and head down to the bottom courtrooms; Dolores is expecting you now”
“Dolores?” Mia asked, curious.
“Yes, Dolores Umbridge”
Mia felt her stomach drop, she had heard all about Dolores Umbridge, but hadn’t had the misfortune of meeting the woman in person.
“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”
“Yes, yes— now go!” Delphinus shooed her away.
Mia rolled her eyes as she took off for the courtrooms. She must’ve made a good impression during her first month here at the Ministry for them to pull her as a substitute scribe, but she wasn’t sure how. All she did was sort and copy the copious amounts of files that Delphinus always piled sky high on her desk.
She scurried down the hall, feeling excited to get to scribe for the high court today but anxious at meeting the infamous Dolores Umbridge. Everyone she knew talked so low about her. She made her way to the lifts, entering one at the same time as Susan and a couple other Aurors were.
“Mum!” she whispered excitedly as the gates closed “I’m working as a scribe today!”
“That’s wonderful dear! Did Dolores send for you? I put in good word with her” Susan said with a small smile.
“She did— I didn’t know you and Dolores Umbridge are friends?” Mia said as her brow furrowed
“Oh sweetie please, that woman is a downright terror; no— she thinks we are though. I play Dolores Umbridge’s game better than she does.” Susan smirked “Word of advice, play her game too.”
“So… kiss her ass?”
“Not quite kiss it…” Susan said “Well, maybe— just don’t challenge her if she says something that upsets you— let it roll off you”
“I don’t think I understand” Mia said as the lift stopped.
“Just don’t mouth off, she is bound to say something horrid— I’ll explain later. Also, do not mention Remus to her at all— she isn’t fond of werewolves”
Mia nodded, remembering Remus going off on a tangent about her the year previous. She had been one of the front runners behind many anti-werewolf legislations recently past.
“This is my stop— good luck!” Susan said as she exited the lift and turned out of sight.
The lift lowered Mia down to the very bottom level of the Ministry. The gate opened as the disembodied voice beginning to speak. Mia didn’t hear what the lift was saying as her attention was now on a very short woman with a toad-like face in all pink robes standing at the entrance to the lift; a black satin bow perched on top of her head.
“You must be Amelia, oh you look just like your mother!” the woman crooned, her voice high, breathy and girlish, very different from how Mia was expecting her to speak.
“You must be Dolores Umbridge, it’s a pleasure” Mia said with a warm smile, extending her hand out to shake it.
Umbridge smiled wide at Mia’s charming tone, miming for her to follow her down the hall.
“Now, today is going to be fairly straight forward, we have three cases. All you have to do is record the proceedings of each case.”
“Sure, I can do that”
Umbridge began rattling off the typical order for the Wizengamot court proceedings as she and Mia walked into the courtroom. A smaller, frizzy haired witch thrusted deep purple court robes into Mia’s arms.
“Put those robes on— just over your clothes is fine” Umbridge instructed as she led Mia over to the scribe’s seat. The Wizengamot sat in an amphitheater-like fashion, the scribe’s seat at the very end of the front bench. “Usually I sit just left of the middle next to Pius— you know, Head of Magical Law Enforcement? But since it’s your first time scribing, I’ll be seated next to you”
“Thank you for this opportunity, Dolores, this is very exciting” Mia said, laying the charm on thick. She was channeling her inner Percy Weasley— proud, pompous, and eager.
“Yes, indeed it is!” Umbridge squeaked, looking positively delighted by Mia’s demeanor “let’s just hope justice is served today”
They took their seats as more Wizengamot members started filing in to their places amongst the rows. A set of three case files sat in front of Mia with the defendant’s name and today’s date stamped in red ink across the front of the folders. She looked around to see that every seat at the Wizengamot had its own set of files, understanding why Delphinus always had her make so many copies. She opened the files, curious as to what cases were coming her way.
The first case was a middle aged woman who worked as an Unspeakable, allegedly speaking to someone about the nature of her job, and was being tried for violating her employment contract.
