#para:drabble

[bloodmoon-rising]

remus john lupin ♦ exhale ♦ a drabble

August 18, 1978

          ♦ It wasn’t the first time he’d been betrayed at the hand of someone he loved immensely.

          Forgiveness was his forte; but tonight, when the rain fell like sharp bullets piercing pliable flesh, Remus could not forgive himself.

          No more. No more would he be played a fool by a man he should have never trusted to begin with. He’d gone against all common sense to allow him into his tiny bubble, to allow him to break down his well-constructed walls.

          FUCK!

         A clenched fist ricocheted off plaster walls and he groaned, the impact damaging bony flesh. Remus chewed the fleshy inside of his cheek and he sniffled hard.

        Suitcase in hand, he exited the cottage for the final time. He would never return. Never once look at the place that became his greatest financial mistake. All that money... gone. He could have used that to find something to alleviate his monthly pains but he’d been stupid and in love.

         He clenched his wand in his hand and his eyes shut, and he disapparated to that special spot at King’s Cross where no one would see him appear from thin air. His train was boarding, filling up quickly with Muggles on their ignorant journeys out of the city.  They were running from things they knew not exist and Remus was glad for them. Get away. Far away. He would, too.

        Remus found an unoccupied seat beside a wide window and fell into it with a huff, body aching and tense from what it’d endured, and he closed his eyes.

        Aunt Faith, tiny, little aunt Faith, would be waiting for his arrival in just several hours time. She possessed not the slightest that her nephew was a troubled wizard. Hope kept their secret safe; but she was all too pleased to welcome Remus for as long as he so desired, and Remus had no plans of ever returning.

        No plans on ever talking to any of them again.

        He would become a ghost.

[singinggaragehymns-blog]

001: i'll be sour, you be sweet; it's nothing new

a drabble para featuring mikey clifford and luke hemmings; set at luke's house in sydney, australia - afternoon of 17th january 2015; with warnings for implied sexual content.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

he repeats it again later, an afterthought, a barely-audible prayer. luke is asleep, their bare limbs tangled. the blossoms falling from his ribcage are invisible, but he still feels them, undisturbed even with the way he’s curled himself against luke’s side. mikey frees a hand to trace mindless shapes along the ridge of a milk-white collarbone in his eye line. he says it once, twice, three times, continues it like a mantra under his breath, familiar words easy on his lips. it’s never changed, the way he means it. what surrounds it has evolved, the touches that accompany it, the breaths between the words that fall out between them, but mikey has never felt their intent change shape in his mouth. he whispers it again, too quiet for even his own ears to pick up on it, and lets his eyes slip shut to block out the faint glare of the late afternoon sun behind the curtains.

[badger-tedtonks]

It's Too Cliche // Pensieve Valentine's Day 1977

at least out loud...

It's been two months since he's last talked to her. With losing his mother and watching his father slowly disintegrate over the Christmas holiday, Ted couldn't find it in him to talk to Andromeda. After the things she said, after his mother dying, after watching his father lose the one woman he's ever loved; it's all been too much. He's been walking around feeling completely lost, completely out of touch with everything. He loves Andromeda but she doesn't love him. So he'll move on, he has to move on. He told himself he will. He's tired of everything. He's tired of fighting. He should have just left her alone when he had the chance.

Still, there's that part of him in his heart that can't help but love her. The part of him that remembers how she smiles and how she laughs. He misses her voice and the way she'd always be sarcastic around him. He misses kissing her and holding her, the way her hand fit into his hand. He misses her and he hopes she misses him.

Ted can't talk to Andromeda, he can't even thinking about going up to her. Looking at her in Potions constantly makes his heart twist, his stomach turn and everything hurts. He hasn't seen her smile in ages. He doesn't even know what is going in her life. Is she at home? Are her and her sisters close again? He's heard of whispers of a blood traitor in the Slytherin lot, yet, he hoped to Merlin it wasn't her. The last thing that Ted would ever want for Andromeda was to be alone; to be without a family. Because he knows how much family means to Andromeda. It means more than he does. Sometimes he's okay with that. Because, he too knows how much family can mean to a person. Especially when they lost someone very close.

