Disclaimer: Still don't own anything you recognise, except if you recognise it from this story ...
A/N: As a reward to those of you who've stuck around, I've decided after all to post two chapters in order to make up for the delay in updates. I'm about halfway through the next one at the moment, so hopefully there'll be less of a delay, and thanks again for staying with me :)

The next morning was spent in the most boring way possible, Tonks thought. She went to breakfast alone, managed to force down a slice of dry toast, and sat as far from anyone else as she could in her morning lessons. She wasn't in the mood for conversation, especially not with her so-called friends. Andrea had already been gone when she had reached breakfast, and she had refused to look in the direction of the Gryffindor table. She couldn't quite decide whether she was angrier with her friends for what they had accused her of, or with herself, for rising to it. She should never have let something so ridiculous get her so worked up, but she resented not being trusted by the people she cared about. It was as if they expected her to make a choice between Remus and Sirius, and them, and that was something she had never wanted or expected to do.

She completely missed lunch, opting instead to spend the time between Potions and Defence Against The Dark Arts in the dormitory, with the curtains drawn around her bed and her nose buried in a book. She had never been one for pleasure-reading, not in the way that many of her friends had, but she thought she may as well find a hobby, since it seemed that her last term at Hogwarts was going to be spent somewhat alone. She entered Remus' classroom late and sat down quietly at the back of the room, avoiding eye contact with everyone, including the Professor himself, who she had felt attempting to catch her gaze at least three times. When she was sure his back was turned, she risked a look at Charlie, Eric and Andrea, only to find them with their heads close together, muttering amongst themselves. No doubt coming up with more ridiculous accusations.

"All right, everyone on your feet," Remus called after what felt like forever. The class shuffled to their feet, and Remus waved his wand distractedly, sending the desks against the walls. "We're going to continue our work on Stunning today, so I'd like you all to pair off and keep practising. I'll come round and observe for fifteen minutes or so, and then we'll have a discussion on the theory of wordless spells." He conjured a fresh supply of cushions and set them to work. Tonks found herself paired with Titus, the Ravenclaw with the dazzling smile who Andrea had been pining after for over three months. But that wasn't her problem any more, and she refused to feel guilty about the dark looks she could feel her 'friend' directing at her from the other end of the room.

"Lot harder than it looks, isn't it?" Titus asked with a lopsided grin, flourishing his wand in vain. Tonks shook herself and offered him a weak smile in return.

"Definitely," she agreed distractedly, her eyes fixed upon the back of Remus' head as he spoke somewhat sharply to Eric and Charlie.

"Are you any further forward with it?" Titus pushed. She jumped as he waved his wand particularly violently in the air and it clattered to the ground. He shrugged sheepishly as he picked it up again, looking down at it helplessly. "This is impossible."

"I don't think it's impossible," Tonks said, forcing herself to focus. "It's meant to be challenging, but they wouldn't ask us to do something they didn't think we could handle."

"I don't know. Professor Lupin might," he countered doubtfully. "He's well keen on having us push ourselves to our limits. It's not so hard to believe he'd try to push us beyond them. Besides, nobody's mastered it yet, and we had all day yesterday. Plus I know most of the class were practising last night again to see if they could get it. It's bloody hard, is what it is!"

"Rome wasn't built in a day, Mr Cox," Remus' mild voice floated over to Tonks. Titus turned unblushingly to face the young Professor, who had wandered over to them undetected by either. Tonks ducked her head immediately.

"The War's over, Professor," Titus protested. "Why would we need the element of surprise now?" Remus looked at him, shaking his head in obvious disappointment.

"If that is truly your only thought, Mr Cox, then I worry," he responded. "It is incredibly naïve of you to presume that there may not be another War; that because Lord Voldemort appears to have been vanquished, we shall never again need defensive magic. I would hope that you do not honestly believe that life is now going to be good and proper in every way. There are plenty of creatures – wizards and beasts – who would seek to create strife amongst species and between even friends. If you truly expect that you will never again have need of an advantage in magic, by being able to surprise your opponent, then so be it. You are free to leave at any time, remember." A stunned silence followed this speech, and Tonks chanced a glance at Remus. His gaze was fixed upon Titus, steady and in no way accusing, but nor did it betray any hint of his being any less than serious. The silence stretched to the point of becoming uncomfortable, but just as Tonks was debating speaking, it was broken by a loud tapping at the window.