The second case was an older man who was caught stealing 200 galleons worth of books from Flourish and Blotts, and blasted through bookshelves to try to evade capture, being tried for theft and property damage.
The third case made Mia’s stomach flip flop; a 19-year old werewolf was being tried for murder because he killed a muggle family camping in a nearby forest during the full moon.
She felt nauseas, thinking how that could’ve been Remus at any time during his life, during the one night of the month that he couldn’t control his actions. She began to zone out, unaware that the room was now full of the Wizengamot jury. She only snapped back to focus when she saw a woman and two guards approaching a chair in the middle of the room. The chair’s shackles attached to her wrists and ankles by themselves, ensuring the defendant could not run from the court room. Mia picked up her quill and told herself to focus— she could daydream at lunch.
“Alberta Pinsley, on the charge of Violation of Employment Contract…”
The two cases ended up being very straightforward, the Unspeakable getting her charges cleared and the book thief going to Azkaban for 6 months. Being a scribe was very easy, the quill was enchanted to write for her, and she just had to watch it to ensure there were no errors.
“Next up, werewolf Jasper Hughes on the charge of murder in the first degree—” Pius Thicknesse’s voice called as a tall, blonde, sickly looking bloke was escorted to the chair, the magical shackles attaching themselves to his wrists and ankles as he sat. “The defendant is charged with murdering a muggle family this past summer in the Forest of Dean. Now, Mr. Hughes, what do you plea on these charges?”
“Not guilty, sir” Hughes said, his voice shaking.
“Can you tell us what you were doing the night before you were found unconscious next to a slashed and dead family?”
“It was a full moon— I usually try to put myself deep into the woods during the cycle so I won’t be near anybody” Hughes started “the moon rose, and I turned, but I didn’t realize there was a family camping nearby”
Hughes started to shake as he was recanting his story, Mia growing more anxious and sympathetic for the werewolf seated in front of her. She noticed his tattered and faded clothing, wondering when the last time he was able to buy new robes for himself.
“I was able to smell them, so I made my way to their camp” Hughes eyes glistened “I had no control over what I was doing— I swear”
“Ahem, ahem” Umbridge fake coughed, flashing an ugly smile at Thicknesse “Pius, if I may?”
“You may, Dolores” Thicknesse said with a nod in her direction.
Umbridge adjusted herself in her chair, looking rather pleased. She opened her case file, looking at it for a moment before turning her false, ugly smile towards Hughes.
“Now Mr. Hughes, as a werewolf, why were you not using the wolfsbane potion?” Umbridge asked, her girlish voice not lacking a slightly condescending tone.
“I do, if I have it, but I ran out the month before”
“And why didn’t you procure more?”
Umbridge folded her hands on the table in front of her, sitting up straight. Mia was reminded of a Venus Flytrap in this moment, Umbridge waiting to snap her prey at just the right moment
“I— I can’t afford it right now” he stammered “I’m between jobs— I live with my family, a kid sister; it’s not safe for them if shut myself in the cellar. I’ve been able to get out before”
“So your family is safe— but what about the family you killed? How were they supposed to be safe from you?”
“I didn’t mean to hurt them!! I’ve been using that forest for three years and I’ve never came across people camping. It’s always been a safe place.”
“So you remember slicing apart each member of that innocent muggle family?” Umbridge asked— her tone was unnaturally sweet and artificial.
“Y— yes, but I wasn’t in control of my actions— I wouldn’t’ve hurt them willingly”
Hughes was shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face. Mia felt like she had been punched in the gut; her heart was breaking for the man in front of her, and she felt a rush of anger for the way Umbridge was berading him—angry that her ignorance would potentially punish Hughes for something he couldn’t control. The mysterious electric tingle returned to her palms, feeling like little prickles of electrical current zapping at her skin.
