I had this idea that maybe not everyone made it through the war mentally-unscathed(like obviously everyone had their issues but let's mix the whole inbred thing in there- honestly, if Sirius was alive, I'd use him for this, the Black family was like 95% psychotic in my opinion)

So enjoy this

...


Remus was sitting, waiting. She had stopped breathing right after they had arrived, and he had been left standing there. And now, nearly an hour later, he still hadn't heard a thing from any Healers.

He had been told, Andromeda had been told. It didn't make it any easier, now that he was faced with the very real possibility that she might be dead soon. And their son would be left without a mother, and Remus without the love of his life.


"Dora!" Remus yelled, striking down Dolohov and heading for her. Bellatrix turned from his disarmed wife, looking between the approaching man and the woman on the floor.

"Oh, well isn't this just perfect?" Bellatrix asked. "I think I'll kill the wolf first." She trained the wand on Remus, and a bright blue light was thrown at him.

"No!" Tonks screamed, throwing herself to her feet and at Remus. They collided as the blue hit, thrown by the force of it- but Remus didn't feel any pain, or the usual sting and burn of a curse striking him. They hit the ground hard, Remus had instinctively wrapped his arms around her, as if to cushion her fall, twisting to the side so that he would hit the ground on his back.

The back of his head cracked on the stone floor, sending sparks shooting through his vision. Tonks landed next to him when he relinquished his hold, and Remus realised she was unconscious.

He could hear Bellatrix approaching, and he could the battle raging in other corridors, and curses lighting up the corridor they were in as fights came closer. As Bellatrix approached, his vision became unfocused and the battle vanished as he also fell unconscious.


"Remus!'' A voice yelled harshly, and he felt someone's hands- checking his pulse, feeling for injures. "Remus, can you hear me?"

He could, but he didn't know who was asking, and he couldn't move or speak- how hard had he hit his head? Or what did Bellatrix cast on him when he passed out? Was this death?

"Remus, love, wake up for me." The voice was saying. There was a sharp pain in his chest after a muttered "Ennervate", and he found himself staring at Tonks' concerned face.

His eyes focused on her gratefully. "Dora-"

Her hands cupped his face as she pressed her lips to his, and he wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I'm just so glad you're alright." She whispered, returning the embrace. "I woke up and you weren't here, or I guess I wasn't here-"

"Where were you?" Remus asked, as she leaned back.

"In a different corridor." She said. "I thought it was the same one and you were the one who was gone, but I guess Bellatrix dragged me off- probably planning to kill me-"

"But she didn't-"

Tonks shook her head. "Voldemort called for an hour of peace, and most of the Order met in the Great Hall. I wanted to come find you, but Kingsley practically dragged me to the Great Hall."

"And the hour- is it still-?"

"It's over, long over." Tonks said. She wiped her face on her sleeve. "That was hours ago. Harry won, Voldemort is dead."

He stared at her, first confused as to why she had been willing to say Voldemort's name so easy when the last few months had put a stop to any Order member using the name, and then he realised exactly what she had said.

"What?" He asked. "How?"

"That's a long and strange story. Harry's told it at least ten different times now." Tonks said, straightening up and stepping back. "Let's get you to the Great Hall, maybe he'll tell it an eleventh time."

She reached out a hand for him. He took it, using his other hand to push himself to his feet. "Are you alright?" He asked as they walked toward the Great Hall, her hand clasping his tightly. He felt a little dazed, but surprisingly wasn't as sore as he would have expected.

"I'm alive."

"But are you injured? In pain?"

She huffed.

"What was that for?" He asked. "I'm just-"

"You're being a nag, Remus Lupin."

He smiled slightly as they reached the Great Hall, but the smile quickly vanished when he saw the row of bodies. He tightened his grip on her hand, almost not wanting to continue into the hall, not wanting to see who had died. She paused, turning to face him.

"How many?" Remus asked.

"Around fifty, so far." She said quietly.

"How many students?"

"A lot."

Remus' eyes scanned the hall. He spotted Harry and Hermione, but no Ron. His eyes searched for the rest of the Weasleys but only saw Bill and Molly. He spotted Kingsley, who had also spotted them and was making his way over.

He felt Tonks' hand loosen, and turned back towards her. He wasn't sure what he expected, perhaps that she was turning to walk away for some reason, but instead she collapsed against him. He hit the floor on his knees too, trying to keep her from hitting the ground.

"Dora? Dora?" He pulled her into his arms, trying to wake her up, trying to bring her back, trying to do anythingfor her.

Later, he was a mix of grateful and grieving when the Healers from St Mungo's had arrived to help with the injured, and told him that she would survive for now. For now. Those two words seemed to cause more pain for Remus than anything. The idea that yes, she was alive right now- but would not remain so for long- it was an idea Remus had never wanted to face.

It was why he hadn't wanted her at the battle.

All he wanted was for her to be safe and alive.