𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐫 | n. tonks

xv

"Step up, step up!" Fred, George, and Hadley called as they stood at the balcony overlooking the first level of Weasleys Wizard Wheezes.

"We've got Fainting Fancies!" Fred said.

"Nosebleed Nougat!" George chimed in.

"And just in time for school!" Hadley added.

"Puking Pastilles!"

Fred and George each placed a hand on a boy's shoulder as he tried a Puking Pastille and held a cauldron out to him. "Into the cauldron, handsome!"

"Hiya, Harry!" Hadley grinned as she approached the sixth year, who was examining something on one of the shelves.

"Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder," Harry read the label.

"A real money spinner, that one," Hadley said, motioning to the small bottle of powder. She picked it up off the shelf and tossed it to Harry as she began to walk backwards towards Fred and George. "Handy if you need to make a quick getaway. I'd make a habit of always keeping some on you, especially since trouble follows you everywhere you go." She turned around and skipped up next to her brothers.

"Hellooo, ladies!" the triplets greeted Hermione and Ginny.

"Love potions, eh?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, they really do work," George said.

"Then again, the way we hear it Gin, you're doing just fine on your own," Hadley said as she draped an arm across Ginny's shoulders.

"Meaning?" Ginny questioned.

"Are you not currently dating Dean Thomas?" George asked.

"That's none of your business." A small blush crept up onto Ginny's cheeks, and she put the love potion back.

"How much for this?" Ron asked as Fred, George, and Hadley walked up the stairs to the second level.

The three turned around to face their younger brother. "Five galleons."

"How much for me?"

They exchanged a look with one another. "Five galleons."

Ron looked hurt. "But I'm your brother."

The triplets shrugged. "Ten galleons."

"Hadley Weasley!"

Hadley groaned when a familiar voice hit her ears. "Oh, no. Quick, hide me!"

Fred and George stepped in front of Hadley, hiding her behind them as Tonks approached. "Good afternoon," the twins spoke in unison.

"Where's Hadley?" Tonks asked, slightly annoyed.

"Hadley?" Fred furrowed his brows and exchanged a look with George, who shrugged. "Haven't seen her."

"Did you check Sugarplum's Sweet Shop?" George asked. "She always fancies something sweet after lunch."

Tonks narrowed her eyes at Fred and George before pushing them apart.

"Sorry, Haddie, we tried..." Fred's sentence trailed off when he turned around to see that she was gone. George looked at the front door and saw a flash of red hair as she made a run for it. Tonks glanced in the direction he was looking. Rolling her eyes, she left to go after her.

"Have a nice day!" Fred and George called after her.

Hadley sprinted down Diagon Alley, her fiery hair flying behind her as she attempted to make her great escape. She wasn't in the mood for a lecture about how she was "wasting her time on childish pranks instead of getting prepared for Auror training" – Tonks' words, not hers.

"Hadley Artemis Weasley!"

"Don't full name me, Nymphadora Vulpecula Tonks." Hadley scoffed and ripped her arm out of the older girl's hand.

"Who told you my full name?" Tonks frowned and placed her hands on her hips.

"Your mum." Hadley shrugged and continued walking down the deserted alley. With the Dark Lord's top Death Eaters roaming free from Azkaban, many witches and wizards kept to the safety of their homes to avoid confrontation. "How'd you get mine?"

"Your mum." Tonks took Hadley's hand and pulled her into the Leaky Cauldron. "Come on. We need to talk."

"I know what you're going to say, but I'm not really in the mood for a lecture, Dora. You need to learn how to have a sense of humor," Hadley said as she followed her into the pub. "Besides, I told you I'd be helping Fred and George out with the store. It's a Troublemaker business."

"I'm not gonna lecture you, Ley," Tonks said, sighing as they sat down at a table. She ordered them both butterbeers when the waiter asked what they wanted. "You do realize that given the state of things running off like that was very dangerous, right? There are Death Eaters around every street corner."

"I wouldn't have run off if you didn't come into the shop acting like you were gonna hurt me," Hadley muttered.

Tonks' eyes softened. She reached across the table and took Hadley's hand, squeezing it gently. "You're right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. Especially not after the Death Eater attack a few weeks ago."

Hadley had been cornered in Hogsmeade a few weeks after graduating from Hogwarts. Bellatrix had been among them, and she seemed to be the one leading the attack. They weren't happy about being outsmarted by a bunch of teenagers at the Department of Mysteries.

"If it makes you feel any better," Hadley sighed, "I didn't feel like my life was in danger. The difference between you and the Death Eaters is that you'd never want to intentionally hurt me."

"Hmm, don't be so sure about that." Tonks hummed, smirking a little. "I might if you piss me off too much."

Hadley chuckled, which turned Tonks' smirk into a real, genuine smile.

Hadley had spent her summer living between the Burrow and Grimmauld Place. Since the attack, any time she left the house she was escorted by a member of the Order to protect her should the Death Eaters come picking a fight again. Nearly every time, it was Tonks.

Remus said that Mad-Eye kept choosing her on purpose because of how close she'd gotten with her over the last few months.

Apparently they think we're secretly dating.