All the way IIII: Change

Eileen pulled the covers up over her head, "Go away."

She heard Sirius laughed, "Stop mumbling and get up!"

"Won't." She said defiantly, desperately trying to hold on to her sleep.

"Tough. I'm playing a game called 'Get Eileen out of bed because it's lunch time' and I'm going to win, so stop being lazy and get up!"

She let Sirius pull the covers away from her face, as she said in a matter-of-fact manner, "I'm not being lazy. I'm conserving my energy, actually."

He laughed again, pulling her up gently by her shoulders, "It better be conserved well, because my dear parents are coming for a visit."

"Today?" She asked.

Sirius nodded, sitting next to her on the edge of the mattress, "They'll be here in three hours, but they don't know you're here. So... it's up to you if you want to see them or not. You can go out if you don't want them to know you're here."

"If I do see them, they'll tell my mum and dad, won't they." She sighed, "I suppose I need to see my parents soon, so I might as well stay. It'll be nice to see your mum and dad, as well."

"Yeah," He agreed, putting his arm around her to draw her close, so he could press a kiss to the top of her head, "They'll be pleased to see you." He held her for a moment longer, then got to his feet, "So, get up and dressed."

Eileen slid to the edge of the bed and waited until the door was closed behind him, before sliding back onto the mattress and pulling the covers back over her head.

She thought she had got away with it, but then the door opened and the covers were yanked away again.

Sirius threw open the curtains, letting too much light into the room, "Up!"

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Hermione watched with blood shot eyes as the owl carrying her letter became a speck on the horizon. Tears were still clinging to her lashes, though the ones on her face had since dried up.

She could feel nothing but the complete, soul encasing, miserable guilt that surrounded her. Even the fear that had been plaguing her had evaporated.

Her face was set in stone, blank, emotionless. Her mouth, a severe line on her pale face. Her eyes, flat, cold.

Nothing but the slow rise and fall of her chest suggested that she was alive. Not even a blink.

The owls watched her with intelligent, beady eyes, not daring to make a sound.

Finally, with stiff movement, she turned and left the room that housed so many birds. The chill that followed her had nothing to do with the weather.

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Sirius opened the front door. His mother - today wearing blonde hair and baby blue eyes - bustled in, hugging him and pressing a noisy kiss to his forehead, before standing back and pulling at his cheek.

"How's my Siri-wiri?" She cooed, grinning mockingly.

"Mum!" He whined, jerking back from her, "Leave me alone!"

His father stepped in, closing the door quietly and looking up the hall, "Is that...? No! It can't be! You look so grown up!"

Eileen was standing in the kitchen door way, smiling, "Hi."

His mum pushed past him and enveloped Eileen in a bone breaking hug, "Eileen! It's been so long!" She stepped back and picked at the younger womans black hair, "I've tried so hard to get my hair like this, but I can never get it right!" She huffed and turned back to Sirius, frowning slyly, "I thought I brought you up better! Get us a drink; Eileen and I have a lot to chat about."

As his mum ushered Eileen into the living room, Sirius and his father went into the kitchen.

"What's she doing here?" His dad asked, frowning slightly, "I thought she was traveling."

Sirius wasn't sure what Eileen wanted to say, so he went along with the original story, "Yeah, she was. But we kept in touch and she came here a few days ago, you know, to get herself together before going to see her parents."

The older man nodded, "And she's alright?"

Sirius nodded, "She'll be fine soon."

They both exchanged knowing looks.

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"How are you?"

Eileen laughed mentally; every one still called her Tonks even though she was now a Lupin. People just didn't know what to call her without getting a limb brutally torn off. They kept with Tonks because it was safe.

"I'm fine," Eileen smiled, "I just thought I’d come here and see Sirius and then I could go to Hogwarts and see you and my mum and dad in one go."

Tonks nodded, "Yeah, well, it's like war at that castle. See, there's this new Charms teacher - Professor Gary Swan - and your dad was away for the first few days of term, so this guy tried to muscle in with your mum. But, of course, you dad came back and... Well, it's been weird, because he just did nothing. Swan didn't even get a punch. I mean, Minerva and Poppy were feeling really put out, because they really wanted some gossip. But not me, I don't bother with them any more. See, I’m a big gossip fish in a small gossip pond; what Billy Bond and Sandy Munch did in the seventh floor corridor just doesn't satisfy my needs any more."

Eileen laughed, "So where do you go now?"

"The Ministry, duh!" Tonks giggled, "I don't work there any more, or course, but sometime I just slip in and wander around, listening to people talking."

"Don't people recognize you?" In a second, a small, grey haired old lady was sitting next to Eileen, instead of the blonde beauty. Tonks gave her the 'what-do-you-think?' look. Eileen laughed, "Sorry. Late night, early morning, you know how it is."

Tonks turned back into the blonde-hair, blue-eyed woman and shook her head, "Nu-uh. I don't do partying any more. I mean, I miss it, but Remus is no good at making hang over potions and... Well, you know how clumsy I am. Potions was never my subject. Besides, I’m quite happy to stay home with Remus."

Eileen smiled. Sirius and Remus came into the room, carrying four cups of tea.