"Remus…" Tonks began, but he could only look at her in horror.

"Bloody hell…I can't…no…" He stammered, looking into her eyes thoroughly haunted.

"Listen to me, damn you." She said, taking him by the shoulders and steadying him. "You didn't hurt me…you wouldn't."

"You don't know that!" He cried. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to control it?"

"But you did…I can help you, Remus. I love you." She said. "It doesn't matter to me."

"No." He said firmly. "You know the terms I made with you when we started this."

"What do you…" She trailed off, her eyes widening. "Remus, no."

"You have to go. Now." He said looking away.

"No. I won't…I can't…"

"You promised to leave!" He said, angrier with himself than with her.

"I was going to, honest I was…but I was talking with Sirius and then you…I couldn't…" Remus tried to ignore the tears building in her dark eyes as he stared intensely at her, numbed by fear and exhaustion.

"It's over. We agreed. If any danger came to you because of me…" He began, but she desperately threw herself toward him.

"No danger came to me! Look!" She stood, "Not a scratch!"

"Stop it, Dora!" He cried, reaching for something, anything to cover himself with. He picked a hanging tapestry off of the nearby window. "Just go!"

"I'll never give up…" She said quietly, tears running down her face.

"Stop it!" He screamed, covering his ears.

"Never!" She shouted back as Sirius rejoined them.

"What's going on?" He asked from the stairs, looking between the two of them.

"Tonks is leaving." Remus said, loathing himself as he stared at the wall. Sirius looked confused.

"Why?" He asked and Dora just shook her head.

"If you would give up this easily, then you are a coward. And if you think I am going to give up that easily, you are a fool." She spat.

"I am a coward and a fool." Remus agreed quietly, staring ahead. A small sound of frustration left her as she disapparated with a slight pop.

"What the hell just happened?" Sirius asked after a moment.

"I don't know…" Remus whispered, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"I can't believe you just let her go after what she went through with you last night."

"That's why I let her go! She deserves someone who won't be a risk for her." He said vehemently.

"She deserves you, Moony." Sirius said.

"I heard him last night Sirius." Remus changed the subject.

"Who?"

"James." His voice shook. "He was with me…they both were…"

"Moony…of course they're always with us, but…"

"No. They were there. James helped me…Lily too. They talked to me." Remus said, feeling like an idiot. "Believe me or not. I don't care, but…"

"I believe you." Sirius said, his voice husky with unshed tears. "I miss him." He said, biting a sob back.

"I miss them both." Remus said. "Lily would know what to do…she always knew what to do."

"You have to get her back, Remus." Sirius said, alarming Remus since he hardly ever called him by his first name. It was either Moony or Lupin.

"She's better off." He answered in monotone.

"Is she?" Sirius asked sincerely before Remus heard him walk away.

April 27, 1995

We regret to inform you that we are unable to hire you at this time. We will keep your information for future…

"Sirius?" The young voice made Remus look up from the fifth rejection letter he'd received that month with a start. Turning to the fireplace, he saw Harry's face in the fire.

"Harry! What are you…what's happened, is everything all right?" He asked, worried. Harry looked glum.

"Yeah." The boy replied, looking downward. "I just wondered – I mean, I just fancied a – a chat with Sirius." Remus nodded, confused. His insides begin to twist at the thought of what Umbridge was doing to the children now. He could barely show his face in public because of her now.

"I'll call him." He said quickly, rising. "He went upstairs to look for Kreacher, he seems to be hiding in the attic again…" Leaving the kitchen, he called up the stairs. "Sirius! Sirius!"

"What?" Sirius's faint voice came from above.

"It's Harry…he's flooed. Come quick!" No sooner had Remus said it than he heard an object fall and the rush of footsteps. Sirius appeared, looking pale.

"Is he…? Is everything—"

"I don't know." Remus interjected. "He doesn't look well."

"Shit." Sirius said as they ran back to the basement. "What is it?" Sirius asked as soon as Harry came into sight. "Are you all right? Do you need help?"