"You have an owl, Professor," Jenny pointed out, and Remus finally lifted his eyes from Titus' face. He crossed to the window and let the bird in, taking the scroll from its leg and closing the window again after it had flown away.

"Back to work," he said quietly but firmly, turning his back on the class to read his letter.

"What do you think that was meant to mean?" Titus asked Tonks, looking truly baffled as he shot Remus a disparaging glance. She gaped at him. Could he really be this dense?

"It means you're an idiot." Tonks' eyes widened as Andrea stepped up behind her and threw the insult at him, sounding disgusted. "And it means that if you're going to keep being an idiot, you can leave. Some of us want to learn. Can I have a word, Tonks?"

"Busy," Tonks answered through gritted teeth, closing her eyes and trying to focus on casting a silent Stunner. Focus. Stupefy. Come on … try again. More willpower. Stupefy!

"Whoa!" Eric called out as Titus suddenly flew backwards and landed with a heavy thud on the nearest pile of cushions. Everyone's eyes turned onto Tonks, and there were calls of approval and a few scattered claps as her classmates realised that she had managed to Stun him without moving her lips. She gaped down at him, unable to move for several moments. She couldn't believe she had just done that.

"Enervate," Remus said calmly, waving his wand over Titus' form. "On your feet, Mr Cox, and figure out how to retaliate. If, of course, you think it will ever come in useful." There was an appreciative titter around the room, and Titus blinked stupidly around him as he scrambled to his feet. "Twenty points to Hufflepuff, Ms Tonks," Remus announced, and Andrea stuck her tongue out at Charlie and Eric. "Excellent job."

"Thank you, sir," Tonks responded, bemused to find herself flushing at the praise.

"Nice one, Tonks," Charlie added with a nod in her direction. She flushed even deeper and looked pointedly away from him. It seemed that her friends were trying to make amends for the night before, but she wasn't sure she could forgive them so easily. Remus frowned down at her.

"Ms Tonks, I would like a quick word with you," he informed her, in a tone that brooked no opposition. "The rest of you, keep trying. Here is living proof that it can, in fact, be done. Back to it. Have a seat," he added in a lower voice, sitting behind his desk and gesturing for Tonks to pull a chair over. She did so hastily, sitting with her back to the class and looking determinedly at her shoes.

"What's the matter, sir?" she asked as calmly as she could, hating how her voice shook.

"You tell me," Remus replied levelly. "Is everything all right? You seem … preoccupied. And forgive me, but I notice you don't appear to be speaking to Ms Perkins or your other friends at the moment. I wouldn't like to think there had been some cause of friction between you. On another note, I must congratulate you again on mastering the silent Stunner. It was very effective for your first one."

"Thank you," Tonks mumbled. She would love more than anything to pour her heart out to Remus, but knew that her friends would only make her feel worse for it. Besides, now didn't seem to be an appropriate time. "And everything's fine, sir. Really." He quirked an eyebrow doubtfully at her.

"If you say so," he said, his tone sceptical. "There will just be one more thing, in that case."

"What's that?"

"Peter's trial will be held a week tomorrow," he said sombrely, and she straightened up immediately. "Sirius and I are being called as the star witnesses, along with yourself, the Minister and the Headmaster. Your friends may also have to provide testimony, although theirs will be of less value. We are all to congregate tonight to meet with a wizard from Magical Law Enforcement to go over our statements, at seven pm. I was hoping you could pass on the message, but things being what they are … well, perhaps I should just ask them to wait behind after class."

