Hp: Hermione and Darkness

Tonks tilted her head in amusement. "No one has ever asked me that, actually," she said. "Good question. No, neither of my parents is a Metamorphmagus. My dad is a Muggle, so unless he had some secret magical sect of his family we didn't know about, he didn't pass it along to me. My mum is a pure-blood witch, but we aren't sure if any of her relatives have it in their blood."

"That's fascinating," Hermione said. She felt as though she needed to write this down. "Can people evolve into Metamorphmagi?"

"Not without help from a wand or spell," Tonks explained. "It really came in handy during school. I got top marks in Concealment and Disguise during Auror training without any study at all. It was great."

"Oh, so you're an Auror! Is that how you know Finnegan and Keelin?" Hermione asked.

"Yep, you got it!"

"Oh, guess what! Tonks was a seventh year when we were first years," Ron said.

"Really!" gasped Hermione.

"Oh yeah," Tonks grinned. "I remember hearing about you, Ron, and Harry with that troll in the dungeon and then again when you broke into the third-floor corridor. You three have quite the reputation."

"Still do," Ginny said with a grin.

"What house were you in?" Hermione asked, trying to place her.

"Hufflepuff," Tonks replied. "I think I rocked the yellow and black hair for most of that last year at Hogwarts."

Hermione could finally vaguely recall seeing Tonks at the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall and being shocked at her unnatural hair. "Now that you mention it, I think I remember you now!"

"I also enjoyed transforming into teachers every now and then," Tonks smiled and went to take a drink of her water. Her hand missed the glass, sending its contents flying across the table towards Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh no, I am so sorry!" Tonks said, standing up abruptly and knocking over her chair.

"It's no worry, dear," Mrs. Weasley said in a tight voice.

Ginny's eyes sparkled with amusement as she leaned over and whispered, "Tonks is… clumsy, to say the least. Mum can't stand it. It's hysterical to watch."

"Is Tonks here often?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, pretty much every night," Ginny said. "I reckon she comes so much because she wants to see Lupin."

"Professor Lupin? Why?"

"She fancies him," Ginny said. "Just wait to see how clumsy she gets around him. Mum usually has to leave the room whenever Lupin comes over."

"Is Professor Lupin part of the Order?" Hermione asked, leaning in to make sure she caught every word.

"Yeah," Ginny answered.

"Who else?" Hermione figured she could take advantage of Tonks creating a ruckus to learn more about her new home for the summer and what kind of visitors she should expect.

"Well, there are loads of people, but not everyone comes here. Dumbledore, obviously," Ginny said. "The ones we know are Lupin, Sirius, Tonks, Mum, Dad, Charlie, and Bill. Then you have some undercover Ministry folk: Kingsley Shacklebolt, Elphias Doge, Emmeline Vance, and Sturgis Podmore. And finally, I think pretty much all of the Hogwarts professors are members: McGonagall, Flitwick, Hagrid, Snape-"

"Snape!?" Hermione gasped. "You're joking."

"That was the same reaction we had when the greasy git showed up," Ron added, taking another bite of roast.

"Why would Dumbledore-"

As soon as the name was out of Hermione's mouth, a flash of purple caught her eye at the doorway.

"Good evening," Albus Dumbledore said, striding into the kitchen. Everyone around the table rose to greet him. "No, no, please. Enjoy your food. I am just early for the meeting. Ah, Miss Granger! So glad you made it here safely."

Hermione nodded politely, but, truth be told, she felt very uneasy to be in the headmaster's presence.

"Let me make you a plate, Albus," Mrs. Weasley said, getting up and turning toward the stove.

"No bother, Molly," the headmaster said. "I took advantage of being in the city and treated myself to some delicious curry takeaway from a little Indian place down the road. I will take an empty plate, however."

Mrs Weasley looked slightly offended that Dumbledore had gone out of his way to get takeaway but had got him an empty plate. The delicious smell of curry filled the kitchen as Professor Dumbledore dumped the contents of his food onto the silver serpent plates and talked in hushed tones with Sirius, Mr Weasley, and Tonks at the far side of the table.

After they were all finished, Hermione and Ginny helped clear the table. Out of habit, Hermione went to the sink and grabbed a dishrag to start washing the dishes.

"What are you doing?" Ginny said, her eyes widening.

"Starting to wash the dishes, why?" Hermione asked, confused.

"Hermione," Ginny said with a grin, "we're witches. One swish of Mum's wand and all of these will be sparkling."

"Sorry, sometimes I forget," Hermione said, blushing slightly.

....

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