Daddy Dearest - (No Update, Edit)

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 67 ~ Introductions

Jasmine went to Poppy before Dumbledore returned, with a story of stumbling and hitting her cheek. Poppy had no reason to disbelieve the witch. She hadn't gotten the news about Jasmine defection from the Young DKV. Actually, Poppy hadn't been to many DVK meetings for a while. She didn't like being ostracized, and the DKV hadn't come after her when she stopped showing up at meetings. She was a non-entity in the organization after all. But whether she attended the meetings or not…she still had the mark. She could still be controlled if Voldemort invoked it. Poppy was not as much a non-entity as she or the others thought. The Dark Lord was aware of her. She worked at Hogwarts after all. Any DKV member that had access to Dumbledore was important.

"That was quite a nasty bruise, Jasmine. You have fair skin, you have to be careful," Poppy said as she helped her off the cot.

"Thank you Madame Pomfrey," Jasmine said, and she exited the infirmary.

She met up with Mathias and Andreas and spent the rest of the day with them, listening to their plans for the summer. Apparently they were going to spend some time together over the vacation.

"What are you going to do this summer, Jasmine? Lie around the Manor and give house elves orders?" Mathias asked her, his eyes mirthful. Jasmine hated when he teased her about being luxuriously lazy.

"Probably," the witch said, her eyes dark.

Andreas studied her, his face sober.

"Your summer will do you good, Jasmine. You will learn things," he said to her. "Things you may never have known otherwise. You will learn about people."

Mathias laughed. He didn't have the gift as strongly as Andreas. He could only get glimpses of someone's future at odd times. Andreas could access larger pieces if he concentrated, though not everything.

"I can imagine what kind of people. Butlers, servants, chauffeurs, manicurists, chefs," Mathias said, smirking, "The list goes on and on."

Jasmine gave him a sad little smile.

"You've got me pegged, Mathias," she said to him, then headed for her rooms.

"You'll be all right, little sister," Andreas said under his breath as he watched her leave.

She never did tell Mathias what her father had planned for her that summer.

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Severus made arrangements with Andreas' parents for him to stay the summer at Hogwarts, supposedly for private and free brewing lessons. His father, a prestigious solicitor and his mother, who had her own very successful Healing practice, were ecstatic to let Andreas stay under the care of his Head of House and learn potions. They felt it would give him an advantage. Severus' skills were well known throughout the wizarding world and they gave their permission gladly. Andreas and Mathias shared the extra room in Severus' quarters, the décor neatly divided between luxury and starkness.

Monday night, Severus led the boys across the grounds of Hogwarts to the main gates. He wouldn't tell them where they were going. Both Mathias and Andreas were very excited. The Potions Master let them out, warded the gates back, placed an arm around each young wizard's shoulder and disapparated.

They appeared on a rather rundown street in muggle London, where the houses were in various states of disrepair. Severus began walking and the boys followed, looking about them curiously. Severus stopped and faced two rather beaten up houses. It looked as if no one was home in either of them.

"Why are we stopping here?" Mathias asked him.

In response, Severus muttered something. Suddenly, a third rundown house appeared, pushing the others aside as it expanded horizontally. The windows were grimy and the house unkempt. Both Mathias' and Andreas' eyebrows rose as the house forced itself between the others. Didn't anyone notice this when it happened? But then again, this was a muggle neighborhood. Muggles hardly noticed anything.

"Come on," Severus said walking up to the black painted door and pushing it open, followed closely by the young wizards. They entered and were immediately greeted by a bright female voice.

"Hey there, Professor! Good to see you!"

Nymphadora Tonks walked up to them, smiling broadly. The Auror didn't seem to age and looked to be as young as ever. She was dressed in sweats, trainers and a white wife beater that showed off her sinewy, muscular but still feminine arms. Her hair was spiked and colored green and purple. She had hazel eyes and a cute, pixieish face. There was an air of mischievousness about her.

"Hello Tonks," Severus said, giving her a slight smile. He gestured to the boys.

"Allow me to introduce you to my son, Mathias and his friend Andreas Mbutu," he said.

"Hello boys," Tonks said, grinning at them. "I'm Nymphadora Tonks, but you can call me Tonks. Actually, you'd better call me Tonks."

Her hazel eyes went hard for a moment. She wasn't kidding. She hated being called Nymphadora. She had given out a couple of black eyes to wizards for using her given name. The witch claimed her mother must have hated her from the womb to give her such a hideous name.