"Would you?" Tonks asked hopefully, keeping her gaze locked on the ground. "I mean, I can tell them if you really want me to, but if you don't mind …"

"Very well. I would like for you to remain behind as well, however." Tonks grimaced.

"I will," she promised, getting to her feet. He nodded and stood as well, and she hurried towards the back of the room, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment. Remus cleared his throat, and proceeded to engage his students in a surprisingly lively discussion about the theory behind the magic, and what exactly they found so difficult. He dismissed them some thirty minutes later with instructions to practice more that evening.

"Mr Weasley, Mr Dawes, Ms Perkins and Ms Tonks!" Remus called out as the class began to gather their bags and file out. "A word, if you please." Tonks meandered towards his desk, avoiding the others' gazes, and she heard them muttering amongst themselves.

"What have we done, Professor?" Andrea asked somewhat defensively. Remus merely raised his eyebrows.

"Why, nothing at all," he responded pleasantly. "I am merely relaying a message to you all from the office of Magical Law Enforcement. This evening at seven, you have all been requested to meet in Professor Dumbledore's office in order to discuss your testimonials with regards to Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black. The trial will take place eight days from now, and you should all be prepared to be called before the Wizenagmot on that date. Any questions?"

"What – I mean, what are they going to ask us?" Eric asked suspiciously.

"Simply to tell the truth as you heard it in the Hospital Wing," Remus said levelly. "The more eyewitness accounts they have to corroborate one another, the better case can be built against Peter as the traitor that he is."

"And we just have to answer a few questions?" Andrea pressed.

"As far as I've been informed, yes."

"Who do we have to speak to, sir?" Charlie put in, and Remus half-smiled.

"I assure you all, there is no call to be nervous," he said. "I do not know who will be meeting us later, nor do I know anything else beyond what I have told you."

"And we've to go to Dumbledore's office?" Eric repeated.

"Professor Dumbledore has offered the use of it, yes," Remus chided gently. "Ms Tonks at least knows where it is located, and I am sure she can direct you accordingly if you are uncertain. Now, you ought to be going to your next classes, I believe. Ms Tonks, if you could wait one more moment – I have a message from your cousin." Tonks hung back as the three others traipsed out, shooting glances over their shoulders at her, and she sighed heavily and collapsed into a chair once the door swung closed behind them.

"I hate being stressed," she complained. Remus frowned.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on, Dora, or do I have to drag it out of you?"

"You wouldn't dare."

"Wouldn't I?" His eyes twinkled mischievously, and she chuckled softly, glad of a little light relief.

"You would," she consented with a small smile. He nodded in agreement as he came around his desk and leant against the front of it, looking down at her with his brow still slightly furrowed. She felt his gaze boring into her for several long moments before she was able to drag her eyes to meet his. He quirked an eyebrow.

"We can do this all day," he pointed out mildly.

"I have a class," she retorted.

"A study class," he reminded her just as quickly, and she rolled her eyes. He would have figured out her schedule already. "And I'm sure your Professor will understand if I send you with a note. So shall we begin now, or should I prepare the tea and biscuits?"

"They're mad at me," Tonks finally admitted moodily.

"Well, yes, that much is apparent," Remus said dryly. "Are you really going to make me ask the obvious question?"

"They think … I don't know what they think!" she cried, all of her frustration finally overcoming her as she ran a hand absentmindedly through her hair, feeling the locks lengthen under her fingers. "Sorry," she muttered. "I do it without realising when I'm stressed out. They seem to have got it into their heads that because you, Sirius and Harry are back in my life; I don't want to be their friend any more."

"But that's preposterous," said Remus, his frown deepening, and Tonks snorted.

"No kidding, Sherlock," she sighed. He raised his eyebrows in mild amusement, and she chuckled wryly. "Sherlock Holmes," she elaborated, "he's a –"

"- character in Muggle literature," he finished with a knowing nod. "A famous Detective. Holmes and Watson, yes?" She grinned, more out of surprised pleasure at his knowing the story than anything else. Then again, this was Remus John Lupin she was talking to.

