thattimeofthemonth | Open RP Post

"There's no better way to practice than to do it. Theory is one thing, but you need experience or theory is all worthless." Remus gave another flash of a smile. "In reality, there's never anything like a formal duel. Fights are made and won by being faster, smarter, and more clever than your opponent. The difference is that they don't care- most of the time- about their allies. They will take no need to keep from hurting one another or letting another die. We worry. We protect. So we need to be able to work together better, or think smarter."

Draco gave a nod agreeing with what Remus had to say. The only time it was formal was when they were really practicing. His father always used that as a way to teach him how to be more graceful with flourishing his wand. His father had always been on appearance. He also taught him how to be more calculating using both wand and no wand.

But that was also different. They were on Dark Arts tactics then what Remus had been teaching him. Draco had been trying to combine both what his father had taught him and what Remus was telling him.

"That's what always made my family different though...We were always about protecting each other where all the others didn't care if you were family or not." Draco pointed out.

"And look where you are now. Here, instead of dead or in Azkaban." A pointed raise of the eyebrow, trying to drive that point home. "Your love for your family is obvious, and you're making that difference."

He nodded, proud.

Draco smiled, he was quite proud of his family and hearing that he was making a difference meant a lot.

"Should we practice some more tonight or are we finished for the night?" He did want to do some flying before they left. The moores were a great place to fly about and not get noticed.

Remus' chin came up just slightly before he smiled more. "Let me guess... someone might be itching to fly again?" Because he could see it in the tension of Draco's body, like someone who wanted to do something fun and wanted to go. "You're free, if you don't want to practice any more tonight. Go ahead and call the brooms."

Draco's eyes lit up. He didn't waste no time in summoning the brooms once given permission. The night had been a trying one full of revealing secrets and learning to trust one another more. On top of the lessons that Remus prompted.

"We can still do some practicing while flying," Draco suggested.

"That we can." He took the broom and laughed quietly. "It's funny... until our trainings, I can't remember the last time I rode a broom. Most likely a long time ago." He straddled the broom, giving a little kick off to get himself into the air.

"Perhaps more practice hitting a moving target?" He suggested. "Your hair looked wonderful last time."

"For that comment I'll make sure you'll have pink hair by the end," Draco retorted as he flew up into the air. He had wasted no time with preparing to fly. He was glad to see Remus enjoying himself as well getting him to do something that he had stopped doing. Draco did know for sure he wasn't going to be sporting red hair again or any other color hair.

"I think tonight, you'll be sporting luxurious flowing purple locks," Remus 'threatened' off-handedly, a smile on his lips. Really, it felt a little like being a younger man again, and a lot like-

He blinked, glancing to Draco as he pulled his broom to a halt. It felt a lot like having another son, was what it felt like. It almost felt like an unfair feeling; unfair to Lucius Malfoy, really. Was it unfair to Draco? That worried him more. He wasn't the boy's father, he had one of his own who did love him.

Though he feared what the Malfoys would do when, not if, they learned about just how much Draco had changed.

The comment caused Draco to raise an eyebrow. He was about to retort and only stopped in his tracks when Remus came to a halt. He gave a concerned look at his mentor.

"Are you okay?" he questioned picking up on Remus's worry but not sure what it was.

Remus came out of his thoughts and shook his head to clear it before giving Draco a smile. Didn't meant to worry the boy, after all. "Sorry. Old man woolgathering." He chuckled before he started back up, flying quickly ahead.

"Game on!" And it would be a good, ridiculous hour of both practice and more so, fun. A little bit of silly among all of the serious happening in both of their lives.

Draco gave a nod in acknowledgement. He didn't fully buy it, but knew enough to let it be. Either way, it was a good way to end the night. This was something he always enjoyed about the lessons he had with Remus. They didn't have to always be so serious.

Once home, Draco contacted Jake informing him about the recent turn of events. It was strange to be using the phone and it took him a while to send the message. He was still wide awake from the adrenaline of the lessons and it would be a while before he would sleep. He decided to use the time to research more about learning to be an animangus.

Jake would have laughed if he knew just how long each text message took. Still, when he was on his break at work, he ended up nearly choking when he read the long text message. Oh bloody hell.. The Lupins knew the truth. He might have panicked a little bit, but he couldn't freak out right now. So he texted back just before he had to go on shift. When should I come meet them?

There was painfully little information on Animagus. In fact, there was only a few mentions of them, but nothing on how to become one. Draco would have to dig into much older, much more usually restricted books.

Come around five. They're not mad about you knowing...He was more upset that I didn't tell him right away. Draco replied once he finally got a response. He didn't want Jake to freak out about this. Meeting the Lupins was going to be easier then meeting his parents.

It looked like he was going to have to dig into his father's old library. He has to have something on it somewhere. His father collected all sort of information. This was going to be more of a challenge now that he didn't have Hogwarts library to use.

I'll be there. It meant having to go to sleep practically as soon as he got home, make sure he would be up in time and then enough to shave, shower, and the like... try to make a good impression on these relatives. The Lupins, right. I didn't expect this so soon. Which was quite the surprise.

The house would be silent, as Remus wouldn't wake Tonks to talk about this, but in the morning... he had a lot to discuss with his wife.

