The Sun and Moon

Chapter 14

“Alright, we’ll wrap things up there.”

Tonks stated, smirking before dropping to her knee next to me. The Dueling Classroom was rather quiet, due to only two of us being in it. Penelope and Percy had long since started to skip sessions back in January. Something that only became more and more prevalent later in the year due to their O.W.L.s.

Tonks was seen as an oddity. Even with her N.E.W.T. exam looming in the distance, she didn’t spend her weeks studying fiercely. As the other seventh years were.

Instead, she seemed to enjoy taking a breather, walking around the school and putting even more of a focus on the club. Her visits becoming more frequent as she seemed to become more and more stressed. Up until she finally took her test.

Her grade hadn’t been finalized, but she seemed rather ecstatic after the test. Seeming as though she had it well in hand. Her ‘future’ career path as an auror seemingly solidified in her mind.

Thankfully as a First Year, I didn’t have to wait very long to know how I did in my subjects. Everything but Astronomy had been Outstanding, with that being the only one to be Exceeding Expectations.

The professor must have been out of her mind if she thought I was going to use anything else but the telescope Luna had made. What did it matter if everything was reversed? That just meant I needed to get better.

“Well…I guess this is it, kid.”

Tonks said in an excited, but slightly wistful way. Her eyes seeming to almost look past me.

“What’s it?”

“This whole thing. Auror training, the Dueling Club, us hanging out. You know, everything.”

I blinked. Tonks was in her last year, but neither of the other members were.

“What about Penelope and Percy?”

Tonks waved her hand with a ‘psh’ sound.

“Penelope only joined because of me, and Percy only joined to hit on her.”

Hmm…so that’s how it was. Now that she pointed it out, it seemed to explain a lot of Percy’s actions and comments. As well as Penelope’s disinterest in most things relating to dueling.

“Club only got off the ground due to having four members. Now that there’s only you, it’ll be disbanded.”

Hmm. That potentially meant that I’d no longer be getting the quest to constantly train and exercise. Which would free up some time for other subjects.

…Still, it did feel a bit odd to no longer have a classroom to go to.

How strange. I more than expected Tonks to graduate and leave Hogwarts, yet now that the times come it was almost…unexpected? Surprising? I wasn’t sure what word was right for this situation.

“It’s going to be a bit rough, but I’m sure you’ll be able to make some friends next year. Maybe find a feisty girl that’ll pull you out of your anti-social bubble. Though I’m afraid you won’t find one half as good as me, so make sure not to use me as the standard.”

Tonks said in an over-the-top manner. Flipping her hand up as she stretched with a wide grin. Though even then it almost seemed a bit…forced.

But first…

“I have friends.”

I answered back in confusion, only for Tonks to laugh in amusement. Shaking her head before ruffling my hair, causing me to narrow my eyes as my charisma stat started to drop.

“Sure you do, kid. …I really will miss you.”

…Mmm.

“I’ll…miss you t-”

The rest of my words were cut off as Tonks’s hands wrapped around my waist and started to squeeze me for all she was worth. Picking me up the ground before swinging me around in her arms.

“I knew you had a secret cute side to ya!”

I couldn’t respond or retort, due to having to struggle to breath. Eventually after a few minutes she finally put me back down. Still chuckling to herself as she sat close by.

“Hey, can you say it again?”

“…I was just being polite.”

I stated, before crossing my arms. Narrowing my eyes further as Tonks laughed.

“Aw, don’t pout! There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

…I was not pouting. Nor was I embarrassed. She was severely mistaken.

“…You’re a good kid, Sol. I know you’ll go far.”

Tonks stated, once more phasing back into a serious expression. Honestly, I wished she’d just choose a lane and stuck to it. Not flip flopping between them.

“Mmm...”

I cautiously decided to answer with, causing Tonks to ruffle my hair again.

“And hey, after you graduate and I’ve become the head honcho of the aurors, I’ll be sure to give you a job if you want one. So, you can look forward to that.”

Personally, I didn’t plan to just stop simply at becoming an auror, but it was definitely good to have options. So I gave her a nod of acknowledgement. Hmm, is this what Tim refers to as ‘magic nepotism’?

“I’ll make sure to be one of the first to congratulate you after becoming the head auror.”

Tonks’s eyes lit up at my remark. The smile she had faded slightly as she seemed to search my own eyes before…blushing? Something that seemed pretty unusual on her unless she was in an angry mood.

…Was she angry?

“…Thanks, Sol. For believing in me.”

Hmm? Believing in her? What did she mean?

…Was she just a figment of my imagination? I hope not. That’d be a bit sad, to be completely honest. Especially considering that I did actually have friends. They even call themselves that and everything, so it was official.

“No problem.”

I didn’t know how else to answer with, so I just decided to end it with that. Yet Tonks spoke up once more. This time with a lower and quieter tone of voice.

“You know, if we’re both single by the time you graduate, I might be willing to give you a nice little graduation gift…”

“What is it?”

Tonks’s playful demeanor seemed to immediately falter at my question. Causing her to pause with her eyebrow twitching a bit before finally coughing into her hand.

“…It’s a lot less fun to make those kinds of jokes without Penelope here to give me a proper rebuttal…”

A proper rebuttal, huh? Then that meant she had been joking. Alright then, I’d just have to fill the space myself.

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Tonks fell into a coughing fit.