Lonely

Chapter One

A bird sang through an open window. The late summer sunlight fell across the floor of the attic in the Tonks home, where Leo Tonks was lying stretched across the floor reading.

It was an idyllic scene, and if one did not know about current events taking place in the wizarding world, one might have imagined a peaceful afternoon, with a young witch dreaming of returning to school while making the most of the last days of summer in the southern English countryside.

The truth was, Leo had spent most of her summer cooped up in her house and the surrounding acre her family owned and, although she did miss her friends, was dreading her upcoming return to school. She had begged for her parents to teach her at home for her final year and had almost convinced them when the decree from the ministry had gone out requiring mandatory attendance for all students. Throughout the many hours spent in her house over the summer, Leo had spent much of her time reading or using watercolors to paint various wildflowers and plants she found on her family's property. At the start of the summer break, she had tacked the first painting she had completed above her bed, and now, the whole wall behind her headboard was hardly visible. Although it passed the time, when she looked at it Leo couldn't help but think about all it represented. All the unanswered questions about current events or the countless hours she'd spent wondering about the future.

Leo idly flipped the page of her book and scratched at her nose. There was a crash from downstairs and she stood up quickly, hurrying to the door of her room. Taking the steps two at a time she descended down the two flights to burst into the kitchen and saw her sister next to several spilled pots and pans.

"Watcher Leo! Where's mum and dad?" Dora asked clumsy cleaning up the mess she had made. Leo helped to gather the pans, placing them where they belonged before answering her sister. "They're just outside, double-checking the enchantments." Dora nodded. "That's perfect, just what I came to check on myself."

Leo shuffled her feet, her socks sliding across the wooden kitchen floor. She was dying to know more information about what was happening that night but knew her sister wouldn't discuss Order business with her. Not to mention the fact that she didn't want to seem desperate. She hadn't spoken to Harry in over a month, since their conversation at Dumbledore's funeral, and had only the information she could piece together from what Dora would share.

Tonight their house would be operating as one of the safe houses used as the Order transported Harry to the Burrow. Leo didn't really know what that entailed, or if that meant she had any chance of seeing Harry. She didn't know how to ask Dora without directly asking, and deep down wasn't sure if she wanted to see Harry anyway.

Her sister turned to the door as their mum and dad entered the house from the back garden. "Ah, mum, dad, everything set for tonight?" Dora asked. "Just triple checked, we're looking fit as a fiddle, every inch covered!" Their dad said with a smile and a wink at Leo. Dora smiled back, although Leo could see the worry didn't leave her eyes. "Good. Well, I better go get ready, I just wanted to check in on you. I'll be heading to me and Remus' after but I'll try and check in again tomorrow if everything goes well."

Leo still found it strange to hear Dora talk about her home with Professor Lupin. The couple had gotten married in a very small wedding at the Tonks home earlier that month, keeping it private due to the ministry's tighter and more unfavorable regulations against werewolves. Leo had been Dora's bridesmaid, and the day had been absolutely perfect. It had been a blissful distraction from the multiplying worries in Leo's mind and the sadness that hit her every time she thought of Harry and the last time they talked. Her sister and Lupin's house was one of the few places that her parents had allowed her to visit over the past month, as they had the same protections as her own house.