Authors Summary – This is what we've all been waiting for. Remus finally gets what he deserves – true love. Of course, such a path never does run smooth.

Feel like I'm in love With a stranger I've never known Although he's still a mystery I'm so glad I'm not alone (Neil Finn, Anytime)

He tried not to yawn, and though he found this outstandingly difficult, his success didn't make him feel any better. He concluded that ultimately it wouldn't have mattered if he had yawned, for the focus of the group was entirely on the man standing up the front, the Minister for Magic, the very distinguished Cornelius Fudge.

Fudge at that moment was saying something, that had it been said two months ago, would have forced the Minister to put himself in prison. Remus Lupin found it all very boring. He was well aware that Voldemort was, of course, re-risen. He had been one of the first to know that Peter Pettigrew was not, in fact, dead or innocent and that Sirius Black was, as a matter of fact, innocent and had been wrongfully imprisoned.

The last though wiped the boredom from Remus' mind. In fact it wiped most of his emotions like a cold shower. Two thoughts filled the blank numbness. One a deep all-consuming hatred against the Dark Lord, the other a depth devouring sadness.

I suppose I'm the only one of us left. After all Peter was lost long before Lily and James. Unexpectedly, Remus scowled, he generally avoiding showing emotions in public. No point giving people reason to speculate.

I would give anything to have them back. He thought suddenly and an old familiar ache for James, Sirius and indeed, Lily developed.

A cough from the back startled him out of his revere and he shifted imperceptibly, his face reverting back to the tired, washed up look everybody who knew him was used to.

'Remus, old fellow, you need more laughter in your life.'

Aptly said, Remus had thought of Sirius' words as his friend stared at him. They were sitting in the Black family kitchen, peeling potatoes. Remus had the feeling every premature line on his face had suddenly become twice as obvious an etched.

'How silly of me, Sirius. With Voldermort re-risen and Umbridge at Hogwarts, I should be having a ball of a time.'

That was Remus, known for his dry quiet humor. Sirius had smiled –

Another cough, and Remus was left with a picture of his dead best friend's smile on the back of his eyelids.

Well, he had experience with losing best friends; he could deal with it.

Blasted that cold, Sarah though. Here the Minister for Magic was giving one of the most important speeches of the year and she was coughing right through it. Not that she was worried about insulting him, wise witches and wizards in the know were well aware of the news of Voldemort's uprising already. All one had to do was listen to Albus Dumbledore, one of the most respected wizards in the world. Sarah stared thoughtfully at Fudge, she wondered what had scared him so much that he was willing to admit flat out that he'd made a mistake. And the news about Pettigrew and Black? – the Daily Prophet would be having a field day – a field week!

When Fudge started harping on about magical relations and vigilance, Sarah slipped out the back rolling her eyes discretely.

She immediately praised Merlin that she had, for standing right in front of her was just the person she wanted to talked to, and she had some idea that it might have been difficult to get a hold of Albus Dumberdore in this day and age.

'Sarah Fletcher, what a pleasant surprise, I had no idea that you were in these parts.'

Despite him saying so, Sarah though he seemed very unsurprised. She detected a mild twinkling behind his eyes, and she found a smile forming despite herself.

'Somewhat overdue, Professor. This being severely remiss of me.' Her smile was replaced by a perfectly serious look when she said this, indicating her sincerity, though the effect was somewhat ruined by her having to snatch out a handkerchief and sneeze into it.

He waved the apology away with a gesture and indicated that they walk down hall a minute as another witch exited the conference room, muttering so intently to herself and scribbling so furiously on a scarp of parchment she waltzed past Dumbledore and Sarah without a glance at them.

Sarah and Albus exchanged wry glances and stopped outside the door to the staircase in a darkish corner.

'Newest headline for the Prophet, I think.' Sarah stated quietly, in exactly her manner.

'Perhaps, perhaps.' Dumbledore said, stroking his long white beard thoughtfully. 'I had rather hoped the papers would take it easy on the Ministry...'