"Yeah. My dad's a huge fan. I guess if any wizard would know about it, it would be you," she conceded. "And maybe Dumbledore," she added as an afterthought.

"Indeed," Remus agreed. "So how did your friends get this obscure idea into their heads?"

"I guess I've been spending a lot of time with you and Sirius," she shrugged. She had absolutely no intention of revealing Andrea's other accusation to him. "Not because I don't want to be with my other friends; just that I've had so much less of a chance to see you two. I guess they didn't know how close we all were before, and so … I don't know. They're not really used to sharing me." He tilted his head to one side, regarding her thoughtfully, and she squirmed slightly under his piercing gaze. "What?"

"Just wondering when you became so grown up," he said with a small, sincere smile. "I think you've hit the nail on the head, as they say. A very insightful analysis. And it leads me to my final question: what are you going to do about it?"

"Me?!" Tonks exclaimed indignantly. "Why should I do anything?! They're the ones who have the problem, not me!" He sighed patiently.

"And of course, two wrongs do make a right, after all," he said sarcastically, and she glowered at him.

"I never said that," she said defensively, "but it's not up to me to make them feel better about themselves. If they knew me half as well as I thought they did, they would understand why you and Sirius – and Harry, too – mean so much to me, and why I would want to be around you. I don't see why I should have to choose."

"But maybe you have been," Remus said, a lot more gently. "Dora, you know how much I appreciate and value your friendship, and how glad Sirius is to have some – I cannot believe I am saying this – normality, in his family –"

"Normality?" she repeated with a scoff, and he chuckled.

"As I said, I never thought the words would leave my mouth," he assured her with a lopsided grin. "But you understand my point. We both care very much about you, Dora, and Harry will be lucky to have you in his life as he grows up. But that's not to say that you shouldn't have friends your own age, too – and before you interrupt, I know that you don't think you've been making any choices. I know that very well: however, I can see why your friends might think you have. I believe they do know you better than you give them credit for. I think … I think that to them, we are like your extended family, and so they don't understand quite where you're coming from."

"Why shouldn't they?"

"Because to them … family life and Hogwarts life are two very separate parts of them," said Remus slowly. "And that's true for most students here, too. Your family – and extended family – happens to be unique. It must be rather difficult for your friends to comprehend the ease with which those two parts of your life intersect, and therefore they have trouble understanding the ways in which you act and react to the equally unique situations that arise. I don't think you can fault them for that."

"Oh, I could," Tonks corrected him confidently, and he half-smirked. "But I won't. You're right, as usual. I guess I've been so caught up in everything that's been happening, I didn't realise that they must have felt a bit overwhelmed. Do you think they thought that I wasn't involving them because I didn't want them to be in that part of my life?"

"I think it's a very real possibility." She cringed.

"Damn," she murmured. "I didn't involve them because it was so … so complicated. I thought it would be easier on them if they didn't have to worry about me."

"Very noble of you indeed," Remus said with a nod. "But remember that as your friends, it is their prerogative to worry about you, especially when there is actually a legitimate reason for doing so. Don't take that away from them too rashly." Tonks nodded at the floor before looking up at him with a playful scowl.

"I hate that you're always right," she informed him, and he grinned.

"Whereas I rather enjoy it," he returned smugly. "So what are you going to do to fix it?"

"I don't know," she said with a half-hearted shrug. "I guess … try to explain to them why I've been so desperate to be around you guys? Try to make them understand that it's not about caring more, but about caring differently? And if that doesn't work, then I don't know what else I can do."

"Then start there and hope that it does work," he advised her, straightening. "And good luck. Now, I really do have a message from Sirius to relay to you – he wanted me to thank you again for accompanying me last night, and to invite you to dinner at Grimmauld Place this Saturday evening. And, er … I'm sure if you were to tell him what you've told me, he would extend the invitation to include your friends as well. Perhaps it would help to show them that you're not trying to leave them out, but rather that you're still just trying to find the right balance."

"Maybe," agreed Tonks quietly. "I'll ask Sirius tonight. Thanks, Remus."