“We’ve always tried to keep others safe. My parents homeschooled me so I wouldn’t hurt any of my classmates— I’ve been a werewolf since I was 8. Please, I would never harm anyone knowingly— please you have to believe me…”
“I find it rather convenient that a family ends up dead the one full moon you ‘just so happened’ to be out of wolfsbane” Umbridge said, leaning forward “I know your kind— manipulative, blood thirsty— you half-breeds love the taste of human flesh and use the full moon as an excuse to avoid punishment for your actions”
Mia watched in horror as Hughes sobbed and begged for mercy in front of the Wizengamot. How could Umbridge be so ignorant as to think this poor man enjoyed the slaughter? Fenrir Greyback might be a savage werewolf, but Umbridge and the rest of the wizarding world were ignorant to think that all werewolves were vicious like him. Jasper Hughes was misunderstood— most werewolves were misunderstood— Remus was misunderstood. The way Hughes describes his fears for his family’s safety, and his lack of income to be able to procure such an expensive potion were all things that she had heard coming out of Remus’s mouth at some point.
Mia felt a burning hatred for the woman next to her. It took everything within her to not stand up and scream at the top of her lungs at the ridiculousness of the high court for even entertaining this. She watched as Thicknesse and the jury panel took a moment to talk over the verdict, as well as watched the pale and sickly Hughes sob over the looming decision. Show him mercy, please, show him mercy— he wouldn’t’ve hurt them if he could help it.
“The Wizengamot high court finds Jasper Hughes guilty of murder, and sentences him to 10 years in Azkaban” Thicknesse called, pounding a gavel on his desk “Take him away”
“NO! PLEASE! I DIDN’T MEAN TO HURT THEM!” Hughes screamed as he was being escorted out of the room. “YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME!”
Mia could’ve sworn her heart stopped for a split second. She dug her fingernails into her palms, to keep her hands from shaking. Bile was rising in her throat, her stomach in knots. She felt a hand pat her back gently, turning to look at the toad-face woman next to her.
“Well I must say justice has been served today, don’t you think, Amelia? The half breeds always get what they deserve”
Mia nodded and forced a fake smile as she handed Umbridge the scribe records from the three cases, wishing nothing more than to punch her square in the face.
“You don’t look so good, are you feeling alright?”
“Yeah, must just be something I ate” Mia lied smoothly “I think I need the loo, if that’s alright?”
“Of course— go, go” Umbridge insisted, ushering her away.
Mia slipped off her Wizengamot robes and laid them on the bench, and then took off quickly for the bathroom. Her heels clacked loudly against the marble floor as she scurried down the hall; she felt like her stomach was in her throat, and her heart was pounding in her ears. She was angry, angry that someone like Jasper Hughes didn’t have access to wolfsbane, that he had to put himself in the woods to keep his family safe, that the system was rigged against him just because a few Wizengamot members hate werewolves, that other werewolves go through the same prejudice and fears every full moon because there is no access to resources like wolfsbane or protective rooms.
She ran into the bathroom and busted open one of the stalls with her shoulder. She threw herself at the toilet and began to hurl. Her palms almost burned as the electric feeling tingled between her skin and the toilet bowl as she gripped the porcelain receptacle. Tears streamed down her face as she recalled Hughes cries for mercy over and over in her head, agonizing over his fate as she emptied the contents of her stomach.
Mia bustled in the door of her flat, throwing her purse down and kicking her shoes off angrily. She ripped her coat off and threw it onto the table with an angry grunt. Remus sat up sharply from his post on the couch, his eyes following her as she stormed into her bedroom.
“Hey, how was…”
The rest of his sentence was inaudible by Mia slamming her bedroom door shut. She tore off her clothes, feeling like she was suffocating in the tight skirt she had worn that day. She turned on the shower at full blast heat, stepping in and letting the water pound her face as she tried to push today’s events out of her head. The water hit her like a thousand needles— the temperature difference from the steaming shower and her cold skin from the chilly March air outside shocked her system.
“Mia?” Remus’s voice came from the doorway of the bathroom “is everything ok?”
“I’m fine!”
The water was turning her skin pink, but the heat felt good to her.
“You want me to join you…?” Remus said slyly, pulling the shower curtain back.
“NO!” she snarled, smacking his hand that was now visible.