Tonks looked at Mathias speculatively.

Gods, Severus…he's the spitting image of you…except he hasn't got that great honker of a nose."

Mathias expected his father to say something rather nasty to the witch, but the Professor just shook his head.

"No he hasn't, Tonks. He's got Hermione's nose," the wizard replied.

She nodded, then peered at Andreas.

"Mbutu, eh? Your mum wouldn't be Sharika Mbutu, the Healer would she?" Tonks asked him.

"Yes. Sharika Mbutu is my mother," Andreas confirmed.

Tonks beamed at him.

"Your mum's a miracle worker. Every time I twist something she fixes me right up, better than any healing potion. I love her," Tonks said, still smiling. "Now come on into the kitchen and have a pumpkin juice before you get started. Got to keep you hydrated. Fighting deatheaters is a nasty business," she said as she headed for the kitchen. Severus gestured for the startled boys to follow her.

Andreas and Mathias looked at each other. Fighting deatheaters? They were going to be fighting deatheaters?

They entered the kitchen and Tonks already had the juice out, pouring it into large glasses on the counter.

"Sit down, take a load off," she said.

There was a rather large, rectangular kitchen table with three chairs on each side and one on each end. Severus took the seat at the far end and the boys sat next to each other on the right side of the table. Tonks brought their juice over and sat down at the other end of the table. She watched them drink, her eyes flicking to Severus. He nodded slightly.

"So, you boys want to kill Voldemort, eh?" Tonks asked them as they drank their juice. Both boys spluttered then looked accusingly at Severus.

Tonks laughed.

"Aw, don't worry that I know. I'm going to be one of your trainers. Killing Voldemort is the prime objective around here. Everyone wants to knock him off. We just can't get to him. We're hoping you two can," Tonks said soberly.

So Tonks was going to train them. Both boys looked her over skeptically. They were about the same size as she was, and she was a witch. How good could she be?

Tonks saw them sizing her up.

"Don't let my size fool you. I'll kick both your little asses," she said to them evenly.

Severus smirked. He knew the boys had the mistaken idea that all wizards were physically stronger than witches. Most might be, but when fighting…strength wasn't everything. Skill and speed had much to do with being a formidable fighter. Tonks was one of the best fighters the Order had.

Mathias wanted to say, "I'd like to see you try," but held his tongue. Still, Tonks looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"You want to have a go at me, don't you Mathias?" she asked him directly.

"I'd like to see how well you fight, yes," the wizard replied.

"All right. You'll be the first to kiss the mat then," the witch said, giving him a rather nasty grin.

Severus looked down at his pumpkin juice and shook his head. His son was in for quite a humbling first session, he was sure. The boys didn't know they were to stay at Order Headquarters for the week. He would pick them up on the weekend and bring them to Hermione's. The only negative aspect of having the two boys was he couldn't visit Hermione during the week without them. She'd get suspicious.

"Is physical combat all we will do?" Andreas asked.

Tonks looked at Andreas, then at Severus, smirking.

"No, there will be quite a bit of silly wand-waving," she replied, taking a jibe at Severus' first year speech he did every year.

Both boys grinned and looked at the Professor, who had his arms folded, smirking at Tonks. Again, he said nothing.

Mathias realized that his father respected this witch very much. Severus never respected anyone without reason. He'd better pay attention to Miss Nymphadora Tonks.

"Where's Kingsley?" Severus asked her.

"Oh, working late at the Ministry. They are interrogating someone," Tonks replied.

"Who is Kingsley?" Mathias asked.

Tonks eyes went rather hot for a moment.

"Kingsley is my other half. He will be responsible for your 'conditioning.' In other words he will be toughening you two up. He'll make you strong, lean and mean, though you two seem lean enough already. How old are you?"

"Sixteen," Andreas said.

"Almost sixteen," Mathias replied.

Tonks smiled at Mathias.

"You can't wait to grow up, can you?" she asked him.

"I have things to do," Mathias replied soberly.

"We have things to do," Andreas added, his eyes also sober.

Tonks studied the boys, rather surprised by the determination in their eyes. She saw they were finished with their juice.

"All right," she said, rising from the table, "Let's do it then."

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A/N: Short chappie. Have to go out and won't be back until late. Please review.