Yay! Two reviews! You guys made me smile. And so this chapter goes out to you. May at least some more follow in your footsteps. :P

Andy stepped out of the fireplace and closed her eyes for a moment as she waited for the room to stop spinning. She jumped, her eyes flying open, as a firm hand gripped her elbow. She found Frank's dark eyes watching her, filled with concern. He held on for a moment longer, searching her face for something, then he gave a brief, almost imperceptible nod and let her go, stepping back.

"He's upstairs. Are you alright to go up there on your own?" His voice was soft, raw with grief but unafraid and she offered him a tremulous smile and nodded, trying not to betray her fear of what she might find on the next story. Visions of terribly mutilated bodies and deformed faces swamped her mind.

"Is it…" She tried to ask and failed. After a deep breath and a firm command to her imagination, she tried again. "Is it bad?" It sounded pitiful but Frank seemed to know what she meant. He shrugged.

"They look like they're unconscious. If you didn't know…" He tailed off but Andy heard his unspoken words: if you didn't know they were dead. If you didn't know that a madman had walked into their home and murdered them hours before…you'd hardly notice that they weren't breathing. She nodded to him and turned towards the gaping black hole in the wall that hid the staircase. Remus needs you to go up there, she told herself. You've walked up these stairs hundreds of times before. Now is not the time to develop a fear of the dark. She still closed her eyes as she took the first step and, feeling rather childish, only opened them slowly as she progressed. By the time she had completely opened them, she had reached the first landing and, turning the corner, she was dazzled by the light of a half moon staring down at her. Its icy glow washed over the staircase and the upstairs hallway, turning a house almost as familiar to her as her own into a fairy world: somewhere strange and yet hauntingly, almost painfully familiar in its complex light and shadows. She was reluctant to leave the staircase and destroy the terrifying beauty of the moonlight but a slight whimpering drew her onwards. Hidden from the window through which the moon watched was a doorway which seemed to produce its own darkness in defiance of the moon light. It was Harry's room. Once again, the thought of what she might find almost brought her up short, but the whimpering sound continued to tug at her heartstrings. She crossed the hallway slowly, as if in a trance.

For a moment after she entered the room, she could see nothing. Her eyes, accustomed to the shining hallway, drew silver spots in front of her eyes. As they cleared, she could make out Remus' form crouched in the corner, his eyes fixed on a point out of Andy's sight. She could just perceive his trembling form against the starlit window. No substantial light penetrated the room, but she could see that Remus was still human. She internally scolded the part of her that had supposed he wouldn't be. He was still Remus. He wasn't an animal. Generally, pointed out that treacherous part of her brain. He wouldn't hurt her she hoped. She ignored the tiny portion of her that was still afraid of the creature of the dark that lived inside her friend and tore her eyes away from his hunched form, hoping to compose herself. She tried to conjure images of the Remus she knew. Remus playing with the twins. Remus showing Dora how to fold paper into delicate shapes. Remus throwing Harry into the air and catching him as the boy laughed with glee. Remus curled up in Sirius arms, too tired to show the restraint he usually demonstrated in his relationship. She took a deep breath and, carefully fixing her eyes on her friends trembling form and took one small step. Then her eyes caught the sight Remus was staring at. Her mouth opened in a silent scream. She stumbled involuntarily backward into the wall. One hand gripped the doorframe as the other closed around her wand inside her pocket.

Lily and James were laid out on the floor beside the empty cot. Lily had obviously fallen here. She lay on her stomach, arms outstretched away from the door. But James had been moved. He lay on his back, eyes staring up at the ceiling. His hands were crossed over his chest, his wand clenched in one white knuckled fist. Everything else fled Andy's mind as she stared at her friends. The reality of what this victory had cost hit her, and she began to tremble.

The low whimpering sound caught her attention once more and she looked up. Remus was watching her. He whimpered again and she slowly stood up, releasing the doorframe and letting her wand slide back into her pocket. Holding his eyes with hers, she made her way around the couple on the floor. Once, her foot brushed against Lily's. She felt the touch recede as the other woman's foot slid to the side at the pressure. Andy flinched and froze but still Remus held her gaze. After a moment, she stepped forward again. As she reached him, she half collapsed beside him. He held out his arms and she wrapped her own around him. Tears caught the starlight as they slid down smooth cheeks and were caught in rough stubble as, together, they mourned.