Sarah nodded, she understood perfectly, though many wouldn't after the thrashing the Ministry had given Dumbledore over the past year. She however, had dedicated all seventeen years of her career to winning wars, not battles. The wizarding world would have to be as cooperative as possible in the war to come. Sarah Fletcher was a criminal lawyer.

'I wanted to see you, Professor –'

'Please, Sarah, Albus is sufficient.'

'I wanted to see you, Albus... and I think you know why, though why it took me so long –'

'It is not necessary to explain, it has taken supposedly wiser men longer to see straighter.'

As if to mark his words, Cornelius Fudge, surrounded by a group of his closest advisors, strode out of the conference room and off down the corridor.

'I cannot stay to explain much, but I will introduce you to someone who can help.'

'I understand, Albus.' She was still unused to saying his first name; it rolled oddly off her tongue. 'I'm marveling at the fact I was able to see you so soon after arriving.'

He chuckled, watching the crowd slowly drift out of the room and towards the lifts.

'Yes, if the Prophet had their way I would never have a moment to myself.'

She smiled, and coughed, sniffling into a handkerchief.

'You must understand, I never for a second doubted your word, it's just, I hadn't seen most of you for almost thirty years and one doesn't exact want to go running back into a full blown...'

She trailed off, for lack of a better word, something unusual for her.

He nodded quietly, he of all people knew the word.

'War.'

Remus was one of the last to leave, he preferred it that way, watching and gauging the reactions of individuals to the speech. The reporters, with grins of glees, the younger generation, puffing up in their new and greater mission against evil, but for the older and wiser it was much different. Somber faces and hunched shoulder, memories of evils unspoken from an era best left forgotten...

He exited the room with the last of the latter group and spotted two figures down the hallway, standing in the dark next to the door to the staircase. One he recognized immediately, the other not at all. He watched them for a second, as was habit. Remus Lupin always thought before doing. Albus Dumbledore he knew quite well, to say the least, him being someone he held in the highest regard. The other appeared at first glance a muggle, in a crisp gray suit with a lilac blouse. This seemed unlikely though, as she stood in the Ministry for Magic talking to someone, who among other things, was a receiver of the Order of Merlin, First Class. She stood straight, carrying her chin high and posture perfectly. With oval brown eyes, extraordinarily good bone structure and complexion, she might have been pretty, but very ordinary straight brown hair tied in a pony tail and a serious demeanor absent of any frivolity indicated a very plain overall image.

All this Remus took in within two seconds as he walked slowly over to the two. Dumbledore turned to him and nodded.

'Remus, I gather the speech went as planned.'

'Perfectly boring, Albus, and far to long overdue.'

'Better late than never.' Dumbledore replied, looking gravely over his glasses at Remus. 'I would like to introduce you to Sarah Fletcher. Sarah, this is Remus Lupin, of the Order of the Phoenix.'

And Remus knew that Sarah Fletcher was not at all usual, for she was privy to knowledge of the Order of the Phoenix and as she turned to him he noticed she had remarkably expressive eyes. He held out a hand, which she took with a polite smile.

'Fletcher – you aren't by any chance related to -?'

'Mundungus.' Her face darkened. 'Yes, that would be my father.'

He grinned suddenly.

She, to tell one the truth, hadn't thought a great deal of him. Shabby robes, unkempt hair and a prematurely lined face – true he was a decent height, and had nice gray eyes, the sort she liked, so she wasn't going to judge harshly, but she was a fussy girl. When he grinned however, she was pleasantly surprised, the face lost its age, a sense of humor prevailing, and the eyes lit up.

'Ahem.' Dumbledore cleared his throat politely. 'Remus, I'm sorry if this is an anyway an imposition, but Sarah needs acquaintance with the Order.'

'To what level.'

'The highest. I am sorry I have not the time to be properly reacquainted, Sarah, but I believe I have a most urgent appointment with Cornelius.'

Remus and Sarah nodded their understanding.

'I bid you both a good day.'

And with a nod he swept off towards the elevators, leaving Sarah and Remus to become properly acquainted.