I'm sorry this happened so fast. I didn't mean for it to go the way it had. Draco replied wanting to apologize for how sudden everything went. Eventually Draco ended up going sleeping. Only it wasn't a great sleep it was more plagued with nightmares of having Jake getting hurt and his family finding out out and disowning him.

Probably wise move on Remus's behalf as Tonk wasn't going to be too pleased with how things were going although the news on the Mannor would be a twist she never saw coming.

It's not your fault. We'll deal with it and keep going. :) Emoji and all. Jake worried through the rest of his shift, though, about what it would be like to meet these relatives. Maybe they would just zap him and make him forget everything he'd learned about this invisible world he had no idea was right out there for him to see, but he had blinders on. Ones made by both societies, really.

"What do you want me to do, Tonks? The boy needs someone and his father and mother aren't going to help him. I'm still worried they're going to disown Draco if they find out." He ran a hand through his hair. "And a Muggle on top of it... and all of this mess with the Mannor to just pile on more to be uncertain about. I haven't even though all of that through."

Tonks had not been pleased by any of the news. The situation was getting more out of control and something she had never really readily agreed to sign up for. The Malfoys were a difficult family to deal with in general. The news that Remus just told her mixed in with the good news was not something she had expected to hear first thing in the morning.

The two had been yelling all morning--thank goodness for the silencing charms. A part of her just wanted to give up on the situation entirely. They were dealing with a lot already before agreeing to take Draco in. But Tonks knew how much this meant to Remus and why Remus was trying so hard to help the boy. The boy had changed a lot under their care since his arrival. It wasn't a waste of time.

"Once they remove their blinders and see what's going on they will disown Draco in a heart beat. Despite the love they have for their son. They did it to my mother. They'll also blame everything on us for introducing him to the Muggle world. I'll admit that I'm surprise that Draco bonded with that boy pretty quickly and the boy's friends as well.

The Mannor...I'm not even sure what to think on about it. It's a lot to take in and I can't help but think there's more to it. A fine print that we haven't read yet. As much as I don't want to, I think before we make any decision we will have to actually discuss with them about the house. Even if Draco was the one to make the decision...I'm more wary on his parents."

Tonks sat on their bed with her arms wrapped up around her knees. She was trying to keep an open mind on things, but it was extremely difficult. Right now she wanted to talk with her mother and get her view on things.

"What do you want me to do, Tonks?? Just turn my back on him? Draco needs someone more than ever and he has no one because everyone's been driven off or dead!" He gripped at his hair, looking to his wife with pain in his eyes. "I know what it's like to be alone with no one to turn to. It's the worst feeling a man can have and he's still so young. Even if they blame us... there's little they can do. The Malfoy name is disgraced, on both sides. You said it yourself... he's doing so much better. He's less of a prat, he's trying to help around the house and with Teddy, he's been polite. All of that since he started staying with us. Ignore the bit about the manor, for now, if we have to. Talk to your mother about it. I just..."

He scrubbed a hand over his face. They very rarely fought, and it hurt to do so about anything. What more could he say?

"I'll go and take Teddy with me and visit my mother. I'm at a loss on
what to say or do about how this situation progressed. My main concern is how this is going to effect our family. We're already under enough stress." Tonks replied.

"Do you honestly think we can take Draco if this does happen? I know how you feel about this situation, Remus. I'm trying to keep an open mind on this...but it's very hard. Especially with how we've been treated in the past."

She hated arguing with Remus. It left her torn. She wasn't sure if they would be able to find a common ground to agree upon on this one. That's what made it worse.

"I'm not going to condemn him further for the actions of his family. He's taken the steps to change that his family I doubt will even approve of. If we throw him aside, abandon him, we are telling him everything we've told him is a lie. We're telling him to never trust anyone again. We'd be no better than the Malfoys." Remus' voice was soft, watching his wife.

"Go talk to your mother. Maybe... maybe she can help." Or make it all worse.

Tonks gave a small frown at the valid points Remus had made. He would be basically abandoned by the whole community. And that was a fate she wouldn't want anyone to have. It could also lead to a new Dark Lord as well. Yet, a small voice kept telling her that the Malfoys had set themselves up to it for everything.

"Maybe...I hope she can bring a different light to the situation. I suggest that you have a long talk with Draco as well of what all of this could mean. When I agreed to this a while back...I had never dreamed it would get this complicated."

"Frankly, neither did I." He offered a hand towards her, wanting that small touch to try and ease the tension in them both, almost like the nudge of a canine's muzzle. "I'll sit down and talk to him once I know he's awake." Thank goodness for the silencing charms.

His eyes met hers, his own quiet and a little sad. "I love you. I'm sorry this has gotten more complicated."

She reached over and grabbed his hand, letting him know she wasn't that mad at him. It wasn't entirely his fault for how things unfolded.

"I love you too... I know it's not your fault for what's going on." She spoke in a soft voice, the anger and disappointment gone. It was more apologetic.

His smile to that was so soft, so warm. He might have been nervous and concerned to the point of ridiculousness before he accepted Tonks' love, but he did love her with all of his heart. "Do you want to be here tonight to meet this young man Draco's so fond of? If you want to stay at your mother's, you can. I need to decide... what's going to happen given that he found out the truth." Which was another not-so-little obstacle to overcome.

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