December felt like so long ago. But it wasn't. Two months isn't a long time. It isn't enough time to get over both losing your mother and losing the one girl you've ever loved. Ted's heart felt like it's been missing for years rather than weeks and his stomach burned with nostalgia every time he went to the Kitchens. A good part of his time was spent in his dormitory, in his bed reading Peter Pan, and crying when no one else was around. He cried a lot these days. He cried for his mum, for his dad...for Andromeda. February 14th was fast approaching them and all he could think of was the previous year. Ted thought of when he gave Andromeda those blasted chocolate frogs and then watched her eat one the next day during History of Magic. He could remember how it felt giving them to her. He was so nervous he could have thrown up. Ted could never forget how relieving it felt whens he walked away from him without throwing the frogs away and how his heart had skipped a beat when he watched her eat one. His chocolate frog that he gave her, she was eating it. Just that moment was enough to solidify his feelings for her.

that was even before September 13th.

Ted thought about what he should be doing this Valentine's Day. If he and Andromeda were still talking, he would probably ask her for a trip to the Kitchens. They could eat scones (that thought had made tears come to his eyes and he thought about his mother), he could read her some Peter Pan. They could shag. He's honestly missed shagging her, but he won't tell her that in fear she'd take it the wrong way. Most importantly, Ted would tell her how much he loves her. Even now, while they're not talking, he wants to tell her that. He still loves her. He will never stop, he knows that much.

Valentine's Day this year fell on a Thursday which meant most of the students had to figure out their own in Hogwarts plans. Ted thought he would just wallow a bit in his room, like he has been for months. It wasn't until he walked into Potions that morning did the ultimate plan occur to him. Professor Slughorn had them creating Amorentia, although not for personal use, but for academic purposes (of course) to figure out what the student smells. Ted thought about Andromeda the whole entire time. He thought about what she might smell, what she might think of when smelling the infatuating potion. Licorice came to mind, especially when he looked at her cutting some of her ingredients in silence. He hadn't seen her talk to any of the fellow Slytherins at her table. They even seemed to be standing away from her, rather than next to her like usual. Ted looked back down at his powder he was crushing up, thinking about the licorice again. He smiled to himself a bit, thinking about how he can get Andromeda a bouquet of licorice shaped flowers if they were still dating.

It wasn't until the class was partially over did he realize that he'll be getting her the bouquet anyways. Just before class was over, each student had to smell the potion they created, but be careful they don't get overjoyed by the smell. Ted smelled the exact thing he slightly feared. Everything that reminded him of the girl across the room. He smelled raspberry scones, tea, a hint of licorice and the distinct scent of the Kitchens (it smells a bit like baked bread and faint bit of soap). His eyes looked up for Andromeda but all he saw was her quickly dipping out of the classroom. Ted wrote down what he smelled, handing the parchment to Professor Slughorn before walking out of the classroom. Ted made his way towards the Kitchens, the first place he could think of where to get licorice and attempt to transfigure them into flowers shapes, just something to do this correctly. Once Ted had gotten there, he asked the first House Elf to help him. He needed licorice wands, or just shoelace like licorice and a way to make it into a bouquet.

Hours passed before Ted finally got it right. He missed all of his classes and dinner was vast approaching. He pulled out a spare bit of parchment and his quill, dipping the quill into the inkwell, Ted stared down at the parchment. So many words came to his head, what can he write...what should he write? Then, with a strong feeling in his gut, in clear writing he wrote one word: Someday. He placed the parchment in between two flower shaped licorice. He walked through the corridors in a quick pace, wondering how he would get the flowers to Andromeda. And as his luck would have it, he walked into the Great Hall to see her at the end of her table, far away from anyone else. He tried to be as secret as possible, passing Andromeda and placing the bouquet on the bench next to her. He walked down to a safe spot at his table and watched Andromeda. He watched her pick up the bouquet, the smallest of smiles on her face as she read the note and picked out one flower. Someday, he thought. Someday they will be together again.

                                                               ...i won't say i'm in love

[headboy-longbottom]

I'm Waiting For This Cough Syrup // AU Prompt: Frank and Alecto

so i run now to the things they said could restore ...

