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Facets
NOTES: Written on three paper bags at work. Good times. Part of my newfound Tonks/Kingsley obsession.
Tonks wore her own face to the Ministry ball. Remus and Sirius teased her as she got ready, and there was a hint of disapproval in Molly's face as she helped apply the beautifying charms that always eluded Tonks, but her mind was made up. Remus thought she was making a statement. He was partially right, she supposed as she searched for the earrings her mother had given her. It wasn't an especially meaningful sort of thing, really. But she spent most of her time wearing other faces, and now she was deceiving her friends and co-workers in other ways. She was proud to be in the Order, but she thought of the others, the Ministry people who remained on the outside. Because they supported the law, or Ministerial authority, or even Fudge himself. Well, she thought, finding her earrings in a battered old Candied Critters tin, there had to be one. Or maybe they just didn't know the right people, who could take them to Grimmauld Place and how them how to make a difference. Or, she thought as she tried once more to make her too-fine hair hold its style, the right people just didn't trust them enough. Or were too afraid to risk themselves. She stepped back and considered her reflection. There was no helping her hair, but at least her makeup was perfect, thanks to Molly. Her mother's earrings hung almost to her shoulders, the glittering diamonds complementing her pale robes. She looked pretty, she told herself. She shimmered. Like a snow queen, like ice. Perfection… "Crap," she said, and grabbed her wand. It took three goes to remove the traces of minotaur bile from her fingernails, and even then, she was sure there was a faint yellowish tinge to them. Oh well. Everyone knew she was an Auror; everyone knew she was the cute, clumsy one with wild hair and Muggle clothes and no dignity whatsoever. No point in trying to be different, really. There was movement downstairs, and Kingsley's low voice carried through to Tonks's room. Sirius laughed loudly at something, and Tonks wondered if the joke was at her expense. He must have been an awful big brother, always teasing and pushing. For the first time, she wondered how Regulus had felt when Sirius ran away. She'd grown up hearing her mother's stories of her cousin Sirius, and all the fun they'd had getting into scrapes as kids. The reality was oddly disappointing, and she couldn't quite blame it all on Azkaban. Sirius was just the sort of arsehole who'd have taken a lot of pleasure in teasing a Slytherin freak like her. And he didn't even think about it - just yesterday, he'd made a joke about Gryffindors, and had stared when she didn't laugh. Professor Snape had taken wicked delight in explaining that no, Tonks was a Slytherin, one of his own protégés. That last bit was news to Tonks, but she let the professor have his fun. She glanced in the mirror again: her hair was even messier now. No helping it. Worse, her face was drawn and irritated, and she looked like her mother on a bad day. She could cheat - make her lips a bit fuller, her eyes a bit larger - subtle little changes that no one would even notice. No one ever saw her real face, after all. No. Tonks straightened her back, took a deep breath, and concentrated on getting to the door without tripping over in her new shoes. "Look at you." Sirius's voice was flat, his eyes downright unfriendly. Remus gave her a smile, but looked like he wanted to offer some sort of advice. "Yeah. Look at me." "You look like my mum. I never noticed it before." "Yeah, well. I never showed you before, did I?" Tonks sighed inwardly and tried again. "Sorry. I'm just - you know, it's weird, showing you all…" "Tonks," said Remus, "two of us here change species once in a while. Really, you're practically normal in this company." "What does that make me, then?" Kingsley muttered. "Oh, you look - you look-" "Lovely." Arthur jumped in when words failed Molly. "You look like a picture, Tonks." "A picture of what, my mother?" Sirius asked. He clearly regretted the words the instant they were out of his mouth, for he added, "sorry. Just … I almost wish I was going." He grinned. "I'd make quite an entrance, don't you think?" "Sure," said Kingsley, "fly in on that motorbike of yours - they won't forget that." "'Course," Remus added, "you'll be kicked out for being inappropriately dressed and all." "Eh, the Ministry needs a bit of fun." "I must admit," said Arthur, before Sirius could sink any further into gloom, "I wish we were going this year. Just to see Lucius Malfoy's face when he lays eyes on Tonks…" Tonks poked her tongue out, turned on her heel and Disapparated with as much dignity as she could manage while extracting her right heel from the train of her robes. * Of course, she drew attention. Cornelius Fudge, who'd never before acknowledged her existence, kissed her hand and positively fawned. The Daily Prophet social photographer followed her around like a lovesick crup until she let him take her photo as she danced with Kingsley. "So," he said as the flash went off, "are you actually related to-" "The Malfoys?" Tonks pushed a strand of silver hair out of her eyes, "yes. Through blood and marriage. And my mother's family comes in two shades - black and silver." "Actually, I meant the European Veela clans." "Oh. That. Yes, distantly. A few of us are throwbacks, sort of. Not really me, of course." She grinned. "I bet you never met a clumsy Veela." "I've never met a Veela at all." "And you call yourself an Auror?" "Well, they're not exactly Dark creatures, are they?" "You never met my Great-Aunt Mareike." "Ah." A hush fell over the ballroom as the main doors swung open, and Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy made their entrance, both shimmering like ice. "Tonks?" Kingsley murmured. "I know, I know. Just because I look like them doesn't mean we're exactly the same, and I shouldn't be afraid to let people see my real face, and I have many admirable qualities aside from looking like a young Narcissa Malfoy." "I was going to say, you're standing on my foot." "Oh. Right. Sorry." "Nothing to apologise for, Tonks." She could sense the deep rumble of laughter in his chest. "I like you just the way you are." end
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