"Any time," he acknowledged with a slight nod. He grabbed a quill and parchment and scrawled something on it before magically sealing it and handing it over. "To excuse your lateness," he explained as she took it from him. "Tell Professor Slughorn that he has my apologies for keeping you so late."

"Thanks," she said again, pocketing the scroll. "I'll see you later, then?"

"Indeed you will," Remus smiled. "Now off you go."

"Bye," she grinned as she left the room, her heart lighter than before. If nothing else had come of the conversation, she at least had a meal at Grimmauld to look forward to – which meant she would get to see Harry again. The sight of him last night had made her miss James and Lily more than ever, but at least they had left some part of themselves behind. She slid into Slughorn's classroom with a mumbled apology and passed him Remus' note before taking the last empty seat, right at the back of the room.

"Thank you, Miss Tonks," Slughorn acknowledged as he rolled up the parchment and nodded in her direction, accepting the excusing of her lateness. She merely nodded and ducked her head, not wanting to draw her friends' attention to the fact that she had been gone for far longer than was necessary to receive a message from a cousin. The remainder of the hour flew by, and before Tonks knew it, classes were over. She shoved her books into her bag and left quickly, opting to wait for her friends outside the door rather than hovering awkwardly in the back of the room. A few moments after her departure, Andrea, Charlie and Eric all exited together, and Tonks stepped out in front of them, taking a deep breath.

"Hey, guys," she said unsurely, watching as they all exchanged hesitant glances.

"Hi, Tonks," Charlie eventually said warily. "What's up?"

"Uh, I wondered if we could talk, actually … about last night. I know I shouldn't have ignored you guys in Defence, but I was still kind of mad. Anyway, I don't want this to turn into more than it already is." Andrea eyed her shrewdly for a moment before straightening slightly and giving a brief nod.

"Why don't we go and sit by the lake until dinner?" she suggested, and the other two nodded their agreement.

"Thanks," Tonks said softly, turning and leading the way. The walk to the lakeside was silent and slightly awkward, but she knew that was to be expected. When they reached the shade of a large birch tree she dumped her satchel on the grass and sat down, leaning against the trunk. Her three friends followed suit, sitting themselves near her so that they formed a sort of circle. They then all looked at one another, nobody seeming sure where they ought to begin.

"All right, I'll go first," Eric said when the silence had stretched out for a full five minutes. "Tonks, I'm sorry if we upset you – well, we did upset you, I know, but … I'm sorry. We're your friends and we should have been more sensitive about whatever it is that's going on with you at the moment. But … I'm not sorry we asked you those things. We were concerned, and even if we were wrong, we had good reason to think what we did. We're still your friends, Tonks. We had to make sure."

"Because you didn't trust me," she replied, her voice strangely flat.

"Not true," Andrea retorted. "We trust you, Tonks. We just don't know if you really trust us any more. It's not like you to keep us in the dark, and it seems like lately that's all you have been doing."

"And it might have come across like we were judging you," put in Charlie, "but it wasn't about that. We thought if we pushed you, you might actually let us in. At least if we knew all the facts we would know if there was anything to judge."

"You mean if I really had been having a sordid affair with our Professor, you would have been justified in disowning me?" Tonks asked sarcastically, regretting the words the moment she had said them. Andrea frowned.

"Excuse us for wanting to know," she returned. "If it had been true – and for the record, I do believe you. If you say it's not true, then it's not – but if it had been … we wouldn't have approved, but we would have stood by you. We wouldn't have told anybody. We might have tried to advise you against it, but only because we were worried that you were making a mistake. That you might get hurt."

"I know," Tonks sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I do know that, but I just … I guess I didn't keep you guys overly involved in my life because it was so complicated, you know? I still have no idea how to handle everything that's happened lately. James and Lily are dead, Peter's a traitor, Sirius is raising a child, and we almost died in a proper battle with Death Eaters. It's thrown me for a loop, and I think I thought that by … separating things, you know, by compartmentalising my life; it might make it easier to get my head around. I never meant to shut you out. I just didn't know how to let you in, either."

