Regency in Diagon Alley [Theodore Nott | Harry Potter AU]

Chapter Fifteen

"What do you mean that was Sirius Black?" Remus paced around the small room that was Tonks' flat. After the sudden attack on the roof and a brief discussion, Tonks insisted they went to a more private place to speak. It was a flat of hers in a Muggle building only for women, since she had wards around the place, she had to take Remus through the front door as quietly and sneakily as she could. She placed a camouflage spell on him. It was one of the moments that Remus was completely flustered as he entered a building filled with beautiful women, all unaware of his presence.

"Exactly as I mean," Tonks replied, bringing a tray of food she snuck out of the pantry downstairs and some tea.

"But you just said that wasn't Sirius Black!"

"Because Sirius Black is dead... until you mentioned if Sirius sent me," she checked her pocket watch. Along with the time, the small device also showed the movement of the sun and moon. The sun was about to set, and the moon was close to the horizon in the watch. They had a few minutes before it does, and by then she needed to escort Remus to the sanctuary for his transformation. She would just give the Duke of Danu his late registration.

"But then why say that it was Sirius or not at all?" Remus was pulling his hair, completely frustrated about everything. "Who was that?!"

"Who knows," she shrugged. "A few days before you came to London, I found a man at the docks. He was acting suspicious, you see, he confounded one of the sailors, and he wore a cloak as if he were hiding his face from everyone. But he had a ring – three crows with a skull biting a wand. The Black family sigil. I found it odd – why would someone of the Black family travel by Muggle, especially when there is a war? Then there was the question of that person hiding their face. So, I followed him... but then I lost him.

"A few days later, Kitty, the barmaid, mentioned that a stranger has been staying in the inn and was paying in jewelry. Not even Muggle money... so I kept watch on them. The stranger has a routine. He would appear in the room at nine on the dot. Eat at the pub, pay with jewelry. Leave, walk around London. Disappear. Then they would appear in the pub again, purchase the same food, pay with jewelry, and then stay in the room only to apparate away. Strange, isn't it?" She said, but when she did, she had a smile on her face as if she were excited. Maybe she was.

"But why not stay in the room?" Remus muttered out his thoughts. "And how could you say that he was Sirius Black?"

"Because I saw his face. I never met Sirius Black nor have I known him personally, but I have seen him countless times in... gatherings. But I'd know his face anywhere, I was a child then when his marriage to Emmanuelle Goldstein became the talk of the Magical World in Britain..." she hesitated on what she was to say next but then decided to tell him either way. "I was there in their wedding."

"You were?" Remus' brows furrowed.

"Yes... my mother and him were close and he invited my family to the wedding." She fidgeted on her stop. Twirling her wand in her fingers. "I also met their daughter, Lady Carina Black. The girl was still young then, so I doubt she would remember me... the Duchess was insistent to have the Lady Black be surrounded with children of all ages so she could learn to have friends. She was inviting and a kind woman. A kind Duchess."

Remus saw the sorrow in Tonks' eyes as the wave of sorrow came with the mention of Emmanuelle. He too frowned at the pain of her sudden death. "She was..."

"You knew her?"

"Yes... I was close friends with the family – with Sirius and Emmanuelle, I mean."

Tonks shook her head as if to rid of the memory and continued. "So, I know Sirius Black's face, and that man looked a lot like him."

"But that's not Sirius. Sirius' scent..."