It wasn't long after graduation when Frank got the owl. He recognized the handwriting since he's seen it before, during their time in school when the blonde girl wanted someone to talk to. Someone who wouldn't push her into someone she isn't. Someone who believed in her. Frank believed in Alecto Carrow, that she wasn't this messed up girl who had to do what her family wanted her to. She's just a girl, to Frank, who didn't ask for everything she was handed. She just wanted a simple life.

Alecto had asked to meet with Frank again. That's all the letter asked, no explanation. Just a place for them to meet. Hog's Head. It seemed like a familiar enough place for the two of them but nothing too out in the open like the Leaky Cauldron. Frank quickly sent back a confirmation that he will meet her there in one hour. Then he promptly got up from his desk and walked out to the living room. Alice Fortescue was watching some program on the telly, she would laugh when it was funny making Frank smile. He bent down over her from behind the couch and kissed her head. Frank isn't a man of many secrets but he had once promised Alecto that he would not tell anyone about their meetings and how he had always talked to her about anything. He was sworn to secrecy without making an Unbreakable Vow.

"I have to go love, they need me in the office for a few hours. Something about having to help Dawlish with something." The sad thing is, there could be a lot of truth to this lie. Dawlish always needs help with something or another, since they are both new to the Auror team but Frank is just a little bit more responsible. Alice blames the nerves, Frank just thinks Dawlish is a bit slow. Alice turned around in her seat and looked up at Frank with a warm smile. She nodded, wishing him luck and with one more kiss, Frank walked out of their shared flat.

Frank could have waited a bit before leaving. He could have curled up with his girlfriend on the couch and watched the television program. But a part of him wanted to leave early. He remembered a time when he was late to a meeting with Alecto. It was May of their seventh year and he found her behind Greenhouse eight crying into her arms. That was one of the first times Frank had seen the Slytherin girl cry and by then they had gotten to know each other fairly well. He knew of the girl's affections for a certain halfblood and he knew of her family's feelings about it. Most of all, Frank knew of what she had done in the past and he wanted to help her. He truly, deep down, believed that this gorgeous blonde would never want to be as sick and ruthless as some of her house mates.

When he had found her after being a half hour late, she was crying because she wanted to do it again. Alecto wanted to find an unsuspecting victim and tear into them with her knife. Possibly hex them a few times. Watch them struggle in pain and bleed the same color she bleeds, yet, they wouldn't be a pureblood like her. But she couldn't do it.

"Does this make me a terrible person, Frank? That I want to do it? That I want to hurt people. Am I monster?" She cried harder at the words, she spoke through tears and sobs and it honestly broke Frank's heart. He had made a silent oath when he took the Head Boy's badge that he would keep students in the halls safe. That he would help people, protect them. And it meant everyone. Even Alecto Carrow.

"No, no. That doesn't make you a monster." Frank sat down next to her, ignoring the damp grass and he put and arm around her shoulders. "It makes you human, Alecto. I've told you, countless of times, that you're not a bad person. I still remember the eleven year old that had pigtails, although that happened one time, it did happen. And I remember. I think, and please don't take it the wrong way, that what you're doing is misplaced anger. You want to hurt other people because you can't hurt the ones you truly want to hurt, like your parents. Right? Why don't you just say fuck it?" Frank wished she could have just smiled at that, or laughed a bit, but his words only made her cry more. "No? What's making you behave this way, Alecto? What is it that makes you so angry that you have to hurt other people?"

He may have already knew the answer. It was quite an open ended question. Her parents, for a start, for making her think the way she does. That anything less than her is filth and that she should treat them the way she has. They took away her own thoughts and opinions. They made her choose between a different life or her family, made it out that if she didn't choose her family she would be a traitor. And traitors are almost as worse as filth. Nothing about Alecto's life seemed easy to Frank. She didn't get the life he did, not caring about blood supremacy and not needing to be the most perfect son in his mother eyes. Not even Augusta Longbottom could be remotely scary to Alecto, not after her parents.

Frank tried his best to understand her life, to understand why she might think this way. He wants to help her. He believes in her, more than most people can say in this school. She's not a bad witch, not at all. She's quite talented and she should use her talents for something better than inflicting pain onto others. That's what Frank believes in and he won't stop until she does too. He rubbed her arm softly and smiled to her, "you're not a monster and you won't ever be if you don't give in. You know that you're strong enough to say no, just like today. You wanted to, but did you? No. You're strong, Alecto. I believe that."