Frank wasn't sure how much time had passed before he once again heard footsteps on the stairs. The slow, heavy thumps were so devoid of life that for a moment he imagined the Lily and James had risen from the dead and were even now on their way down the stairs. The notion sent shivers of terror racing up his spine and he quickly pushed it to the back of his mind.

Still, as Andy and Remus came into view he breathed a sigh of relief.

Andy was holding tightly to Remus' hand, apparently guiding him down the stairs but her fingers tight on his reminded Frank of the manner in which he and Alice had outside the house: reassuring each other. Both had dark circles under their eyes and a weary look. This war had taken its toll on everyone. Remus walked, almost trancelike, and Andy seemed to be leading him more and more as they moved into the living room where the fire was still burning. Frank lifted the box of floo powder down from the mantelpiece and offered it to them. Andy took a handful of the sparkling green powder and guided Remus gently towards the fire.

"Come on, hon, just a little further." Remus' eyes cleared a little and he seemed to rouse somewhat. She threw her dripping handful onto the flames and stepped neatly in, pulling Remus with her. Frank sighed and took his own handful of powder before replacing the box on the mantle and making to follow them.

He paused, one foot on the hearth, and looked around. The house looked as it always had. If you didn't know about the bodies lying in the upstairs bedroom, he supposed you could pretend that Harry was about to run through. Chased by Sirius in his animagus form. You could pretend James was about to call down to Lily with a request for food or for company. But Frank knew what was hidden from his sight and he couldn't help but feel the chilling emptiness that was already radiating from the baby's room into the rest of the house.

Alice could feel exhaustion creeping up on her. The armchair had been perfectly positioned in front of the fire, probably through great thought and effort, and as a result the warmth was now washing over her in waves. Dora had slowly succumbed to sleep and was now curled comfortably on her lap. Her weight had increased slightly and Alice hoped that this was a sign of emotional easing for the child, or at least a release found in sleep. Alice leaned back and closed her eyes, watching the firelight play gently on the inside of her eyelids as she reflected on recent events. It was easier this way, she decided, to think about Lily and James while warmth dulled the edge of her grief. But she had been awake and moving for the past eighteen hours and her body was extremely grateful for the cushioning provided by the chair. Slowly she slid from the drowsing into true sleep and with it came a dream.

The scene was peaceful, part memory, part imagining. Lily and James were seated in the living room Alice had, only half an hour before, seen cold and empty. James was sprawled on the large couch in front of the fire, which had been moved by now to make way for the Auror supplies that had been sent by floo. In Alice's dream, the light from the flames danced on his glasses, the reflection making it impossibly to see his eyes. There was no mistaking his expression, however, as he gazed at Lily. For her part, she seemed entirely unaware of his loving regard. She was curled up against his side, one of his arms draped around her, completely absorbed in the book in her lap. Slowly Alice watched as they both drifted off to sleep, James' head falling back and Lily's sinking onto his chest…

Suddenly the light inside her eyelids flashed green and she sat bolt upright, clutching Dora to her in fear. The young girl stirred, as if sensing her aunt's consternation. Alice settled back into the chair and forced herself to calm her breathing. By the time Dora had settled back into sleep, Andy and Remus had emerged from the fire and Frank was just climbing out from behind the grate. Andy immediately moved towards her and Alice stood, lifting Dora gently. Andy laid a hand on her daughter's head for a moment and smiled sadly at her friend.

"Do you want me to take her?" Andy asked, Alice smiled and shook her head.

"It's alright." Andy nodded and moved back as Alice stood, taking Dora's weight out of her lap and back into her arms. Alice took the lead, knowing her way around the Tonks' house almost as well as she knew her own, with Andy following her up the stairs.

