[identity profile] solochan.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] rt_morelove
Author: [livejournal.com profile] solochan
Title: His Best Chance
Rating & Warnings: G  (If you don't know what happens to Remus/Tonks in DH by now, you've been under a rock.)
Word Count: 962 words
Prompt: [livejournal.com profile] arctic_comet 's prompt #2: Once you’ve arrived at the end of the world, it hardly matters which route you took.
Summary: Sometimes, it really feels like there isn't a choice.
Notes: Sometimes, I write fiction too, and it's almost always angsty. Apologies for that. Not beta'd. Wanted to do something with this and this is what happened. Was going to draw something but it never really worked. Also inspired by the deleted scene of DH Part 2 we wished we'd seen. If you've not seen it it's here:

***

She found her husband looking out of the window in Teddy’s nursery; his shoulders hunched whilst he absorbed the light that was falling past the trees and houses. Dora slowly made her way to him and leant her head against the wall, watching the way the last light of the day slowly disappeared from his face.

“You know I have to go,” he told her, his voice smooth but stern, not yet looking at her. “You know I can’t ignore the call. Your mother wants you to stay here and for once I agree…”

Dora turned her head back to look round the room that she had found her husband in as she collected her thoughts. Above the crib was a small mobile of brooms and moons and stars twirled gently to the tune of Hogwarts theme to help Teddy sleep. His hair, still blue but short, was growing more and more by the day.


“You know that’s not what I’m against. I understand that…” Dora finally said in a harsh whisper. She wished he would look at her. “But what I don’t understand is why I can’t go with you—”

Remus turned sharply towards the crib as Teddy made a gurgling noise in his sleep before shifting back into his deep slumber. The werewolf's eyes settled there before looking back to his wife this time in full. He didn’t want to argue with her, but she had to understand…

“Teddy needs you here.”
“And he doesn’t need you?”
“You are his mother, Dora—”
“So children don’t need their fathers as much as their mothers?” she said loudly but covered her mouth in hopes to stop raising her voice. Her own father’s death was fresh enough. Teddy fortunately didn’t stir and both their voices became softer.


“No, no Dora I don’t think that…” Remus said gently, he took her hand. “I really don’t…but…”

She could almost see the cogs in Remus’s brain turning as he tried to form his words together.

“Harry is our best hope, Dora. I need to make sure he has it…so Teddy can have his best chance.”


Dora sharply let go of his hand as though she had burnt it. He was right, but that shouldn’t mean she couldn’t help him, what did any of that have to do with her? He needed her as much as Teddy did. How could she let him to go to battle alone? She’d never not been with Remus in battle ever since they’d both been in the Order together and they’d made it this far together…

“I don’t like this Remus…” Tonks said at last her face still turned away. “What if…?”
“What if doesn’t matter now…there is no other choice. If tonight the world falls I want to make sure I did everything to prevent that for our son.”

His words had left an impact on her, something had clicked in Dora’s mind, and she finally nodded, softly.

“Just…promise you’ll come back to me?” she demanded softly as she turned back to face him.


“Dora, you’ll see me in no time… just take care of yourself won't you?" he assured her but made no promise, she could sense he didn’t believe that he was going to have that chance himself.

Remus turned his attention to Teddy whom he didn’t dare touch at first. He then gently leaned into the crib and planted a gentle kiss on his son’s forehead. His nose and the soft breathing he made caught his son’s attention for an instant before he was back to sleep. The werewolf stayed close to him for over a second and Dora wondered if Remus, who was not at all a religious man, was saying some sort of prayer for their boy. She couldn't tell but he looked very intent when his attention moved back to his wife.

He moved in for a kiss, a kiss she would have demanded otherwise. She wanted this kiss to last forever but she knew that was impossible. He finally let their kiss go and she stared after him as he left the room. Dora’s hands trembled as he left so she rest them on her sons crib in an attempt to calm herself down, she stood staring down at their beautiful boy as she affirmed her decision and the sweet tune of the Hogwarts theme only continued to persuade her more and more.

The moment she heard the floo powder flames she rushed into action, grabbing her cloak and her wand and rushing down the stairs. Remus was right, there was no other choice. She had to keep her husband alive, for the sake of their family. Her words rushed and scribbled were left on the table and she looked to her fireplace.

Should she wake her mother, who also snoozed on the chair in the living room? No. They’d be back tonight, they would and she would never have to know. Dora pulled her cloak tighter to her and continued to struggle with her decision as the image of her baby boy swam in front of her. Her hand still half way into her the powder when she saw her mother step into the kitchen. The elder woman was rubbing her eyes tiredly, and had been intending to put on the kettle she saw her daughter.

“Dora? Dora, where are you going?” Andromeda stared at her with wide eyes her hand on the kitchen chair to steady herself. Brown eyes staring into her Dora's.

“I’m going to Hogwarts. With Remus. I’m sorry mum, please take care of Teddy—”
“Dora—”
Despite her mother’s words it was now or never. Dora drew a breath, shaky but her voice was determined.

“Hogsmeade!”

She tossed the powder hard to the ground and was smothered in green flame, whilst her mother was unable to stop her and when the green flames were finally gone, the only thing that remained of Dora’s presence in the room was the note she had left which read:

Gone to give Teddy his best chance.
I love you mum.
Dora

***

Date: 2014-01-18 07:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] arctic-comet.livejournal.com
Great use of the prompt :) This is still super heartbreaking though.

Date: 2014-01-19 09:23 pm (UTC)
starfishstar: (Default)
From: [personal profile] starfishstar
They’d be back tonight, they would and she would never have to know. Such a tragic line – but it rings true to me for Tonks, that she would do what she needs to do, and just try to stay as positive-thinking about it as possible. In the same vein, I really like her note at the end.

Date: 2014-01-21 12:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] huldrejenta.livejournal.com
Oh dear - what a heartbreaking moment. These last minutes together must have been so full of conflicting emotions - determination, fear, hope, sorrow for the life as a family they'd had a small taste of and might never have again after this night, knowing they had to do everything in their power to make sure their son grew up in a better world. They both must have felt it, and the moment where Remus kisses his son goodbye, captures that - so sad.
I love Dora's note to her mum; this is exactly what they were fighting for.
And they helped making it a reality, for Teddy and the rest of the wizarding world.
Edited Date: 2014-01-21 12:44 pm (UTC)

Date: 2014-02-01 05:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gilpin25.livejournal.com
Aagh, this is a killer scene to imagine let alone read. So many of your lines take on a tragic, double-edged meaning, because of course we know the outcome, but being who they are, they were never going to stand by and let other people fight for their child. I always feel so much for Andromeda, left behind to wait...

I really like If tonight the world falls I want to make sure I did everything to prevent that for our son and She’d never not been with Remus in battle ever since they’d both been in the Order together and they’d made it this far together…, which both ring very true. And, of course, the title and Tonks' note at the end, say it all really: they did give Teddy his best chance. Heart-breaking but it's such a perfect use of that prompt. :)


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