AN: I am still not entirely sure where this fic came from. The story of Remus and Tonks has always intrigued me, because we really only ever get to see the beginning and the end. And we don't even really get to SEE the end. Basically, this is my take on how they came together, stayed together, and fought together.
Thanks to Amy and Laura for the beta and continuity checks.
This is Part One of a trilogy, and sticks as closely to book!verse as possible.
Disclaimer: I do not own, nor profit from, anything in this story.
Rating: Teen
Spoilers: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Summary: The Order of the Phoenix brings people together, though not always in the way that they expect.
Prologue
Remus Lupin had never set foot in 12 Grimmauld Place. None of Sirius' friends had, deemed not good enough for the like of the Black Social Circle. Remus didn't mind. It was hardly a place he wanted to go, and he was barred from far more desirable locales. He knew what to expect, though. Sirius had told him enough for him to grasp the layout
Here was The Oder of the Phoenix, fourteen years on. They were less the Prewetts and the Potters, the Longbottoms and the Mackinnons, and had gained only young and untried wizards in their place. The oldest Weasley boys would be joining, as would a few others. Remus knew it would be hard to keep Harry in the dark, harder still to convince Sirius to hold his tongue. They would face Voldemort with tired veterans and children. Dumbledore talked of love and trust and loyalty, but none of that had helped Cedric Diggory.
Remus stood on the sidewalk and looked up at an invisible building. He reached into the pocket of his tattered robes and pulled out the parchment from Dumbledore. For just a moment, he considered not reading it, never breaking into the secret. He knew what Dumbledore would ask of him. He knew that it was not his Defense Against the Dark Arts knowledge, nor his strategic abilities that made him invaluable to the Order. His great contribution would be in espionage, in infiltrating the very group he tried so hard to deny affiliation with. Joining the Order would mean savagery and pain, suffering and loneliness. He sighed and lowered his eyes.
The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at 12 Grimmauld Place, London.
When he looked up again, there it was; as grim and uninviting as Sirius had always claimed it was. He looked up and down the street, and when he saw no one was watching, he murmured "incendio" and flicked his wand at the parchment. It flared briefly, then turned to ashes between his fingers and disappeared into the night. He sighed again, pulling his thin robes close against the wind, and went into the house.