Left to their own devices, both men shared a look of incomprehension of the tragedy that had overtaken them. Remus sank into a chair, dropping his head into his hands. Frank stood by the fireplace, examining the photo's that adorned the mantle. A photo of Andy and Ted's wedding day took pride of place, hanging in a beautifully carved wooden frame. The happy couple stood in the centre of the photograph, smiling and waving. For a moment Fred's eyes lingered on Ted's face and then he sighed and moved on. Gathered around them was the entire wedding party. Frank spotted his own sombre black dress robes and beside him a seventeen-year-old Alice with an enormous grin on her face. Remus was there, looking a little worn down but with no grey hair streaking the brown. He smiled softly as the little figure of Sirius Black snaked an arm around his waist.

Standing on the mantle, underneath and slightly to the left was a photo of the Marauders in their school days, Hogwarts robes blowing in a long still wind. On the other side was a snapshot of Andy, propped up in a hospital bed with a slightly younger Dora snuggled into her side. In her arms lay two babies as alike in appearance as they were different in personality. He smiled and a photo of the twins' first birthday seven months ago caught his eye. His lips twitched again at the moving image of his own son in the photograph and then the sound of the women coming back down the stairs jerked him into reality. Andy moved to stand beside Remus' chair and her friend looked up at her with a lost expression. She smiled sadly down at her and ran a hand across his hair. Frank turned, taking Alice into his arms.

"I know it seems inadequate," Andy's voice was soft in the hushed room "but would anyone like a cup of tea?" Alice pulled back from her husband a little and smiled slightly at her friend as both Longbottom's nodded. Remus nodded too, and Andy gently took back her hand, moving into the adjoining kitchen area. Alice followed her, and Frank settled onto the loveseat by himself as the pair busied themselves. Finally, Remus spoke in the same strange hoarse voice he had possessed in Godric's Hollow.

"What about…Harry?" The clinking of the cups in the kitchen stilled and an expectant silence descended. Frank sighed and looked up.

"Hagrid came to get him." Remus frowned at Frank's answer, but it was Andy who asked the next question.

"Where was he going to take him?" Frank shrugged and met his wife's gaze.

"He didn't say precisely, but Sirius was his godfather and…well…he's no longer a viable option." Andy nodded quietly and then glanced at Remus, her gaze compassionate. Remus blinked heavily but seemed to ignore the statement.

"He didn't say where Dumbledore told him to take Harry but he did mention that he was headed for Surrey." Andy turned away from where the kettle rested on the stove, her expression horrified.

"Surrey? He's leaving Harry with Lily's sister?!" Frank sighed and Alice nodded, taking up the informed side of the conversation.

"I think Dumbledore feels that's where Harry will be safest. You know what he's like about blood wards. Besides, it's not like Harry has any other family members of guardians…" Andy and Remus' gazes met and Frank sensed a secret.

"What?" There was another moment of silence before Remus answered.

"Well…technically…I'm Harry's Godmother." Alice and Frank stared in shock at the werewolf, still hunched over in his chair, who managed a small smile.

"It was a joke originally." He admitted and Andy remembered how he had blushed when he had told her. Then he went on. "But now it might just work to our advantage. James insisted on making it all legal, so it's on all the right paperwork. I can legally claim guardianship of Harry." Frank could see from his wife's expression that she'd been sold, but he had yet to be convinced.

"Dumbledore put him there. Is there anything he could do to stop you?" Remus nodded.

"If he really wanted to he could throw a spanner in the works with this blood wards business. But I don't think he'll want to." Andy and Alice both nodded.

"Lily was never very…complimentary of her sister's attitude towards magic. Or children. I don't think leaving Harry there would be a good idea." Both women moved out of the kitchen, each with two steaming cups. Alice settled onto the loveseat beside Frank and Andy had just settled herself back onto the arm of Remus' chair when a knock sounded on the door.

She frowned slightly and stood, placing her tea on the coffee table, and moved towards the hallway, one hand automatically moving towards her pocket and, within, her wand. Dark times breed dark habits.

So who has come a knocking at their door? Can anyone guess? Virtual brownies if you can, I have lactose and gluten free ones for the allergic and intolerant in the audience. Come now, don't be shy. Leave me a review, even if it's just to let me know you've read it.

Pix