“Alright, alright; I’ll give you some space”
Mia took another ten minutes to mull her day over in the boiling shower before getting out, wrapping herself in a fluffy towel. She exited the bathroom to find Remus sitting on the edge of the bed, transfiguring the lamp to a button over and over.
“Sorry” she grumbled as she towel dried her hair.
“Bad day?” he asked
“Terrible”
Remus nodded, not pressing her. “I’ll let you get dressed” he said as he rose to exit the bedroom.
“Remus—“
He turned back to her, looking at the tears swimming in her hazel eyes.
“I didn’t realize how— how bad things are for werewolves”
“What got you thinking about that?” he asked, stepping back towards her and wrapping his arms around her
“I scribed for the Wizengamot today…”
“That’s amazing, congratulations!”
“It was— until we tried and convicted a werewolf who mauled a muggle family during a full moon.”
Remus’s face fell, Mia knew he was feeling exactly the way she was by his expression.
“He can’t afford wolfsbane, and he couldn’t stay in his family’s cellar because it wasn’t secure enough.”
“It takes a lot of powerful enchantments to keep a werewolf in” he said quietly.
“He was nineteen, Remus, nineteen. Was turned at eight, has a kid sister. He is a person, and they threw him to Azkaban like trash”
“How long did he get?” he asked somberly
“10 years”
Remus sighed heavily, his face going through a few expressions.
“There needs to be wolfsbane readily available for all werewolves” Mia began “Maybe some kind of help center where you can stay in a heavily guarded room for the night, if you don’t have access to one.”
“If a place like that existed, the world would be a better place for many werewolves.”
The weekend came around along with Remus’s birthday on Saturday and Tonks’s baby shower on Sunday. Penelope had been on 3 dates that week already, and was supposed to be gone for a 4^th on Saturday. Mia teased her about the mysterious blokes she was seeing, poking and prodding her for information, but Penelope wouldn’t budge. Ever since her dinner with Eric, she claimed she was out ‘testing the waters’, but remained very secretive.
“Alright, I’m leaving— wow this place looks great!” Penelope exclaimed when she walked out of her bedroom to see Mia had decorated.
“Thanks, I think he’ll like it” Mia smiled “you look good, can I at least know where today’s mystery bloke is taking you?”
“I think we’re staying in” Penelope said casually “cooking dinner and watching a movie at his place”
“Going to score a home run?”
“A what??” Penelope laughed
“You know— doing the old bump and grind, having an afternoon delight, hitting skins…”
“OHMYGOD! Stop stop stop stop” she squealed in disgust, waving her hands frantically. “You’re not funny!”
“Yes I am” Mia winked and flashed a devious grin. “Is the sex at least good with this one?”
“Yes,” Penelope said sheepishly, a wry grin spreading across her face. “It’s— well, very good”
“Penelope Clearwater— you little minx!” Mia scoffed playfully, slapping her arm gently “Come on, tell me about him! At least give me some details!”
“No, no, no— I’ve got to go, I’m going to be late!” she said as she grabbed her coat and hustled out the front door. “Goddammit its cold!” She hollered as she stepped into the frigid air.
Mia chuckled and shook her head; she was dying to know who Penelope had been spending so much time with. She leaned onto the dining room table and looked out at the scene she had created. She had picked up what seemed like a billion candles, trying to recreate his date night décor from the night he created for her at the cottage two years ago. The candles gave the living room and her bedroom a soft glow, almost like the soft white lights of their Christmas tree had done over the holidays. She sent Remus out to pick up food for dinner so she could set up for her hopefully romantic evening. She set the table for two, and pulled out a couple bottles of wine from their cabinet, hoping one of them would pair well with whatever he was going to bring back.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Remus bustling in through the front door, carrying two large bags of food. His hair was windswept, and his cheeks and nose pink from the crisp, cold air whipping at his face. It was unseasonably cold for mid-March; temperatures feeling like it were still in the dead of winter.
“I didn’t want to apparate with the food, but I wish I would’ve. It’s col—“
He stopped when he saw the many candles illuminating the flat, His smile spread from ear to ear as surveyed the scene.
