It was the midst of battle. Green and red light flooded everything in sight. The Great Hall, the Astronomy Tower, the North Tower, the West Tower, the Gryffindor Tower, the Ravenclaw Tower, and almost every classroom in Hogwarts was filled with death eaters. Witches and wizards from Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix filled every room as well, fighting for their friends and family. Nymphadora Tonks was running all over Hogwarts grounds looking for her husband, Remus Lupin. She asked everywhere, but nobody knew exactly where he was. She ran into the Hogwarts Castle, looking everywhere, desperate to find him. Down in the dungeons, Remus Lupin was battling Antonin Dolohov. Curse after curse came from Dolohov and Lupin defended himself properly, sending spells back. Tonks entered the dungeons, seeing Lupin right away. After dodging a spell sent by Lupin, Dolohov stopped casting curses and stood there, an evil smirk appearing on his face. Lupin turned around to see Tonks standing there, white as a ghost.

"Dora, what are you doing here? You are supposed to be with Teddy! I told you not to come!" he yelled furiously.

"Teddy is with my mother, he is quite safe. I couldn't stand not knowing anything Remus! I had to come, I couldn't bear the thought of something happening to you." replied Tonks, trying not to cry.

Lupin was speechless, he didn't know how to respond. All of a sudden, Bellatrix Lestrange appeared behind Tonks. Lupin didn't even have time to tell her to watch out because within a split second of Bellatrix's arrival, she muttered the words, "Avada Kedavra" and green light was all Lupin could see. Tonks hit the ground, eyes wide open, and a tear rolling down her cheek. Bellatrix apparated away, and Dolohov quickly followed her. Lupin walked over to his wife, slowly, as if he was sleep walking. He couldn't believe what just happened. When he reached her body, he fell to his knees. His eyes filled with tears, which fell down his cheeks. He grabbed her hand, and started sobbing. Nymphadora Tonks, the one woman he loved the most, the person he couldn't imagine his life without, was lying in front of him, dead. He didn't want to move, in fact, he couldn't move. All feeling has left his body to the point where he didn't feel quite alive himself. He knew he couldn't stay there forever, as much as he wanted to, so he leaned down and kissed Tonks' lips, which were cold to the touch, and stood up.

Tears continued to stream down his face as he picked up the body and walked up the steps. It was quiet. The battle must have come to a halt. He walked slowly into the Great Hall, where everyone seemed to be. He didn't look at anyone. He simply walked to the bodies he saw lying in the middle of the room, and placed Tonks down on the floor. For the first time, he stepped away from her body and looked around. The Weasley's were standing nearly a foot away and he hadn't even noticed. A terrible sight caught his eye. Fred Weasley was lying on the ground, right next to where he placed Tonks. He walked over to Molly Weasley, whose face was covered in tears. Molly took one look at Lupin, saw the body he placed down, and gave him a hug.

"Molly, your son … I'm so sorry, if there's anything I can do-"

"No, thank you. Fred, he - he was so young, so - so innocent. Why did he have to - to -" Molly could not finish her sentence. She could barely talk. The whole room was filled with bodies and the only sound heard was that of sobbing. Lupin walked back over to his wife's body, and knelt beside it once more. He felt as though he should be there next to her, comforting her, telling her everything would be okay. As much as he tried to convince himself she was alive, he couldn't deny the fact that Nymphadora Tonks was no more. With this realization, the tears wouldn't stop.

Everyone in the hall stopped moving, and all Lupin could hear was the sound of footsteps walking down the hall. He looked over his shoulder and saw Harry Potter. He quickly looked back at Tonks and heard Harry's footsteps come closer and closer. He saw him give every one of the Weasley's a hug, and saw his eyes start to get misty. Harry walked over to Lupin, unable to speak. He didn't want to say anything. He knew it was all his fault that everyone around him was dying. He couldn't talk to Lupin. Not yet.

He turned to walk away as Lupin muttered, "It's all my fault."

Harry stopped suddenly, not believing what Lupin just said, "How can you say that? There is no way it was your fault."

"I saw Bellatrix, I saw her. I was about to yell, but - but - I was too late. If I just yelled, 'move' then she would still be here. It's all my fault. She's gone and it's all my fault." Lupin started to sob again and Harry walked closer, placing his hand on Lupin's shoulder.

"Lupin, listen. I know how much you loved her. It was not your fault, stop saying that. She knows how much you cared about her, and I'm sure she wouldn't want you beating yourself up for something that you couldn't have controlled."

"She doesn't know" replied Lupin after a long pause.

"Excuse me?" Harry was utterly confused. What was Lupin talking about now?

"Ever since she told me she loved me, I've been telling her we shouldn't be together. I told her I was too old, too poor, too dangerous. We finally got married, and she knew I regretted it. I thought I made her an outcast, I thought I made a grave mistake. She told me she was pregnant and I was outraged. She was so upset about my reaction. I couldn't bear the thought of an innocent child being like me. When I finally came back, Teddy was born and it was the happiest time in my life. After I told everyone at Shell Cottage, I went back to Tonks. Everything was going well, until I went to battle. I told her not to come. What if she still thought that everything I said was true? I don't think that anymore, I love her! I love her with all my heart, she was my life. I don't think she ever knew how much I cared-" Lupin trailed off, he couldn't keep talking. He wasn't crying anymore, but he looked as though he would never be happy again.

"Lupin, how can you say something like that? Of course she knew how much she meant to you! Don't think like that. She loved you and she knew you loved her, that's all that matters."

"But what if she-"

"Will you stop!" interrupted Harry. He was furious with Lupin, almost as furious as he was when Lupin left Tonks and Teddy. "You're acting ridiculous. You know what Tonks would say if she was here? She would agree with me. I am sure of it. Don't do this to yourself." yelled Harry. Although he was angry with Lupin, tears had formed in eyes as he saw the body of Tonks.

Lupin knew Harry was right. He didn't reply, just simply sat there, looking at Tonks. Harry knew it was his time to leave. He should let Lupin be. After he left, Lupin stood up. With Harry gone, he felt as though he was alone in the Great Hall. It was quiet, except for the occasional sob he heard around him. He couldn't stay there the rest of his life. He had to move. He had to leave. If only for a minute.

That minute turned into hours, days, months, even years. After walking out of that Great Hall, he never came back. He walked straight back to Andromeda Tonks' house. He didn't finish fighting in the battle. He walked upstairs, right passed Andromeda. He didn't have to say anything, she knew what had happened and started crying herself. As Lupin walking up the stairs, he could hear her sobs. He opened the door and saw his son fast asleep. Teddy Remus Lupin had bright blue hair tonight and a soft, pale, heart-shaped face, just like his mother. The tears came back as Lupin walked over to the crib and leaned over his son. He kissed his forehead gently and whispered, "I love you. We'll make your mother proud."