Chapter 2

After what seemed like an eternity of uncomfortable silence, the tall man let Tonks go. "Remus Lupin." He said shaking her hand.

She returned the grip. "Nymphadora Tonks, but just call me Tonks. Unfortunately, I'm related to him." She nodded over to Sirius.

Remus chuckled. "My condolences. Not many would admit that in public, I think." He took a seat next to Charlie Weasley and Tonks settled on his other side.

"Well, Remus is back, so I'll be off for guard duty." Mr. Weasley said and left the table.

The Order began to fill Tonks in on the latest developments: the prophecy, guard duty at the Ministry, recruitment, rumors of Voldemort's location, and the plan to pick-up Harry Potter at the end of the summer.

"We should have a good number on that one." remarked Mrs. Weasley with a maternal air.

"I'm going." Remus said simply. "I haven't seen Harry in quite some time."

"Me too." Sirius said.

"Don't be silly, Sirius." Tonks interjected. "You're a wanted man. I'll join Remus."

"You can't blame me for trying..." he mumbled.

Kingsley and Mad-Eye also offered to join in the "rescue party." After the order went over the particulars, the meeting was adjourned. Some people apparated back to their homes while others stayed for dinner. Molly Weasley insisted that Tonks stay ("After your first meeting you deserve a good feast"). Only she, Lupin, and Sirius were left with the Weasley clan.

"It's been a while Tonks." Bill said as he passed her the potatoes.

"I'll say." She answered.

"We used to cause some trouble together back at Hogwarts." He explained to the family.

"Excellent." Fred and George said in unison.

"So, you're an auror?" Ron Weasley asked between mouthfuls.

"Yep. For a year now." She caught Remus Lupin looking at her, but he turned his head very quickly.

"Never thought you would be." Bill said laughing. "You should've seen her in school. She was the clumsiest girl in existence. Couldn't go two feet without making enough noise to wake the castle."

"Yes." Retorted Tonks, "but I could still jinx the jelly right out of you, couldn't I, Mr. Head Boy?"

Ginny giggled from the across the table and Billy cleared his throat.

"You always did have spunk." Sirius beamed. "My little cousin."

When they finished dinner, the Weasley family went back to the burrow by floo power, leaving Remus, Tonks, and Sirus quite alone in the house. Tonks was about to leave herself, but a lonely look in her cousin's eye made her hesitate.

"How often does he get out?" she whispered to Remus.

"Almost never," he said. The two locked eyes and for an instant Tonks knew the same thought was running through their minds. She smiled widely at her new acquaintance.

"Ohh Sirus!" Tonks said loudly, strolling into the study, dragging Lupin with her by his sleeve. "We have some catching up to do."

She conjured a large bottle of firewhiskey and three goblets on the table. Sirius looked up and grinned broadly.

"Oh, Dora dear, how you've grown up."


Twelve hours later regret and dizziness sunk in. Tonks felt as though her head had a pulse.

"Good Morning!" The Weasley Twins shouted as they entered Grimauld place for breakfast.

Sirus, Lupin, and Tonks all let out simultaneous groans due to the excess volume.

"Someone had fun last night." Fred said in a sing song voice.

Tonks' smile came out more like a grimace.

"Here, Remus." Molly said as she placed a large stack of pancakes in front of Lupin. "These should help." Remus looked down at the food as if to question whether digesting was possible in his present state.

"Wotcher, Remus. Feeling better?" Tonks asked Remus as they cleared away the dishes after breakfast.

"Anything for Sirius, right?" he said. "I can't remember the last time I was that, well..."

She laughed. "You seemed to be enjoying yourself quite a lot, though."

"Maybe too much."

"I've got guard duty tomorrow night. Would you like to join? Two wands are better than one, after all." Tonks said, twirling hers between her fingers.

Lupin looked uncomfortable. "I can't. I'll be...busy." He brushed his brown and grey streaked hair out of his face.

"Oh right." Tonks said understanding. "Sorry, mate. I forgot it was the full moon."

Lupin almost dropped the stack of plates he was balancing. "Wait, how did you-?"

"You told me last night." She explained. "Sometime after your fourth- no, fifth glass."

Lupin stared at the young woman in front of him. Her expression was completely calm and casual. He had grown accustomed to peoples' negative reactions to his monthly condition, but he'd never he stumbled across apathy before.

"Excuse me?" he asked again to clarify.

"You're a sloppy drunk, Remus." She teased. "And don't worry. Speaking from one shape shifter to another, I understand."

"But you can control your power, can't you?" he said.

"Maybe as an adult with fully developed skills."she explained. "but as a child you can't at all. When I let emotions get the better of me, my appearance often changes. Still, I don't pretend to deal with as much as you do. You're very brave, Remus"

Lupin raised his eye brows again. Brave? Did she just call him brave? Did the young, unique, and very pink woman before him just call Remus John Lupin brave?

"Has anyone ever told you that you're rather strange?" he asked Tonks.

"Oh all the time!"