"No." Harry said a bit too quickly. "It's nothing like that…I just wanted to talk…about my dad…" Surprised, Remus look at Sirius, who seemed more than pleased at the subject of James.

"What brought this on?" Sirius asked.

"I saw something. Snape's been giving me Occlumency lessons and well…I was early and he…I looked into his Pensieve."

"Oh Merlin." Sirius muttered.

"I…I saw a day in your fifth year. When you were taking your O.W.L.s. You and Dad ganged up on him and…and…showed his underpants…and my mom…"

"Stood up for Snape and he called her a Mudblood." Remus finished.

"Yeah." Harry said, obviously upset.

"I wouldn't like you to judge your father on what you saw there, Harry. He was only fifteen—" Remus said soothingly.

"I'm fifteen!" Harry said defensively.

"Look Harry," Said Sirius, sounding more grown up than he had in a long time. "James and Snape hated each other from the moment they set eyes on each other, it was just one of those things, you can understand that, can't you? I think James was everything Snape wanted to be – he was popular, he was good at Quidditch, good at pretty much everything. And Snape was just this little oddball who was up to his eyes in the Dark Arts and James – whatever else he may have appeared to you, Harry – always hated the Dark Arts." Remus bit his lip, thinking that maybe Sirius had exaggerated in favor of their late friend. He'd always had the suspicion that Snape couldn't have wanted to be less like James.

"Yeah," Harry finally answered, "but he just attacked Snape for no good reason, just because – well, just because you said you were bored." He seemed uncomfortable as though he were betraying Sirius.

"I'm not proud of it." Sirius said, looking down. Remus noticed he looked like he was in pain and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Look, Harry, what you've got to understand is that your father and Sirius were the best in school at whatever they did – everyone thought they were the height of cool – if they sometimes got carried away –"

"If we were sometimes arrogant little berks, you mean." Sirius quipped with an impish grin. Remus couldn't help it, he smiled for the first time in almost two weeks.

"He kept messing up his hair." Harry said quietly, and unexpectedly, both Sirus and Remus chuckled.

"I'd forgotten he used to do that." Sirius said longingly.

"Was he playing with the Snitch?" Remus asked excitedly, remembering that day.

"Yeah." Harry said in irritation. "Well…I thought he was a bit of an idiot."

"Of course he was a bit of an idiot!" Sirius said proudly. "We were all idiots! Well – not Moony so much." He shot Remus a look and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Did I ever tell you to lay off Snape? Did I ever have the guts to tell you I thought you were out of order?"

"Yeah, well...you made us feel ashamed of ourselves sometimes…that was something…" Sirius teased.

"And," Harry cut in, sounding more annoyed than ever, "he kept looking over at the girls by the lake, hoping they were watching him!" Remus chuckled affectionately.

"Oh, well, he always made a fool of himself whenever Lily was around." Sirius said with a dismissive shrug. "He couldn't stop himself showing off whenever he got near her."

"How come she married him? She hated him!" Harry cried, clearly more upset than Remus had originally thought.

"Nah, she didn't." Sirius assured his godson.

"She started going out with him in seventh year." Remus added.

"Once James had deflated his head a bit." Sirius went on.

"And stopped hexing people just for the fun of it." Remus said, finishing the thought.

"Even Snape?" Harry asked. Remus swallowed.

"Well…" He began, "Snape was a special case. I mean, he never lost an opportunity to curse James, so you couldn't really expect James to take that lying down, could you?"

"And my mum was okay with that?" Harry asked disbelievingly. Even he seemed to be able to tell Lily had little tolerance for immaturity.

"She didn't know much about it, to tell you the truth." Sirius admitted sheepishly. "I mean, James didn't take Snape on dates with her and jinx him in front of her, did he?"

Harry seemed unmoved. Sirius sighed, frustrated.

"Look, your father was the best friend I ever had, and he was a good person. A lot of people are idiots at the age of fifteen. He grew out of it."