Even now, after they have graduated and Frank hasn't heard from Alecto in a few months, he still believes in her. He still believes that she's strong enough to voice her opinions and live her life the way she'd want to. She can be like Sirius Black, who left his family because he didn't believe in what they did. He made it just fine. Or she can be like Andromeda Black who fell in love despite blood status and despite what her family would have done. Frank knows Alecto can get out if she just let it. Frank Disapparated to Hogsmeade and he wished he brought a jacket. The small village had snow falling down and coating the walkways and windowsills. It seemed instant that Frank wanted a butterbeer, now that he's returned to the area where he spent so many weekends drinking as much butterbeer that he can. He walked into Hog's Head, trying to look for a familiar blonde but didn't see her. He walked up to the bar and ordered a butterbeer with a smile, the old barkeep just grunted and gave Frank the drink he asked for. Frank didn't say another word as he paid and walked to an empty table, sitting down in the chair with the best view of the door. He'll wait patiently for the girl he believes in so much.

Frank was half way through his butterbeer when someone walked through the door, his eyes looked up and saw a familiar figure donned in a black hood. A small smile came to his lips as the figure walked over to him and he stood up. "'Lecto." He nodded, still smiling as she put the hood of her cloak down. She looked the same, still beautiful and still blonde, still the same Alecto Carrow he's always knew. Frank motioned for her to sit down and once she did he sat down as well, "would you like anything to drink?"

"No, Longbottom, I'm fine." Her voice was short and curt, using his last name rather than his first name. Instantly he knew something was up, something was wrong. He took a sip of his butterbeer and set it down, away from him, as he stared at Alecto. Patiently waiting for her to say something, but her eyes kept looking around the bar in utter uneasiness.

"What happened?" His words were soft, almost gentle as he spoke. He wanted her to feel calm, just like he was used to doing while they were at school. He didn't want to doubt her, he didn't want to think the way he was trained and think the worst. He didn't want to lift up her sleeve and see the skull and snake brand that all her old school friends now wear like a badge. The last thing Frank would have ever wanted for Alecto was for her to fall into that crowd, to be just like them and part of Voldemort's scheme. She's too strong for that. She felt love, she understood love, even if the love she knew was wrong to them. Frank knew this. He knew that Alecto and couldn't possibly think of a different Alecto.

It seemed like ages until she finally answered and Frank didn't push her. He watched her carefully, judging each look and the way her lip trembled for a certain cue. A cue telling him that things will be all right, that everything is okay in her life. "He came to me." Frank furrowed his brow. He didn't want to ask who because a part of him had already feared the actual answer. That Lord Voldemort sought her out. "Dumbledore, Frank. He came to me the way he came to Dedalus. He believes that I'm a good person." The way her voice had trembled, Frank could tell she didn't believe Dumbledore's words.

"Dumbledore is the wisest man I know, Alecto. If he believes you are truly a good person, then you are. He can spot evil from the moment he sees you and he didn't with you. Just like I haven't." He spoke quietly, hoping no one around them would over hear. "I have an inkling on why he came to you and I think you should take his offer. You're a talented witch, Alecto. And I'll be there. Because that's what mates do, they have each other's backs. I have yours if you choose to take his word. You are not a monster, Alecto."

"How do you know?" She hissed, looking at him with slightly dark eyes. "How do you know what I am and what I am not? How can you expect me to do what Dumbledore wants when my own twin brother has chosen a different road. Should I not follow my brother? Should I not be a good girl, a good Carrow and choose family? I'm tired of this," she paused, letting out a breath. Her voice came out calmer than before, "I'm tired of having to choose between what is right and what is family."

Frank licked his lips and stared at Alecto for a few moments, thinking about the right way to answer this. "Would family choose you?" He could tell by the look she was giving him that the question was new, it threw her off guard. It also made her think. "Would Amycus choose you if He asked Amycus to kill you? Would he defy an order for you? Would your parents choose you over what they've fought against their whole lives because you're their daughter?" Frank stopped talking and sat back, letting the former Slytherin think over what he had asked. Shouldn't she come first? He thought, he had thought this question multiple times before. Every conversation between the two always made it seem like everything else had Alecto cowering in a corner and no one else had ever seemed to put her first. Save for himself and Dedalus Diggle.