“This flat cleans up nice”
“Happy Birthday!” she cried cheerily “what did you pick up?”
“I couldn’t decide on pasta, or burgers, so I got both. I hope your appetite is up for it” he said, setting the bags on the kitchen counter.
“Did you get cheesecake?” she asked, peering into the one of the bags.
Remus pulled out two cartons from another bag and grinned “I knew better than to come back without some”
“I’ve trained you well” she teased, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him. “It’s your birthday and you get my favorite dessert; I told you I’m a woman who gets what she wants”
Dinner was pleasant; they spent a couple hours eating and talking while consuming an entire bottle of wine. When they finished eating, they curled up on the couch with a few fluffy throw blankets, watching The Elephant Man, a personal favorite of Remus’s since he was introduced to Penelope’s vast collection of VHS tapes. Mia began to feel sleepy; she was so cozy snuggled next to him, warm from his body heat radiating under their throw blankets. She closed her eyes— just for a moment— she only wanted to rest them for a second.
“Mia?” he murmured in her ear
Her eyes fluttered open. “I was just resting my eyes, just for a moment!” she said, sitting up abruptly.
She looked at the television, which displayed the end credits scrolling slowly upward. She looked back at him and smiled sheepishly “shit, sorry…”
“Don’t be sorry” he chuckled, kissing her forehead. “Blow these candles out and come to bed?”
“Yeah” she whispered and smiled at him.
He retreated into the bedroom, while Mia grabbed her wand off the coffee table and began waving it to extinguish the candles in the living room. She turned off the television, and grabbed the leftovers and piled them into the fridge.
Remus was already turning down the covers as Mia walked into the bedroom. He cast heating charms on the bed linens to combat the icy chill seeping through the crack in the window pane. She was pleased to see he hadn’t blown out the candles in the bedroom yet, the soft ethereal glow giving her a sense of peace. She leaned against the dresser, watching him as he moved. He was so handsome— his hair streaked with gray made him look distinguished. She watched the way his arms flexed as he adjusted the bed covers, his muscles rippling under his shirt. She loved him, this man before her; she loved him with every fiber of her being.
She felt an out of place surge of anger for the world they lived in. This man— this wonderful, handsome, kind, amazing man has experienced such hate, such prejudice, all because of a simple illness. How could they not look beyond the wolf, to see how wonderful he was despite his furry little problem that plagued him once a month? She was able to see beyond the wolf— easily, for that fact; it was never an issue for her. She realized early on that what he was didn’t change who he was. He was Remus John Lupin— a skilled wizard, someone with a knack for dark creatures, brave, loving, and strong. Being a werewolf didn’t take any of these things away from him, so why did the rest of the world seem to view it that way?
“Remus…” she said softly.
He looked up at her, his blue eyes twinkling in the dim candlelight. The corners of his mouth turned up in to a slight smile, the fine lines around his eyes crinkling.
“hmm?” he hummed.
She walked over to him and looked into his eyes, smiling slightly. She reached up to his shirt collar and began unbuttoning his shirt. He kept his hands at his side as she slid his button down off of his shoulders. He smiled wider as she pulled his undershirt off him by the bottom hem.
“It makes me so angry when people are prejudice against werewolves, just because of one or two bad seeds” she said as his hands reached for her cardigan.
He stopped and snickered softly “This is a very erotic conversation…” He teased.
“Shut up!” She quipped “I’m trying this whole ‘talking about my feelings’ bullshit and I think it’ll be easier if I am undressing you while I do it”
“Alright, alright, I’m sorry, continue—“ he said with a small nod.
He slipped her cardigan off, his hands moving over her bare arms slowly as her hands ran along his chest as, her fingertips running along his smooth white scars that resembled her own.
“I feel angry because if you didn’t have your condition, it would fix most of your life’s problems”
He pulled her t-shirt over her head and tossed it aside gently.