"Yeah, okay." Harry conceded finally. "I just never thought I'd feel sorry for Snape." Remus frowned, leaning forward.

"Now you mention it…how did Snape react when he found you'd seen all this?"

"He told me he'd never teach me Occlumency again." Harry said, sounding as if he didn't care much at all. "Like that's a big disappoint—"

"He WHAT?" Sirius cried angrily as Remus's heart began to pound as well. Without Occlumency…Harry was so very vulnerable. Snape couldn't do that…not to Lily's son.

"Are you serious Harry? He's stopped giving you lessons?" Remus asked inquiringly.

"Yeah." Harry said looking back and forth between them. "But it's okay! I don't care, it's a bit of a relief to tell you the—"

"I'm coming up there to have a word with Snape!" Sirius said, trying to get up. Forcefully, Remus pulled him back down.

"If anyone's going to tell Snape, it will be me!" He said sternly to Sirius. "But Harry, first of all, you're to go back to Snape and tell him that on no account is he to stop giving you lessons – when Dumbledore hears—" Harry looked horrified.

"I can't tell him that, he'd kill me!" He cried. "You didn't see him when we got out of the Pensieve—"

"Harry," Remus interrupted, concerned. "There is nothing so important as you learning Occlumency! Do you understand me? Nothing!"

"Okay, okay," Harry said meekly, obviously shocked at the rare display of anger from his former teacher. "I'll…I'll try and say something to him…But it won't be…" Harry trailed off, looking scared. "Is Kreacher coming downstairs?" He whispered. Remus looked at Sirius who turned to see.

"No." He replied. "It must be somebody your end…"

"I'd better go!" Harry said and abruptly disappeared.

"Harry, wait!" Sirius cried, but it was too late. Quickly, he rose and began to pace furiously. "Fuck!" He screamed, pounding his fist on the table.

"Sirius, calm down." Remus said cautiously. "Remember, the only floo that's open in Hogwarts is Umbridge's. He probably heard her coming."

"Snape isn't going to give Harry lessons any more is he?"

"Unfortunately, even if he agreed to, I don't think it would be successful since Harry is extremely uncomfortable with him." Remus said with a sigh.

"When this is all over…we'll be a family, me and him. D'you think we'll all make it?" Sirius asked, sounding no more than fifteen himself at that moment.

"I don't know…" Remus said slowly. "I'd like to think so…but then again, we thought for sure James and Lily would make it." He added.

"I changed my will." Sirius said quietly. Remus looked up in surprise.

"Oh?"

"I made Harry my benefactor. If I…if I go…this house is his." Sirius looked a bit catatonic.

"I think that was very smart of you Padfoot." Remus said, getting a smile from Sirius.

"Thanks. I hope we all make it though." He added.

"But I suppose it's easier for people without children." Remus said sadly. "I mean, I don't see myself fathering any little wizards or witches in the near future, d'you?"

"You could have a future with Nymphadora if you tried, you arse."

"Please…" Remus begged, not wanting to discuss Tonks. It tore at him every day. She'd tried to contact him, she'd even come over, but he'd made sure that he was locked in his room. Sirius was getting irritated and Remus seemed to loathe himself more over each passing day. Yet, when he thought back to that night not so long ago, he become more resigned to stay away from her.

"Sirius! Remus!" A distinctly female voice interrupted this. Again, the fire was emerald and Molly was looking at them.

"Molly!" Sirius said, surprised.

"Charlie is home for a visit and we are having some people over. Sirius, I want you to take some Polyjuice Potion with Percy's hair that we left you and come over. You too, Remus…we're having dinner."

"Should we bring anything?" Remus asked, ignoring the excitement Sirius was obviously feeling.

"No dear…just bring yourselves." Molly smiled.

"We'll be there in a bit." Sirius said, already rummaging through the cupboard for the pre-brewed potion with the small bag of Percy Weasley's hair. Remus smiled to himself as he moved to gather his cloak.