Alecto thought for a few moments before her gaze traveled to the table. "I don't know." The words were true and true enough to make Frank's heart break again.

"Well for once in your life, Alecto, put yourself first. I know you love your family but sometimes you need to choose what is right for you. Not for them. I believe you know which is the right answer and I'm not telling you that you have to take it. You can choose the other side and that would be okay." He paused, leaning forward and grabbing Alecto's fidgeting hands. "I'm going to let you know this now. If you choose to follow Dumbledore, no one will hate you. No one will judge you. You will be free to love who you want, to live how you want. I can see you smile. You know which smile I'm talking about because I've only seen it once, and you were most beautiful while smiling. And Dedalus was the one who gave it to you. Most of all, no one will ever make you choose."

Frank let go of Alecto's hands and gave her a smile. "I believe in you, Alecto. No matter what you do. You're strong, you're talented and you're feisty as hell. And, speaking as an Auror, you're not the type of person I'd be sent after. Not a chance in Hell."

Alecto looked up at Frank and he could tell she was holding back a real smile, inwardly smirking to herself. "You're a big old cheeseball, you know that Frank Longbottom? But thank you. I think I'm going to choose the right side, your side. Dedalus's side. I want to be free."

Frank couldn't hold back his cheese grin, "then be free, Alecto."

                                                     ...restore life the way it should be

[badger-tedtonks]

AU Prompt: Ted during World War One.

please stay forever with me...

Volunteer to fight for your country, against the Central Powers. Enlist Now! Remember! Would you stand for this? Enlist. Enlist. Enlist. Enlist.

It's like the country wants to you to give up everything, sacrifice for the bigger picture. Leave now behind so the future can flourish. And Theodore Tonks fell for it. He fell for the posters and propaganda, finding that he will fight for his country, stop the Germans, Ottomans, Bulgarians and Austro-Hungarians. Ted knew what he had to do, it felt right to him. He knew that he had to enlist in the army, make the numbers grow strong so Great Britain can be on top again. 

Signing himself up, his name and age and all different other answers wasn't the hard part. The physical wasn't the hard part. The being told he'd be needed for training in two weeks didn't really phase him either. It was going home one day to see his girlfriend at his door with a firmly pressed straight line on her lips, that finally brought Ted Tonks back to reality. He never told her. She held a letter in her hands.

Ted swallowed, forcing a smile onto his face as he walked up too his door, grabbing his girlfriend's hand. "Morning, love." He went to kiss her softly but the girl turned her head and his lips touched her cheek. Ted pulled away and frowned a bit, sighing, "let's go inside, yeah?" He took out his keys, unlocking the door and walking in to the empty home. They walked straight on, past the living room and past the stairs leading upstairs to the kitchen. Ted instantly put on a kettle for tea, feeling this is a moment for tea. Tension filled the air between the two lovers, Andromeda still feeling angry and Ted feeling completely nervous. He busied himself with the tea as Andromeda sat down at the table, not talking, the letter displayed before her.

Ted handed the girl her tea before sitting down with his. The silence between them made him jumpy, nervously touching things after each time he set his tea down. "Is it all right, Dromeda? Tea, milk and two sugars. I thought I memorized it." He went to smile but the glare in her eyes made him frown and look down at the table.

"You're worried about my tea when I've read a letter from the Government, tell you that you have two weeks until training for the Army." Her voice was cool and collected, though completely underlined in hurt and anger. Ted licked his lips, looking down as he drank from his cup. "When were you going to tell me, Theodore?" Ted looked up and he could see the hurt in her face.

He chewed on the inside of his cheek, thinking about the right way to answer it. "I was going to tell you," he started, looking up at her, "but you have to understand, Dromeda. I...I'm doing this because I think it's right. We can't let all those other powers take Britain down. We have to fight back and I want to keep my country safe." He reached out across the table to take her hand. "To keep you safe," he added softly, smiling a little. "Just think, I'll go to war for a few years and then I'll come home for you, love. You and me forever, and I'm not going to let this war come between us."

