Remus Lupin settled into the barstool waiting patiently for Madam Rosmerta to pour him a glass of firewhiskey. He sighed in the meantime, trying to calm down his pacing heart and flying nerves. He could have very well exposed an entire classroom of thirteen year olds to the face of You-Know-Who himself.
The barstool beside him scooted out with an obnoxiously high pitched screech.
"Yikes. These things could use a good muffliato." A woman with bubblegum pink hair muttered to herself as she sat down, causing the stool to squeal once more. Remus grimaced at the noise, resisting the urge to cover his ears.
The bubblegum haired woman glanced over at him with a smile. It wasn't a polite smile that one might afford someone holding a door open for them like most people would give. It was a wide, loopy smile that didn't belong in such dark times. Remus briefly shot her an inquisitive glance but looked away before she could notice.
"One butterbeer, please, Rosie." She told the bartender loudly. Remus nearly snorted. What kind of adult comes to a bar and orders a butterbeer. His eyes darted over to her longer, residing on the upturn of her smiling lips.
"Still on the clock, Tonks?" Madam Rosmerta asked her, promptly pouring her a butterbeer. Remus glanced darkly at the spot in front of him where the glass of firewhiskey should have been had Madam Rosmerta paid as much attention to him as he did the witch beside him. He looked up at Madam Rosmerta and cleared his throat.
"Oh, no! But Moody would have my head if I drank anything stronger!" She grinned.
"Constant vigilance!" Madam Rosmerta nodded with ringing laughter. She glanced at Remus, narrowing her eyes, then suddenly remembered his order. The bottle of firewhiskey made a glug-glug-glug noise as it emptied into his glass. She scooted the glass across the bar, causing it to slosh up the sides.
Remus took a swig of the whiskey, hoping to drown the pain, but nearly choked. The obnoxiously loud chortle of Madam Rosmerta rang out across the bar. Suddenly several people joined in. Remus glanced over and beside him, where the bubblegum haired witch was only moments before, now sat Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody. The swinging eye, wild hair, and deep set scars were exactly as he remembered them from years before when he'd been a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Remus shrieked and fell of his stool.
"Bloody hell!" He managed once the rise and fall of his chest grew smaller and he didn't have to clutch his heart to keep it in his ribcage. The bar fell into uproarious laughter again, Madam Rosmerta's high pitched laughter leading the charge.
Moody transformed back into the bubblegum haired witch and despite the laughter playing on her face, she apologized to him.
"Sorry, couldn't help myself. Here, let me help you." She told him, reaching her hand down to interlock with his. She pulled him back onto the stool with little effort.
"You're a–you're a metamorphmagus?" He asked, still feeling his heart trying to break free with its rapid thumping.
She transformed her nose into the snout of a pig in response.
"That's very...neat." He told her. She winked at him.
"Anyway, Moody wanted to go over strategy training before my next examination tomorrow so I better get going. Just wanted to swing by!" The bubblegum haired witch told Madam Rosmerta, chugging her butterbeer.
"Good luck on the test, Dora! You'll be a full blown Auror in no time!" Madam Rosmerta called as the door swung closed behind the bubblegum haired witch.
Remus turned back to his drink, fully intending to drown himself in the pain, but every time he started to wallow properly he found himself smiling at the thought of the girl with a million faces.