IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE

So just some quick background stuff before we get into the actual story (I know a lot of people don't like to read the Author's Note, but this will come in handy and I'll try to be as quick as possible). This story starts off in HBP. Molly called Remus to the Burrow to talk about Tonks, and they broke out into an argument. Tonks and Remus haven't seen each other since before Christmas, and it's now June.

Also, Sirius will be alive in this story (yay!) because he is NOT dead. I think that's about it for now. I hope you all like it

Oh, forgot to do this in the prologue, but I don't own anything. Anything that you recognize came from J.K. Rowling's brilliant mind

Remus

"Remus you have to talk to her!" Molly's shrill voice called angrily as I stormed from the Burrow. I ignored her, anger boiling inside me. I had made my way to the outskirts of the surrounding marsh before I heard Molly scream again, "You can't keep running away! She cares for you, Remus!"

Before she could yell anything else at me, I gripped my wand and twisted into the air, not caring where I ended up. I felt my feet hit the ground with a thud, and I took a moment to re-orient myself. As my eyes adjusted to my surroundings, I realized where I was, all of my anger with Mrs. Weasley seemingly forgotten. I hadn't been here in years, not since James and Lily had died; the memories that emerged whenever I was here had been too painful.

The trees of the woods loomed around me forebodingly as if they were trying to suffocate me with their dark leaves. The sky turned gray with the imminent storm. The whole forest seemed lifeless; I couldn't even hear the lightest patter of animals scurrying in the brush.

The dark shadow of the Shrieking Shack drew closer as I continued my slow pace through the forest. As the Shack grew larger and larger, my mind went back to all those nights spent there with James, Sirius, and Peter. James was gone, and Peter was better off dead. It hurt to think that we were once so happy; none of us ever knew that there would be a war to rip us all apart.

But James and Lily were killed, and Peter betrayed them, and now there was another war threatening to take everything we loved. Who knew what we would lose next?

I sighed and sat down on the dead grass on the outskirts of the forest. I thought of Sirius; he could die at any moment in this war. So could Molly, or Arthur, or Harry. Anyone could be alive and well one minute, and then disappear in a flash of green.

Tonks' face appeared in my mind. She could just as easily be killed in this madness. She could die on Auror business or on a mission for the Order, and it was all because of this stupid war.

It made my heart ache to think that any of us could go so quickly. I thought of what Tonks had said to me the last time I saw her, it felt like centuries ago now, but her words echoed in the back of my mind as if she were sitting right next to me:

"You can't live in fear, Remus," she had said softly as she took my hand in both of hers in what was meant to be a comforting gesture. "This war could easily take one of us away, and I know you don't want to have regrets." I had brushed her away thinking I was doing both of us a favor, but now, sitting in front of the place where I had spent so many nights with my best friends, I understood why she said what she did.

I could lose everything in the blink of an eye. I had witnessed it with James and Lily and Peter. I knew now that I needed to make the most of everything while I still had it. I had been pushing Tonks away because I didn't want her to get hurt, but more important, I didn't want to have her reject me like everyone else did. I couldn't deny that I had feelings for her; I loved her determination to help; I loved her clumsiness and her humor; I loved how she made me forget what I was despite the prejudices against my kind. I was a coward because I was afraid of losing that, afraid that if I accepted that someone could love me despite my problems, I would lose them too.

I couldn't live in fear of that anymore. James and Lily had slipped through my fingers like I was trying to catch water with my hands. I wasn't going to let that happen with Tonks. I loved the pink-haired Auror, and, whether we died tomorrow or made it to the end of this war, I was going to enjoy every second I was allowed with her. I had my mind made up. She was right, and I needed to apologize for being a *donkey!*.

I was just about to twist into the air and Apparate into Hogsmeade when a silver lynx Patronus bounded through the trees toward me. It stopped about a foot in front of me and opened its mouth, Kingsley's deep voice speaking. "Remus, trouble at Hogwarts. Death Eaters in the castle. Order is on its way." With that, it disappeared into a cloud of smoke-like wisps.

I was frozen for a few seconds before my mind fully registered Kingsley's message. Oh no, I thought morbidly before I twisted into the air. I landed a second later in the hectic Hogsmeade streets. I gazed up at the towering shadow of the Hogwarts castle. My mouth fell open in horror as my eyes took in the sight of a Dark Mark, clear as though burned into the dark night sky, above the Astronomy Tower.

I raced towards the castle, determined to get there as fast as I could. Kingsley said that the Order was there. That meant Tonks had to be here. I had to find her; I was not going to lose her right when I had realized what I fool I was. My legs carried me faster and faster as I pushed my way through the crowded streets. Finally, I reached the front gates. I saw Neville locked in a duel with a stout Death Eater.

"Stupefy!" Neville's spell missed the Death Eater's left side by inches.

The Death Eater was quick to counter, "Expelliarmus!" he cried shrilly.

Neville's wand flew from his hand and landed on the dark ground with a light tap. Neville immediately threw himself on the ground in a desperate attempt to find his wand.

The Death Eater raised his wand, a manic smile flashing across his face. "Cru-."

"NEVILLE!" I warned, firing a Stunning Spell at his attacker. The spell hit the Death Eater square in the face. He was thrust off his feet and landed on his back with a thud.

I turned to Neville, who was still on the ground searching for his wand. Once he'd found it, he stood up.

"Thanks for that," he said.

"No problem," I replied, not really looking at him. I needed to find the others. "What happened?" I asked in a monotone voice.

"Death Eaters broke into the castle. We're not sure how, but they keep coming. Members of the Order got here around twenty minutes ago. Most everyone's inside, but—."

I didn't hear the rest of what Neville had to say, for I strode into the castle without another word. As I entered the Great Hall, I saw Luna battling a short red-headed Death Eater. I helped her Stun him and anxiously headed up the steps of the Grand Staircase. As I neared the second floor, the crashes and bangs of the duels grew louder and louder. I opened a door that led into a long corridor, and saw duels lining the halls. Off to my right, Bill was battling a large blonde Death Eater, and Ginny was fighting a tall brunette Death Eater across the hall.

Bill quickly defeated his opponent and turned to help his little sister, but I grabbed his arm and turned him in my direction. "Where is she?" I asked anxiously.

"I saw her last on the fourth floor," Bill yelled over the crashes. "That was about ten minutes ago; I haven't seen her since, though." I nodded in thanks and turned back to the staircase. Death Eaters were flooding the stairs, and I cast as many spells as my wand would allow as I made my way up the levels of the castle. Finally, I reached the entrance to the fourth floor. I opened the door to the corridor and saw Tonks dueling Dolohov several feet away. They were the only ones to be seen, but I could hear the clangs and crashes of the other duels fast approaching.

Tonks looked to be winning; she had forced Dolohov back against a wall and was quickly firing spells at him.

Suddenly, another Death Eater approached her from behind and was raising his wand to attack her. "Tonks!" I warned before casting a Blasting Jinx at the newcomer. He flew back into the wall with a bang.

Tonks, startled by the crash, whipped her head in my direction, causing her long mousy brown hair to fly around her head. Her face scrunched up in confusion, and she started to mouth my name. Before she could do anything else, I saw Dolohov move from his position against the wall and shout, "Ametsmoris!" He made a slashing movement with his wand, and a bright purple flame passed through Tonks' chest. She gave a quiet, almost surprised gasp and fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. And just like that, she was gone before I could even blink.

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