Andromeda pursed her lips but didn't say anything. But she didn't move her hand from underneath Ted's so he took that as a good sign. He really had thought about her as he enlisted. He thought about how he'd keep her safe by doing this. Of course, he thought about what happened if he died. If something went wrong. And the most he could think is that he'd do well, he had done his best and she would love him no matter what. Her love is what keeps him strong.

"Just," Andromeda spoke up, looking up at her boyfriend with the smallest of smiles. "Don't you dare do anything stupid, you hear?" Ted couldn't help but get up from his chair, walking over to the girl and grabbed her face. He kissed her the way he always kisses her, full of passion and love and life. He couldn't imagine kissing anyone else the way he kisses her.

"I promise, love."

                                                           Training had been harder than Ted could expect. He left early one Monday morning, saying goodbye to his mother and father. Andromeda wished him luck with a kiss, making him smile his usual goofy smile. But the goofy smile was quickly wiped off when he got to the area for training. He was stripped, proded and poked and his head shaved. Once they were done with him in some sort of preparation, they put him through the boot camp. Making him fit for battle, teaching him how to shoot a gun. And the thing was, he wasn't alone. At least fifty other young men, just like himself, going through the same daunting task that they signed up for.

But Ted wrote letters at night to make him feel better. He wrote a few to his mum and dad but almost all the letters were for Andromeda. Started with Dear Dromeda and ended with Love, Ted Tonks. The letters kept him sane during the training. And about a few weeks into training, he was shipped off to an area where they were needed most.

World War I had started a new form of warfare, trenches (among other things). But trenches were both the best and the worst thing about the war. All day for weeks and months, Ted stayed in the disgusting, dirt filled trench somewhere in France. The allied forces were on one side of the Somme river as the Germans were on the other side. It started the first of July and 58,000 men were killed that day. Ted could have been one of them but, to his good fortune, he was not. So each day he wrote at least one letter to Andromeda, expressing how much he missed her and that when he gets home, he will never leave her. Ever again.

The men around him often made fun of Ted. Claiming he was still just a boy, so in love. They pitied him. They rooted for him. A few wanted him to go home, just so he can see his girl. And a few almost felt sorry, just knowing he's going to die. He's too young. He's too naive. He's just lucky that he made it to October. But again, they weren't British. They didn't understand. Most of the other British men died, too inexperienced for this is war held an army of volunteers, not fully trained men like other countries. Ted didn't listen to what anyone else said. What he cared about was winning this war and going home.

Late October Ted wrote out a letter with a terrible feeling in his chest. Like something bad will happen the next day. So he got out paper and a pen, writing the best he could even though there was barely any light.

                     My dearest Andromeda,

      I write you this evening with a terrible feeling. I know I should never start out a letter that way nor should I express to you how I feel at this moment.  But, my love, I'm afraid I cannot contain this. I feel I'm going to die tomorrow. This battle, in France, has been going on for so many months. Almost four if I'm not mistaken. And I don't think I can hold out any longer.

      I wish to go home to you, my darling. I wish to see you one more time. The way your lips curl into that shy smile when I compliment you. Your hazel eyes and how they always seem to stare right through me. I can never lie to you, Andromeda, which is why I write this letter. If I don't return to you, I want you to promise me one thing. Promise me that you will move on. Some other bloke will love you as much as I do now and you cannot be afraid to love them just as much. You are a brilliant, gorgeous girl and you should never be alone. Any man in the world would be lucky to have you, I know I was...I am. Oh how I miss your lips and how I miss the way your hand fit in mine. I miss you, I miss you, I miss you. It's like an ache I cannot fix and an itch I cannot scratch.

        I wish to come home to you. I wish to hold you one more time, make love to you one more time. I wish I wish I wish.

      Tell my mother I love her, and my father too.

      And please, promise me that promise I ask of you. I will never forget you but I do not want you to mourn for me.

I love you, I love you, I love you. I will be waiting in Neverland for you to come to me, my Wendy Darling.

                                       Yours truly, forever and always, love,

                                         Theodore Tonks.

The battle ended 18 days later, the war ended a year later. And Theodore Tonks never went home. He had died that day he knew he would. Every single one of his letters was sent and read by Andromeda Black, who later had her name changed to Tonks so her daughter would not ask why was her last name different. Nymphadora Tonks was born eight months after Ted left for boot camp and Andromeda never had the courage to tell Ted. And now he shall never know. But each time that little girl asks Andromeda where her dad is, Andromeda would just smile and say "Neverland, he's in Neverland, sweetheart."