“I feel angry because people like Jasper Hughes are rotting in Azkaban— because they can’t control themselves”
His hands slid around her back and found her bra clasp, unhooking it in one swift motion. She pulled her ponytail out, her dark mane cascaded over her pale shoulders; the tips of her hair brushing against her nipples as she gently shook her hair. Remus cupped her face with one hand, his thumb stroking her smooth cheek.
“I understand your frustration; I have had many bouts of anger when it comes to the hand I was dealt in life. You are too good for this world”
She unbuttoned his trousers, the material of his boxers’ silky smooth on her hands as she pushed his pants to the floor, his erection now very obvious through the thin material.
“I want to do something to help werewolves” she said “I don’t know what, but I want to make life better for them”
“You make this werewolf’s life better”
He got down on his knees and slid her jeans down, feeling her tense slightly as he was level with her now most hated part of her body. He kissed the scars on her left gently, starting at the top of her hip and trailing down to where they end a few inches above her knee, and then switched to the right.
“You’re beautiful, so beautiful” he murmured between soft kisses, feeling her body relax as he took his time to love on the parts of her she loathed.
He picked her up, carrying her to the bed and laying her down. He fluffed the pillows behind her, ensuring her comfort. He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead softly, trailing small kisses down her cheek, jaw and neck.
“It’s just bullshit— I don’t understand why people can’t see the person beyond the wolf!” She continued, breaking the romantic mood they had fallen into.
Remus stopped and sighed, chuckling “I thought by getting naked you were wanting to shag— did I read the signs wrong? Or we can stop if you’d rather just talk?”
“No no no— birthday sex is good sex, continue” she said, motioning for him to continue
He continued his trail of kisses as he hooked a couple fingers around the waistband of her panties, ready to pull them down.
“I mean, what’s honestly the big deal about being a werewolf, I really don’t see why anyone would care??”
Remus stopped again, laughing “Mia—“
“What?”
“Shut up”
Her panties were off in one fluid motion. Their hips rocked against each other’s as she dug her nails into his back, clawing and grabbing at his flesh as she felt herself begin to melt underneath him. She loved this man— this wonderful man who was brought her so much passion, so much joy and so much love; how could anyone hate him for such a minute part of him? They held each other after they both finished, feelings of love and comfort flooding through her as she gently brushed his jawline with the back or her fingers, feeling the prickly stubble of his 5 o clock shadow.
“This has been a fantastic birthday, thank you” he murmured as he kissed her forehead
She nodded, nuzzling herself closer to him. He embraced her a little tighter, closing his eyes and smiling.
“I love you, Remus” she whispered softly.
“I love you Amelia”
“Ew—“ Her nose crinkled up as she adjusted her head to look at him. “I hate when you call me Amelia”
They laughed together, Mia listening to his heartbeat and his voice vibrate in his chest as they lay there and jeered at each other for a few minutes. After a moment pause, Remus adjusted himself to look at her, his expression falling serious.
“Shouldn’t Penelope have been home by now?”
Mia glanced over at the clock. 12:53am.
“Ehh, she’s probably still banging one out with the mystery bloke. I’ll worry if she isn’t home when we wake up”
“She could’ve called!” Mia growled as she clanked around the kitchen, flour on her nose and her hair falling out of its ponytail around her face. “Or sent an owl— or shit, even a carrier pigeon for all I care!”
“Let’s calm down— she didn’t give you a name or anything? Even an address?” Remus asked as he whipped a bowl of icing.
They were making cupcakes for Tonks’s baby shower that afternoon, worried to have woken up to find Penelope hadn’t come home last night.
“Nothing! She was supposed to help me with these damn cupcakes too!”
Mia was livid as she poured cupcake batter into the baking pans, splattering a little bit of batter onto the button down shirt she had stolen from Remus’s side of the closet.
“Could you be careful with my shirt?” Remus said, pointing his wand at the stain dripping down the front and siphoning off the batter. “That one is my favorite”
“Well if Penelope had come home, I wouldn’t be rushing around therefore your shirt wouldn’t’ve gotten dirty!” She snapped “What if something happened to her? What if someone got to her?”