5:00 P.M.

Tonks waited patiently at the back door of the Burrow with a yawn. Her heart pounded at the thought that Remus might be here tonight and she was determined to talk to him.

"Nymphadora!" Molly Weasley grinned at her as she opened the door and pulled her inside. "Charlie is just bursting to see you!" Tonks grinned at the thought of her old friend.

"Where is he?" She asked.

"In the living room with Bill and…" Her voice dropped, "That girl…" Tonks laughed.

"You mean Fleur?"

"That's the one." Molly muttered, returning to the potatoes which were peeling themselves.

"Well, I'll just go see him then." Tonks said, nodding to Arthur Weasley as she passed him. She grinned as she saw Mrs. Weasley jump when her husband's arms went around her from behind. Charlie's bright red hair came into view as she came into the living room.

"So Weasley, played any Quidditch lately?" She asked jokingly. Charlie jumped up so quickly and turned to her that she squealed as he hopped over the sofa and spun her around.

"Hey beautiful." He said with half a charming smile.

"Hi." She said, turning bright red.

"How have you been?" He asked, pulling her to sit beside him.

"Good. Work is…well, work is work." She said with a shrug as the doorbell rang again. "How are your dragons?" He grinned, pulling out a wallet of pictures. A laugh left her.

"One would think these are your children…" She said, looking at the pictures.

"He's as bad as Mum." Bill added with a wink.

"They are my children. I've raised these little darlings from infancy." Charlie said with a note of pride in his voice.

"They're…precious." Tonks said with a laugh.

"Look who's here!" Molly said pulling in a pale Remus and what appeared to be Percy Weasley.

"Prat." Bill muttered, seeing his brother.

"Back off William, it's just me, Sirius." Sirius as Percy said. Bill softened.

"Oh, good." He said with a scowl.

"Our baby brother isn't in the best of graces with us all right now." Charlie explained to Tonks, who nodded.

"I gathered that. I ran into him at work today and he didn't even respond to my hello." She said, looking pointedly at Remus, who would not meet her eyes. "Hello Remus." She added dryly.

"Nymphadora." He said cordially with a nod as he had when they first met. Her cheeks flushed with anger. Fleur, being more perceptive than people gave her credit for, stood, looking as though she might throw up what little lunch she had eaten earlier.

"Tonks…weel you come wiz me? I need your 'elp." She said. When Tonks looked up, there was a bit of apprehension in her eyes. Frowning, Tonks nodded and touched Charlie's arm as she got up and followed the Veela up the stairs into the loo.

"Fleur…are you alright?"

"I don' like seeing ev'ryone fighting…" She said. "Anyway…I really did need your 'elp…you see…I theenk I may be enceinte."

"I…what?" Tonks said, not understanding her French.

"Pregnant. Wiz child…Bill and I forget to use a contraceptive charm once…I missed my period…" She burst into tears. Tonks stared at her wide-eyed.

"Oh…it's okay…" She comforted the French girl, who was a good four inches taller than she. Fleur pulled a small box from her purse. "What's that?" She whispered.

"A Muggle pregnancy test…I stop at a pharmacy in London zis morning when I wake up…I could not show my face in Diagon Alley…not wiz Gringotts so close."

"Alright…" Tonks said, taking the box and reading the directions.

Step 1: Take the Test

When you are ready to test, remove the Test Stick from foil wrapper.

Take off blue cap and use Test Stick right away.

Make sure to hold tip downwards.

"So…you're going to have to…to pee on this Fleur." Tonks whispered, unwrapping the test as Fleur sat on the toilet.

"Good 'zing I drank a glass of water before zis." Fleur muttered, taking the test. When she was finished, she held it out to study it. "Now what?"

Step 2: Wait 3 Minutes

"We have to wait three minutes." Tonks said, perching on the edge of the bathtub as Fleur pulled her underwear back up under her skirt. Both girls jumped as Molly's voice came from outside the door.

"Is everything alright dears?" She called.