[badger-tedtonks]

Prompt: Reaction to Nymphadora and Remus

"Dromeda, have you noticed Dora's hair lately?" Ted Tonks seemed oblivious to mostly anything. He never noticed all those times that his wife had said I love you when they were only dating. It took him a good two hours after Nymphadora was born to realize her hair changed every couple of minutes. It's really just an oblivious man and Andromeda Tonks knew that well. She held a small smirk on her face as she handed her husband a cup of tea. "Seriously, it's brown. She hasn't done brown since she was...well," he paused, furrowing his brow together. "I don't even know. Did she ever like brown?"

"She's trying to impress a bloke, Ted," Andromeda spoke quietly, smirking as if she's holding a secret from her husband. Ted took a sip of his tea before narrowing his eyes at his wife.

"A bloke? She never said anything about a bloke."

"That's because she didn't have to. It was written on her face when she came home last week for dinner. How you only realized her hair is brown now, Ted, you haven't been paying much attention. It's been like this since last summer."

"Wait, after Sirius died?"

"It's not for my cousin, Theodore, why are you so daft?" Andromeda giggled and Ted shook his head, rolling his eyes at his wife.

"I'm not daft." He sunk in his chair a bit, sipping at his tea in silence. Andromeda just shook her head at her still childish husband and sat up from her spot on the couch.

"Nymphadora will be over soon, will you stop acting like a child? She's bringing a guest." Ted nodded, promising that he'll be on his best behavior but really, he was nervous. A guest? Would this be the bloke she's being weird for?

For as long as Ted can remember, his daughter has always been about loud expressions in her hair and wardrobe. Always with bright pinks, electric blues and attention grabbing reds. Colors always made someone turn their heads a few times. Ted always loved that about her. His little Dora, the metamorphmagus and the most surefooted girl he's ever met. Since a young age, Dora knew who she was and embraced it. She embraced the fact that she can change her looks at will and never once conformed to normality. Now realizing her brown hair and normal clothing, Ted realized how his little girl is not his little girl anymore. She's out of Hogwarts, she's an Auror and she's part of the Order of the Phoenix. His little girl is a grown up now and it made him only feel proud that he managed to help raise that girl.

A bit before dinner two familiar pops were heard in the living room and Ted's smile grew as he walked out of the kitchen, leaving his pasta too cook on it's own. His blue gray eyes landed on two figures. One girl, with mousy brown hair and a bright smile. Ted's smile faltered just a bit as his eyes landed on the figure next to his daughter, the one holding her hand tightly. Ted instantly recognized the man. Remus Lupin. They went to school together. He's the same age as Ted. But still, Ted could only notice the smile on his daughter's face and the small smile on Remus's face. Ted can't remember when he's seen Remus actually smile like that, not since Lily and James... Ted just smiled wide and shook his head with a laugh.

"Your mother told me you're trying to impress a bloke, Dora, could have told me it was Remus Lupin." Ted walked over to his daughter and hugged her tightly, "I'm proud of you, don't ask me why." He whispered to her and gave her his usual I'm the Dad smile. Then he turned to Remus and tried to pull on a stern face.

"Just...take care of her, yeah? I mean she's Dora and you really can't say no to her, but keep her safe, okay?" He smiled and pulled Remus in to a hug. "If you don't, I will kill you. She's my daughter, mate."

[headboy-longbottom]

Frank | Bliss.

bliss (n): extreme happiness, ecstasy.

She is his best friend. The one person that he couldn't even imagine living without. Alice Fortescue is the girl of his dreams, his soulmate, his other half. He loved her with all of his heart and yet they aren't even dating. They're just friends, just best mates. Nothing will ever come from them. That's what he thought, that's for sure.