As she spoke, Penelope came bustling in the front door, still dressed in her clothes from the previous night, performing the treacherous ‘walk of shame’.
“Sorry, I had fallen asleep…”
“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” Mia hollered, throwing a dish towel at her “you had me worried sick!”
“I’m sorry!” Penelope cried, throwing her arms in front of her face to shield the incoming projectile. “I didn’t mean to stay the night there— I would’ve called had I known I wasn’t coming home”
“I thought something might’ve happened to you” Mia huffed “you are always the responsible one; I’m not used to having to worry”
“I know, but I’m not dead, see?” Penelope smiled awkwardly, starting off towards her room. “I need a shower”
“Penelope”
Remus’s stern voice made both Mia and Penelope flinch. She turned back to him, eyeing him nervously.
“It’s not a good idea for you to be going out with people we don’t know, as well as not telling one of us where you are. It’s not safe.”
“Sorry Remus…” she said softly “I really didn’t mean to make you guys worry”
She turned back to her room and scurried inside, shutting the door behind her. Mia started laughing as she wiped the flour off her face, shaking her head slightly.
“Why are you laughing?” Remus asked, his tone slightly irritated with how quickly Mia’s demeanor did a complete 180.
“Did you see her hair?? She had some great sex last night”
“How am I supposed to be a father? I don’t know the first thing about babies” Kingsley said to Susan, standing in the corner of the kitchen as he watched Tonks open a gift containing baby bottles.
Tonks’s baby bump was growing by the day, along with Kingsley’s anxiety. Susan had agreed to throw the shower, the entire Order of the Phoenix, Tonks’s parents, and Penelope came out to celebrate the little boy who would be making his arrival in just a few short weeks. Susan had decked the house out in blue and silver streamers and balloons, and had a banner tacked to one of the living room walls reading ‘Congratulations Kingsley and Tonks; it’s a boy’.
“No one knows how to be a parent” Susan chuckled “you kind of just do it”
“But what if I screw up? What if I’m not a good father? It’s not like we planned to do this…”
“Kingsley, if you’re half as good a father as you are a wizard, you will be more than ok,” Susan said, clasping her hand on his shoulder reassuringly. “You will make a great dad”
“Thanks Susan, that means a lot coming from you.” Kingsley said, smiling warmly at her.
“Yes, and you know I’m always right, so…” Susan teased, smirking.
Kingsley laughed and shook his head “yes, how could I forget; the first day we argued after I was assigned as your partner you said ‘Kingsley Shacklebolt, do not argue with me, I am always right’” he said in a mocking tone.
Susan playfully shoved him as she rolled her eyes at him.
“I just worry about bringing a child into the world now, with the war upon us” he said, his smile fading.
“Mia was born right before the thick of it last time, I know the anxiety you are feeling.” Susan nodded “Worried what will happen to your family, will you be able to keep them safe, what lengths will you be able to take to ensure their wellbeing…”
“Kingsley, my love, look what Mia and Remus got us!!” Tonks hollered, catching their attention.
Tonks held up a few baby things that Kingsley had never seen anything like them before in his life, but gave thumbs up to Mia and Remus.
“Thanks, guys” he said, waving politely.
Susan smiled at him and squeezed his shoulder gently as Tonks began opening her next gift. “All you have to do is love that child, Kingsley. Love that child more than you’ve ever loved anyone in your entire life and the rest will fall into place. I have 100% confidence that you and Tonks will make fine parents, you guys will figure it out as you go along.”
Susan kissed him on the cheek and retreated back to the punch bowl. Kingsley watched as Tonks opened a couple more gifts, revealing more baby equipment that he hadn’t ever seen before. He didn’t realize how much stuff babies required. He had no idea how he was going to figure all this out. Death Eaters and Voldemort himself seemed less intimidating than the little bundle of joy growing inside Tonks’s belly. He stood there and watched her face light up at the many onesies and baby toys, eating some of Molly’s homemade chocolate chip cookies, whispering under his breath.
“I’m so fucked”
- 41
- 42
- 43
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Forever and Always