"Yes!" Tonks said, trying to come up with a good lie. "I…had a bit of a female problem Mrs. Weasley. Not to worry. Fleur is helping me!"

"Oh…alright dear." Molly, said and the sound of her footsteps moving away made them both sigh in relief.

"Merci Tonks…I could not live wiz myself if she knew…"

"I understand." Tonks said, looking at the ceiling.

"You are a good friend, Tonks." Fleur looked a bit close to either tears again, or heaving. "It is done!" Fleur cried out suddenly. She jumped up and they peered at the test together.

"It's negative." Tonks said, noticing the minus sign. Fleur began to cry again.

"Oh merci! Remerciez la qualité ! Je suis sauvé !" She cried.

"Yeah…whatever that means!" Tonks added happily, hugging the girl. For the first time, she felt close to the Veela. "Come on Fleur, let's flush this thing and get down to our…back to everyone."

"Oui…Bill weel be so relieved!"

"He knew?" Tonks asked.

"Oh yes…he was nearly in knots all ze way 'ere." Fleur replied, flushing the toilet and washing her hands before pulling Tonks out of the restroom.

"Feeling okay Tonks?" Charlie asked with a grin.

"Never better, Weasley." She said with a nervous grin, punching his arm as she sank onto the sofa beside him. A bloodcurdling scream of anger came from the kitchen.

"Arthur!" Molly cried.

"Bloody hell." Arthur muttered, rising. Molly came into the room, dragging her two identical twin sons into the room. "What…what are you two doing home?" He asked in shock.

"We're done." Fred announced. "I'm bloody done with that school!"

"You got expelled didn't you?" Arthur asked, rubbing his temples.

"Nope." George replied proudly. "Left of our own accord and put that horrid toad in her place."

"Oh Merlin!" Molly wailed. "What did you do to Umbridge?"

"We just set off some fireworks…" Fred said.

"And left a little water in the hall." George finished with a smirk.

"What?" Molly screeched as Arthur, went to her to calm her.

"Besides Mum," Fred added. "We're opening our own shop. We don't need to graduate to do that!"

"You can't be serious! Frederick Anthony! George Benedict! Upstairs until I figure out how to deal with you…"

"We're of age Mum…and you…" Fred stopped then, seeing the murderous look in his mother's eyes as the two of them skulked upstairs without another word.

"Oh Arthur…" Molly sobbed, burying her head in her husband's chest. He held her comfortingly.

"Molly…have a little faith in your sons." He said quietly. Tonks met Remus's eyes but he quickly averted them to talk to Bill. Sirius was having an animated conversation with Charlie about Hungarian Horntails.

"Mum!" A voice called from up the stairs as Fred appeared with George hot on his tail with a leap.

"Fred, I thought I told you two…" He brandished a cardboard box.

"Are you trying to tell us something Mum?" He asked, with an eyebrow raised.

"What? I…" Molly began squinting as she moved to inspect it. Tonks's insides began to coil. Oh damn… "What is this?" She asked, reading it. Her eyes became wide as she looked suspiciously at her oldest son and Fleur. "A muggle pregnancy test?"

"Oh dear." Fleur said, looking desperately at Tonks.

"William Arthur, do you know the meaning of this?" She asked waving it in her son's face. He looked ready to be sick.

"I…" He began, holding Fleur's hand so tightly, his knuckles turned white.

"I can explain…" Fleur said quickly.

"It's mine." Tonks said finally, ending it. Eight pairs of eyes were suddenly on Tonks, one of them looking even more horrified than the others.

"Yours?" Molly asked in confusion, before glancing at Remus.

"I…yes." She said, as Bill mouthed Thank You…Charlie was staring at her as if they'd never met.

"Female problems…" Molly murmured before rushing to Tonks and pulling her into the kitchen. "Come here dear, we need to feed you! And oh, oh dear, why didn't you tell me instead of buying a muggle test?"

"It's not what you—" Tonks said, now avoiding Remus's pained look.