"We get that, Tonks. We really do," Eric assured her. "But it was more about the fact that you separated your life with us from your life with them … and then you prioritised them over us. That was what got to us."

"I didn't mean to!" she insisted. "I really, really didn't mean to – like I said, I was just really overwhelmed. I guess I've been trying to cling onto life with them while I can because it was already taken away from me once. I'm so scared of losing my friends again, guys – of losing my family. I don't know what else to say, except that I'm sorry, and I'm going to try to be better about not cutting anyone out. Starting this weekend."

"This weekend?"

"Yeah. Sirius has invited Remus and me to dinner on Saturday night, and I was going to ask him at this meeting thing tonight if you guys could come too. I'm sure he'll say yes – and if he doesn't, then … well, then that's his problem, not mine. But I really think he will, and I'd love for you guys to spend some time with them, because they're so important to me. If you'd be interested." She held her breath while the others exchanged surprised looks. Charlie was the first to speak up.

"Sounds fun," he said, and Tonks let out a huge sigh of relief, leaning over and hugging him delightedly. "Ooft! Come on, Tonks," he said gruffly, hugging her half-heartedly before pushing her away. "Don't get soft on me."

"I'm just – I'm so glad," she breathed, grinning widely. "I just know you'll love them, Chaz, and they'll be so pleased to get to know you!"

"Then I'm sure I'll be pleased to get to know them better too," he agreed, shooting significant glances at the other two. Eric cleared his throat.

"Can your cousin cook?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow, and Tonks giggled.

"His house-elf apparently can," she responded. Eric smiled.

"Then I'm in," he concurred, and she let out a little squeal of happiness, hugging him too.

"Thanks, Eric," she said into his shoulder before pulling away. "Thanks to both of you. I mean, I still need to tell Sirius I've invited you, but he won't care. He lives for a party, and Remus will be really pleased too. So … can I tell them it's a party of six?" she asked slightly hesitantly, looking sideways at Andrea, who huffed out a breath.

"I suppose so," she said quietly, and Tonks nodded, knowing not to push her luck. "I'll go, if Sirius is okay with it, Tonks, but I just … Professor Lupin is still our Professor. I'm still not convinced that it's appropriate to be spending time with him outside of Hogwarts. But, since it means so much to you, I'll go, and I'll make the effort. Other than that, I can't make you any promises."

"For now, that's enough," Tonks assured her, and her best friend gave her a small smile in return. "So … shall we have dinner? We have to be in Dumbledore's office in an hour."

"Plus, I'm famished," Charlie threw in, and they all chuckled. The atmosphere between Tonks and Andrea dissipated slightly during the walk to dinner, and by the end of the meal it was as though nothing had happened. At ten of seven, they met the boys at the entrance to the Great Hall and Tonks led the way, none too confidently, to Dumbledore's office. They stopped before the gargoyle and her friends looked around curiously.

"Now what?" Eric asked. She stepped closer to the grotesque figure.

"Pear drops," she said, and the gargoyle leapt aside. Eric and Charlie's jaws both dropped open, and Andrea let out a little squeal. Tonks stepped onto the moving staircase first, and the others followed her seeming slightly awestruck.

"This is cool," Charlie breathed.

"I thought so too," Tonks agreed in a murmur as they reached the landing. She took a deep breath and knocked loudly on the office door.

"Enter!" called a voice from inside, and she glanced at her friends, for the first time a little nervous, before opening the door and leading the way in.

"Ah, Ms Tonks," Dumbledore greeted pleasantly from behind his desks. "So good of you to bring your friends for us. Please, sit." He waved his wand vaguely and four chairs appeared alongside the five already occupied ones in front of his desk. Remus and Sirius both greeted Tonks as she led the others over; Remus with a small smile and a nod; Sirius with a broad grin, a wave, and an attempt to ruffle her hair as she passed him.