It started with the realization that he loves her. More than just friends. More than just best mates. He loves her with his heart, with his mind. He's thought about kissing her each and every time they've talked. Yet, the normally brave Gryffindor couldn't even muster up the right courage to ask the girl out. No special Hogsmeade trip. No special little walks around the castle. Dates were foreign to him and he just couldn't ask her out. Why? He couldn't figure this out. It's just Alice, he would tell himself. His best friend. Someone he can joke with in so much ease. Someone he has known since they were little. He shouldn't have a problem. Yet, here he is sitting in the empty Greenhouse, watching her tend to her favorite plants.

He'd watch her and fall for her even more. Here's a girl who thinks she has no maternal instinct but she can nurture a plant, even if they looked so close to dying. She's got a green thumb and all he can do is admire from where he sat. Watching her every move with so much love in his eyes.

Alice turned to him, he couldn't fight the smile on his face. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?" She asked and Frank tilted his head, unsure of what she meant.

"What?"

"You keep looking at me weird. I don't know." Alice looked down a bit making Frank get up.

"I'm looking at you like I have been for ages now." Which wasn't a lie at all. He's been like this for two years and it felt like so much longer. He ducked his head to fully look at her. "You're the one acting shy."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am no-"

He didn't know what came over him. Just watching her pout as she said am not, he wanted to kiss her. The urge was so powerful that he acted on complete impulse. All of his Gryffindor bravery came to him and he grabbed her face, pressing his lips against hers. It felt better than anything he's ever felt before. It was better than chocolate. It was better than a warm summer rain. It was better than Christmas. His lips against hers and hers pressing back. She was kissing him and he was kissing her.

When he pulled away, a feeling he's rarely ever felt came to him. Complete bliss. He couldn't hid the goofy grin that came to his face and he actually giggled. He wanted to do this for a long time and now that he did, it made him the happiest he's ever felt.

[headboy-longbottom]

Frank || Father

Ten months had come and passed so quickly, Frank Longbottom wasn't ready. How could he be a father? He's an Auror, he catches dark wizards. His job is so dangerous, so is his wife's job, and they have a child on the way. Nervous couldn't even begin to describe how Frank felt as this late July day came upon them. July 30th Alice went into labor and Frank spent a lot of the time out of the Healer's way and pacing around.

He couldn't believe it. His son is finally here and he just, didn't know how to react. He wanted to be cool. He wanted to be collected. He wanted to show his son the bravery that he's known for. The bravery that got him sorted in Gryffindor when he was eleven. The bravery that got him through seven years of school. The bravery that finally got him the girl of his dreams, his loving wife, his best friend. The bravery he uses with his job. That's what Frank wants to show his son.

Frank would do anything for his son. He realizes this. He'll protect him, in the middle of this raging war, his son needed to be protected. Frank will do that. He'll be the best father. And when the Healer finally told him that Alice was ready, all of his bravery seemed to vanish. He shakily walked towards his wife's bed, seeing the bundled baby in her arms. Alice looked up at him with tears her eyes and the widest smile on her face. Frank kissed Alice's head and smiled down at his little son. "His name is Neville, Frank."

"Neville," he spoke softly, looking down at his son.

"Do you want to hold him?" The question wasn't much of a question from Alice. She lifted her son up and helped Frank to hold the baby correctly. "Mind his head." She smiled widely as Frank looked down at his son. The tears quickly came to him and shook his head, looking up at the ceiling to keep from letting the tears fall.

"Oh Merlin, I was going to be cool." This earned a laugh from the exhausted Alice. She looked at her husband and son with only a loving smile on her face. Frank looked down at his son and couldn't stop smiling. "Hello Neville. I love you. I've known you for five minutes and I love you. You're going to be taken care of. Your mother is probably the best woman in the world. I love her and I've always loved her. She thinks she doesn't have a maternal bone in her body but I know that will change, just for you." He kissed Neville's forehead, holding his lips there for a moment as a tear fell down his cheek onto Neville's head. "You're going to be brave, I can just feel it. The bravest. You're a Longbottom. I just hope you have your mother's skills at gardening because I'm awful." Frank laughed, looking up at Alice, who laughed as well. "You're going to be amazing, Neville Longbottom. And I'm going to protect you forever. You're my boy and nothing is ever going to happen to you." Frank smiled down at his son one more time before handing him back to Alice.

"I love you." Alice wiped away a tear before putting her arm back under the baby. Frank smiled, leaning down and kissing his wife.

"I love you too, always have and always will."