"An unexpected pregnancy…oh, darling…no wonder you look sick as a cat! Imagine! A baby…"

"What just happened?" Sirius asked, but Remus didn't hear him. All that could be heard was the pounding of his blood in his ears. Tonks was pregnant. With his child. He was going to be a father…

"Moony?" Sirius asked, but Remus remained catatonic.

"No!" Tonks finally cried. "I…listen! I did take the test, but it was negative!" She looked at Remus, who seemed to be able to breathe again for the moment. "It was negative." She said more to him than to anyone.

"Oh." Molly said, sounding almost disappointed. Tonks's eyes filled with tears, breaking his heart.

"You can breathe a sigh of relief now." She said to him. "I know you wouldn't have wanted it anyway." She added. "I have to go Charlie." She said apologetically to her friend.

"Wait Tonks…" Charlie said, moving toward her as he looked confused between she and Remus. Remus, however, still couldn't move or speak. He watched as she left, mortified while he sat like an idiot in the armchair.

"Well, I hope you're proud of yourself Remus." Molly chastised him. "She's devastated…and you didn't comfort her."

"Molly, we've broken up…I could have killed her."

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked, eyeing him. Remus looked at Sirius, who nodded.

"She came upon me when I transformed a couple weeks ago. I told her when we started dating that if anything ever happened because of me…it was over for my own conscience." He said. Arthur seemed appeased by this, but Molly was simply blazing.

"Typical man! Fools…" She stormed into the kitchen and began banging pots around. Remus finally stood, knowing in the pit of his stomach what he had to do.

"I have to go make sure she's alright…"

Tonks was crying into her couch as she heard a knock on the door.

"Go away!" She cried, not caring who it was.

"Dora, it's me. It's Remus…" He called softly. With a sigh, she wiped her eyes with her shirt sleeve and went to open the door. He was standing there with his hair falling into his eyes.

"What do you want?" She asked coldly.

"Why didn't you tell me you thought you were pregnant?" He asked quietly, stepping into the flat, shutting the door and putting his hands on her shoulders.

"It was Fleur's, Remus." She said quietly.

"I…what?" He asked,

"The test was Fleur's…it wasn't mine." She explained. "I said it was mine to save her the shame. She's trying to get on Molly's good side. Remember, I take a contraceptive potion."

"Oh." He said, looking upset. "I'm sorry…"

"You have nothing to be sorry about Remus." She said, but she could tell he didn't believe her. His pale eyes bore into hers. "I miss you." She said, touching his scarred cheek.

"I can't…" He said, sounding almost as if he were in pain. Somehow his forehead moved down to rest against hers.

"But you do, don't you? You miss me?" She asked. He shook his head, vehemently, his eyes closed. "Yes, you do. Deny it."

"I…can't." He said. "I miss you...but don't you see why I can't be with you?"

"We could just be together when it's not the full moon. We can just live separately, and then be together when it's not the full moon." She knew she sounded like she was begging.

"That isn't fair to you." He said, holding her arms now.

"I just want you, Remus…I want to be with you forever."

"If I were normal, I'd have married you ages ago and we'd have six kids…" He said sadly.

"We can still do those things, Remus." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you."

"I love you…" He breathed, and suddenly, they were kissing with their arms entwined. She felt herself being lifted and carried, never taking her lips from his. They made it somehow to the couch and he fell with her under him as they pulled at each other's clothes. Both had a relentless need to relieve themselves. He entered her swiftly, and within moments, each had reached their own climax before collapsing against each other. As she caught her reflection in a nearby picture frame, she noticed her hair was pink once more. Finally she smiled, but when she looked at him, he was not smiling.

A/N: As you may have noticed some of the dialogue in this chapter is EXACTLY the same as in OOTP. Indeed it is the very same dialogue that the brilliant JKR wrote in Chapter 29 of OOTP "Career Advice." Pgs 669-672 US. I can't take credit. It was all the creator.