"Sirius!" she muttered, swatting him away. He merely smirked and turned to the raven-haired witch on his right.

"Amelia, I don't think you've ever met my little cousin," he said, and the woman named Amelia turned her gaze onto Tonks, watching her curiously as she took her seat. "This is Andromeda and Ted's daughter, Nymphadora Tonks, known by surname only. Tonks, this is Amelia Bones – she was in your mother's year at school."

"I've heard a lot about you," Amelia said with a kind smile. "It's nice to finally put a face to the name, Ms Tonks."

"Likewise, Ms Bones," Tonks said with a polite smile.

"So sorry, everyone," Dumbledore said, inclining his head. "I seem to have taken leave of my manners. Those of us who know each other: do forgive me while I make some brief introductions." He indicated each person as he named them. "Ms Nymphadora Tonks, Ms Andrea Perkins, Mr Charles Weasley, and Mr Eric Dawes – all seventh years, and all witnesses to Mr Pettigrew's confession. Then we have, as I'm sure you all know, Millicent Bagnold, Minister for Magic. Cornelius Fudge is with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and he was the lead officer at Sirius' arrest. As Sirius has informed us, this is Amelia Bones – Mr Fudge's assistant, who will keep a record of this meeting. We all know Sirius Black, and our Defence Professor, Remus Lupin. And finally we have Alastor Moody, Head Auror and here to represent his department's involvement in this investigation."

"Thank you, Albus," Moody, the scary-looking man who had joined Remus and McGonagall in the battle, growled, with a roll of his eyes that sent his magical one spinning in all directions. "Now that the niceties are done with, can we get down to it? All we need from this lot are their statements, and we can be done with it."

"In a rush, Mad-Eye?" Sirius asked with a grin, and Moody glared at him. Tonks ducked her head to hide her laughter. Mad-Eye. She liked that.

"Some of us have other things to do with our time, Sirius," he retorted.

"Nobody's forcing you to be here."

"He's just trying to antagonise you, Alastor," Remus said with a wry smile. "And, as usual, succeeding, I might add. Perhaps we can move on?"

"Yes, quite, Remus," agreed Dumbledore with a chuckle. "Very well – Mr Dawes, perhaps you could start us off?"

"Uh, yes, sir," Eric said, glancing around confusedly.

"Just tell us what you saw in the hospital wing, Mr Dawes," intervened Fudge. "Tell us about Peter Pettigrew. What he said; what he did; what your impressions of him were. Your friends can join in as and when they feel it is appropriate."

"All right," Eric agreed with a nod. "Well, we had just been fighting the Death Eaters a few hours before …" The story took them almost half an hour to tell, with the four students and Remus and Sirius all chipping in when necessary. By the time they finished their tale, Sirius looked quite as murderous as he had that day, and Amelia Bones had filled up almost three feet of parchment with notes. Dumbledore sat back in his chair, regarding them thoughtfully.

"Very well," he said with a nod. "I believe that will suffice for this evening. Remus; Sirius – you know we cannot go over your statements beforehand, given the weight of them in the trial. The six of you may leave."

"Goodnight, sir," Remus said politely as he stood, grabbing Sirius by the arm and hauling him to his feet with a pointed glance towards the door. Sirius nodded at everyone in the room, winked at Amelia Bones, and followed his friend from the room in silence. Tonks, Charlie, Andrea and Eric trailed after them, relieved that it was over. As soon as the heavy wooden door had closed behind them, Sirius let out a breath.

"Well, that was torture," he said flatly. "Bloody Wormtail. Moony, how about a drink in your room? I could use one right about now."

"Sirius, where's Harry?" Tonks demanded, fear flaring up inside her. He smiled at her and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

"He's with Kreacher," he explained calmly. "He's really taken to him – and vice versa, come to that. I think the elf's so glad to have people in the house again that he's even nicer to me than before. Never liked him growing up, but … he's not so bad. I guess it's the family that make the elf."

"Oh wonderful – so now he's going to be insane?" Remus queried lightly, and Sirius punched him in the arm with a bark of laughter.

