The creatures of the castle had been tense lately, and Barnaby couldn't figure out why. They all seemed to feel like something was watching them, and they were deeply uncomfortable.
He also hadn't managed to learn anything new about the chicken coop killer.
So, to the dismay of many students, many adorable creatures temporarily left the castle until Barnaby could pinpoint the root of the problem. Only some of the tougher ones, like the Tonberries, continued to help around the castle with steely determination.
Simultaneously, he received a letter from Tonks in the morning, saying she was going to Hogsmeade and asking if he wanted to meet up.
Was it even necessary to ask? Of course!
That same afternoon, they met in front of Spintwitches, the shop that sold sports items and Quidditch supplies.
At least they didn't go to Madame Puddifoot's tea shop like the other couples; they both detested such a sappy atmosphere, at least in public.
The idea of a secret romantic dinner didn't seem like a bad idea...
Barnaby was pulled out of his thoughts when Tonks crashed into his torso, rubbing her face against his chest.
"You know, someday I'll dodge your attacks and you'll look ridiculous," Barnaby joked as he patted her back with one hand.
In reality, he enjoyed when Tonks got affectionate, but she didn't need to be aware of that.
"I dare you!" Tonks lifted her head to glare at him with narrowed eyes despite still smiling. "Dare to dodge my love attacks and I'll show you why the twins never dared to prank me."
Barnaby raised both hands in surrender, and they laughed.
They both entered the Three Broomsticks holding hands since Tonks was old enough not to receive warnings from the hanging heads at the entrance, and Barnaby had special permission from Rosmerta since he taught her how to make an incredible blackcurrant rum that put her previous version to shame.
Making a drink's sales triple tends to get you some extra perks.
Besides, Rosmerta sympathized with Barnaby when she heard about his mother from Hagrid and had met the boy multiple times, knowing he was very sensible and wouldn't cause any trouble.
Barnaby lived up to Rosmerta's expectations and ordered a pitcher of cherry syrup and soda with ice for both, avoiding any alcoholic drinks. On one hand, he still didn't drink, and on the other, he had someone from the Ministry with him!
"So, how did it go with the staff we made?" Barnaby asked as he picked up the pitcher and poured the drink into two tall glasses.
"Great! That's what I'd like to say, but it actually hasn't been that good..." Tonks took a sip of the fizzy red drink. "Sweet."
"Did it give you any trouble?" Barnaby asked, concerned.
"Oh~ Relax," Tonks tapped Barnaby's shoulder with her finger. "Nothing bad happened, I just haven't been able to use it as much as I'd like."
"Why not?" Barnaby was puzzled, remembering. "I checked it several times; it shouldn't have any problems."
It wasn't nearly as powerful or complete as his, but it was excellent for being Tonks' first creation.
"The problem isn't the staff itself, but those stuffy old men at the Ministry with overly long hands," Tonks huffed, crossing her arms and radiating dissatisfaction. "At first, I used it naturally, and it helped a lot with some arrests. Moody even praised me! Do you know how rare that is?!"
"So, what's the problem?" Barnaby took a long sip of his drink.
"I think it drew attention too quickly, causing some jealousy among my 'colleagues,' and someone reported it to the higher-ups as an anomaly. As a result, the Unspeakables from the Department of Mysteries wanted to confiscate it for study," Tonks restrained herself from shouting in the establishment, but her voice conveyed her displeasure with the situation. "Naturally, I refused! They can't confiscate personal items unless it's proven they're related to dark magic. No matter how mysterious they want to be, they have to follow the laws like everyone else!"
"So, are they still causing you trouble?" Barnaby's opinion of the Ministry was worsening by the minute.
Besides, the Department of Mysteries folks should be grateful they didn't get the staff, saving themselves from the security mechanism inside it.
"Mostly no, Moody helped me chase them off," Tonks relaxed a bit at this point. "I just have to be careful to always carry it with me."
"Mostly?" Barnaby didn't overlook the detail.
"Well, Umbridge has been making things a bit difficult since I flatly refused to hand over the staff. It wasn't even her business!" Tonks said with a grimace. "Oh, right, you don't know who I'm talking about. She..."
Tonks explained to her boyfriend what she knew about Umbridge as time passed.
"If even a tenth of what you said is real, I hope I never run into her in my life," Barnaby said with a disgusted expression. "She reminds me of that journalist, Rita."
"Now that you mention it..." Tonks blinked, surprised. "Maybe they're cousins or something?"
Barnaby shrugged. They finished their drinks, and Tonks took him to Zonko's joke shop to get some items like Burping Powder and Hypotose Sweets.
"I can't beat them up for revenge," Tonks explained in a low voice as she left with a full bag. "But I can embarrass them in front of all their colleagues!"
"Just try not to overdo it," Barnaby reminded her as he took the full bag and placed it in an undetectable extension pocket. "They must be looking for some reason to cause trouble right now; just don't serve it to them on a silver platter."
"I know," Tonks rolled her eyes, unable to completely hide her smile. She felt warm inside.
They both left Hogsmeade, walking along the stone paths towards nearby Hogwarts, side by side, unhurried.
"Hey, Tonks."
"Mmm?" Tonks turned and looked up at him.
"How do you imagine your ideal house?" Barnaby asked casually, as if bringing up a topic out of curiosity.
"Huh?"
Barnaby didn't realize it, but for some reason, seconds after hearing the question, Tonks felt her face heat up and secretly panicked a little.
Sanshi had to make a great effort not to laugh at that reaction.