"You've got some cheek, Moony," he said, making a wounded face. "Anyway, Kreacher was singing him to sleep when I left. Strange elf, that one. He used to try to smother me in my sleep when I was Harry's age, and yet when Regulus was a baby, he would coo over him like he was his own son. Strange."

"And you've left him alone with Harry?!" Tonks spluttered indignantly.

"Well he likes me now," Sirius reminded her. "Trust me. I think having Harry in the house will be good for him. Gives him something to do other than cook and clean and listen to my crazy mother barking orders at him."

"Your mother?" Tonks repeated. "I thought she was …"

"Oh, she's quite dead," Remus assured her, grimacing slightly. Sirius shuddered.

"You'll understand when you come over," he said, shaking his head. "Remus told you about dinner on Saturday, didn't he?" Tonks glanced over her shoulder at her friends, who all promptly looked away from her, as they stepped off of the moving staircase and into the corridor.

"He did," she said with a nod, "and I'd love to be there. One favour."

"No."

"Sirius! I didn't even ask yet!" He snickered like a five-year-old.

"I know," he shrugged. "But you make it so easy to get a reaction out of you, my dear Nymphy. I couldn't resist. Now what can I do for you?"

"I was going to bring my friends to dinner," she said hesitantly, and he shrugged.

"Sure." Tonks saw, from the corner of her eye, three heads shoot up with wide eyes, and she grinned to herself. Thank God Sirius was so laid-back. "I'll tell Kreacher to expect four extra guests. Use the Knight Bus, okay? Moony's going to be there from early morning."

"Who's the fourth, Padfoot?" Remus asked with one raised eyebrow, and Sirius smirked.

"Amelia Bones," he said with a grin, and Tonks and Remus exchanged exasperated looks.

"Of course it is," Tonks muttered, loud enough for Sirius to hear her. He just grinned even wider. "What time should we be there?"

"Around six?"

"Perfect. See you Saturday. See you tomorrow, Remus."

"Goodnight," Remus said with a nod, as he and Sirius turned and made for his quarters, which were in the opposite direction to the Hufflepuff dormitories and Gryffindor tower.

"That was nice of him," Andrea commented, still seeming surprised. Tonks rolled her eyes good-naturedly as they began their walk back to their dormitory, bidding goodnight to the boys at the end of the corridor.

"He's a pretty nice guy," she agreed. "Not the crazed mass murderer everyone makes him out to be."

"You shouldn't even joke about that," her best friend reprimanded her, but she merely scoffed and folded her arms across her chest, trying to heat herself up.

"Whatever. Let's get back to the room – I'm frozen." Andrea nodded her consent and they made the rest of the short journey in record time. As they eventually curled up in their beds and Tonks pulled an extra blanket over herself, Andrea voiced aloud something that Tonks suspected she had been itching to say since the previous night.

"You know, I know you say nothing is going on with you two …"

"Drea, there isn't!" Tonks exclaimed frustratedly, but Andrea continued.

"No, I know, Tonks – really, and I believe you … now. And there shouldn't be, either, for all the reasons we've already pointed out to you. But he is rather attractive, and as you're so eager to remind us all, he really is a nice guy – especially compared to a lot of the people I've known you to be interested in."

"Your point?"

"Well, just that … we only have about six months left before we leave Hogwarts for good. I was just suggesting that maybe then – once we've graduated – there might be a chance for something … more."

"He's my friend," Tonks reminded Andrea once again. "That's it."

"Someone ought to remind him of that, if the way he was looking at you tonight was any indication," was all Andrea said, rolling onto her other side and leaving a very surprised Tonks gaping at the canopy above her bed in the darkness. "Night, Tonks."

"Night, Drea …" Tonks too rolled onto her side, closing her eyes and trying not to think about what her friend was suggesting. Her, think of Remus as more than a friend? Unlikely. More to the point – Remus thinking of her as more than a friend? She snorted to herself in amusement as she buried her face in her fluffy pillow. That would be the day.